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Willie Nile would not release another album for at least a decade as his third album was released in 1991 entitled Places I Have Never Been. Willie Nile would only release two albums during the 1990s as his second album of the 90s was released at the end of the decade in 1999 entitled Beautiful Wreck of the World.
The 2000s would see the emergence of a Willie Nile that would quadruple his recorded output over the next 20 years. Sparked by his appearances on stage with some of the legends of rock and roll including a very special performance with Bruce Springsteen at Giants Stadium, Willie Nile began turning out fabulous rock and roll albums filled with incredibly well written songs of depth and pure joy to listen too. As the 21st century moved along, it seemed Willie Nile continued to intensify his release schedule of albums to a point in which he was releasing a new record almost every year in the 2010s.
With an artist such as Willie Nile that has generated such an incredible body of work, it becomes very difficult to just choose just ten songs to present in a best off article. Nonetheless, that’s what we do here because our mission is to turn people on to music they might not know as well as celebrate songs that the loyal fans are well aware off. So here we go in presenting what we believe are ten of the best Willie Nile songs.
# 10 – Across the River
We open up our Willie Nile songs with one of our long time favorite Willie Nile songs of all time entitled “Across The River.” There is just so much beauty and substance in this great ballad. The song was released on Willie Nile’s debut album entitled Willie Nile. The album was released in 1980. There was such a buzz about Willie Nile when this album was released that this great artist wound up getting a spot opening up for The Who. Now that’s the big time my friends.
# 9 – Poor Boy
Continuing on with our Willie Nile songs list we figured we might as well just head right on over to Willie Nile’s next album release entitled Golden Down. The album was released in 1981. The song presented here entitled “Poor Boy,” was the album’s opening track. There is definitely a Bruce Springsteen vibe on this one especially in the song’s introduction. Just a great rock and roll tune fueled by great lyrics and playing and singing by Willie Nile and his band. Paul Shaffer who we all know as the leader of the former Dave Letterman band makes a guest appearance on keyboards on many of the album’s tracks including this one.
# 8 – New York is Rockin
Willie Nile may be the artist who has written more songs about New York than anyone else. In this great song, Willie Nile utilized the classic blues changes in a swinging rock and roll tribute to his hometown of New York City on this great 2020 recording. Willie Nile makes sures to mention all the boroughs and all the sports teams in one verse. Everyone actually gets a mention in this one. Thanks Willie, New York loves you right back!
# 7 – Places I Have Never Been
Willie Nile is one of those rock and roll artists that everyone wants to play and record with. Like I said before, he is a super nice guy who is just very cool to hang out with. In the number seven spot on our Willie Nile songs list, we present the title track to his 1991 album Places I Have Never Been. This is another powerful rock and roll song fueled by great cinematic lyrics setting up the story and delivering big time.Roger McGuinn of The Byrds performs on the album with Willie Nile. Other great musicians appearing on this fabulous album were Eric Bazilian and Rob Hyman of The Hooters, Robbie McIntosh who played with The Pretenders and Paul McCartney and the great T-Bone Wolk of the Hall & Oates band.
# 6 – God Laughs
If this one doesn’t grab you instantly then you better find another pair of rock and roll shoes. “God Laughs,” is a real fun song that’s just so brilliantly written. It sort of seems to maybe be the sequel to Joan Osborne’s “One of Us,” as this was co-written with Eric Brazilian who also co wrote that great Joan Osborne hit. The song “God Laughs,” was released on Willie Nile’s brilliant 2013 album American Ride.
# 5 – American Ride
Now if we could only get the entire country to takes a listen to this song and come to a realization that we are all Americans living together despite our differences, maybe we can all just chill out for a while. A song like “American Ride,” is the ultimate anthem for living as good decent people and enjoying the beauty of this country despite our geographical and political differences. Thanks Willie for this great song that has the power of a Woody Guthrie lyric in many ways.
# 4 – Vagabond Moon
Once again, we return to Willie Nile’s debut album released in 1980 entitled Willie Nile. In the number three spot we present one of Willie Nile’s most famous songs entuited “Vagabond Moon.” This is one that always gets requested at his shows from his old time fans.
# 3 – Streets Of New York
There have been many songs written about the city of New York by songwriters who never even stepped foot in our great city. (This writer was born in Manhattan and raised in the Bronx) But there’s nothing more genuine than a song about New York, especially the streets of New York than when its written by one of New York’s own, and that my friends is Mr. Willie Nile. New York has been home to many legends who have done it well when writing about New York City. Artists such as Lou Reed, The Ramones and so forth all had that genuine sensibility to their songs about New York City. In the song “Streets Of New York,” Willie Nile nails it down perfectly. You can hear the dirt, the pain, the beauty, the excitement, the romance and the hope all in his voice and that wonderful piano track. Such a brilliant work of art from a guy that knows New York City.
