Post by the Scribe on Feb 28, 2021 7:01:40 GMT
COLLABORATION: STEVE TYRELL
Dick interviews Steve Tyrell
Dick Robinson, your host of American Standards by the Sea, interviews Steve Tyrell about Linda Ronstadt and the joy of being a musician.
Aaron Neville / Linda Ronstadt
Don't Know Much
Composed by
Barry Mann
Tom Snow
Cynthia Weil
Release Year
1989
Song Review by Ed Hogan [-]
Written by Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, and Tom Snow, "Don't Know Much" first appeared on Mann's 1980 Casablanca album Barry Mann. Bill Medley's cover version issued as a Liberty single charted number 88 pop and number 29 adult contemporary in the spring of 1981. Bette Midler's take on the tune issued as the Atlantic single "All I Need to Know" made it to number 77 pop and number 39 adult contemporary in the fall of 1983. Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville first met at the 1984 World's Fair where she was appearing with Nelson Riddle and he with the Neville Brothers. Finding that their voices blended together exceptionally well and that they were fans of each others' talents, they promised to work together in the future.
Producer Steve Tyrell brought the duo a demo of "Don't Know Much," which they immediately liked. Produced by Peter Asher and issued as an Elektra single under the moniker Linda Ronstadt featuring Aaron Neville, "Don't Know Much" went gold, going to number two pop for two weeks and number one adult contemporary for five weeks in the fall of 1989. It won a Grammy for Best Vocal Performance by a Pop Group or Duo and was nominated for Song of the Year. Ronstadt's album Cry Like a Rainstorm -- Howl Like the Wind went platinum, peaking at number seven pop, and included another Ronstadt/Neville duet, "All My Life," which went to number 11 pop and topped the adult contemporary charts. Ronstadt also had a million-selling number two duet hit with James Ingram on "Somewhere Out There," a track from the movie soundtrack for An American Tail. Mann redid "Don't Know Much" for his Soul & Inspiration album issued by Atlantic on January 18, 2000.
Dick interviews Steve Tyrell
Dick Robinson, your host of American Standards by the Sea, interviews Steve Tyrell about Linda Ronstadt and the joy of being a musician.
Aaron Neville / Linda Ronstadt
Don't Know Much
Composed by
Barry Mann
Tom Snow
Cynthia Weil
Release Year
1989
Song Review by Ed Hogan [-]
Written by Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, and Tom Snow, "Don't Know Much" first appeared on Mann's 1980 Casablanca album Barry Mann. Bill Medley's cover version issued as a Liberty single charted number 88 pop and number 29 adult contemporary in the spring of 1981. Bette Midler's take on the tune issued as the Atlantic single "All I Need to Know" made it to number 77 pop and number 39 adult contemporary in the fall of 1983. Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville first met at the 1984 World's Fair where she was appearing with Nelson Riddle and he with the Neville Brothers. Finding that their voices blended together exceptionally well and that they were fans of each others' talents, they promised to work together in the future.
Producer Steve Tyrell brought the duo a demo of "Don't Know Much," which they immediately liked. Produced by Peter Asher and issued as an Elektra single under the moniker Linda Ronstadt featuring Aaron Neville, "Don't Know Much" went gold, going to number two pop for two weeks and number one adult contemporary for five weeks in the fall of 1989. It won a Grammy for Best Vocal Performance by a Pop Group or Duo and was nominated for Song of the Year. Ronstadt's album Cry Like a Rainstorm -- Howl Like the Wind went platinum, peaking at number seven pop, and included another Ronstadt/Neville duet, "All My Life," which went to number 11 pop and topped the adult contemporary charts. Ronstadt also had a million-selling number two duet hit with James Ingram on "Somewhere Out There," a track from the movie soundtrack for An American Tail. Mann redid "Don't Know Much" for his Soul & Inspiration album issued by Atlantic on January 18, 2000.
The husband-and-wife songwriting team of Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil wrote this with Tom Snow, who is known for his work on music for movies - he wrote the score for Footloose and also the music for the song "Let's Hear It For The Boy," which was used in the movie. The song first appeared on Mann's self-titled album in 1980. Bill Medley recorded it in 1981, and Bette Midler released a version called "All I Need To Know" in 1983.
Ronstadt's version is a duet with Aaron Neville. They met at the 1984 World's Fair when both were performing there and realized their mutual admiration. When they decided to work together, they picked this song, which was brought to their attention by producer Steve Tyrell.
Peter Asher, who was Ronstadt's manager, produced this track. He had a hit called "A World Without Love" as part of the duo Peter & Gordon in 1964. His sister Jane was Paul McCartney's girlfriend.
This won a Grammy for Best Vocal Performance by a Pop Group or Duo. Ronstadt and Neville would team up for another Grammy-winning song, "All My Life," which earned the same prize in 1990. >>
Barry Mann recorded a new version for his 2000 album Soul & Inspiration.
Neville and Ronstadt portray in the song's music video a couple still in love in their middle age. Neville told Mojo magazine February 2013 that despite the rumors, he and Ronstadt were no more than friends. He said: "The guy who directed called us in a room and said, 'Look - if y'all ain't gonna make this thing believable, there ain't no sense in doin' it.' Linda's a pretty woman - it wasn't hard to portray that. But they had all kinda stupid rumors out. None of 'em were true 'cos we're friends. We respected each other. But I look at the video and it looks kinda suspect (laughs)."
Linda Ronstadt told The Guardian that she's always loved Aaron Neville's singing. "He has a certain singing style related to French baroque opera, which got imported into the American South in the 18th century," she explained. "His falsetto is very evocative of that, and that – the Creole tradition – was interesting to me."
www.songfacts.com/facts/linda-ronstadt/dont-know-much
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don%27t_Know_Much
Ronstadt's version is a duet with Aaron Neville. They met at the 1984 World's Fair when both were performing there and realized their mutual admiration. When they decided to work together, they picked this song, which was brought to their attention by producer Steve Tyrell.
Peter Asher, who was Ronstadt's manager, produced this track. He had a hit called "A World Without Love" as part of the duo Peter & Gordon in 1964. His sister Jane was Paul McCartney's girlfriend.
This won a Grammy for Best Vocal Performance by a Pop Group or Duo. Ronstadt and Neville would team up for another Grammy-winning song, "All My Life," which earned the same prize in 1990. >>
Barry Mann recorded a new version for his 2000 album Soul & Inspiration.
Neville and Ronstadt portray in the song's music video a couple still in love in their middle age. Neville told Mojo magazine February 2013 that despite the rumors, he and Ronstadt were no more than friends. He said: "The guy who directed called us in a room and said, 'Look - if y'all ain't gonna make this thing believable, there ain't no sense in doin' it.' Linda's a pretty woman - it wasn't hard to portray that. But they had all kinda stupid rumors out. None of 'em were true 'cos we're friends. We respected each other. But I look at the video and it looks kinda suspect (laughs)."
Linda Ronstadt told The Guardian that she's always loved Aaron Neville's singing. "He has a certain singing style related to French baroque opera, which got imported into the American South in the 18th century," she explained. "His falsetto is very evocative of that, and that – the Creole tradition – was interesting to me."
www.songfacts.com/facts/linda-ronstadt/dont-know-much
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don%27t_Know_Much
