ilovemusic wrote: 
i've been listening for about five years and this is my first time hearing Willis, love it instantly. welcome to RadioParadise friend, i think you'll like it here 

Everyone named Willis is cool in my book.  This song is good too.

Did he say "running from my pants"?

Willis actually went to high school in Dallas and I believe he was the original composer of this song - I love a lyric from his song "Northeast Texas Women"......with their cotton candy hair
rock on

Buffett's is far better than the original, IMO.

 badgerv wrote: 

Jimmy Buffett has a pretty good version of this song

A friend turned me on to Mr. Ramsey back in '75. I found myself singing the Ballad of Spider John yesterday, trying to remember all the words. I still have the album, but no way to play it. So I looked it up on youtube and found my way to this site. Not many people knew about Willis Alan Ramsey in the greater Detroit area back in those days, so I always felt privileged to be part of the select few.  Good to know there are others out there who appreciate Willis. 

 SDBob wrote: 
Willis wrote all these songs in high school (san antonio) then had writer's block....for years!!!  Plus, performing live was never his fave.  He is practically a hermit in Wimberley Texas these days...produces and sometimes performs here and there...can be spotted at many a backyard bbq.

Ever since I got reminded about this artist (thank you Bill) I have be fascinated about just what happened to this guy. This album received well deserved critical acclaim when it was released in 1972. Since then nothing!? What happened?? I have read a few excerpts about how much of a recluse this guy is but I just can't get my head around someone with this much talent can just stop. Sounds like a good story line for a book or documentary.

 go_ski_mully wrote: 
I used to think this was one of Mr. Buffet's songs too: his was the only version I'd ever heard. Always loved this song, regardless.

c.

 horstman wrote:  My thought, exactly!

ramsey the person is actually the epitome of the moody, temperamental, egotistical and disorganized songwriter/artist common to everyone's stereotype. almost a decade ago a friend hired him to do a show for a private event and ended up 9 months later disappointed, disillusioned, and some thousands of dollars poorer because on my recommendation he'd offered to help finance the recording of the so-called "second" willis alan ramsey album;  

it was obvious to me at the time that he has made a small industry out of producing this second album; many of the new original songs in it are decades old; he even once announced that it had a title or name; "gentilly" or something similar; that was over 7 years ago and the album is still unreleased and in post-production. shortly thereafter i ran into one of ramsey's financiers here in austin, a well-known older fellow who took ramsey under his wing, and i asked him when the album was coming out, and he commented that it had better come out soon;

guess he's still waiting 

 Huey wrote: 
Yes, me too.

This entire album is a classic.  In songwriter circles Ramsey is considered a god....He's back writing again and performing some...but mostly another Wimberley hermit....we've got lots of them...makes it a GREAT place to live!

Jackson_Hart wrote:

Yep, not enough difficult (and often cheesy) rhymes to be a Buffet original ;-) Not a slam, actually a paraphrase from Buffett (from the book Pirate Looks at Fifty I think).

For the Buffett haters, he may not be Hemingway but I have fond memories of Dr. Seuss too. Classic and sometimes just what you need to bring a smile to your face. Fins up!

Holy smokes. I haven't heard that in ages, I'd almost forgotten him. I picked that gem up on vinyl about a million years ago. It is just packed with great tunes. If I remember correctly, reading the list of studio musicians and their instruments is an absolute hoot.

horstman wrote:

For the first half of the song I thought it was Elton. Great song!

I've never heard a song more full of mythos. There's a remarkable poetry here.

lionirons wrote:

Me, too. Say, Huey -- which barbituate ultimately enabled you to get into him?

redtex wrote:

My boyfriend saw him a few years ago in Austin. When asked about releasing a "second album", Willis replied "Why? Didn't I get the first one right?"

I've never heard this, or of him...thanks RP.

Not too many songs called "Ballad of ..." that work for me other than "... John and Yoko."

Huey wrote:

I'm still at the "first I thought it sucked" stage.

Wow, I thought this was David Gray for a minute. Then I realised that I could understand the words, so it couldn't be.

yogaboat wrote:

"Ballad of Spider John" was written by Willis Alan Ramsey. Not all of Jimmy Buffet's recordings are penned by him, and this one is amongst the ones that weren't.

ruthless wrote:

My personal guarantee...You will not be disappointed.

I had forgotten about this one! Just ordered it...

Thanks Bill