Prisoner in Disguise

Infobox Album |
Name = Prisoner in Disguise
Type = Album
Artist = Linda Ronstadt


Recorded = The Sound Factory, Los Angeles, California between February and June 1975
Released = September 1975
Genre = Rock, Country rock
Length = 35:57
Label = Asylum
Producer = Peter Asher
Reviews =
* Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:wh9gs36ba3xg~T1 link]
*Robert Christgau (B) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=Linda+Ronstadt link]
*"Rolling Stone" [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/lindaronstadt/albums/album/219020/review/5943504/prisoner_in_disguise link]
Last album = "Heart Like a Wheel" (1974)
This album = "Prisoner in Disguise" (1975)
Next album = "Hasten Down the Wind" (1976)

"Prisoner in Disguise" (1975) is Linda Ronstadt's sixth solo LP release and the second of hers for the label Asylum Records. It followed Ronstadt's breakthrough album, "Heart Like a Wheel", which reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart in February 1975.

Ronstadt chose songs from friends and songwriters such as James Taylor, 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."

"Prisoner in Disguise" debuted in September 1975. 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" ( [http://www.ronstadt-linda.com/revpris1.htm link] ). The album peaked early on the "Billboard" album chart at No. 4, ultimately spending 28 weeks on the chart all together ( [http://www.ronstadt-linda.com/toppopa.htm link] ). It reached No. 2 on the country album chart ( [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:wh9gs36ba3xg~T3 link] ) 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 No. 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 No. 5 on the Hot Country Songs chart ( [http://www.ronstadt-linda.com/topcount.htm link] ). 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 (see [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:yvde4j570wai link] ), also made it to the country singles chart, peaking at Nos. 11 and 12 respectively in early 1976. "Tracks" also peaked at No. 25 on the Hot 100 and No. 4 on the adult contemporary songs chart.

Track listing

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