Jump to content
Please note: You can easily log in to MPN using your Facebook account!

Any Bonnie Raitt fans? (Richard Thompson, too)


Recommended Posts

Man, this is awesome. I bought a 1994 CD of hers -- "Longing In Their Hearts." Good stuff. Can you recommend any others or hers that are especially good? I've always kinda liked her but I never bought a CD. I tell ya what... I ought to post this on the songwriting forum as an example of a well-written song. This song "You"... man, this is one helluva song. Very well written. She didn't write it (written by Bob Thiele Jr., Tonio K and John Shanks) but... just after the bridge and she hits that high note on the word "you"... wow, that makes the whole damn song. I like. BTW, I note that she does write a lot of her songs. She wrote five of the 12 on here. Oh, and this song "Dimming Of The Day" -- wow, this is one helluva song, too. Richard Thompson wrote it. I've seen you guys post accolades for Thompson. Can you recommend any "must have" CDs of his? I don't have any. This is the kind of stuff that makes me strive to write good songs.

> > > [ Live! ] < < <

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 13
  • Created
  • Last Reply
I've been following her since the early seventies when you could still see her play clubs. She used to have a bassist named Freebo or something like that. He would sub out on Tuba for some songs. She had several albums before that, with killer folks sitting in. One of the more memorable concerts was early 70's, LaPlace Louisiana.....the Kingfish festival. Had Gatemouth, Little Feat, Lost Gonzo's, and Bonnie. She had alot of throat problems back then.
Down like a dollar comin up against a yen, doin pretty good for the shape I'm in
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Damn LM, where have you been? Bonnie became a superstar in the 90's with the 4 albums produced by Don Was. Almost every song on those albums is great. She did some great work before that but is was the teaming up of Bonnie and Don Was that created a critically and popurally accalimed phenomena. If you're at the record store look for PRODUCED BY DON WAS
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote]Originally posted by LiveMusic: [b] Oh, and this song "Dimming Of The Day" -- wow, this is one helluva song, too. Richard Thompson wrote it. I've seen you guys post accolades for Thompson. Can you recommend any "must have" CDs of his? I don't have any. This is the kind of stuff that makes me strive to write good songs.[/b][/quote]For your first Richard Thompson get the "Action Packed-The Best of the Capitol Years" cd. It'll give you a real good idea of where he is. It's a diverse selection of his songs. Three songs stand out for me. 1952 Vincent Black Lightning Keep Your Distance Bees Wing Look on half.com for a good deal. They're showing it at about $10.00. If you remember Fairport Convention from a long time ago, he was part of that group.

 

Our Joint

 

"When you come slam bang up against trouble, it never looks half as bad if you face up to it." The Duke...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bonnie rocks, I used to hang with her a bit in L.A. and she always had great musicians playing with her too. "Dimming of the Day" is one of my all time fave Thompson songs. That was one that he originally did with his ex wife Linda - IMO that was his strongest work, which is not to knock his solo stuff at all. Richard and Linda's album "Pour Down Like Silver" is the one that has "Dimming" on it and it's one of my desert island records. It didn't get much attention at all even from Thompson fans, which I just don't understand because practically every song on there is a classic. The production is extremely sparse, low key and understated, which I think is partly why people didn't get it. But holy cow, what great songs to listen to when you want to cry in your beer at 3 AM over some lost love, or the one you never had. I think the CD is now out of print, which is a crime, but you might be able to find a used copy on Amazon or someplace. Definitely look for it. Other killer Richard and Linda albums: "I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight", "Shoot Out the Lights" and "Sunnyvista". Fave Richard solo CD's: "Hand of Kindness" and "Mock Tudor". That dude can flat out write a tune and he can put it across too. Whether playing with a band or solo he'll knock your socks off live. --Lee
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote]Originally posted by TheWewus: [b]Damn LM, where have you been? Bonnie became a superstar in the 90's with the 4 albums produced by Don Was. Almost every song on those albums is great. She did some great work before that but is was the teaming up of Bonnie and Don Was that created a critically and popurally accalimed phenomena. If you're at the record store look for PRODUCED BY DON WAS[/b][/quote]Haha, yeah, where've I been? Strat said the same thing when I posted about Steve Earle. I've been in mainstream rock, pop and country for my whole life. She's had airplay, for sure, and I knew some of her stuff. I've always liked some of her songs; I just never bought any CDs. I only recently ventured into bluesy stuff. And yep, that Don Was guy, I've seen his name on stuff that I like, so I figured he's a somebody. I always thought he had a great name. Very memorable.

> > > [ Live! ] < < <

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The first Don Was produced album actually came out in 89 and is called Nick of Time and includes her cover of the John Hiatt penned Thing Called Love. I'm not saying her other stuff isn't good but the music with Was just has a lot of depth to it. You could use those albums to show what a producer does. In the eighties Don Was had an act with his brother called Was and Was, they had a hit record or two. Say, there's an English group you might like. They're called the Beatles, ever heard of em? I'm just a kidding ya Live. Hope you listen to more Bonnie, highly recommended.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nick of Time is really a great album - I'm a softy, so I still love the "Ain't Gonna Let You Break My Heart Again" (duo with Herbie Hancock). And in addition to Don Was, you've got Michael Landau, David Crosby and Graham Nash, Hutch Hutchinson, and Paulinho da Costa ... Luck of the Draw is also a killer album - same sort of all-star cast, great songwriting, and diverse, interesting production/arranging. I was a little disappointed with her last album Fundamental - but I still use "One Belief Away" as a reference for mixing - plus, it's a great song. Mitchell Froom and Tchad Blake are no slouches, even if Don Was is a genius.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote]Originally posted by TheWewus: [b][excerpted] In the eighties Don Was had an act with his brother called Was and Was, they had a hit record or two. [/b][/quote]If you look for the earlier Was material search for "Was (Not Was)". Don't forget the motor city now... The Was brothers are brothers about as much as the Glimmer Twins are twins.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote]Originally posted by music-man: I was a little disappointed with her last album Fundamental - but I still use "One Belief Away" as a reference for mixing - plus, it's a great song. Mitchell Froom and Tchad Blake are no slouches, even if Don Was is a genius.[/QB][/quote]Lovers Will on Fundamental is worth a second listen....to me the entire CD was very refreshing, sounded way more organic and spontaneous, whether it was or not.
Down like a dollar comin up against a yen, doin pretty good for the shape I'm in
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...