Living in the USA

Living in the USA is the ninth studio album by American singer-songwriter and producer Linda Ronstadt, released in 1978. The album was Ronstadt's third (and last) No. 1 on the Billboard album chart. As a measure of her impact on popular culture in this time period, the front cover photograph of a roller skating Ronstadt in an exercise outfit was noted to have increased the popularity of skating in the United States at the time.

For the Steve Miller Band album, see Living in the U.S.A.
Living in the USA
Studio album by
Linda Ronstadt
ReleasedSeptember 19, 1978[1]
RecordedMay 5-July 3, 1978
StudioThe Sound Factory, Los Angeles, California
GenreRock
Length35:06
LabelAsylum, Rhino
ProducerPeter Asher
Linda Ronstadt chronology
Simple Dreams
(1977)		 Living in the USA
(1978)		 Mad Love
(1980)
Singles from Living in the USA
  1. "Back in the U.S.A."
    Released: August 1978
  2. "Ooh Baby Baby"
    Released: November 1978
  3. "Just One Look"
    Released: February 1979
  4. "Love Me Tender"
    Released: February 1979
  5. "Alison"
    Released: April 1979
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Circus Magazine[3]
Christgau's Record GuideB[4]
Crawdaddy![5]
Rolling Stone(favorable)[6]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[7]

Release

The album was originally released by Asylum in the LP format in September 1978 (catalogue number 155 or 6E-155). Subsequently, in 1990, Asylum released the album in the Cassette format (TCS-155) and in the CD format (2-155).

In addition to the standard 1978 release, collector's-item editions of the LP were made in the same time period of the album in red vinyl (catalogue number K53085) and also of a picture disc (catalogue number DP 401) featuring a photograph of Ronstadt's lacing up the roller skating boots that she is wearing on the front cover (this photograph is also included on the record sleeve in the standard release).

Single releases and radio play

The album's first single release was Chuck Berry's "Back in the USA" which reached #11 on the Cash Box Top 100 and #16 on the Billboard Hot 100. (It was listed at #1 on many Album Rock playlists.) The disc's biggest success was Ronstadt's version of Smokey Robinson's "Ooh Baby Baby" (featuring alto-sax work from David Sanborn) that hit #7 Pop and #2 Easy Listening as well as the Country and even the Soul chart. "Just One Look" and "Alison" later became hit singles for Ronstadt as well, while "All That You Dream" and Warren Zevon's "Mohammed's Radio" were popular tracks on Album-Oriented Radio stations.

Although not released as a single, Ronstadt's version of "Love Me Tender" was edited together with the original version of the song by Elvis Presley, creating a duet between the two famous singers that was played by many radio stations at the time. Elvis did the first verse alone, straight from his original recording, as Ronstadt didn't sing this verse on her version for some reason.

Critical reception

The album received largely positive reviews at the time of release.[3][6] Ronstadt covered her last Warren Zevon song for this album ("Mohammed's Radio"). The album largely consisted of material that had previously been recorded and released by other artists including covers of songs written and performed previously by Little Feat, Elvis Presley and Elvis Costello.

Ronstadt's cover of Elvis Costello's "Alison" has been criticized by Costello himself after he heard her version of the song, although he did admit he "liked the money." Ronstadt had her management reach out to Costello and asked if he had any other material she could cover. He responded by sending her three songs that she recorded for her follow-up album. After the release of Mad Love, Ronstadt's follow-up album with the three Costello songs she solicited, Costello again had negative comments about her versions of his songs.[8]

Track listing
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Back in the U.S.A."Chuck Berry3:02
2."When I Grow Too Old to Dream"Oscar Hammerstein II, Sigmund Romberg3:52
3."Just One Look"Gregory Carroll, Doris Payne3:20
4."Alison"Elvis Costello3:20
5."White Rhythm & Blues"J.D. Souther4:17
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."All That You Dream"Paul Barrere, Bill Payne3:43
2."Ooh Baby Baby"William Robinson, Warren Moore3:18
3."Mohammed's Radio"Warren Zevon4:20
4."Blowing Away"Eric Kaz3:15
5."Love Me Tender"Elvis Presley, Vera Matson2:39
Total length:35:06

Personnel

Production
  • Peter Asher – producer
  • Val Garay – recording, mixing
  • George Ybarra – recording assistant, mix assistant
  • Jan Michael Alejandro – technician
  • Harold Jones – technician
  • Doug Sax – mastering at The Mastering Lab (Hollywood, California).
  • Kosh – art direction, design
  • Jim Shea – photography

Charts

References
  1. "September 1978". superseventies.com. Retrieved June 26, 2011.
  2. Allmusic review
  3. Circus Magazine review
  4. 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.
  5. Crawdaddy! review
  6. Rolling Stone review
  7. Brackett, Nathan; Christian Hoard (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York City, New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 701. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8. rolling stone linda ronstadt album guide.
  8. http://us.napster.com/artist/elvis-costello/album/elvis-costello-the-rhapsody-interview/track/on-linda-ronstadts-rendition-of-alison
  9. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  10. "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 30, No. 9". RPM. 1971-11-25. Archived from the original (PHP) on 2014-05-02. Retrieved 2014-05-01.
  11. "dutchcharts.nl Linda Ronstadt – Living in the USA" (ASP). Hung Medien. MegaCharts. Retrieved 2012-04-04.
  12. "InfoDisc : Tous les Albums classés par Artiste > Choisir Un Artiste Dans la Liste" (in French). infodisc.fr. Archived from the original on 2016-01-26. Retrieved 2012-04-04.Note: user must select 'Linda RONSTADT' from drop-down
  13. Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970-2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  14. "charts.nz Linda Ronstadt – Living in the USA" (ASP). Hung Medien. Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Retrieved 2012-04-04.
  15. "swedishcharts.com Linda Ronstadt – Living in the USA" (ASP) (in Swedish). Retrieved 2012-04-04.
  16. "Linda Ronstadt : Artist: Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 2014-04-01.
  17. "Allmusic:Living in the USA : Charts & Awards: Billboard Albums". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2014-05-01.
  18. "RPM Top 100 Albums of 1978". RPM. Archived from the original on 2013-06-19. Retrieved 2013-09-08.
  19. Nielsen Business Media, Inc (1979-12-22). Billboard.com – Year End Charts – Year-end Albums – The Billboard 200. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
  20. "IFPIHK Gold Disc Award − 1979". IFPI Hong Kong. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
  21. "New Zealand album certifications – Linda Ronstadt – Living in the USA". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
  22. "British album certifications – Linda Ronstadt – Living in the USA". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 2012-04-04. Select albums in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Living in the USA in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  23. "American album certifications – Linda Ronstadt – Living in the USA". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2012-04-04. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
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