25. March 2025
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Media Review

Willie Nelson – Last Leaf On The Tree

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

Willie Nelson - Last Leaf On The Tree

Willie Nelson - Last Leaf On The Tree
4.7

Rating

 4.7/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Very personal lyrics
  • Nice, nostalgic Willie Nelson touch

Willie Nelson is unstoppable. The last time I featured an album on the country music legend was in 2021, when I featured his 71st solo studio album, That’s Life. Just some three years later, he is releasing his 76th one, Last Leaf On The Tree. The release date has been 1st November 2024..

 

 

Willie Nelson – About The Artist

Willie Nelson is one of the few country music artists, who are even well-known in less “country music-developed” parts of the world, similar to Dolly Parton on the female artist side. Born on 29th April 1933 in Abbott, Texas, The US-American Korean War veteran is having an outstanding history in the genre. His long list of album releases is especially remarkable as his debut album … And Then I Wrote has been released in 1962, when Willie was already 29 years old. Apart from seven years since then (1964, 1991, 1995, 1997, 2003, 2007, 2015), any calendar year featured at least one Willie Nelson album. You can find more bio about him in my previous reviews, Thats Life (2021), First Rose of Spring (2020) and Ride Me Back Home (2019).

 

Willie Nelson – Last Leaf On The Tree – Track by Track

The thirteen track album lasts 51 seconds.

1. Last Leaf

I’m the last leaf on the tree
The autumn took the rest
But it won’t take me
I’m the last leaf on the tree

Similar to Willie Nelson albums I reviewed before, he is dealing with people fading away and him being one of the few remaining members of his family. A beautiful, very personal opener of his 2024 album.

2. If It Wasn’t Broken

The style of the album continues at If It Wasn’t Broken. Rather quiet, very personal, with a clear message. Even at the age of 91, this voice is still having quite some magic.

3. Lost Cause

Lost Cause is another one of the three songs, which Nelson had shared before the album already. Baby, you’re a lost cause – Nelson is sending a farewell message in here, the instruments in the background underline the melancholic atmosphere.

4. Come Ye

I say come ye, ye who have no fear
Of what tomorrow brings, child
Start praying for a better world
Of peace and all good things

Come Ye comes with a very special sound. There is a nice groove from bass instruments as well as a nice usage of percussion in the background. This leads to a sound, which is somewhere between folk and world music. The clear focus is on Willie Nelson’s voice and the storytelling. Overall, a rather scary and depressing sound – which also means the song is excellently written.

5. Keep Me In Your Heart

In the fifth track, Nelson asks to Keep Me In Your Heart. Or as he states in the first stanza, If I leave you, it doesn’t mean I love you any less, keep me in your heart for a while. The thought of having to leave this life and farewell is all present in this album again. The song comes with clear country music vibes and thus even has a certain ease, compared to the tracks before.

6. Robbed Blind

There are also some other kinds of topics on Last Leaf On The Tree. This one is for example about being fooled in a relationship. The calm, unagitated way Nelson is telling this story feels to make it more intense.

7. House Where Nobody Lives

In the seventh song, Willie is taking us to a House Where Nobody Lives. Again, the magic of the song comes from the storytelling. Nelson describes how people leave their former home in his street, which is more and more turning into a ruin. A song, which also has a strong metaphoric character.

8. Are You Ready For The Country?

Compared to the other songs on this album, Are You Ready For The Country? is rather zestful. There are even some clapping sounds in the background and the fiddle is going for a playful theme. The vibes of this song even make me move to its rhythm.

9. Do You Realize??

Listening to the first two lines of the ninth track makes you wonder, whether this could be a kitschy love song. They are Do you realize that you have the most beautiful face?. However, there are also much deeper thoughts in this track. Just briefly thereafter, Nelson asks Do you realize everyone you know someday will die?. This style leads to a nice contrast within the song.

10. Wheels

There are just some sounds which introduce the tenth song of the album, Wheels. Overall, the song feels very limited on both, the melodic as well as the vocal side. This leads to a very intimate, even scary touch, but also makes it harder to listen to this one. I liked other songs on Last Leaf On The Tree better.

11. Broken Arrow

Already the first tunes suggest that this song will present a more happy mood again. There are light piano lines, strumming guitars and even some rather swaying parts in a waltz rhythm. They flow one into the other. Finally, that leads to a versatile, but also entertaining listen.

12. Color Of Sound

If silence is golden, what color is sound is the question asked right at the beginning of the twelfth track. The song is a beautiful, gentle listen. I love the harmonic, heartwarming touch of this one, which is one of my favorites on Willie Nelson’s 2024 release.

13. The Ghost

Willie Nelson closes his album with The Ghost, which he had released in 1967 already. The song feels comparably present and nicely works with traditonal country music elements. And with lyrics like This strange world of darkness that comes with the night grows darker when it walks my way, the song just does not feel outdated. Listen to end for a hidden brief song.

 

Willie Nelson – Last Leaf On The Tree – Spotify

Here is the album on Spotify:

 

Willie Nelson – Last Leaf On The Tree – My View

Yeah, there is nowadays a team of writers around Willie Nelson (he appears himself in the credits rather rarely). But there is still that Willie Nelson magic in his 2024 album Last Leaf On The Tree. Despite the external assistance, the songs feel so suitable, so personal. Willie just does his style – as he did for some six decades already. I really love this album.

Favorite Song: House Where Nobody Lives

 

Country Music Legends

Here are all my country music postings marked as music legends contents:

 

Museums (Scale Modeling)

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