Label
	Compadre
	Release
	2005
	Artist
	Billy Joe Shaver
	Rating

In the last few months Billy Joe Shaver has become one of my top favourite artists as he is, without question, the best country songwriter I’ve ever heard. When I first listened to this album I wasn’t too impressed as I instantly thought a large portion of the tracks sounded similar and it didn’t really grab my attention. However what I’ve realised with Billy Joe Shaver is that the more you listen to his songs, the more you connect with the lyrics. From that point each song becomes more than just a song - it’s a story, it’s poetry and you know it’s 100% written from the heart.

The opening song, Live Forever, is one you’ll all know very well and this version of it is my favourite due to the fantastic arrangement. There’s a calming electric guitar & piano sample, coupled with a beautiful strings arrangement which lift the song immensely. I’m not too familiar with Big & Rich, but their contribution is a welcome one. Slim Chance & The Can’t Hardly Playboys also deserves a mention, the tragic story of the worst band of guitar pickers in the world - one line in particular is pure genius:

“They got a new one out on Polish Records, it’ll be a Polish hit real soon”

There are two other songs on this album that I’d like to highlight for their excellence in terms of lyrics and storytelling. Acting as further testaments to Billy Joe’s ability to write songs based on his lifetime experiences, old and new, There’s No Fool Like An Old Fool and You Ought To Be With Me When I’m Alone are two standout songs on the album. I came across two videos on YouTube, which I thought I’d share with you as they display how genuine the lyrics in these songs are to Billy Joe - there’s so much emotion in his performances. I gotta say I love the story behind There’s No Fool Like An Old Fool.

I’m not so keen on the song Valentine too much. I don’t like Merle Haggard’s song Valentine from 1994 either - there’s something about that song name! Anyway, this album is more or less perfect and shows that (even though it’s four years old) Billy Joe Shaver is still going strong, and long may he.