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Don't Cry Now

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1973 studio album by Linda Ronstadt
Don't Cry Now
Studio album by Linda Ronstadt
ReleasedOctober 1, 1973
Recorded1972–1973
Genre
Length35:34
LabelAsylum
Producer
Linda Ronstadt chronology
Linda Ronstadt
(1972) 		Don't Cry Now
(1973) 		Heart Like a Wheel
(1974)
Singles from Don't Cry Now
  1. "Love Has No Pride"
    Released: October 1973
  2. "Silver Threads and Golden Needles"
    Released: February 1974
  3. "Colorado"
    Released: May 1974

Don't Cry Now is the fourth solo studio album by American singer Linda Ronstadt. It was released by Asylum Records on October 1, 1973 and contained ten tracks. While some tracks were new material, many of the songs were cover tunes. The album explored the genres of Country folk, country rock and pop rock. It was Ronstadt's first album recorded on the Asylum label and first to feature producer Peter Asher. Don't Cry Now was given favorable reviews from several music publications and was a commercial success. Along with reaching chart positions in multiple countries, it also certified gold in the United States for selling over 500,000 copies.

Background and recording

Linda Ronstadt had been recording for Capitol Records in the early part of her career. Since the break up of her group the Stone Poneys, Ronstadt had been recording as a solo artist. She had some chart success with the single "Long, Long Time" in 1970. In the early seventies, Ronstadt obtained an early release from her Capitol contract to sign with David Geffen's Asylum Records. Although Don't Cry Now marked the start of Ronstadt's long association with Asylum, due to contractual obligations her next recorded album, Heart Like a Wheel, would be released on her previous label, Capitol.

Ronstadt began the recording process for Don't Cry Now in 1972. It would take a year to finish. The album reportedly cost over $150,000 to make. It was first produced by John Boylan and JD Souther, both of whom had separate romantic relationships with Ronstadt at the time. The album's recording kept getting delayed primarily due to Ronstadt going on tour with Neil Young. James Taylor knew of Ronstadt's music and his family introduced her to producer Peter Asher. Asher and Ronstadt would eventually record 13 albums together. Asher helped Ronstadt finish recording Don't Cry Now in 1973.

Content

Don't Cry Now consisted of ten tracks. Three tracks were penned by co-producer JD Souther: "I Can Almost See It", "The Fast One" and the title track. A selection of songs on the album were covers. Among them was "Love Has No Pride", which was first recorded by Bonnie Raitt. A second was "Silver Threads and Golden Needles". Although first recorded by Wanda Jackson, it was notably a US top 20 song for The Springfields in 1962. The track "Everybody Loves a Winner" was first a top 30 US R&B song for Glenn Jones. Also included was Randy Newman's "Sail Away", the Eagles' "Desperado" and Neil Young's "I Believe in You".

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic
Christgau's Record GuideC+
Rolling Stone(favorable)
The Rolling Stone Album Guide

Don't Cry Now was met with generally favorable reviews. Billboard described it as both "fresh and reflective". They found Ronstadt's vocals "confident" and to evoke similar qualities to that of Joan Baez. Rolling Stone also drew comparisons to Baez, notably to her album Blessed Are.... Writer Stephen Holden also praised Ronstadt's vocal performance: "Her natural vocal equipment is second to none. Combined with perfect pitch, impeccable phrasing and control, her singing carries a throb that hurts and soothes at the same time, and her feeling for the melodic construction of any given song is always proportionate to its structure." AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine rated Don't Cry Now three out of five stars and commented that it "expanded the pop/rock concessions of Linda Ronstadt, and the result was the singer's first genuine hit record."

Release, chart performance and singles

Don't Cry Now was originally released by Asylum Records on October 1, 1973. It was made available as a vinyl LP, 8-track and cassette, with five selections on either side of both discs. It was Ronstadt's first Asylum album and fifth overall. Don't Cry Now entered the US Billboard 200 albums chart in October 1973 and spent 56 weeks there. In March 1974, it peaked at the number 45 position. It also went to the number 57 position on Canada's RPM all-genre chart and number 46 on Australia's Kent Music Report chart. It was Ronstadt's second album to make positions in Australia and Canada.

A total of three singles were spawned from Don't Cry Now. The first was "Love Has No Pride", which was issued by Asylum in October 1973. It reached number 51 on the US Hot 100 and number 59 on Canada's Top Singles chart. It was followed in February 1974 by "Silver Threads and Golden Needles". Along with reaching number 67 on the US Hot 100 and number 90 on the Canadian Top Singles charts, it also reached number 20 on the US and Canadian country charts. "Colorado" was issued as the album's third single in May 1974.

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I Can Almost See It"JD Souther3:50
2."Love Has No Pride"4:10
3."Silver Threads and Golden Needles"2:28
4."Desperado"3:30
5."Don't Cry Now"Souther4:28
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Sail Away"Randy Newman3:05
2."Colorado"Rick Roberts4:18
3."The Fast One"Souther3:40
4."Everybody Loves a Winner"3:15
5."I Believe in You"Neil Young2:50
Total length:35:34

Personnel

All credits are adapted from the liner notes of Don't Cry Now.

Musical personnel

  • Leland Sklar – bass guitar (6, 10)
  • Dennis St. John – drums (1, 4, 5, 8)
  • Mickey McGee – drums (2, 3, 7, 9)
  • Russ Kunkel – drums (6, 10)
  • Jimmie Fadden – harmonica (1)
  • Gib Guilbeau – fiddle (3)
  • Jim Gordon – saxophone (4, 9)
  • Nino Tempo – saxophone (4, 9)
  • Gail Martin – trombone (4, 9)
  • McKinley Johnson – trumpet (4, 9)
  • Darrell Leonard – trumpet (4, 9)
  • Jim Ed Norman – horn arrangements (4, 9), string arrangements (4)
  • Jimmie Haskell – string arrangements (2, 7, 10)
  • Sid Sharp – concertmaster (2, 4, 7, 10)
  • Ginger Holladay – backing vocals (1, 2, 7)
  • Mary Holliday – backing vocals (1, 2, 7)
  • Clydie King – backing vocals (4, 6, 10)
  • Sherlie Matthews – backing vocals (4, 6, 10)
  • Marti McCall – backing vocals (4, 6, 10)
  • Wendy Waldman – backing vocals (5)

Technical personnel

  • JD Souther – producer, remixing
  • John Boylan – co-producer (2, 3, 7, 9)
  • Peter Asher – co-producer (6, 10)
  • Peter Granet – engineer
  • John Haeny – engineer
  • Ric Tarantini – engineer
  • Al Schmitt – remixing
  • Terry Dunavan – mastering at Elektra Sound Recorders (Los Angeles, California).
  • Shawn R. Britton – half-speed mastering
  • Edmund Meitner – technical support
  • Tim de Paravic – remixing
  • Terry Dunavan – mastering at Elektra Sound Recorders (Los Angeles, California).
  • Shawn R. Britton – half-speed mastering
  • Edmund Meitner – technical support
  • Tim de Paravicini – technical support
  • Glenn Ross – cover design
  • Cathy Seeter – cover design
  • Ed Caraeff – cover photo
  • Terry Wright –ini – technical support
  • Glenn Ross – cover design
  • Cathy Seeter – cover design
  • Ed Caraeff – cover photo
  • Terry Wright – sleeve photography

Charts

Chart (1973–1974) Peak
position
Australia Kent Music Report 46
Canada Top Albums (RPM) 57
Japan (Oricon) 161
US Billboard 200 45
US Top Country Albums (Billboard) 5

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) Gold 500,000

Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release history and formats for Don't Cry Now
Region Date Format Label Ref.
Australia and New Zealand October 1, 1973 Asylum Records LP
Europe
Japan
North America
  • LP
  • cassette
United Kingdom 1974 LP
Spain
United States 2007 Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab Compact disc
2008 LP

