Garage Sale Vinyl: Bonnie Raitt
The Glow / Warner Bros. / September 1979
by Christopher Long
As an admitted, addicted Bonnie Raitt lifer, one of my greatest joys in recent years has been the pursuit and successful re-discovery of her classic albums — on vinyl, of course. Even cooler, I always find ‘em, for “a song!” This one I dug out of a “clearance” bin last weekend at a local beachside Florida thrift store for $3.50. The cover and inner sleeve were a smidge worn, but the vinyl was pretty darn clean and fairly quiet.
I’ve said it before, but it warrants repeating. If you just pay attention, if you just look, if you just take the time to rummage through every musty box and creaky crate in every little joint you visit, you WILL find beautiful (affordable) vinyl treasures. And this was a beautiful record, from a beautiful artist. In fact, it could be said that Raitt’s seventh studio set actually had a “glow.”
One of the busiest bees in the biz at the time, producer Peter Asher (James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, J.D. Souther), occupied the captain’s seat, while the record’s core band consisted of many of the era’s go-to studio aces; guitarists Danny Kortchmar and Waddy Wachtel, bassist Bob Glaub, pianist Bill Payne, and drummer Rick Marotta.
The songwriter roster was impressive as well. Isaac Hayes and David Porter partnered on two of the album’s tunes; the soulful opener, “I Thank You,” which also would be covered famously just two months later by ZZ Top on their album, Degüello, and the boozy, bluesy “Your Good Thing (Is About to End).” The sweat-soaked tension between Raitt’s sweeter-than-honey vocals and jazz legend David Sanborn’s wildly seductive sax work helped make “Your Good Thing” an ice-melting standout. Featuring a crisp cameo from blues harmonica legend, Paul Butterfield, the Mary Wells-penned “Bye Bye Baby” and Robert Palmer’s equally punchy, “You’re Gonna Get What’s Coming,” were both sassy lil’ rib-cracking highlights. Raitt’s own composition, “Standin’ by the Same Old Love,” brought an additional crunchy “WOW” factor.
When I first discovered Bonnie Raitt (circa ‘75), I was a frustrated four-eyed freak with a bad bowl cut. But even as a naïve pre-pube navigating through a “Very Brady” world, I was thwacked completely by the Bonnie Raitt “package.” A hopelessly music-crazed kid during those incredible shag-covered days, I snatched up a slew of LPs from Carole, Carly, and Karla. However, those gals just couldn’t “scratch” my “itch” quite like “you know who.”
Nearly 50 years later, I’m now a decrepit, albeit extremely good-looking little old man who experiences uncontrollable, involuntary tremors and a frequent need to pee. Yet, Bonnie Raitt records STILL own the ability to make my heart race and to put me in the fetal position, sobbing in a corner. In that regard, personally speaking, two of Raitt’s all-time most powerful performances can be found on Glow — the lonesome and smoky jazz club-birthed title track, as well as the record-closing heart-acher, “(Goin’) Wild for You Baby” — “I would die for you baby,” indeed!
(5/5) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Glow Track List
SIDE ONE
- I Thank You (Hayes, Porter) – 2:51
- Your Good Thing (Is About to End) (Hayes, Porter) – 4:00
- Standin’ by the Same Old Love (Raitt) – 4:10
- Sleep’s Dark and Silent Gate (Browne) – 3:25
- The Glow (Hildebrand) – 4:11
SIDE TWO
- Bye Bye Baby (Wells) – 3:17
- The Boy Can’t Help It (Troup) – 3:39
- (I Could Have Been Your) Best Old Friend (McMahon, Nelson) – 2:52
- You’re Gonna Get What’s Coming (Robert Palmer) – 3:32
- (Goin’) Wild for You Baby (David Batteau, Tom Snow) – 5:25
