Don't Cry Now
| Untitled | |
|---|---|
Don't Cry Now is Linda Ronstadt's Gold-certified fourth solo LP and the first of her studio releases for Asylum Records, following six albums recorded for and released on Capitol Records in 1974.
It was reissued on Rhino's Flashback Records in 2009 and has never been out of print. It has sold approximately 800,000 copies in the United States alone.
Background
The tracks on Don't Cry Now were produced individually, some by John Boylan, who produced Ronstadt's preceding eponymous album; some by singer/songwriter J. D. Souther; and, for the first time in what would ultimately be a long and highly successful professional relationship, by British musician Peter Asher, former member of the '60s rock duo Peter & Gordon. Asher was the head of A&R for Apple Records prior to his move to USA.
This album contains three songs composed by Souther (Souther and Linda would become romantically involved and he would write several songs for her) one by Randy Newman, a cover of a Neil Young ballad, one originally from the Flying Burrito Brothers, and a version of the Eagles' "Desperado," which the band had released earlier that year.
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
| Robert Christgau | C+[2] |
| Rolling Stone | (favorable)[3] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide |  [4] |
Released in the fall of 1973, Don't Cry Now debuted on the Billboard album chart in late October and peaked at #45, the highest in her career thus far. The album had staying power, spending more than a year on the chart.[5] In addition to "Desperado," Asylum released two other singles. The first, "Love Has No Pride," originally a minor hit for Bonnie Raitt, peaked at #51 on the Billboard Hot 100,[6] yet the song has endured over the years becoming one of Ronstadt's signature songs, included in her 7x platinum Greatest Hits. The other, "Silver Threads And Golden Needles," was the second recording of that song by Ronstadt, a previous version having appeared on her 1969 solo debut, Hand Sown ... Home Grown. A re-make of a 1962 hit by the Springfields, "Silver Threads..." peaked at #67 on the Hot 100[6] and became the first of more than 20 hits to reach the Hot Country Songs chart, peaking at #20 in the spring of 1974.[7]
Don't Cry Now became Ronstadt's second Gold-certified album and was followed by the blockbuster success of Heart Like a Wheel.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Can Almost See It" | J. D. Souther | 3:50 |
| 2. | "Love Has No Pride" | Eric Kaz, Libby Titus | 4:10 |
| 3. | "Silver Threads and Golden Needles" | Dick Reynolds, Jack Rhodes | 2:20 |
| 4. | "Desperado" | Don Henley, Glenn Frey | 3:30 |
| 5. | "Don't Cry Now" | J. D. Souther | 4:28 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Sail Away" | Randy Newman | 3:05 |
| 2. | "Colorado" | Rick Roberts | 4:18 |
| 3. | "The Fast One" (featuring Glenn Frey on harmony vocals) | J. D. Souther | 3:40 |
| 4. | "Everybody Loves a Winner" | Bill Williams, Booker T. Jones, William Bell | 3:15 |
| 5. | "I Believe in You" | Neil Young | 2:50 |
Personnel
- Linda Ronstadt – lead and background vocals, tabla, tambourine
- Ed Black – guitar
- Michael Bowden – bass
- Richard Bowden – guitar
- John Boylan – piano
- Larry Carlton – guitar
- Craig Doerge – piano
- Buddy Emmons – pedal steel guitar
- Chris Ethridge – bass
- Jimmie Fadden – harmonica
- Glenn Frey – lead and harmony vocals
- Jim Gordon – saxophone
- Gib Guilbeau – fiddle
- Jerry McGee – guitar
- Mickey McGee – drums
- Spooner Oldham – piano
- Herb Pedersen – guitar, background vocals
- Rick Roberts – guitar
- Dennis St. John – drums
- Leland Sklar – bass
- John David Souther – bass, guitar, background vocals
- Sneaky Pete Kleinow – guitar, pedal steel guitar
- Russ Kunkel – drums
- Ginger Holladay – background vocals
- Mary Holliday – background vocals
- Sherlie Matthews – background vocals
- Marti McCall – background vocals
- Clydie King – background vocals
- Wendy Waldman – background vocals
- Andy Johnson – guitar
- McKinley Johnson – trumpet
- Darrell Leonard – trumpet
- Nino Tempo – saxophone
- Gail Martin – trombone
Production
- John David Souther – producer, remixing
- John Boylan – producer
- Peter Asher – producer
- Peter Granet – engineer
- John Haeny – engineer
- Ric Tarantini – engineer
- Al Schmitt – remixing
- Shawn R. Britton – mastering
- Jimmie Haskell – string arrangements
- Jim Ed Norman – horn arrangements, string arrangements
- Edmund Meitner – technical support
- Tim de Paravicini – technical support
- Cathy Seeter – cover design
- Sid Sharp – concert master
- Glenn Ross – cover design
- Terry Wright – photography, sleeve photo
- Ed Caraeff – cover photo, photography
References
- ^ Allmusic review
- ^ Robert Christgau review
- ^ Rolling Stone review
- ^ Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York City, New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 701. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
- ^ "Linda Ronstadt Top Pop Albums". Ronstadt-linda.com. 1946-07-15. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
- ^ a b "Linda Ronstadt in den Charts / Linda Ronstadt in the charts". Lindaronstadt.de. 2011-08-13. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
- ^ "Linda Ronstadt Top Country Singles". Ronstadt-linda.com. Retrieved 2012-02-14.
