The song is the second focus track from his upcoming album
Sony’s Legacy Recordings has released the second track from Willie Nelson’s anticipated new studio album Last Leaf on the Tree. The album’s second spotlight track – Nelson’s rendition of The Flaming Lips “Do You Realize??” – is available on all digital outlets.
One of The Flaming Lips’ most enduring songs is an existentialist masterpiece well-suited to the tao of Willie. From their perspective, the Lips loved it. “He’s just such a unique singer,” lead singer Wayne Coyne says. “You hear one second of his voice, and you go, that’s him.” Fellow bandmember and song co-writer Steven Drozd says his only regret is that his late father won’t get to hear it: “I wish he was still alive to see this happening, that Willie Nelson is doing a Flaming Lips song I had a part in co-writing. He’d be very proud.”
Also available is a video of Coyne and Drozd expanding on hearing Nelson perform their celebrated song.
On November 1st, Nelson’s Last Leaf on the Tree will be available digitally, on CD and amber swirl double LP vinyl. In addition, Nelson’s website will have an exclusive version which includes a limited-edition lithograph created by album producer, Willie’s son Micah Nelson.
Last Leaf on the Tree is Nelson’s 76th solo studio album and his 153rd album overall, according to Texas Monthly’s interactive All Willie Nelson Albums Ranked list. The album finds Nelson covering an eclectic collection of songs by rock legends, idiosyncratic singer songwriters, alt-rock heroes, and indie folk artists, as well as a new recording of Willie’s 1967 song, “The Ghost,” and a new composition by Willie and Micah Nelson.
In addition to producing, Micah Nelson played many of the instruments, designed the album cover, and helped create animation for the video of the album’s first single, a cover of Tom Waits’ “Last Leaf” alongside his wife, Alexandra Dascalu Nelson. Willie plays his trusty guitar Trigger throughout and the two are joined by a host of celebrated musicians plus guest spots from legendary producer and musician Daniel Lanois, John Densmore of The Doors, Senegalese musician Magatte Sow on percussion and harmonica master Mickey Raphael, who has played alongside Willie for over 50 years.
The single comes just as Willie Nelson & Family finish their run co-headlining the final leg of this year’s Outlaw Music Festival Tour with Bob Dylan and John Mellencamp. The tour concludes this weekend on September 21st with the annual Farm Aid benefit concert in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., with guests including Neil Young, Dave Matthews, Mavis Staples, Nathaniel Rateliff, Charley Crockett, and Lukas Nelson with the Travelin’ McCourys.
Meanwhile, Micah Nelson will be joining Neil Young for two shows on September 23rd and 24th at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York before embarking on his Particle Kid West Coast OctoberQuest 2024 tour.
