It’s really quite unfair to put Don Williams and Alison Krauss together on the same song. That’s like having all velvet furniture, or living in a house with plush walls. On ‘I Just Come Here for the Music,’ two of the most comforting voices ever to be played on country radio come together to sing a remarkably simple love song. 

The song — from Williams’ new ‘And So It Goes’ album — tells the story of an older man who’s anxiously introducing himself to a single woman for the first time in decades. His backstory (marriage, divorce or death, heartbreak) is told between the words.

I just come here for the music, I get lost here in the sound / I ain’t lookin’ for nobody, but could I buy you one more round / Don’t that fiddle play so lonesome, don’t that singer play so good / I just come here for the music, how ’bout you,” Williams sings alone during the first chorus.

The pair speak to an older audience, but this single is appropriate, as Williams is also re-introducing himself to country fans. ‘And So It Goes’ is his first studio album since 2004. Krauss joins the legend in the second verse and final chorus.

She doesn’t want to hurt his feelings / He’s got an understanding smile / Like he can she’s healing / Could he sit here for a while,” the two birds sing above a slow steel guitar and fragile pluck of a six-string.

The Gentle Giant’s lyrical performance is intentionally tentative to match the mood of his lead character. The production is a bit dated, but it matches the singer’s style and the audience he’s trying to reach. Krauss may be the best duet partner a country male could ask for, and Williams doesn’t waste his opportunity. Together, they turn in a masterful example of story telling and word economy.

4.5 Stars
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Listen to Don Williams, ‘I Just Come Here for the Music’ (Feat. Alison Krauss)

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