We continue our look back at the music of 50 years ago…..
She avoided the dreaded sophomore jinx with a really good record in 1972. Bonnie Raitt delivered with “Give It Up”.
Three Raitt originals join a nice mix of covers on this one. The originals are fine including what turns into a Dixieland jam on the opening cut “Give It Up Or Let Me Go”.
The playing is tight from a large group of talented cats including Merl Saunders, Dave Holland, Freebo, Mark Jordan, John Hall, Eric Kaz and a host of others. Even Paul Butterfield shows up for some tasty harmonica on a killer version of Jackson Browne’s “Under A Falling Sky”.
She also has fun with Sippie Wallace’s “You Got To Know How” and “I Know” which was a hit for Barbara George in the 60’s. Her guitar is always killer and the acoustic work on the bluesy “Love Me Like a Man” gets down to the nitty-gritty.
And, the album ends with the definitive version of the Eric Kaz-Libby Titus classic “Love Has No Pride”. Ronstadt did a great version but Bonnie nails it here.
The more I listen to this the more one thing stands out. She would have many other albums that sold more and went higher on the charts and won Grammys….but I’m not sure she ever sang better than on this album.
