The Definitive 1000 Songs Of All Time 1955 to 2005: Number 665

Number 665

Linda Ronstadt

"Blue Bayou"

(1977)
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Genre:Country

Greetings & salutations to people right across the Globe. I see China has moved into 7th place as one of the most visited countries to this site, whats fantastic is that they were ranked below 20th only a week ago, so Kudos to the fans in China! 谢谢 ! ~ And my site looks good in a Chinese dialect :) ~

Now i want to ask the people of the blue planet we live on, do websites look better on Mozilla Firefox or Explorer? Ive seen my site in firefox and i must say i like the sharpness and colour. But the editing and logging in to some sites is just a pain in the groin you dont need.I know 86% of the people who visit here use Explorer. Still i reckon it looks pretty snazzy on Firefox.

Wha? oh, I know, i know...... back to the music please. Okaaaay sheesh!

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

For Neil Young see Numbers 938, #677 & #479

For Michael Nesmith see Number 549

For the Eagles see Number 509

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.

For Rolling Stones See Numbers 767 & #689

For Elvis Costello see Number 876

Sensing it was time to change direction, Ronstadt starred in the Broadway production of Gilbert & Sullivan's +Pirates of Penzance, as well as the accompanying movie. +Pirates of Penzance led the singer to a collaboration with Nelson Riddle, who arranged and conducted her 1983 collection of pop standards What's New. While it received lukewarm reviews, it was a considerable hit, reaching number three on the charts and selling over two million copies. Ronstadt's next two albums -- Lush Life (1984) and For Sentimental Reasons (1986) -- were also albums of pre-rock standards recorded with Riddle.

At the end of 1986, Ronstadt returned to contemporary pop, recording "Somewhere Out There," the theme to the animated An American Tail, with James Ingram; the single became a number two hit. She also returned to her country roots in 1987, recording the Trio album with Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris. That same year, Ronstadt recorded Canciones de Mi Padre, a set of traditional Mexican songs that became a surprise hit. Two years later, she recorded Cry Like a Rainstorm - Howl Like the Wind -- her first contemporary pop album since 1982's Get Closer. Featuring four duets with Aaron Neville, including the number two hit "Don't Know Much," the album sold over two million copies

Ronstadt returned to traditional Mexican and Spanish material with Mas Canciones (1991) and Frenesi (1992). She returned to pop with 1994's Winter Light, which failed to generate a hit single, as did 1995's Feels Like Home. In 1996, she released the children's album Dedicated to the One I Love; We Ran followed in 1998. Two years later, Ronstadt delivered the holiday collection A Merry Little Christmas. Another collection of standards, Hummin' to Myself arrived in 2004, followed by Adieu False Heart, a collaboration with Ann Savoy of the Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band in 2006. ~ [Stephen Thomas Erlewine]

What does Rolling Stone think about Linda Ronstadt?

Fair enough -- with a couple of exceptions (schmaltzy duets with James Ingram and Aaron Neville), the twenty-one tracks here are among Linda Ronstadt's very best. From "Different Drum," her still-affecting 1967 folk-rock hit with the Stone Poneys, to her wry rendering of Warren Zevon's "Poor, Poor Pitiful Me" and spry covers of chestnuts such as Chuck Berry's "Back in the U.S.A." and the Everly Brothers' "When Will I Be Loved," Ronstadt has always sung with a rare combination of intelligence, feeling and sheer skill. This set concentrates exclusively on mainstream pop, however, avoiding Ronstadt's often bold ventures into New Wave, American standards and traditional Mexican songs. It's satisfying on its own limited terms, but this collection might disappoint if you believe that her willingness to experiment is part of what's the very best about Linda Ronstadt.ANTHONY DECURTIS(RS 907 - October 17, 2002)

For Chuck Berry see Number 783

Crowbarreds choice for Website to find more on Linda Rondstadt ... Click on the address http://stormport.vox.com/library/post/linda-ronstadt-rocked-my-world-and-then.html

Rolling Stone Top 500 Songs ranked this song at Number (We are thinking this artist should have been a shoe in for you people, but hey, we couldnt choose, honestly yea right) and the album ranked at 324

This song has a crowbarred rating of 69.9 out of 108

Linda Ronstadt - Blue Bayou - 1977
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