Townes Van Zandt - At My Window
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At My Window may be the last great album by legendary Texas singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt. There was a gap of nine years between the release of this album in 1987 and his previous LP Flying Shoes (released in 1978). His song “Pancho and Lefty” had just become a number 1 hit for Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard, so he had money in the bank, and Van Zandt was struggling with demons that ultimately would help him succumb to complications from hip surgery on New Year's Day, 1997. On this album, Townes sings about aging and the disappointments that falling in love can bring. His voice is ragged, but the production and a crack band help move these songs along, especially on the album's closer, the Catfish Song, regarded by your This Is Vinyl Tap crew as one of the greatest songs ever written.
THINGS WE DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE
Watch Townes perform “Pancho and Lefty” in an outtake from Heartworn Highways.
