Linda Ronstadt - Simple Dreams

Simple Dreams is the eighth studio album by American rock, pop, and country artist Linda Ronstadt, originally released in September 1977 via Asylum Records.

Linda Ronstadt released one of the most successful albums of her career in 1977 with the Grammy Award winning smash Simple Dreams. The album spent five consecutive weeks at #1 on the US Billboard 200 Albums chart in late 1977, displacing Rumours (Fleetwood Mac) that had held that position for a record breaking 29 weeks. The album also knocked Elvis Presley off the #1 spot on the Country Albums chart, and won the Grammy Award for Best Recording Package.

Simple Dreams was produced by Peter Asher and featured a well chosen set of songs. The album opens with her second successful cover of a Buddy Holly song “It’s So Easy”, then follows with the first of two Warren Zevon penned songs “Carmelita”. The second Zevon song was “Poor Poor Pitiful Me” which became a successful single. J.D. Souther contributed “Simple Man, Simple Dream” and Dolly Parton sang harmony vocals on the traditional ballad “I Never Will Marry”, which became a Top 10 hit on the Country charts.

Don Henley sang co-lead and backing vocals on the successful single “Blue Bayou”, written by Roy Orbison and John Melson. She also did a great cover of the Rolling Stone’s song “Tumbling Dice”, with honky tonk piano and clean country rock sound.

This album is a 2024 limited edition reissue on sea blue coloured vinyl housed in a gatefold sleeve with a printed inner sleeve, pressed in Europe via Asylum Records.