Customer Reviews

Living in the U.S.A.

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

LIVING IN THE USA takes on more rock 'n' roll than country material, and presents us with fantastic reneditions of classic rock hits. The opening track Chuck Berry's "Back In The USA" comes complete with an electric guitar intro, a rollicking piano part, and Linda's rock flavored vocals. "Just One Look" another major hit uses the piano part, harmonized vocals and gives us 3:20 of pure delight. The albums opening single, an interpetation of the Motown classic "Ooh Baby Baby" is a rival of her version of "Tracks Of My Tears". Where the album reaches it's most touching point is it's finale. Her tribute to Elvis Presley "Love Me Tender" features only a guitar, organ, Linda, and harmony vocals from Waddy Wachtel. Contemporay numbers are alos featured. Elvis Costello's "Alison", J.D. Souther's "White Rythym And Blues", and Eric Kaz's "Blowing Away" are pieces that show Linda's ability as a vocalist. Warren Zevon's "Mohammed's Radio" deliever gripping vocal performances in her rock flavoring. The unforgettable percussion and harmony intro on "All That You Dream" is the song signature. Her ability to handle pre-rock standards is delievered on "When I Grow Too Old To Dream". While the album is not as consistent as SIMPLE DREAMS, it is equally as enjoyable, and an exellent addition to any collection. MATT COKER

The very first rock concert I ever saw (at age 15) was Linda Ronstadt back in August of 1978.I still have the original ticket stub and reserve seats were only $9.50 (Boy, prices have changed!). I'll never forget watching this beautiful, petite, women (in short shorts & a way too small Boy Scout uniform) with a powerful voice singing songs from her then new album, "Living in the USA". To this day, that album remains as one of my favorites out of Ronstadt's vast and eclectic catalogue of music. How do you start to review this wonderful album, where she covers everyone from Chuck Berry to Elvis Costello? The CD begins with a real bang as Linda lets loose with Berry's rock n'roll, cross-country journey of "Living in USA". It's a really fun number and Ronstadt has a crack group of musicians backing her up. I especially love Don Grolnick's rollicking piano and Waddy Wachtel's searing guitar licks. Ronstadt is a master interpreter of songs and she does an amazing job on this album. I love the gentle way she handles Oscar Hammerstein's classic "When I Grow to Old to Dream". Or the sexy, sultriness she expounds in Smokey Robinson's "Ooh Baby". My personal favorites on this CD include J.D. Souther's "White Rhythm and Blues" and the late, Warren Zevon's "Mohammed's Radio". Over the years, Ronstadt covered many tunes from these two writers, but in this instance she really tops herself with putting so much emotion into her readings. This CD says so much about the pop/rock music of the 1970's, yet it is remains timeless in it's sheer perfection. This is just a wonderful album that I highly recommend!

This album is one of my two favorite Linda Ronstadt albums (the other being "Simple Dreams"), though I don't think it represents Ronstadt at her artistic zenith, overall. However, I do think this album contains one of Ronstadt's greatest performances.

The program is an artistic mix, and is a pretty smooth blend of rock, standards, ballads and country. The title song and "Just One Look" showcase Ronstadt as a rock singer; Ronstadt can rock with the best of them. "When I Grow Too Old To Dream" could easily fit in with the classic Nelson Riddle recordings. Ballads include "Ooh Baby Baby," "Love Me Tender," and "Blowing Away." They're all effective interpretations. The album's standout track, though, in my view, is Ronstadt's country-influenced performance of "White Rhythm and Blues." Ronstadt's interpretation of this song evokes such feeling that you know you're listening to a singer's singer at her peak.

Of all her 70's albums this one is often forgotten, but don't be one of those who passes this by, its a necessary part of Linda's career, and a great album overall. Once again showing her master skills as an interpreter of songs, she handles songs gracefully giving it her own flair. This is a pretty feel good album. She does Hammerstien-Romberg's standard "When I Grow Too Old To Dream" magnificantly and gracefully. There is a nice reworking of Elvis Costello's "Alison", and another Warren Zevon track "Mohammed's Radio". My two favorite tracks are "All That You Dream" where she is seemingly going into progressive synth-rock mode, and "Blowing Away", which is breathtaking. The biggest hit was the title track, her version of the Chuck Berry classic. She also enjoyed success on the chart with "Ooh Baby Baby". This was the first album by anyone to ship double platinum. So see what the fuss is about, this is a great album in her long career!

If you're willing to spend $50 dollars on this Japanese import, you probably already own this album in all its releases since its original release. However, the money is well worth it. "Just One Look" and "Living in the USA" have never sounded better.

I swear I thought this was an LP when I put it on for the first time.

For fans searching for a faithful re-master, this is it.

"Blowing Away" and "When I Grow Too Old to Dream" are beyond perfect in this release and are worth the $50 dollars alone.
I am going to re-buy the rest of Linda Ronstadt's catalogue in these Japanese releases. From what I heard so far from Living In the USA, these re-masters are even better than those from Mobile Fidelity.

I hope the rest of Ronstadt's back-catalogue gets the same treatment from Warner Japan.

I almost never write reviews.

But I am so happy with this purchase I thought I would tell any Ronstadt fan debating whether to buy this album again or not in this form the answer is a big YES!

...And this album really needed remastering! I was hoping it would be a part of the recent Mobile Fidelity releases but this hasn't happened yet. This Japanese edition is one of a series of 5 along with 'Hasten Down The Wind', 'Don't Cry Now', 'Prisoner In Disguise' and 'Simple Dreams'. I can't speak for the other 4 as I only have the MoFi ones but 'Living In The USA' is a revelation. The difference between the 2010 remaster and the original 80's CD is startling and instantly noticable. I'm almost tempted to 'double dip' and get the Japanese remasters of the other 4... but that would be madness, wouldn't it?!