# 2 – Blood On Your Hands (Featuring Steve Earle)
This one is going to blow your mind. Willie Nile and his band simply tear it up big time with this spectacular sounding song entitled “Blood On Your Hands.” The song was just released a few weeks ago on June 7th 2021 as Willie Nile celebrates his 73rd birthday. The song features a vocal appearance by the legendary Steve Earle. This is a song that is clearly inspired by oppressive governments around the world and other forms of injustice. Its heavy, it rocks hard, and its Willie Nile at his best as both a songwriter and performer. The song will be included on his newest album being released in August of 2021 entitled The Day the Earth Stood Still.
# 1 – House Of A Thousand Guitars
As a big time Willie Nile fan, I loved this song the first time I heard it and I have always thought it was one of the best written rock and roll songs in the past twenty years. The song was released in 2009 on Willie Nile’s album entitled also House of a Thousand Guitars. As great as it sounds here, one must hear and see Willie Nile perform this song because he simply brings the house down every time he performs it. I was surprised that Bruce Springsteen released a song of the same name recently on his new album. It’s a completely different song. I wonder if Bruce Springsteen who is a good friend of Willie Nile was trying to turn people onto Willie by having them search for his song and finding Willie Nile’s instead and then being completely blown away by Mr. Willie Nile. Because that is exactly what will happen when people discover Willie Nile for the first time. True greatness!
Top 10 Willie Nile Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2021
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![Rob De Luca of Spread Eagle, Sebastian Bach & UFO: 10 Albums That Changed My Life From humble East Coast origins to grandest stages worldwide, veteran bassist Rob De Luca has seen and done it all. De Luca first hit the local Boston rock and metal scene in the late 80s after meeting guitarist Paul DiBartolo, bonding over Van Halen before forming Bang. Regional success came quickly, but eventually, the members of Bang went their separate ways, with De Luca and drummer Tommi Gallo heading to NYC and hooking up with Ray West and, later, DiBartolo to form Spread Eagle. By 1990, Spread Eagle was on the fast track, with a contract through MCA Records and a self-titled debut album poised to crush skulls. But poor timing and MCA's sad indifference left Spead Eagle out in the cold despite being a hard-boiled answer to Guns N' Roses's West Coast sleaze. Spread Eagle's first chapter came to an end in '95. As for Rob De Luca, his nimble fingers and gift for melody and songwriting kept him moving forward. Soon, he found a gig with former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach and the legendary outfit UFO. And in 2010, after coupling up with Ray West and his cousin Rik De Luca, Spread Eagle retook flight. During a break from Spread Eagle's increasingly busy touring schedule, Rob De Luca dialed in with ClassicRockHistory.com to run through the ten albums that changed his life. But only after adding, "I made a playlist of these songs, including some I've written or co-written. Do you hear any of these albums' influence on me?" Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3LWJuhDrE8JmzhsmTeIDUq 10) Gentlemen by Afghan Whigs (1993) Here's an entry that was so important to me. This may be the darkest break-up album of all time. Greg Dulli has been in many projects, but I feel Gentlemen is his zenith. Somewhat undefinable at times but always profound and honest. Listen to "Gentlemen," "Fountain and Fairfax," and "What Jail Is Like." 9) In on the Kill Taker by Fugazi (1993) By this time, I had been sucked in and spit out by the major-label record industry. Glam came and went; grunge was history, too. I was searching for new sounds. When I heard Fugazi's twin guitar approach, I knew this was what was missing. Fugazi may be considered a less polished sound than the albums above; however, once you "get it," it hits you like a ton of bricks, and there's no going back. From the moment I heard Fugazi, I went to every NYC show after. It's easily some of the best concerts of my life, and possibly my favorite bassist in Joe Lally. And their DIY ethics refused to charge us more than $5 a show! In on the Kill Taker is a powerful album demonstrated in songs such as "Smallpox Champion," "Great Cop," and "Public Witness Program." 8) Appetite for Destruction by Guns N' Roses (1987) I discovered many of these albums (sometimes long) after they were released. However, I was at the right place at the right time for this one. Steve Ostromogilsky had a Berklee College of Music lunch card and used to sneak out sandwiches for me. One day, he invited me to hang out at his place and listen to music. As we got off the train, he put Sony Walkman headphones on my ears and said, "Hey, check out this brand-new group." A song like "It's So Easy" was so different from the popular Sunset Strip sound at that time. Me and about 499 other informed rockers were lucky enough to see them on their first East Coast tour at the sold-out Paradise on Commonwealth Avenue, Boston (the same street Aerosmith started on). I saw Gn'R every tour after until I took a break when Buckethead joined. Gn'R is the band I've been lucky enough to see the most times live, almost 100! Everyone on this album is just stellar. Axl [Rose] had the tones, power, melodic sensibilities, and foresight to do what no other singer did then. Slash's playing was beyond memorable. Duff [McKagan] is one of the most underrated bassists in rock history, and learning his Appetite basslines is a masterclass. Steven [Adler] had the natural swing, and Izzy [Stradlin] was the secret weapon songwriter. Everything that's been heralded about this gem is deserved and true. Check out "It's So Easy," "Out Ta Get Me," and "Mr. Brownstone.' 7) Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd (1975) Another contender for my favorite album and band of all time. Using The Beatles machine (same recording studio, engineer, record label), Pink Floyd made what I feel is their strongest, most cohesive album (my second favorite of theirs would be Animals). This list mainly consists of bands with an instantly recognizable sound. Floyd is certainly no exception to that! This album included a solid handful of undeniable rock radio classics, bookended by two halves of the mind-blowing song "Shine on You Crazy Diamond.' That song was written about former band member and founder Syd Barrett. It would be hard to live in a world without this album. Check out "Welcome to The Machine," "Shine on You Crazy Diamond (parts 6-9),' or even better yet, listen to the whole thing in one sitting! 6) Decade by Neil Young (1977) About this time, I started playing guitar. As a beginner, it was comfortable jamming to this album because the chord changes were simple—a great "first ten years" retrospective of Neil's stunning, unique songwriting. Neil is a treasure who always writes from the heart and stands up for what's right. Check out "Southern Man," "A Man Needs a Maid," "Down by The River," and "After the Goldrush." 5) Highway to Hell by AC/DC (1979) When I heard this album, I was firmly "me." My life would be 100% focused on hard rock music forever. AC/DC are like air; they're ubiquitous. Everyone knows them and their incredible songs. However, as a young teen in Wilmington, Delaware, I only had WMMR 93.3 FM Philadelphia and a few friends to inform me about the world of Rock outside my bedroom. AC/DC had not gone mainstream, and their albums were available primarily in the USA as imports. To put things more in perspective, I only knew two people in the world who had heard of AC/DC. A friend had an import that we played in Steve Buckley's basement, which sounded ripping. When Highway to Hell was released, WMMR started spinning the title track, and I immediately bought the album, listening to it every single day after school. Then WMMR announced AC/DC was coming to the Spectrum in Philly, supporting Ted Nugent! I liked Ted but loved AC/DC, so my good friend Mick Cummins and I bought tickets, and he drove us up to the Spectrum (where we saw most of our concerts). Bon Scott was in fine form, and the band went over great. Although the crowd knew Ted better, Angus [Young] wouldn't let anyone upstage him. I'll never forget it! Unfortunately, Bon would be gone in 6 months. Check out "Walk All Over You," "Touch Too Much," "Shot Down in Flames," and "If You Want Blood (You Got It)." 4) Toys in the Attic by Aerosmith (1975) By the time I heard this, I was now in my teens. I had a childhood friend up the street, Jim Linberg (we're still good buddies). His older sister had a great album collection, including Toys in The Attic. Once I heard that groove, my taste changed. I lost interest in rock music that didn't have some sort of "swing" feel to it. I think Rocks is a slightly better Aerosmith album (and possibly my favorite album of all time), but both are perfect or very close. Check out "Uncle Salty," "Adam's Apple," "No More No More," "Round and Round," and "You See Me Crying." 3) Alive! by Kiss (1975) When I was still a little kid, I asked for Cheech and Chong's Up in Smoke album for Christmas. The entire family came over for an enormous feast, and I dropped the needle. When my mother heard the content, she turned off the album and said I had to exchange it. My mom was cool, but I was young and knew much more about life than she suspected. Anyway, the next day, she drove me back to the store. In the music section, promoted on an "endcap" was a Kiss Alive! display. I had never heard of Kiss, but that cover picture told me I had to have it! My first foray into hard rock. Check out “Strutter.” I went through my Kiss phase very quickly, I believe in a matter of months because I discovered the previous entry, Aerosmith's Toys in the Attic. 2) Honky Chateau by Elton John (1972) When I was a wee lad, my parents bought a used Volkswagen camper van from my uncle Ozzie. My favorite Elton John album is Yellow Brick Road, but Honky Chateau is great and easily one of his best. It sent me down a lifelong rabbit hole of loving everything about the 1970s partnership between Elton and lyricist Bernie Taupin. The simple beauty of voice, the master songwriting, the perfect backing band, the clear, unobtrusive recordings, and always Bernie's incredible lyrics. The day this album was released, Elton became an unstoppable force that conquered the music industry. Check out "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" and "Rocket Man." 1) Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles (1967) Another tape that was included in the VW Camper. The van had a bunch of music tapes, and one was Sgt Pepper. I was too young to understand the sophistication of the music, but that was one of the many skills of The Beatles. They attracted listeners at every level, even little kids. I still feel that immediate connection to Sgt Pepper; now, I hear so much more. It's an album that changed the world and the world of music. Check out "Lucy in The Sky with Diamonds," "A Day In The Life," and "Fixing a Hole."](http://www.classicrockhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Shutterstock_1815495569-1-300x200.jpg)
