Lee Hazlewood Lives On Through His Music

Even though Lee Hazlewood passed away in 2007, his music still lives on. Recently rereleased on CD is Archive Series, which features three of his albums that were produced between 1966 and 1968—The Very Special World of Lee Hazlewood, Lee Hazlewoodism and Something Special. These 36 tracks show off Hazlewood’s unique talent for songwriting.

Hazlewood has a knack for storytelling, as he seems to go back and forth between singing and telling a story throughout many of the songs on the three albums. In “Bugles in the Afternoon,” Hazlewood tells a story of a corporal that loves a woman named Polly. “Mannford, Oklahoma,” is another track where Hazlewood tells a story—this time about his hometown and what happens there.

Hazlewood was signed after having success as a songwriter for Nancy Sinatra, writing one of her most famous hits, “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’,” which was also released by him on Archive Series. This recent release also has other songs with a similar western country feel, including “This Town,” “José,” “The Lone Ranger Ain’t My Friend Anymore,” and “Mannford, Oklahoma.”

Hazlewood also has many songs about love and relationships. “Your Sweet Love” may not have many lyrics, but it is a sentimental and hopeful song about one person’s love getting Hazlewood through everything. Another song with minimal lyrics is “Hands,” which is about being lonely until being touched by another’s hand. He also sings of being foolish with love in the song, “When a Fool Loves a Fool.” He sings “I cry and cry and cry / You just walk away / You lie and lie and lie / and I come back to stay / I never thought you’d be so cruel / Lemme tell you that happens when a fool loves a fool.”

With 36 songs as credentials, it is clear that Hazlewood’s talent lies in songwriting.