Simple Dreams

Linda Ronstadt - "Simple Dreams" (1977) - Asylum Records

Hello Friends,

Simple Dreams is a pretty good name for this, Linda Ronstadt's eighth record, because we fell asleep three times while listening to it!

Actually, we're being kind of hard on the record, as it was probably the bottle of bourbon we just polished off that made us so tired, but its definitely a mellow 70's affair falling somewhere between saccharine soft rock and very middle-of-the-road country rock.

This is music for white folks, friends.

Things get started with her take on Buddy Holly's "It's So Easy", which along with her Roy Orbison-cover of "Blue Bayou" were two huge hits for her.  There's also a hot white girl take on the Rolling Stones' classic, "Tumbling Dice", and a really nice rootsy country song "I Never Will Marry" which features Dolly Parton on background vocals. 

By far the album's highlights are the two Warren Zevon covers, "Poor Poor Pitiful Me" and the junkie love song, "Carmelita".  The latter is no G.G. Allin, but she does a solid version. 

Its worth mentioning that this album was the top-selling album of Ronstadt's career.  It also has the unique distinction of being the record that unseated Fleetwood Mac's massive success, "Rumours" from the top of the charts.

RATING: 3.5 strung out on heroin on the outskirts of town out of 5