Bonnie Raitt-Streetlights (1976)
Artist: Bonnie Raitt
Title: Streetlights
Year of Release: 1976
Country and Year of Edition: US late 70's reissue Winchester pressing
Sell Price: $6.32
Sell Date: 1/28/25
Condition: VG+/VG+
Discogs Last Sold: 1/26/25 VG+/VG $5.99
Low: $2.00
Median: $6.41
Average: $9.28
High: $44.85
Current low price: $10.75
Current Number on Sale at Discogs: 5
Have/Want: 214/59
Where Sold: Hermosa Beach, CA
Time It Took To Sell: 3 years
Where and When Bought: Facebook $3 vinyl lot
Gwiz-gau Letter Grade: B
Sad To See It Go: No
Bonnie Raitt's 70's output has it's moments, some excellent, some less so due to production not the talent. Warner Bros. gave her 10 grand after she went over budget on the prior album, Takin' My Time but agreed to give her more to bring in a commercially successful producer. Enter Jerry Ragovoy who had worked with Janis Joplin and Dionne Warwick's "Then Came You." He felt Bonnie was too mired in the Blues and added strings and a more pop sound over all. Gone is Bonnie's patented slide guitar. The album only peaked at #80 on Billboard, which was lower than her previous efforts. In its attempt to be commercial it alienated her fans, didn't attract a top 40 audience (that came later, after her surprise 1990 Grammy Album of the Year for Nick of Time) and Bonnie herself didn't like the result.
Since Raitt is primarily an interpreter on this album, the songs selection is where it's at. Despite a more commercial approach, she still gravitated toward songwriters she liked. She mostly picks material that she makes her own. The only obvious warhorse is John Prine's "Angel From Montgomery" They would duet on this throughout Prine's lifetime.
The best song on the record for me is the kickoff, Joni Mitchell's "That Song About The Midway" from Clouds. This is followed by early James Taylor, Rainy Day Man from his 60's band The Original Flying Machine. This also surfaced on his 1968 solo album on Apple as well as 1979's Flag. Jim Carroll's "I Got Plenty" came from his 1972 debut. The title track was written by Bill Payne of Little Feat.
Side two kicks off with Allen Toussaint's "What Is Success?" The producer wrote "Ain't Nobody Home" also done by Howard Tate and BB King. Michael Kamen's "Everything That Touches You" was also done by the Walker Brothers. Allee Willis & David Lasley were both songwriters that had albums but didn't issue "Got You On My Mind." Lou Courtney's "You Got To Be Ready For Love" was issued as a single.
Not terrible by any means.
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