Rickie Lee Jones (not) covering Stevie

[Fannymac]

Originally Posted by mikephxaz

They are two of my favorite singers, as well. I complain occasionally that Stevie can be a tad self indulgent with her lryics at the risk of the songs structure but NO ONE has done that more than Rickie Lee Jones has on her last three cds...and her newest release of covers is BAD

THANK YOU!!!! I'm a fan of Rickie Lee's as well, but I HATE the new album! She just can't "do" covers!!! By trying to do something "new" or "fresh", she just ends up murdering the song!! I'm GLAD she didn't do anything by Stevie....that would have REALLY upset me!!
(On the flipside, I've loved the two previous albums, particularly BALM...!).

[Phil]

Well one must not underestimate the influence of the perpetually bland Ben Harper, with whom Rickie has been collaborating in recent times. He actually produced the latest covers album, "The Devil You Know" and has certainly not done her any favours.
When I first read about Rickie having considered covering a Stevie song, it occurred to me that Ben would have most likely suggested it. I approve of all the possible choices mentioned within this thread, but I would lay money on "Landslide" being the one that was attempted.
PS HejiraNYC, "Balm In Gilead" isn't as bad as you might fear - it's certainly an improvement on "Sermon On Exposition Street".

[pattyfan]

My 2 cents...I'm a huge Rickie Lee fan, but I too think that this new covers CD is not very listenable. But I still would have loved to hear her do Stevie. Judging from the other choices on the CD, it would have been one of her (or Fleetwood Mac's) hits. I also have not been a huge fan of her later CDs, with the exception of a few songs here and there, but the CD before this covers CD was really good. Also, I just saw her live a few months ago without knowing that she was putting out a covers CD and I have to say that live the songs worked a lot better than they do on the CD.

I would friggin' love to hear Rickie Lee do Gold Dust Woman!

Kevin

[PolishStevieFan]

I can see that many people hate on Rickie Lee Jones' 2007's "The Sermon on the Exposition Boulevard" which happens to be one of my all time favourite albums of her entire career. The key to listen to this album is just actually to have more time to hear all the nuances of her performances, especially the improvised ones. I listen to this album more often than any other album from her. In the beginning I was totally against it, thinking it was just a bad experience, but time has been really kind to this record and it stands as one of the most inspiring albums in my collection. But going back to covers albums...Rickie did decent job with "Girl at her Volcano" but the rest was simply unlistenable. Who can stand woman with child-like voice mumbling song after song for 40 freaking minutes...? Definately not me