Cover Wars: I Gotta Get Drunk (Willie Nelson)

The premise of the song I Gotta Get Drunk by Willie Nelson has always cracked me up. The narrator laments the fact that he has to get drunk – knowing full well he is going to act like a jackass and spend a lot of money, but has to do it anyway for the amusement of others. Our protagonist also dismisses the advice of doctors telling him to cool it on his drinking citing that are more old drunks than there are old doctors. Hard to argue with that logic.

The Contestants:

Artist: Gas Huffer
Live Show: Twisted Willie: A Tribute To Willie Nelson
The Skinny: First up is this odd arrangement by Gas Huffer from a compilation of Willie Nelson covers that includes contributions from such artists as Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings.

[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/hufferdrunk.mp3]

Artist: The Little Willies
Live Show: The Little Willies
The Skinny: I had not heard of this group featuring Norah Jones on piano and vocals before a couple weeks ago as I prepared to attend my first Bridge School Benefit Concert (which by the way is an incredible event that I encourage everyone to attend if you have the means). The Little Willies first recorded an album in 2006 filled with old-timey covers and the occasional original (about catching Lou Reed cow tipping of all things) and have a new disc coming out later this year. If it’s anything like the first one, it’ll be a great record worthy of repeated spins.

[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/norahdrunk.mp3]

Some great live video of the band performing I Gotta Get Drunk:

Artist: Phosphorescent
Live Show: To Willie
The Skinny: With three LP’s of original material under their belts, Phosphorescent filled this 2009 album with Willie Nelson originals or songs The Red Headed Stranger made famous like Merle Haggard’s Reasons To Quit.

[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/phosdrunk.mp3]

Some video of Phosphorescent performing the cover, not the greatest performance – he appears to be having gear issues, confuses lyrics etc.

Artist: Tim Palmieri
Live Show: 5-21-2011
The Skinny: Closing out this week’s brief Cover Wars is HT favorite Tim Palmieri and a great recording of his solo performance of the cover. Well, sort of solo – he sets a loop so he can take a guitar solo witha accompaniment – I think.

[audio:https://glidemag.wpengine.com/hiddentrack/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/timmydrunk.mp3]


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