Alison Krauss is currently promoting her new album Windy City, which is comprised of covers of classics, and she trotted one out on The Late Show Monday night—Willie Nelson’s old favorite “I Never Cared For You.”
It’s a track that has a few fun, very notably country twists—how are we to know who is truly the one in denial in this scenario, as the protagonist claims he never cared for his former love, all the while singing “I know you won’t believe these things I tell you/I know you won’t believe/Your heart has been forewarned all men will lie to you/And your mind cannot conceive.” Krauss’s lilting voice is arranged against new accompaniment (that bass and electric guitar, man), and makes that verse somehow even more beautifully melancholy, almost jazzy. It’s a departure from basically the past couple decades of her work, which has seen her mostly teaming up with Union Station, as well as Robert Plant.
Nelson has featured the song on several of his albums since first releasing it in 1964; here’s a few of his versions, one where he is nearly unrecognizable (at least visually speaking), and the other from 1998 with Emmylou Harris.
For a further taste of Windy City, head to NPR, who is streaming it.
DISCUSSION
Alison Krauss is kind of a blindspot for me, and this may not be the place to ask, but what albums of hers should I check out? I’ve really liked what I have heard of her, which has usually been covers.