Living in the USA

Living in the USA is the ninth studio album by American singer Linda Ronstadt, released in 1978. The album was Ronstadt's third and final No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart.

For the Steve Miller Band album, see Living in the U.S.A.
Living in the USA
Studio album by
Linda Ronstadt
ReleasedSeptember 19, 1978[1]
RecordedMay 5 – July 3, 1978
StudioSound Factory (Hollywood)
GenreRock
Length35:06
LabelAsylum, Rhino
ProducerPeter Asher
Linda Ronstadt chronology
Simple Dreams
(1977)		 Living in the USA
(1978)		 Mad Love
(1980)
Singles from Living in the USA
  1. "Back in the U.S.A."
    Released: August 1978
  2. "Ooh Baby Baby"
    Released: November 1978
  3. "Just One Look"
    Released: February 1979
  4. "Love Me Tender"
    Released: February 1979
  5. "Alison"
    Released: April 1979
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Circus Magazine[3]
Christgau's Record GuideB[4]
Crawdaddy![5]
Rolling Stone(favorable)[6]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[7]

Release

The album was originally released by Asylum in the LP format in September 1978 (catalog number 155 or 6E-155). Subsequently, in 1990, Asylum released the album on cassette (TCS-155) and in the CD format (2-155).

In addition to the standard 1978 release, collector's-item editions of the LP were made in the same time period of the album in red vinyl (catalog number K53085) and also of a picture disc (catalog number DP 401) featuring a photograph of Ronstadt lacing up the roller skating boots that she is wearing on the front cover (this photograph is also included on the record sleeve in the standard release).

Single releases and radio play

The album's first single release was Chuck Berry's "Back in the USA" which reached number 11 on the Cash Box Top 100 and number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. (It was listed at number 1 on many Album Rock playlists.) The disc's biggest success was Ronstadt's version of Smokey Robinson's "Ooh Baby Baby" (featuring alto-sax work from David Sanborn) that hit number 7 Pop and number 2 Easy Listening as well as the Country and even the Soul chart. "Just One Look" and "Alison" later became hit singles for Ronstadt as well, while "All That You Dream" and Warren Zevon's "Mohammed's Radio" were popular tracks on Album-Oriented Radio stations.

Although not released as a single, Ronstadt's version of "Love Me Tender" was edited together with the original version of the song by Elvis Presley, creating a duet between the two famous singers that was played by many radio stations at the time.

Critical reception

The album received largely positive reviews at the time of release.[3][6] Ronstadt covered her last Warren Zevon song for this album ("Mohammed's Radio"). The album largely consisted of material that had previously been recorded and released by other artists including covers of songs written and performed previously by Little Feat, Elvis Presley and Elvis Costello.

At the time, Ronstadt's cover of Elvis Costello's "Alison" was criticized by Costello himself after he heard her version of the song, although he did admit he "liked the money." Ronstadt had her management reach out to Costello and ask if he had any other material she could cover. He responded by sending her three songs that she recorded for her follow-up album. After the release of Mad Love, Ronstadt's follow-up album with the three Costello songs she solicited, Costello again had negative comments about her versions of his songs. In later years, Costello praised Ronstadt and apologized for the harshness of his comments.[8]

Track listing
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Back in the U.S.A."Chuck Berry3:02
2."When I Grow Too Old to Dream"Oscar Hammerstein II, Sigmund Romberg3:52
3."Just One Look"Gregory Carroll, Doris Payne3:20
4."Alison"Elvis Costello3:20
5."White Rhythm & Blues"J.D. Souther4:17
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."All That You Dream"Paul Barrere, Bill Payne3:43
2."Ooh Baby Baby"William Robinson, Warren Moore3:18
3."Mohammed's Radio"Warren Zevon4:20
4."Blowing Away"Eric Kaz3:15
5."Love Me Tender"Elvis Presley, Vera Matson2:39
Total length:35:06

Personnel

Production
  • Peter Asher – producer
  • Val Garay – recording, mixing
  • George Ybarra – recording assistant, mix assistant
  • Jan Michael Alejandro – technician
  • Harold Jones – technician
  • Doug Sax – mastering at The Mastering Lab (Hollywood, California).
  • Kosh – art direction, design
  • Jim Shea – photography

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[22] 2× Platinum 140,000^
Hong Kong (IFPI Hong Kong)[23] Gold 10,000*
Japan — 84,380[13]
New Zealand (RMNZ)[24] Platinum 15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[25] Silver 60,000^
United States (RIAA)[26] 2× Platinum 2,000,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history
Release history and formats for Living in the USA
Region Date Format Label Ref.
North America September 6, 1977
  • LP
  • cassette
 Asylum Records [27]

References
  1. "September 1978". superseventies.com. Retrieved June 26, 2011.
  2. Allmusic review
  3. Circus Magazine review
  4. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: R". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 12, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  5. Crawdaddy! review
  6. "Living In The USA". Rolling Stone. 1978-11-02. Archived from the original on 2016-08-28.
  7. Brackett, Nathan; Christian Hoard (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York City, New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 701. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8. rolling stone linda ronstadt album guide.
  8. "Elvis Costello | the Official Website of Elvis Costello".
  9. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 258. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  10. "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 30, No. 9". RPM. 1971-11-25. Archived from the original (PHP) on 2014-05-02. Retrieved 2014-05-01.
  11. "dutchcharts.nl Linda Ronstadt – Living in the USA" (ASP). Hung Medien. MegaCharts. Retrieved 2012-04-04.
  12. "InfoDisc : Tous les Albums classés par Artiste > Choisir Un Artiste Dans la Liste" (in French). infodisc.fr. Archived from the original on 2016-01-26. Retrieved 2012-04-04.Note: user must select 'Linda RONSTADT' from drop-down
  13. Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970-2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  14. "charts.nz Linda Ronstadt – Living in the USA" (ASP). Hung Medien. Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Retrieved 2012-04-04.
  15. "swedishcharts.com Linda Ronstadt – Living in the USA" (ASP) (in Swedish). Retrieved 2012-04-04.
  16. "Linda Ronstadt : Artist: Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 2014-04-01.
  17. "Allmusic:Living in the USA : Charts & Awards: Billboard Albums". allmusic.com. Retrieved 2014-05-01.
  18. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  19. "RPM Top 100 Albums of 1978". RPM. Archived from the original on 2013-06-19. Retrieved 2013-09-08.
  20. "Top Selling Albums of 1978 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  21. Nielsen Business Media, Inc (1979-12-22). Billboard.com – Year End Charts – Year-end Albums – The Billboard 200. Retrieved 2012-09-09. {{cite book}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
  22. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1996 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
  23. "IFPIHK Gold Disc Award − 1979". IFPI Hong Kong. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
  24. "New Zealand album certifications – Linda Ronstadt – Living in the USA". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
  25. "British album certifications – Linda Ronstadt – Living in the USA". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 2012-04-04.
  26. "American album certifications – Linda Ronstadt – Living in the USA". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2012-04-04.
  27. Ronstadt, Linda (September 19, 1978). "Living in the USA (Liner Notes)". Asylum Records. 6E-155 (LP); TC5-5155 (Cassette).
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