"If I find you've been creepin' round my back stairs, sundown, you better take care."
I have to confess that I like these albums more than I want to, especially
We Had It All. This was Scott Walker's brief foray in Country music, and though it really has no right to be mentioned in the same breath as his iconic earlier solo work, it does have its perverted attractions. While the earlier album,
Stretch, suffers from too much schmaltz, there are some nice moments, including "Someone Who Cared," which finds Walker's baritone positively dripping with despair. Things are a bit more consistent on
We Had It All, which seems a little more committed to the Country theme. Walker's baritone adopts a tearful creakiness on songs such as "Black Rose" and "Sundown," which makes them pretty irresistible even though they probably shouldn't be. This period of Walker's career feels like a big "fuck you" to the fans and critics who had rejected the direction he had taken on
Scott 3 and
Scott 4, projects that were comprise primarily of his own compositions. As for proof, look no further than his cover of "Delta Dawn." I wonder if he was able to keep a straight face while singing this chestnut. Anyway, enjoy!
