Qustion on Linda Ronstadt

[BombaySapphire3]

Linda's voice sounds great on her last and I'm guessing final record Adieu False Heart from 2008.Her cover of' Just Walk Away Renee "on that album would have been a hit back in the day.She is/was such a perfectionist about vocals that any deterioration at all that she detected in her voice may have abetted in her decision to retire.

[PolishStevieFan]

I guess, I will have to find her album "We Ran". She performs there her version of Bruce Springsteen's "If I Should Fall Behind", which ranks as one of my Top 10 favourite Bruce songs of all time Linda's voice is so powerful. Recently, I've watched her performing an old Roy Orbison's song "Blue Bayou" (live from the 70's) and to be honest-she outdid Orbison's original in every single aspect. It seems, that she can sing everything. I wonder if she ever collaborated with Stevie or Fleetwood Mac in the past. Or maybe they were rivals? Can anybody tell anything about it?

[Dodfather]

Originally Posted by Travisevian

Trio(with Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris)
[/I].

How could I forget the Trio albums?? Great stuff.

[Dodfather]

Originally Posted by chiliD

{slaps forehead} !

Also, the Feels Like Home album, too...that has a great cover of Tom Petty's "The Waiting".

Yup - it sure does!

[iamnotafraid]

Originally Posted by chiliD

Don't Cry Now
Heart Like A Wheel
Prisoner In Disguise
Simple Dreams
Hasten Down The Wind
Get Closer

Excellent list ChiliD.
Simple Dreams is one of
my most favorite albums ever.
I play guitar to it quite often.

PolishStevieFan you might try
to track down the out of print
4 CD box set Linda Ronstadt
released in 1999 I believe.

I can remember drooling over
Linda's poster in Spencer's back
in the day.

[PolishStevieFan]

Finally, I've got my hands on "Feels Like Home" (for "Heart Like a Wheel" I must wait about two weeks ). After few listens I can say one thing: "Wow"! If that's not one of her key albums, than how great "Heart Like a Wheel" must be? Her take on "The Waiting" is by far the best song from the album but vocal harmonies with Emmylou Harris on "After The Goldrush" and beautiful "Blue Train" come very close. Linda's voice is pretty in every incarnation-country, rock, pop stylings...this woman can sing it all with great results. I know she's not songwriter but with this kind of pipes she can sing other people's songs beautifully enough. I can't wait to hear "Heart Like A Wheel" and who knows...maybe in future I will get my hands on "The Box Set"...?

[Macfanforever]

linda did the best cover on "Blue Bayou" in 1977.Trio was awesome with Dolly and Emmylou.

[PolishStevieFan]

Finally! Yesterday I got my used copy of "Heart Like a Wheel" and to be honest...this album really blew me away! It's classic Country/Rock album with many highlights, such as: "It Doesn't Matter Anymore", "Faithless Love" and "I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You)". The hits: "You're No Good" and "When Will I Be Loved" are great as well but the title track steals the show, being my number one song on the album. Linda's voice is perfect. She sounds so convincing on each and every track and it appears to me, that she hits only the right notes...She knows when to belt and when to sing in a straightforward manner...And the production by Peter Asher is flawless. He made her sound even more beautiful. The only thing that bothers me is why on earth this woman is not popular anymore. With the album like this she should be welcomed to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with open arms...

I wonder if she's ever worked with Stevie...I read that she collaborated with Waddy Wachtel and some of the musicians from The Heartbreakers, so maybe they've had a chance to do something together...Does anyone know anything about it?

[vivfox]

Originally Posted by PolishStevieFan

Finally! Yesterday I got my used copy of "Heart Like a Wheel" and to be honest...this album really blew me away!

The only thing that bothers me is why on earth this woman is not popular anymore. it?

The sad part is that she's no longer popular because of her own self. She has said she doesn't like to hear her old hits because they make her cringe. She says when she hears the songs(we love) she thinks to herself how she could have sung them better.

[markolas]

re: pop standards

In general, I don't think her generation of singers are the best interpreters of them. For the most part, these are songs their parents would've listened to, and I think her generation tends to sing them like they're singing church hymns or something.

And I agree with vivfox. Linda's one of the best pop singers who ever lived, but she seems to have a skewed idea of what her best material is.

[PolishStevieFan]

Originally Posted by vivfox

The sad part is that she's no longer popular because of her own self. She has said she doesn't like to hear her old hits because they make her cringe. She says when she hears the songs(we love) she thinks to herself how she could have sung them better.

Well...she's entitled to have her opinion But these songs and these interpretations gave her the biggest success and she should be thankful for it. I don't understand why she destroys her legacy in this way. For me, "Heart Like a Wheel" sounds perfect even if there's no original song on this album. I don't care for Paul Anka's version of "It Doesn't Matter Anymore"...it's Linda's voice that makes it special for me. It's sad that she can't cherish her past.

[iamnotafraid]

Originally Posted by vivfox

She has said she doesn't like to hear her old hits because they make her cringe.

When did she say this?


I have a theory that some artists leave
behind the music that made them popular
because it doesn't sell anymore. And quite
possibly they can't actually sing songs
like they could in their heyday.

Same could be said about a certain guitar
player (Lincoln Buckingeggs) who chooses
to release boutique style albums because
they have no chance at failing.

Oh well, we always have the past.

[priestofnothing]

I was a big Linda fan before Stevie in the late 70's, along with Donna Summer and Pat Benatar, but then I found Stevie.... however.....

I did love Heart Like a Wheel and Mad Love - they both are exquisite in very different ways.... and I do love her "standards" albums...

Heart Like A Wheel is probably the classic Linda that I love.... pure... simple... real... a lot of feeling in all of those songs... I always loved "Willing"

and if you give me
weed
whites
and wine

and you show me a sign
then i'd be willing
to be moving

[PolishStevieFan]

Originally Posted by priestofnothing

I was a big Linda fan before Stevie in the late 70's, along with Donna Summer and Pat Benatar, but then I found Stevie.... however.....

I did love Heart Like a Wheel and Mad Love - they both are exquisite in very different ways.... and I do love her "standards" albums...

Heart Like A Wheel is probably the classic Linda that I love.... pure... simple... real... a lot of feeling in all of those songs... I always loved "Willing"

and if you give me
weed
whites
and wine

and you show me a sign
then i'd be willing
to be moving

Oh yeah! "Willing" is great song. I've found myself humming this damn song all the time since I got "Heart Like a Wheel" I wonder why she never got a chance to write any song all by herself. You know, she's great interpreter of other people's songs but on the other hand I wish she had recorded her own songs. Stevie has a legacy and reputation thanks to her songwriting, while Linda relied solely on somebody else's ideas. I'm not saying it's wrong, but it kind of puts her in a different league Strange thing with Linda is that she had so beautiful voice yet she's not as renowned as say Barbra Streisand (yawn!) or Diana Ross who also depended on other people's material...

[chiliD]

Originally Posted by PolishStevieFan

I don't care for Paul Anka's version of "It Doesn't Matter Anymore"...

I can't recall ever hearing Paul Anka ever doing his own song. If I'm not mistaken Paul wrote it specifically for Buddy Holly. Who NAILED the song!