Linda Ronstadt – Blue Bayou

Posted by admin on February 10th, 2010 and filed under bayou | 25 Comments »

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With roots in the Los Angeles country and folk-rock scenes, Linda Ronstadt became one of the most popular interpretive singers of the ’70s, earning a string of platinum-selling albums and Top 40 singles. Throughout the ’70s, her laid-back pop never lost sight of her folky roots, yet as she moved into the ’80s, she began to change her sound with the times, adding new wave influences. After a brief flirtation with pre-rock pop, Ronstadt settled into a pattern of adult contemporary pop and Latin albums, sustaining her popularity in both fields.

While Ronstadt was a student at Arizona State University, she met guitarist Bob Kimmel. The duo moved to Los Angeles, where guitarist/songwriter Kenny Edwards joined the pair. Calling themselves the Stone Poneys, the group became a leading attraction on California’s folk circuit, recording their first album in 1967. The band’s second album, Evergreen, Vol. 2, featured the Top 20 hit “Different Drum,” which was written by Michael Nesmith. After recording one more album with the group, Ronstadt left for a solo career at the end of 1968.

Ronstadt’s first two solo albums — Hand Sown Home Grown (1969) and Silk Purse (1970) — accentuated her country roots, featuring several honky tonk numbers. Released in 1971, her self-titled third album was a pivotal record in her career. Featuring a group of session musicians who would later form the Eagles, the album was a softer, more laid-back variation of the country-rock she had been recording. With the inclusion of songs from singer/songwriters like Jackson Browne, Neil Young, and Eric Anderson, Linda Ronstadt had folk-rock connections as well. Don’t Cry Now, released in 1973, followed the same formula to greater success, yet it was 1974’s Heart Like a Wheel that perfected the sound, making Ronstadt a star. Featuring the hit covers “You’re No Good,” “When Will I Be Loved,” and “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore,” Heart Like a Wheel reached number one and sold over two million copies.

Released in the fall of 1975, Prisoner in Disguise followed the same pattern as Heart Like a Wheel and was nearly as successful. Hasten Down the Wind, released in 1976, suggested a holding pattern, even if it charted higher than Prisoner in Disguise. Simple Dreams (1977) expanded the formula by adding a more rock-oriented supporting band, which breathed life into the Rolling Stones’ “Tumbling Dice” and Warren Zevon’s “Poor Poor Pitiful Me.” The record became the singer’s biggest hit, staying on the top of the charts for five weeks and selling over three million copies. With Living in the U.S.A. (1978), Ronstadt began experimenting with new wave, recording Elvis Costello’s “Alison”; the album was another number one hit. On 1980’s Mad Love, she made a full-fledged new wave record, recording three Costello songs and adopting a synth-laden sound. While the album was a commercial success, it signalled that her patented formula was beginning to run out of steam. That suspicion was confirmed with 1982’s Get Closer, her first album since Heart Like a Wheel to fail to go platinum.

~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Duration : 0:4:8


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25 Responses

  1. dakotajim11378 Says:

    Great song by a …
    Great song by a great lady of rock n roll who has made most of her fame singing covers. This is a good example, a re-make of a Roy Orbison song. She ruled the 70s and has sung in numerous groups denominations. She was part of a band, as a duet, in a trio, a soloist, in a orchestra; and may I add all very successful. She is definitely one of a kind and is in my top 10 women artists of all-time. What say you out there in you tube land!!!

  2. JohnB1948Eight Says:

    I have blocked …
    I have blocked Gabriella from making comments on my channel. I will not be called a racist for asking that comments stay on topic – the music and the artists.

    I almost removed her racist attack on me but decided to leave it up so you can decide for yourselves who is the racist here.

    I AM OFF!

  3. GabriellaNoel Says:

    If JB can not see …
    If JB can not see the beauty of Linda who loves and stands up for people in Arizona then maybe he is a racist!! This is not Politics!! This is a humanitarian issue!!

  4. JohnB1948Eight Says:

    Let’s keep politics …
    Let’s keep politics out of the discussion. A beautiful song by a beautiful woman!

  5. GabriellaNoel Says:

    Linda recently …
    Linda recently stood up and defended Immigrants that have been racially profiled and abused by Sheriff Joe in Arizona. This song is about the simplistic beauty of life,the ocean and the feeling of what it is like to be free. I only wish our Immigration system becomes reformed and that we free all 12 mil people that are terriozed in a system that rips their family apart and abuse’s them. Our country needs to celebrate the beauty and basic’s of love, piece and Blue Bayou!

  6. marieta7511 Says:

    LINDA beatiful …
    LINDA beatiful fantastc voice

  7. 19hookups76 Says:

    ohh so nice …
    ohh so nice memories, nice song to get burried with.Ruben Barajas,I say Thanks.

  8. martincasco1 Says:

    I Love vwery munch …
    I Love vwery munch this song. I feld so good when I hard it firt time in 1978. Great song I enjoyed dancing with a little girs (I was a little boy too)

  9. trojanr8der Says:

    LiNDa uUu tH3 BoMB. …
    LiNDa uUu tH3 BoMB… aLL tH3 PoLYz LuHv uUu….. xOxO

  10. francesanne67 Says:

    What a lovely song.
    What a lovely song.

  11. desire76100 Says:

    I love this song …
    I love this song hard and its awesome

  12. monkcat22 Says:

    It was the same for …
    It was the same for me , Man on fire is a awesome movie, it took me a while to track down the song but worth it !!

  13. LH98000 Says:

    Min og!!:-)
    Min og!!:-)

  14. shboosh1 Says:

    Awsome song herd it …
    Awsome song herd it first in the movie man on fire they did an amazing job of putting the movie and the song together really nice song great movie too

  15. Hattonslad1 Says:

    tidy!!
    tidy!!

  16. jalvarn Says:

    thanks for all the …
    thanks for all the great pictures

  17. 15MonaLisa Says:

    This song is my …
    This song is my morning alarm and my each evening “bedtime story”.
    GREAT!!!!!!

  18. 66sWIFEY4LYPH Says:

    i loove this song …
    i loove this song even my mom and dad!!!

  19. aajoeyjo Says:

    Beautiful!
    Beautiful!

  20. Greenhornet270 Says:

    I love you Jannie.. …
    I love you Jannie….

  21. jeannecitta Says:

    BEAUTIFUL VOICE, …
    BEAUTIFUL VOICE, BEAUTIFUL LADY!!!

  22. mfoa57dcr Says:

    I liked Roy …
    I liked Roy Orbison’s version first. That was before I heard of Linda. Then she knocked my socks off with her interpratation. She has a way of taking just about any song and transforming it into something beautiful…like the transformation of a caterpiller into a butterfly.

  23. 66sWIFEY4LYPH Says:

    LOVE DIS SONG MY …
    LOVE DIS SONG MY FAV KARAOKE SONG!!!!!

  24. dsotohall Says:

    Some one should …
    Some one should remake this song. But, there are few people who can sing like Linda.

  25. Kegancvdfg Says:

    Awesome Video. …
    Awesome Video. Youtube can be a great asset for you. If you need any help getting your video exposed check out this site called sl8t.(com) It has really done wonders for me, I have built 3 channels up with videos at top in position, this is my forth channel I’m going to working on now.

    Sorry for the parenthesis around the com, some reason Youtube will not let you give an actual address in a comment. Real weird. Have a Blessed day!

    Awesome! Awesome! Awesome!

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