Most critics have dismissed
Willie Nelson
's
RCA
recordings of the '60s, claiming they're awkward and uneasy. While this is a matter of debate -- it's easy to argue that while uneven, they are at the very least interesting and certainly have a lot to offer -- it is a matter of fact that he didn't have a whole lot of hits for
, which makes compiling a 12-track hits collection like
Platinum & Gold Collection
a little difficult. So, the compilers of
Platinum & Gold
make a practice of ignoring the charting singles
Nelson
had during the '60s, instead choosing good early versions of anthems like
"Good Hearted Woman,"
"Night Life,"
"Funny How Time Slips Away,"
"Hello Walls,"
"The Party's Over,"
and
"Me and Paul,"
adding the non-LP single
"Blackjack County Chain,"
several cuts from the 1978
outlaw
classic
Waylon & Willie
(
"Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys,"
"I Can Get Off on You,"
"If You Can Touch Her at All"
), and a couple other rarities. It's a hodgepodge, one that doesn't quite capture the story or feel of
Willie
at
, but it's an enjoyable listen and if it's taken as a haphazard sampler, not a definitive collection, it's pretty enjoyable. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine