I’ve dug this tune for a long time now, but I just recently stumbled across this gem — a Vegas rendition of “Arkansas Coal” by Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood. (Hazlewood, an Oklahoma native, lived in Arkansas at some point in his childhood.)
Like a good many Hazlewood-related tunes, it is fairly bonkers in terms of arrangement and overall vibe. It’s got jarring shifts reminiscent of the duo’s timeless psych-pop tease “Some Velvet Morning.” But the whole thing is a bipolar mix of eerie atmospherics and utter cheeseball bombast. Sinatra’s childlike vocals are extra creepy (and check that outfit!). Hazlewood was sans moustache. This was in the midst of his “Cowboy in Sweden” period, a particularly fertile time in a career thus far filled with them.
I’ve been on a huge Hazlewood kick lately. The guy was whip-smart and had a wicked sense of humor, to say nothing of his keen ear and production acumen. This box set looks like it’d be worth smashing open your piggy bank for. Anyway, I hope y’all enjoy this on your snow day.
After the jump, another one of my favorite Hazlewood tunes.