Desperado
Tue, 2003-01-28 15:04
#1
Desperado
I received the latest Johnny Cash album for Christmas, and there's not a bad track on it, one of my favourites being the old classic "Desperado."
But my wife can't stand it. She prefers the Linda Ronstadt version.
Linda Ronstadt? How can someone like Linda Ronstadt sing Desperado? It's not a disco tune. It needs to be sung half-flaked out over a bar stool with a bottle of whiskey in front of you. She'd probably rather listen to a fresh-faced and smiling Heresay than a drunk and morose Billy Holiday. The mind boggles.
So either/or:
Johnny Cash or Linda Ronstadt?
Tony Cook
The Eagles did a version too - which, considering they are the Eagles, isn't too bad.
I'm not sure if the New Riders of the Purple Sage didn't do it as well - and if they did , it would have been very good!
Tony Cook
Oops, just remembered. I heard Emmylou Harris sing it live once - not sure if she recorded it - and that was the BEST.
jonsmalldon
Tony,
You just said you saw Emmylou Harris live. You have absolutely no idea how envious I am. I may even physically have turned green.
mississippi
I too, saw the delectable Emmy Lou Harris live, at the Adelphi I seem to remember. I had a third row seat and have this vivid mental picture of the rear stage lights shining throw her long cotton skirt and giving us all an opportunity to ogle her lovely long legs for the whole evening. On a non-lecherous level she also had Albert Lee in her band on that tour, what a guitar player he is. In recent years he's been resident guitarist for the Everly Brothers among others.
On the topic of 'Desperado', I believe it was an Eagles original, and for me the best version. Linda Ronstadt however did a good job on it Karl, and it WASN'T done disco style for what it's worth.
Johnny Cash is a treasure, but it's no contest in the legs department.
Ralph
I too received that album. There is a fine version of Depeche Mode's 'Personal Jesus' on it as well.
Nick Lowe (pal of Elvis Costello) of course married Johnny's daughter. And of course Elvis Costello's version of 'Desperado' (only performed live) is universally regarded as the definitive version of the song.
Robert Wyatt's version of 'Shipbuilding' pisses all over Elvis's original by miles even if it did have legendry West Coast Trumpet ace Chet Baker playing on it.
It's all about personal taste though isn't it?
Ralph
Stephen Gardiner
I saw Emmylou at the Apollo Victoria before the ridiculous Starlight Express took up residence there so it was over 20 years ago but I don't remember the lights shining through her skirts.
Anyway, a better song is Guy Clark's "Desperados Waiting For A Train" sung by many of the greats.
mississippi
But Gardenia old boy, Guy Clark is in a class of his own and his songs are never better than when sung by himself. I saw him live some years ago at the Cambridge Folk Festival and his 'L.A. Freeway' is one of my faves along with 'Let It Roll' and 'Desperadoes...'.
It could have been the Apollo now you mention it. Was it really 20yrs ago? If you're right and you attended but didn't see the legs I can only assume you were either pissed, blind, on something naughty or hadn't yet reached the state of sexual awareness enjoyed by the people in the third row!
Stephen Gardiner
You are right with one of those.
And I was also in the front of the balcony so my angle wasn't good.