![]() Given the current happenings in Israel, I think it’s a good time to give it a listen. The lyrics for “Rivers Of Babylon” come directly from Psalm 137, describing the feelings and heartaches of the Jewish people following the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem in 607 BC. And I defy anyone to challenge the trilogy of albums that Linda produced from 1974-76 ( Heart Like A Wheel, Prisoner In Disguise and Hasten Down The Wind): all three having gone platinum in sales. I personally think that Hasten Down The Wind was Linda’s absolute best album. The two songs were on “bookend” LPs from 1975 ( Prisoner In Disguise) and 1976 ( Hasten Down The Wind). Both songs were featured in the movie, The Harder They Come. I’ve chosen two of her songs here, “Rivers Of Babylon” – written by the Jamaican reggae band, The Melodians, and “Many Rivers To Cross” – written by Jimmy Cliff. And, most of the time, her cover versions trumped the originals (appropriate bias applied here). ![]() R&B greats like Smokey Robinson, Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland, Martha Reeves and Booker T. Country legends like Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Hank Williams, Emmylou Harris, Mel Tillis, and Phil Everly. The list of artists she’s covered is like a songwriter’s “Who’s Who”: James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Jimmy Webb, Mick Jagger, John David Souther, Warren Zevon, Neil Young, Randy Newman, Lowell George, Karla Bonoff, Ry Cooder, Jimmy Cliff, Elvis Costello, Chuck Berry and Bob Dylan. As my wife once said, “I love Elvis Costello’s songs…when Linda Ronstadt sings them.”. ![]() A master interpreter of songs from the kings (or queens) of rock, country, soul, bluegrass, gospel, American standards and international themes. Linda was not a songwriter she was a song whisperer (if there is such a thing). How can we sing King Alpha’s song in a strange land She has certainly had an effect on me ever since first hearing her with the Stone Poneys in 1967, I’ve been smitten with brown eyed brunettes. She definitely was one of mine, not only for her timeless beauty, but for that “big as a house”, “neck hair raising”, “chill bump inducing”, voice that God graced her with. Lately, even our President has confessed to having had a crush on her in his earlier years. It’s no secret that I’ve always held a strong affinity for the SoCal country rock scene of the early 70’s, and Linda was certainly it’s First Lady. Well, it was only a matter of time before I got around to writing a post about Linda Ronstadt. Note: the text of this song's lyrics is not under the same copyright license as the wiki's encyclopedic text, it is used under fair use/ dealing.How shall we sing the Lord‘s song in a strange land?-Psalm 137:4 Linda Ronstadt covered the song and used the title for her 1976 album Hasten Down the Wind. Jackson Browne, producer of the song's debut album, has stated that it is one of his favourite songs of all time. A strings version is on Dad Get Me Out Of This: The String Quartet Tribute To Warren Zevon. The song is also available in sheet form in The Warren Zevon Guitar Songbook. It is also featured on the live albums Learning to Flinch and the 2007 reissue of Stand in the Fire. The song appears on the compilation albums I'll Sleep When I'm Dead (An Anthology) and Genius: The Best of Warren Zevon. It is one of Zevon's more tender songs, even if dealing with such an unhappy relationship. His perception of her personality has changed so much since they met that he can't find the woman he loved, and is only hanging on to half her heart. In response she says that she would actually rather be with him, but the man comes to realize that this is only her way to keep him on the limb. In the end he comes to agree, she needs to be free. She tells him that "she thinks she needs to be free", a euphemism for leaving him, noting that the relationship does not seem to be really working out. The song describes a man's turbulent relationship with a woman. "Hasten Down the Wind" is a song from Warren Zevon's 1976 self-titled album.
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