There are just some songs that will always be remembered as one of the classics.
‘Seven Spanish Angels’ by none other than legends Willie Nelson and Ray Charles is most definitely one of them.
And even though the song was originally released all the way back in November 1984, true classics never die.
The song is as popular as ever on streaming services and on YouTube, where it has already amassed over 72 million views.
Of course, the song was quickly able to get to the number one position in the music charts back in the day, and it stayed there pretty much undisputed for months a time.
First, the song was available on the Friendship album by Ray Charles, but Willie Nelson also added the song into a compilation album of his songs the following year, Half Nelson.
The song is, without a doubt, the largest success in the vast career of Ray Charles, but people will always link the song to Willie Nelson too.
Nelson’s musical reputation definitely precedes him: the song is absolutely beautifully written and performed.
It’s no wonder why this was the top song for long, and why it’s even making a resurgence on YouTube.
It must be amazing for all the younger audiences who aren’t really familiar with Nelson’s or Charles’ repertoire to hear these incredible songs for the very first time!
Combining Willie’s crisp and natural voice with a very unique timbre and the magnificent lyrics truly makes this a video worth seeing.
“There were seven Spanish Angels
At the altar of the Sun
They were prayin’ for the lovers
In the valley of the gun”
The songwriters, Troy Seals and Eddie Sester, later revealed that the song is actually a tribute to Mary Robbins’ hits.
They specifically mentioned the Tejano-flavored classics, such as the song El Paso. Seven Spanish Angels tell the tragic and quite heartbreaking tale of a cowboy outlaw who fell in love and is now on the run from dangerous, armed men.
They were instructed to bring the outlaw back to Texas.
Eventually, the men and the outlaw in the song found themselves in a tangle, and the outlaw’s lover was in the midst of everything.
The two lovers embraced each other in the middle of the skirmish, as they believed that God would spare their lives.
However, this is where the heartbreaking part in the story comes in – the outlaw is actually hit by a couple of bullets.. Not too long after, the outlaw’s lover also passes away.
“When the battle stopped and the smoke cleared
There was thunder from the throne
And seven Spanish Angels
Took another angel home
And she knew the gun was empty
And she knew she couldn’t win
But her final prayer was answered
When the rifles fired again”
While the song was written with Marty Robbins in mind, he already passed. Not two long after the song was written, it was pitched to Wille Nelson.
And he absolutely did the beautiful song justice! What an absolutely stunning performance.
But you might wonder, what does Ray Charles have to do with all of this?
Well, his producer Billy Sherill already heard a demo of the song, and wanted it to be performed by Charles – but Willie Nelson already had a reservation on the song. The end result was a beautiful duet between both superstars.
If you’d like to see how these two absolutely amazing country music legends perform this unforgettable song, be sure to check out their official music video below.
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