The Very Best of Linda Ronstadt

Linda Ronstadt

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 24, 2002)
• Original Release Date: September 24, 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Elektra / Wea
• ASIN: B00006J424
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (60 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,768 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Linda Ronstadt, who emerged from SoCal's vaunted early-'70s country-folk scene, became the American female rock superstar of the Me Decade. After the initial success of the Stone Poneys' Michael Nesmith-penned "Different Drum," Ronstadt expanded her horizons through interpretations of a long string of successful pop and R&B covers. Along the way she championed emerging songwriters like Warren Zevon ("Poor Poor Pitiful Me") and contemporary favorites like Neil Young ("Love Is a Rose") in the bargain. As the formula waned with the changing tastes of the '80s, she briefly turned to new wave before stepping boldly back to the pop standards of the '30s, '40s, and '50s. Unfortunately, this collection inexplicably skips over that three-album collaboration with arranger-conductor Nelson Riddle, a body of work that presaged the 1990s' lounge-pop revival by a full decade--and outclassed it by miles. It also eschews a compelling contemporary Latin chapter of her career in favor of her winning collaborations with Aaron Neville ("Don't Know Much" and "All My Life") and less successful AC fodder like "Winter Light" and "Somewhere Out There" with James Ingram. A good primer to Ronstadt's immense vocal talents and recording history, but one that's flawed by some crucial missing chapters. --Jerry McCulley

Product Description
The very best of Linda Ronstadt packs a single CD with 21 Ronstadt classics released by Capitol and Elektra/Asylum from 1967-1993. 2002.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well-chosen disc of Linda's biggest and best, November 4, 2003

By	Jeff Pearlman (Lakeland, FL USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Just about every major hit Linda Ronstadt has recorded is included on this excellent one-disc collection. The biggest hit missing is 1980's #10 hit "How Do I Make You" (aggravatingly, available on the British version of this disc). Many of the smashes here were already well-known in their original form, such as the Motown classics "Heat Wave," "Tracks of My Tears," "Ooh Baby Baby," and '50's rock standards "That'll Be the Day," "When Will I Be Loved," and "Back In The U.S.A." In addition to these huge chart successes are some excellent lesser hits and album tracks. "Love Is A Rose" and "Just One Look" did not do as well on the charts as, for example, "Get Closer" or her version of "Tumbling Dice," but they are clearly the superior records.

Ronstadt has been both praised and vilified for her many remakes (pretty much all her Top Tens). On one hand she was the first to bring songwriters like Warren Zevon, Karla Bonoff, Kate and Anna McGarrigle to the record-buying masses. On the other hand, some of her remakes are thought to lack emotional depth. Dave Marsh, in the good version of the Rolling Stone Record Guide, called Ronstadt a "horrid interpreter of...rock and soul material, frequently missing the essence...and never cutting below the surface." Scathing, and possibly accurate regarding "Tumbling Dice" (probably why it's not included here) and "Back In The U.S.A." I would side with Linda, however, on the hypnotically-beautiful "Ooh Baby Baby" and the uptempo hits "When Will I Be Loved," "That'll Be The Day," and the #1 "You're No Good." Of course, the duets with Aaron Neville are stunning--welcome comebacks for both singers--and I have always liked both "Somewhere Out There" and James Ingram. Although the song, an omnipresent #2 pop radio staple in 1986, made most people I know very, very ill.

I hope that Warner/Elektra/Asylum(?) issues a "Best of Volume 2," as they did with Rod Stewart (here, anyway). I'd still like to see a compilation of the remaining hits, even "Tumbling Dice," on disc, as well as the Nelson Riddle I-am-too-mature-for-rock-and-so-what-if-I-gained-a-few-pounds era songs "What's New" and "I've Got A Crush On You," and the gorgeous "Heartbeats Accelerating" from "Winter Light." In addition to "Get Closer," other fine singles from Ronstadt wanting to be anthologized include "I Knew You When," "Someone To Lay Down Beside Me," "Easy For You To Say," "It Doesn't Matter Anymore," "Alison" (yep, the Elvis Costello song, from "Back in the U.S.A."), "Silver Threads and Golden Needles," and "I Can't Let Go." O.K., one more: the non-single duet with James Taylor, "I Think It's Gonna Work Out Fine" from "Get Closer."

Regardless, this is the best collection ever likely to be assembled on one CD. Even a fussy completist like me recommends it highly.

Fans may note that the British version of this album omits "Love Is a Rose" and "Adios," the latter of which features background vocals by Brian Wilson, in favor of "How Do I Make You," "Love Has No Pride," "Desperado" (the Eagles' album-rock favorite), and "After the Gold Rush," a truet with Emmylou Harris and Valerie Carter. I'm pretty sure I made up that word; remember I invented it first. Lucky Brits.

31 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of Popular Music's Greatest Voices, March 18, 2004

By	Steve Vrana (Aurora, NE) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Linda Ronstadt has one of the most expressive voices in all of popular music. While she didn't write any of her own hits, she and principal producer Peter Asher knew how to pick songs. Beginning with her first hit ("Different Drum") by Monkee Mike Nesmith to her final big hit in 1990, Karla Bonoff's "All My Life," Ronstadt put her own unique stamp on these songs. Whether it was outcharting Roy Orbison with her cover of "Blue Bayou," Chuck Berry on "Back in the USA" or Smokey Robinson & the Miracles on "Ooh Baby Baby," Ronstadt dominated the charts in the late-Seventies.

The only problem I have is that this collection is somewhat incomplete. It's missing minor hits like "Get Closer" and her cover of the Rolling Stones' "Tumbling Dice." Even more disappointing is the exclusion of the Top 10 hit "How Do I Make You" from 1980. [And with a running time of 68:25, these could have been easily included.] But this does a nice job of including the big hits, a few key album tracks, and the 16-page booklet includes some great photos and track-by-track info. Overall, this is a very satisfying collection and will no doubt please casual fans with an overview of Ronstadt's career from 1967 to 1993. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Most Versatile Voices In Music, March 9, 2003

By	Aaron (Ohio, USA) - See all my reviews

Linda Ronstadt has one of the most amazing female voices in the music industry. I was very excited when I got this CD. It represents her music career well from the casual fan aspect. This woman has sang all different types of music and has been popular since the 60's which definitely displays some staying power. This album contains seven of her top 10 hits and sixteen top 40 hits. Although many of her hits were cover songs, she delivered them so well, they ptactically became her own. Her top 5 version of "Heat Wave" is fantastic and rivals the original. Then there's her #1 hit "You're No Good" which is undoubtably a 70's classic as is "Blue Bayou" (#3 hit.) Her first hit is graciously included being "Different Drum" (#13) from 1967. "It's So Easy" (#5) "Ohh Baby Baby" (#7) and "Hurt So Bad" (#8) are other highlights . Then who could forget her three smash duets which shot Linda back into the spotlight in the late 80's and early 90's. "Somewhere Out There" with James Ingram is now a pop standard and her vocal delivery in it is fantastic. Both her duets with Aaron Neville are also gems. "Don't Know Much" hit #2 and "All My Life" made it to #11 on the pop charts. The album then closes with her beautiful and stunning version of "Winter Light."

This hit collection is long overdue. Although there were previous collections of her earlier material, a more complete one was well deserved. Although this may not be all the way up to standards for the die-hards, this is a great collection for new fans. Linda Ronstadt's music should be enjoyed by all.