Prisoner in Disguise

Prisoner In Disguise
Studio album by Linda Ronstadt
Released	September 1975
Recorded	The Sound Factory, Los Angeles, California;February–June 1975
Genre	Rock, country rock, pop
Length	35:57
Label	Asylum
Producer	Peter Asher
Linda Ronstadt chronology
Heart Like a Wheel (1974) Prisoner In Disguise (1975) Hasten Down The Wind (1976)

Prisoner In Disguise (1975) is Linda Ronstadt's sixth solo LP release and her second for the label Asylum Records. It followed Ronstadt's Multi-Platinum breakthrough album, Heart Like A Wheel, which became her first of three #1 albums on the Billboard album chart in early 1975.

This album has never been out of print.

History

Ronstadt chose songs from friends and songwriters such as James Taylor, the late Lowell George of Little Feat, J. D. Souther and Anna McGarrigle as well as one written and originally recorded by Jimmy Cliff and a heartfelt interpretation of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You".

The original vinyl album release was a gatefold design, and the center section featured a photo of various sheets with written lyrics to the songs, most of which were in the original songwriters' own handwriting.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Robert Christgau	(B)[2]
Rolling Stone	(?)[3]

Steve Simels of Stereo Review's December 1975 issue described Ronstadt's singing on Parton's "I Will Always Love You" as "absolutely gorgeous, full-bodied and intense".^[4] link The album peaked on the Billboard album chart at #4.^[5] It also reached #2 on the Country album chart,^[6] and has been certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.

"Heat Wave", a rockified re-make of the 1963 hit covered by Martha and the Vandellas, peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. Its B-side, a countrified version of Neil Young's "Love Is A Rose", generated its own airplay and peaked at #5 on the Hot Country Songs chart.^[7]

The double-sided hits "Tracks Of My Tears," a re-make of a 1965 hit by the Miracles, and "The Sweetest Gift," an older country standard then most recently recorded by the Seldom Scene,^[8] also made it to the Country singles chart, peaking at #11 and 12 respectively in early 1976. "Tracks" also peaked at #25 on the Hot 100 and #4 on the Adult Contemporary songs chart. An album track, composed by the late Lowell George, 'Roll Um Easy', was very popular on the burgeoning AOR (Album Orientied Rock) format.

Track listing

1. "Love Is a Rose" (Neil Young) – 2:46
2. "Hey Mister, That's Me Up On the Jukebox" (James Taylor) – 3:56
3. "Roll Um Easy" (Lowell George) (also playing slide guitar) – 2:58
4. "Tracks of My Tears" (Warren "Pete" Moore, William "Smokey" Robinson Jr., Marvin Tarplin) – 3:12
5. "Prisoner in Disguise" (J. D. Souther) (also singing harmony) – 3:54
6. "Heat Wave" (Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland, Eddie Holland) – 2:46
7. "Many Rivers to Cross" (Jimmy Cliff) – 4:05
8. "The Sweetest Gift" (featuring Emmylou Harris on harmony vocals) (James B. Coats) – 3:00
9. "You Tell Me That I'm Falling Down" (featuring Wendy Waldman on harmony vocals) (Carol S. Holland, Anna McGarrigle) – 3:17
10. "I Will Always Love You" (Dolly Parton) – 3:00
11. "Silver Blue" (J. D. Souther) (also singing harmony) – 3:03

References