The mini LP sleeve is a lovely article too. Complete with an exact replica of the inner picture/sleeve and even the CD has the same design as the original vinyl label. It's really nice, though perhaps not the hardiest MLPS around, it shouldn't matter as people who buy this are unlikely to be careless with their CDs!

The album was of course released in 1978. Linda's final #1, in fact. It's an album I've often felt is inferior to the preceding 'Simple Dreams' (it IS inferior to 'Simple Dreams'!) yet when I play it, I always thoroughly enjoy it. 'Side 2' was strongest, IMO, featuring 'Mohammed's Radio', 'Blowing Away' and Linda's gorgeous take on 'Love Me Tender'. But 'side 1' was no slouch either having Elvis Costello's 'Alison' on board along with the wondrous 'White Rhythm And Blues'. The album had a slightly harder edge than 'Simple Dreams' and paved the way for 1980's New Wave-y 'Mad Love'(wish this had been part of the series..). After this, Linda spent much of the 80's experimenting with different styles of music but for me the period between 1973-1980 was her best.

So, if this is one of your faves you won't need me to tell you to snap it up while you can. I can't recommend it enough and for the folks who weren't fully satisfied with the MoFi reissues (and there were many), maybe the Japanese remasters would be more to your taste.

One more thing, as I write this, today is 15th July 2010, Linda Ronstadt's 64th birthday. Can I just say Happy Birthday, Linda, and thanks for all those wonderful albums.

This is another excellent album from Ms. Ronstadt which was released in the wild, reckless days of my youth and sounds as fresh today as it did back then. My favourite track on this album would have to be the wistful "Mohammed's Radio and "White Rhythm And Blues "comes in as a close second. Once again guitarist Waddy Wachtel plays on this album and his guitar work is always a delight to hear. For those of you who ae still befuddled by the pronouciation of this guy's surname it is "Wok-Tell" as in the Chinese Kitchen Frypan!!!

I have to be honest. This is my least favorite of all of her 70s releases. Ironically, it was the second #1 album of her career and the first in rock history to ship double platinum! While it contains one of my favorites songs by her, "All That You Dream," she did a far superior version of it as a guest on the live Little Feat set, "Hoy Hoy!" in tribute to the late Lowell George. (That version is also available on the Linda Ronstadt Boxed Set.)

"Back in the USA," which originally grabbed me when it was released as a single prior to the album's release, is a song that when I hear it, invariably prompts me to turn the station. It sounds so dated now. For a better performance, you'd do well to listen to the Chuck Berry-Keith Richards backed version on the soundtrack album to the movie tribute to Chuck, "Hail! Hail! Rock and Roll!" in which he visibly lights up when she comes on stage. Or, as an alternative, listen to Chuck's own version!

The biggest hit from this album, "Ooh Baby Baby," is still a beautifully sung song. I heard her sing it live in my hometown of Roanoke, VA, on her "Cry Like A Rainstorm .." tour and it was just gorgeous.

As I said, I'm not a very big fan of this album; unfortunately, to get three great performances of hers, one has to buy the whole album. (The previous songs that I've mentioned are available elsewhere.) They are "Alison," "When I Grow Too Old to Dream," and "White Rythm and Blues." The first, with its sassy phrasing, is one of my all time favorite Linda Ronstadt songs. Listen to the end of the song when she sings the final "My aim is true"; the saxaphone emerging from within her voice marks truly one of the most electrifying moments in pop/rock music. One has to just drop his/her jaw in awe that someone can sing with such perfect pitch. "When I Grow Too Old to Dream" also showcases that glass-shattering soprano long before her operetta and Nelson Riddle forays. Simply the most gorgeous voice, Pat Benatar once said of Linda and this song is ample proof of that. The third is a John David Souther song that is simply eloquent and touching, especially when she sings the background vocals herself like a haunting echo from another time.

Linda Ronstadt's final album of the 70s is an incredible "feel good" album, though there is one heartbreak song here ("Blowing Away"). For the most part, Linda has chosen to surround herself with spunky renditions of rock standards like "Back In The U.S.A.", "Just One Look", and "Ooh Baby Baby"--which, contrary to what such snobs as Dave Marsh may think, Linda does brilliantly and faithfully. She also poignantly essays the Hammerstein-Romberg standard "When I Grow Too Old To Dream", which says more than her three Nelson Riddle albums combined. Furthermore, her rendition of Little Feat's "All That You Dream" is not only energetic, but it also finds her in a progressive synth-rock mode (Bill Payne's keyboards and Dan Dugmore's pedal steel guitar work make the difference).

Some say that, after this album, Linda began to slip artistically, but I don't think that is true. In any case, LIVING IN THE U.S.A. remains one of her greatest albums. It also remains a landmark in pop music history--the first album by anybody to ship double Platinum (it sold 2.6 million copies!)--so having that many fans can't possibly make the Queen of Country Rock wrong!

This album is full of great pop/rock songs from the last few decades. Linda Rondstadt has such a beatiful voice that she gives new life to all these oldies but goodies. Listen to "Black Roses White Rhythm and Blues." She gives the song so much character. She may not sell the most records with each new release, but I really respect her for her versatility in her style. She doesn't stick with one particular style and sing monotonous songs; she tries all kinds of genres. If you are considering this album, buy it!