Island in the Sea explained

Island in the Sea
Type:	studio
Artist:	Willie Nelson
Cover:	Willie-Nelson-Island-In-The-Sea.jpg
Released:	1987
Genre:	Country
Label:	Columbia
Prev Title:	Partners
Prev Year:	1986
Next Title:	Seashores of Old Mexico
Next Year:	1987

Island in the Sea is a studio album by the American musician Willie Nelson, released in 1987.^{[1] [2]} The album contains two singles: the title track and "Nobody There but Me", which respectively reached No. 27 and No. 82 on the Hot Country Songs charts.^[3] "The Last Thing on My Mind" is a cover of the Tom Paxton song.^[4]

The book Willie Nelson: The Outlaw calls the album "a laid-back slice of old-time textures, including Hawaiian music, yodeling, folk, and country, with four overproduced tracks by Booker T. Jones tacked on at the end."^[5]

Critical reception

The Philadelphia Inquirer praised Nelson's original compositions. The Vancouver Sun deemed the album "a trifle better than standard Willie."^[6] The Orange County Register noted that the album's first side "features the spine-tingling beauty of the unadorned Nelson sound."^[7] USA Today considered the title track to be the album's best song.^[8]

Track listing

1. "Island in the Sea" (W. Nelson) - 2:19
2. "Wake Me When It's Over" (W. Nelson) - 3:17
3. "Little Things" (W. Nelson, Shirley Collie Nelson) - 4:23
4. "The Last Thing on My Mind" (Tom Paxton) - 5:17
5. "There Is No Easy Way (But There Is a Way)" (W. Nelson) - 2:32
6. "Nobody There but Me" (Bruce Hornsby, John Hornsby, Charlie Haden) - 2:47
7. "Cold November Wind" (Phyllis Horne) - 4:18
8. "Women Who Love Too Much" (Booker T. Jones, Waylon Jennings) - 4:45
9. "All in the Name of Love" (Jones, Jennings) - 4:59
10. "Sky Train" (Jones, Jennings) - 2:39

Personnel

Compiled from Island in the Sea liner notes.^[9]

Musicians

• Willie Nelson - guitar, vocals
• Paul English - drums
• Mickey Raphael - harmonica
• Bee Spears - bass guitar
• Bobbie Nelson - piano
• Grady Martin - guitar
• Jody Payne - guitar, vocals
• Billy English - percussion
• Chip Young - acoustic guitar
• Mike Leech - bass guitar
• David Briggs - keyboards
• Pete Wade - electric guitar
• Martin Parker - drums
• Bobby Ogdin - piano
• Farrell Morris - percussion, vibes
• Booker T. Jones - drums, keyboards, acoustic guitar, bass guitar

On "Nobody There but Me"

• Bruce Hornsby - piano, synthesizer
• Peter Harris - guitar
• George Marinelli, Jr. - guitar
• John Mollo - drums
• Joe Puerta - bass guitar

Technical

• Bobby Arnold - engineering
• Larry Greenhill - engineering
• Booker T. Jones - production (tracks 8-10), engineering
• Grady Martin - production (track 7)
• Willie Nelson - production (tracks 1-6)
• Denny Purcell - mastering
• Glenn Rieuf - engineering
• Chip Young - engineering

Notes and References

1. News: Tucker . Ken . Summer Music . The Philadelphia Inquirer . 18 June 1987 . D1.
2. News: Boehm . Mike . Willie delivers it all in strong crowd-pleaser . The Providence Journal . August 3, 1987 . A13.
3. Book: Whitburn, Joel. Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2012. Record Research, Inc. 2012. 238. 978-0-89820-203-8.
4. News: Davis . Rick . Music . The San Diego Union-Tribune . September 11, 1987 . C2.
5. Book: Thomson, Graeme. Willie Nelson: The Outlaw. 31 July 2012. Random House . 9781448133413.
6. News: Mackie . John . Willie Nelson: Island in the Sea . Vancouver Sun . 18 July 1987 . D8.
7. News: Davis . Noel . Willie Nelson Island in the Sea . Orange County Register . September 4, 1987 . P40.
8. News: Oermann . Robert K. . It's Star Time . USA Today . December 11, 1987.
9. Island in the Sea . Willie Nelson . 1987 . CD insert . Columbia Records . 40487.