Willie Nile – House of a Thousand Guitars

Neath a delta moon and a worn brass ring in the house of a thousand guitars.

I’ve really been into this artist lately and especially this song. This song should have been played on the radio. I have a weakness for songs that name-drop other people. For instance Tom Petty’s Jammin’ Me, R.E.M.’s The End of the World (As We Know It), The Replacements Alex Chilton, Neil Young’s “Hey Hey My My (Into the Black), and well…you get the picture. I posted an earlier article about Nile and the readers really liked it.

Nile made two critically acclaimed albums in 1980 and 81 and then walked away from the music business. He didn’t like the business end but came back with an album in 1991. Since then he has made up for lost time with 11 albums. This was the title track to his 2009 album. It was his 6th studio album and since this album he has released 8 more. One of those albums is Positively Bob: Willie Nile Sings Bob Dylan which is fantastic.

In this song, Nile lists John Lennon, John Lee Hooker, Jimi Hendrix, Muddy Waters, Bob Dylan, The Stones, Bob Dylan, and more. It also has a hell of a catchy chorus that will stick with you. It’s very commercial-sounding and accessible.

Willie Nile is still out there touring and playing concerts.

House of the Thousand Guitars

Jimmy Hendrix plays all night long in the house of a thousand guitars.
Through a purple haze you can hear the song in the house of a thousand guitars.
When the clock strikes 12 Robert Johnson sings in the house of a thousand guitars.
Neath a delta moon and a worn brass ring in the house of a thousand guitars.
There’s not a dry eye when old Hank sings in the house of a thousand guitars.
With the pain and the hurt love sometime brings in the house of a thousand guitars.
Well you can hear Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones in the house of a thousand guitars.
There will be no vultures picking on their bones in the house of a thousand guitars.
House of a thousand, house of a thousand, house meet the moon and stars.
House of a thousand, house of a thousand, house of a thousand guitars.
You can spread your finger across the universe in the house of a thousand guitars.
John Lennon, Muddy Waters, man you can do worse in the house of a thousand guitars.
Well you can walk bare foot on broken glass in the house of a thousand guitars.
Cause Mr. John Lee Hooker’s gonna kick your ass in the house of a thousand guitars.
House of a thousand, house of a thousand, house meet the moon and stars.
House of a thousand, house of a thousand, house of a thousand guitars.
You can hear electric fingers playin’, dripping down life’s crooked alleways.
They say there are no broken strings in the house of a thousand guitars.
Just some busted hearts and bee that stings.
There are stained glass windows on the bedroom walls.
You can hear the cry when salvation calls.
Well you can move your body, you can shake your heads in the house of a thousand guitars.
You can play with blood on your fingtips in the house of a thousand guitars.
House of a thousand, house of a thousand, house meet the moon and stars. House of a thousand, house of a thousand, house of a thousand guitars.

Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all. View all posts by Badfinger (Max)