Celerating Linda Ronstadt’s Top 10 Timeless Classics
Even after a decade of retirement in 2011, Linda Maria Ronstadt’s melodies still top the list of generational music admirers, with her masterpieces like Blue Bayou, Desperado, and more.
Linda Ronstadt decided to step off the stage shortly after she could no longer sing in 2011.
The multi-genre singer took flight in the late 1960s and later became the greatest of all time.
Her career spanned several decades, and she mastered various musical genres, including rock, country, opera, and Latin music.
1946-born Linda Ronstadt sold over 100 million records worldwide and earned 11 Grammy Awards.
The American legend has classical hits, including Long, Long Time, It’s So Easy, and more record-breaking hits on her credit. Below are the 10 best songs of Linda Ronstadt:
| Songs | Spotify Streams |
| Blue Bayou | 102,116,108 |
| You’re No Good | 60,650,954 |
| Desperado | 12,873,749 |
| It’s So Easy | 21,195,661 |
| When Will I Be Loved | 47,879,094 |
| Different Drum | 40,065,797 |
| Long, Long Time | 32,132,963 |
| Heat Wave | 4,067,275 |
| Don’t Know Much | 93,464,795 |
| Somewhere Out There | 17,395,604 |
10. Somewhere Out There
| Album | An American Tail |
| Released Date | November, 1986 |
Somewhere Out There, a duet with James Ingram, was a standout track from the animated film, An American Tail.
The song played during a pivotal scene in the movie with the synergy of the soulful voices of Linda and James.
The musical duet speaks a hopeful message of love and reunion across distances.
Due to the beauty of music, the jury awarded Somewhere Out There with two Grammy Awards.
Further, it peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was nominated for an Academy Award.
9. Don’t Know Much
| Album | Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind |
| Released Date | October 3, 1989 |
Don’t Know Much is a duet of Linda Ronstadt with Aaron Neville, produced by Peter Asher and George Massenburg.
The track is about life in a world obsessed with knowing and exploring more about anything.
The duet earned the Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.
Further, Don’t Know Much was a commercial success and reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
The album Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind, also achieved multi-platinum status and, to some extent, defined her career.
8. Heat Wave
| Album | Prisoner in Disguise |
| Released Date | October, 1975 |
Heat Wave was first recorded by Martha and the Vandellas in 1963, and Linda’s cover version gave the audience yet another hit.
Linda dragged a rock genre song to a classic hit with her powerful vocals and energetic arrangement.
The track saw commercial success, charting at number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. Linda’s Heat Wave helped Prisoner in Disguise become her best-selling album.
Heat Wave is about falling in love with someone who is already in a relationship, which complicates the relationship.
7. Long, Long Time
| Album | Silk Purse |
| Released Date | June, 1970 |
Gary White‘s composition became a commercial masterpiece after Linda Ronstadt covered and re-released it.
Long, Long Time was recorded when the multi-genre artist Linda was transitioning from folk to country-influenced music.
The song’s lyrics expressed the love for someone who was never together and narrated a story of pain and sorrow.
It is an emotional masterpience about a love story which ended with efforts from only one end.
Linda’s Long, Long Time reached 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts and even earned a Grammy nomination in 1971.
6. Different Drum
| Album | Evergreen Vol. 2 |
| Released Date | September, 1967 |
First recorded by the Greebvriar Boys in 1966, the 1967 version by then-21-year-old Linda Ronstadt topped world rankings.
Different Drum is one of Linda’s first musical appearances, and it became her first hit.
This version of the track flipped the gender reference by replacing ‘girl’ with ‘boy’ from the original.
Linda Ronstadt’s Different Drum depicts a relationship where one partner wants commitment while the other wants freedom.
It reached 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1967 and number 1 in the Los Angeles music market.
5. When Will I Be Loved
| Album | Heart Like a Wheel |
| Released Date | March 25, 1975 |
Phil Everly of The Everly Brothers first recorded When Will I Be Loved in 1960, and it even scored high on the Billboard Hot 100.
Later after 15 years, Linda Ronstadt covered Everly’s track with producer, Peter Asher, and led it to world top charts.
The song peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and topped the Cash Box chart.
The Everly Brother’s original conveys a tale of true love and repeated disappoinitments in the search for it.
The chorus and refrain in Linda’s version of the track goes like:
Oh, I’ve been cheated
Been mistreated
When will I be loved?When will I be loved?
Tell me, when will I be loved?
Basically, the song speaks about the desperation of finding a love who stays forever and never leaves.
4. It’s So Easy
| Album | Simple Dreams |
| Released Date | September 20, 1977 |
Composed by Buddy Holly and Norman Petty, It’s So Easy celebrate the simplicity of falling in love.
The lyrics of the song circle around the easiness of love, making it an anthem of love to her audience.
Linda Ronstadt’s cover brought the song to a wider audience, and it easily appeared on her career’s top list.
It’s So Easy went as high as No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, adding another hit to her legendary chart.
The track was already a hit, and even Linda’s version broke records by performing well in several countries.
3.Desperado
| Album | Don’t Cry Now |
| Released Date | September, 1973 |
Desperado is the soulful original by The Eagles, which was composed by Glenn Frey and Don Henley and produced by John Boylan.
However, the Linda Ronstadt’s re-release of this Eagles’s classic invited depth and emotion to the track.
Although the artist released it in an album, Desperado remains one of important song of her career.
The Eagles original is mainly about a lonely and isolated cowboy, surving through his loneliness, and regret.
2. You’re No Good
| Album | Heart Like a Wheel |
| Released Date | November 19, 1974 |
The track You’re No Good was composed by Clint Ballard Jr. and produced by Peter Asher.
Several famous artists recorded the song before Linda Ronstadt’s version became a commercial hit.
Her soulful voice interpreted the song’s authentic meaning and catapulted her to widespread fame.
You’re No Good’s theme speakers about a toxic relationship, delivering a potent anthem of emotional strength.
One of Linda’s greatest hits, You’re No Good, peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, solidifying position in the rock and pop genres.
1. Blue Bayou
| Album | Simple Dreams |
| Released Date | August 23, 1977 |
Blue Bayou was originally written and sung by Roy Orbison, until Linda covered it and scored a hit.
Linda Ronstadt breathe new life into Orbison’s classic without ruining its taste and continued on the legacy.
Blue Bayou is one of her signature songs, and the singer tells a tale of longing and nostalgia.
The track eventually became Linda’s most successful hit, earning a Grammy nomination for Best Vocal Performance.