References

  1. ^ "Billboard's Top Album Picks: Pop Picks" (PDF). Billboard. October 13, 1973. p. 46. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  2. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Don't Cry Now: Linda Ronstadt: Songs, reviews, credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  3. Dedrick, Jay (January 1, 1998). "Linda Ronstadt". In Knopper, Steve (ed.). MusicHound Lounge: The Essential Album Guide. Detroit: Visible Ink Press. pp. 409–410.
  4. ^ "Heart Like a Wheel" (PDF). Library of Congress. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  5. King, Thomas R. (2001). The Operator David Geffen Builds, Buys, and Sells the New Hollywood. Crown Publishing Group. p. 173. ISBN 978-0767907576.
  6. Moore, Mary Ellen (1978). The Linda Ronstadt Scrapbook: An Illustrated Biography. New York: Grosset & Dunlap. p. 61. ISBN 0-441-48411-5.
  7. ^ Lewry, Peter (2010). "1: Welcome to the L.A. Rock Scene". Linda Ronstadt: A Life in Music. Andrews U.K. Limited. ISBN 978-1849892483.
  8. ^ Ronstadt, Linda (October 1, 1973). "Don't Cry Now (Liner Notes)". Asylum Records. SD-5064 (LP); CS-5064 (Cassette).
  9. ^ "Don't Cry Now". Rolling Stone.
  10. Masley, Ed (July 11, 2022). "Linda Ronstadt's 25 greatest songs of all time, ranked". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  11. Howes, Paul; Clark, Petula (2012). "3: Song by Song". The Complete Dusty Springfield. Titan Publishing Group. ISBN 978-1781165409.
  12. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: R". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 12, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  13. 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.
  14. Whitburn, Joel (2006). The Billboard Albums Includes Every Album that Made the Billboard 200 Chart: 50 Year History of the Rock Era. Record Research, Inc. p. 897. ISBN 978-0898201666.
  15. ^ "Search results for "Linda Ronstadt albums'". RPM. Archived from the original on 2012-10-19. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
  16. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 258. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  17. Ronstadt, Linda (October 1973). ""Love Has No Pride"/"I Can Almost See It" (7" vinyl single)". Asylum Records. 11026.
  18. ^ "Linda Ronstadt chart history (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  19. ^ "Search results for "Linda Ronstadt"". RPM. Archived from the original on 2012-10-11. Retrieved 2009-10-11.
  20. Ronstadt, Linda (February 1974). ""Silver Threads and Golden Needles"/"Don't Cry for Me Now" (7" vinyl single)". Asylum Records. 11032.
  21. "Linda Ronstadt chart history (Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  22. "Search results for "Linda Ronstadt" (Country Singles)". RPM. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  23. Ronstadt, Linda (May 1974). ""Colorado"/"Desperado" (7" vinyl single)". Asylum Records. 11039.
  24. Okamoto, Satoshi (2006). Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970-2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  25. "Linda Ronstadt Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  26. "Linda Ronstadt Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  27. "American album certifications – Linda Ronstadt – Don't Cry Now". Recording Industry Association of America.
  28. Ronstadt, Linda (October 1, 1973). "Don't Cry Now ". Asylum Records. SD-5064 (LP).
  29. Ronstadt, Linda (October 1, 1973). "Don't Cry Now ". Asylum Records. AS 43-002 (LP).
  30. Ronstadt, Linda (October 1, 1973). "Don't Cry Now ". Asylum Records. P-8399Y (LP).
  31. Ronstadt, Linda (1974). "Don't Cry Now ". Asylum Records. SYL-9012 (LP).
  32. Ronstadt, Linda (1974). "No Llores Ahora ". Asylum Records. HYS-651-01 (LP).
  33. Ronstadt, Linda (2007). "Don't Cry Now (CD release)". Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab. UDCD-768 (CD).
  34. Ronstadt, Linda (2008). "Don't Cry Now (LP release)". Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab. MFSL-1-300 (LP).
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