Phases and Stages is the concept album on which Willie Nelson told a divorce from both sides: the first side is the woman's story, the second the man's, tied together by a recurring theme motif. It originally appeared in March 1974 on Atlantic Records, recorded in two days at Muscle Shoals Sound Studios and produced by Jerry Wexler. Bloody Mary Morning reached number 17 on the US country singles chart, the album number 34 on the country albums chart. AllMusic calls it 'not just one of Willie Nelson's best records, but one of the great concept albums'. Shortly after its release Atlantic shut down its country division, after which Nelson moved to Columbia. This edition is a 2-LP, released for Record Store Day 2024, with alternate takes of almost the whole album on the second record.