When Will I Be Loved (1974) 4/26/20

Back on April 5th, we highlighted Linda Ronstadt's version of “You're No Good.”

To recap the story: When Capitol Records released Linda's “Heart Like a Wheel” album, they couldn't decide whether ”You're No Good” or “When Will I Be Loved” would be the first single release, and didn't decide on “You're No Good” until AFTER the album had been out for several days.

It was the right choice...or was it?“

When Will I Be Loved,” of course, was a remake of an old Everly Brothers tune that Phil Everly had written, and the brothers had taken to #8 in 1960.

But Linda's version not only surpassed the original, it squeaked by “You're No Good” for chart dominance.

Here's how it ended up:

“You're No Good:” Billboard Hot 100: #1, Adult Contemporary #10. Canada: Top 40 #7, Adult Contemporary #2.

“When Will I Be Loved:” Billboard Country: #1, Hot 100: #2, Adult Contemporary #3. Canada: Country and Adult Contemporary:” #1, Top 40 #7.

Kinda makes you understand why Capitol had such a hard time deciding which song to release first!

Of course, chart positions do not a “Great Song” make...but considering Linda took a “Great Song of 1960” and made it even“Greater”14 years later...it's hard to deny that “When Will I Be Loved” is a “Great Song of the '70s!

Linda:

And Just For Fun: The Everly Brothers: