Heart Like a Wheel

{{Infobox album

| name = Heart Like a Wheel

| type = studio

| cover = Heart Like a Wheel Ronstadt.jpg

| border = yes

| released = {{Start date|1974|11|19}}

| recorded = June–September 1974

| studio = The Sound Factory and Clover Recorders, Los Angeles, Track Recorders, Maryland, Record Plant and The Hit Factory, New York City, Trident Studios and AIR Studios, London{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Linda-Ronstadt-Heart-Like-A-Wheel/release/2621539 |title=Linda Ronstadt - Heart Like A Wheel (Vinyl, LP, Album) |website=Discogs.com |date=1976-11-13 |access-date=2017-07-12}}

| genre =

Country rock{{cite book|last= Dedrick|first= Jay|chapter= Linda Ronstadt|editor-last= Knopper|editor-first=Steve|date=January 1, 1998|title=MusicHound Lounge: The Essential Album Guide|publisher=Visible Ink Press|location=Detroit|pages= 409–410}}
pop rock{{Cite magazine|date=2020-09-22|title=The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-of-all-time-1062063/|access-date=2020-09-29|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US}}
soft rock

| length = 31:40

| label = Capitol

| producer = Peter Asher

| prev_title = Don't Cry Now

| prev_year = 1973

| next_title = Prisoner in Disguise

| next_year = 1975

| misc = {{Singles

| name = Heart Like a Wheel

| type = studio

| single1 = You're No Good

| single1date = November 19, 1974

| single2 = I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love with You)

| single2date = November 19, 1974

| single3 = When Will I Be Loved

| single3date = March 25, 1975

| single4 = It Doesn't Matter Anymore

| single4date = March 25, 1975

}}

Heart Like a Wheel is the fifth solo studio album by Linda Ronstadt, released in November 1974. It was Ronstadt's last album to be released by Capitol Records. At the time of its recording, Ronstadt had already moved to Asylum Records and released her first album there; due to contractual obligations, though, Heart Like a Wheel was released by Capitol.{{cite book |last= Moore|first= Mary Ellen|date= 1978|title= The Linda Ronstadt Scrapbook: An Illustrated Biography|location= New York|publisher= Grosset & Dunlap|page= 61|isbn= 0-441-48411-5}}

Heart Like a Wheel reached the top of the Billboard 200, becoming her first number one album in the United States. The lead single, a cover of Betty Everett's "You're No Good," peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. At the 18th Annual Grammy Awards, the album was nominated for Album Of The Year, while her version of "I Can't Help It If I'm Still In Love with You" won the award for Best Country Vocal Performance, Female.

Widely considered Ronstadt's breakthrough album, it was selected by the Library of Congress to be inducted into the National Recording Registry in 2013. In 2020, it was ranked number 490 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Reception

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{AllMusic |class=album |tab=review |id=r16876 |first=Stephen Thomas|last=Erlewine |author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine |access-date=3 December 2005 |ref=AllMusic}}

|rev2 = Christgau's Record Guide

|rev2Score = A−{{cite book|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|year=1981|title=Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies|publisher=Ticknor & Fields|isbn=089919026X|chapter=Consumer Guide '70s: R|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=R&bk=70|access-date=March 12, 2019|via=robertchristgau.com}}

| rev3 = Pitchfork

| rev3score = 8.5/10{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/linda-ronstadt-heart-like-a-wheel/|title=Linda Ronstadt: Heart Like a Wheel Review|first=Lingan|last=John|website=Pitchfork |access-date=18 August 2019}}

| rev4 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide

| rev4Score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite book |chapter=Linda Ronstadt |pages=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/701 701–702] |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |title=The Rolling Stone Album Guide |year=2004 |publisher=Fireside |location=London |isbn=0-7432-0169-8 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t9eocwUfoSoC&q=london%20calling&pg=PA701 |access-date=24 September 2011 }}

| rev6 = Tom Hull

| rev6Score = B{{cite magazine|last=Hull|first=Tom|author-link=Tom Hull (critic)|date=April 1975|url=http://www.tomhull.com/ocston/arch/rekord3.php|title=The Rekord Report: Third Card|magazine=Overdose|access-date=June 26, 2020|via=tomhull.com}}

}}

Heart Like a Wheel became Ronstadt's first album to hit the top spot on the Billboard Top 200 album chart and spent four weeks at number 1 on the Billboard Country Album chart in early 1975. "You're No Good," the first single release from the record company, reached number 1 on Billboard's Hot 100. A cover of The Everly Brothers' "When Will I Be Loved" spent two weeks at number 2 on the Hot 100 in June 1975 and reached number 1 on the Cash Box Pop singles chart and on the Hot Country Songs chart. Buddy Holly & the Crickets song, "It Doesn't Matter Anymore", also appeared on the Pop, Adult Contemporary and Country charts.{{AllMusic |class=artist |tab=charts-awards/billboard-singles |id=p5302 |label=Linda Ronstadt > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles |access-date=28 July 2006 }}

Stephen Holden's 1975 review Rolling Stone described the title track as "a masterpiece of writing and arrangement" and lauded the album's expansive repertoire, production and song selection.{{cite news |newspaper=Rolling Stone |issue=178 |date=January 16, 1975 |first=Stephen |last=Holden |author-link=Stephen Holden |title=Linda Ronstadt Heart Like a Wheel > Album Review |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/heart-like-a-wheel-19750116 |access-date=28 July 2006 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202120406/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/lindaronstadt/albums/album/208307/review/5946498/heart_like_a_wheel |archive-date=2 December 2008 |ref=RSreview}} The album's cover of Hank Williams's "I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love with You)," peaked at number 2 on Billboard{{'s}} Hot Country Songs chart.{{cite magazine | title=Country Charts | magazine=Billboard | url=http://www.ronstadt-linda.com/topcount.htm | access-date = 2011-12-13}}

Heart Like a Wheel spent 51 weeks on the album chart.{{cite book |first=Joel |last=Whitburn |author-link=Joel Whitburn |title=Joel Whitburn presents The Billboard Albums |edition=6th |date=April 1, 2007 |publisher=Record Research Incorporated |isbn=978-0-89820-166-6}} Cited in {{cite web |website=Ronstadt-linda.com |title=Linda Ronstadt Top Pop Albums |url=http://www.ronstadt-linda.com/toppopa.htm |access-date=28 July 2006 }}

Retrospective reviews of Heart Like a Wheel widely regard it as a high-point in Ronstadt's oeuvre. In his review for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine described it as "a landmark of '70s mainstream pop/rock." John Lingan claimed in his review for Pitchfork that "[Ronstadt] had one power, but it was a superpower. Viewed from one angle, Linda Ronstadt’s career is the story of a woman gradually recognizing the power of her own voice. She had the tone early, but you can hear her control improve in each successive album. Her breaths sound more natural, her vibrato becomes more pronounced. By Heart Like a Wheel, she’d mastered it."

In 1976, the album earned Ronstadt four nominations at the Grammy Awards. She won Best Country Vocal Performance, Female for the track, "I Can't Help It If I'm Still In Love with You". She was also nominated for Album Of The Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female. Producer Peter Asher was among the nominees for Producer of the Year.{{cite web|url=http://www.awardsandshows.com/features/grammy-awards-1976-224.html|title=Grammy Award Nominees 1976 - Grammy Award Winners 1976|work=Awards & Shows|access-date=18 August 2019}}

The album was ranked No. 490 on the September 22, 2020 edition of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Heart Like a Wheel was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry in 2013 for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically important."{{cite web|url=https://www.loc.gov/programs/national-recording-preservation-board/recording-registry/registry-by-induction-years/2013/|title=2013{{!}}View Registry by Induction Years {{!}} Recording Registry {{!}} National Recording Preservation Board {{!}} Programs at the Library of Congress|work=Library of Congress|access-date=18 August 2019}}

In 2018, Heart Like a Wheel was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.{{Cite web|url=https://www.grammy.com/awards/hall-of-fame-award#h|title=GRAMMY Hall Of Fame | Hall of Fame Artists|website=Grammy.com|access-date=November 13, 2024}}

Track listing

{{Track listing

|headline = Side one

|title1 = You're No Good

|writer1 = Clint Ballard Jr.

|length1 = 3:44

|title2 = It Doesn't Matter Anymore

|writer2 = Paul Anka

|length2 = 3:26

|title3 = Faithless Love

|writer3 = JD Souther

|length3 = 3:15

|title4 = The Dark End of the Street

|writer4 = Chips Moman, Dan Penn

|length4 = 3:55

|title5 = Heart Like a Wheel

|writer5 = Anna McGarrigle

|length5 = 3:10

}}

{{Track listing

|headline = Side two

|title1 = When Will I Be Loved

|writer1 = Phil Everly

|length1 = 2:04

|title2 = Willin{{'-}}

|writer2 = Lowell George

|length2 = 3:02

|title3 = I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love with You)

|writer3 = Hank Williams

|length3 = 2:45

|title4 = Keep Me from Blowing Away

|writer4 = Paul Craft

|length4 = 3:10

|title5 = You Can Close Your Eyes

|writer5 = James Taylor

|length5 = 3:09

|total_length = 31:40

}}

Personnel

Adapted from album's liner notes.{{cite AV media notes|title= Heart Like a Wheel |year= 1974 |type= booklet |publisher= Capitol}}

Linda Ronstadt – lead vocals, backing vocals (2, 4, 6, 9)
Andrew Gold – electric piano (1, 3), electric guitar solo (1), drums (1–3, 7), percussion (1–3), acoustic piano (3–5, 8, 10), electric rhythm guitar (4), tambourine (4, 6), guitars (6), backing vocals (6, 7), acoustic guitar (7, 8), ukulele (8). Credit on album cover: "Special thanks to Andrew Gold for his help with the arrangements."
Eddie Black – electric guitar (1)
Bob Warford – acoustic guitar (2, 4, 8), electric guitar solo (4, 7)
Sneaky Pete Kleinow – pedal steel guitar (2, 7, 8, 10)
JD Souther – acoustic guitar (3), harmony vocals (3)
Herb Pedersen – banjo (3), backing vocals (7)
Paul Craft – acoustic guitar (9)
John Starling – acoustic guitar (9)
Danny Pendleton – pedal steel guitar (9)
John Boylan – acoustic guitar (10)
Glenn Frey – acoustic guitar (10)
Kenny Edwards – bass guitar (1, 2, 6–8), backing vocals (6, 7)
Chris Ethridge – bass guitar (3)
Emory Gordy Jr. – bass guitar (4)
Tom Guidera – bass guitar (9)
Timothy B. Schmit – bass guitar (10)
Dennis St. John – drums (4)
Russ Kunkel – drums (6)
Lloyd Myers – drums (8)
Don Henley – drums (10)
Peter Asher – percussion (2), cowbell (6), backing vocals (10)
Jimmie Fadden – harmonica (2, 7)
David Lindley – fiddle (5, 8)
Gregory Rose – string arrangements and conductor (1, 2, 10)
David Campbell – string arrangements (5), viola (5)
Dennis Karmazyn – cello (5)
Richard Feves – double bass (5)
Clydie King – backing vocals (1)
Sherlie Matthews – backing vocals (1)
Wendy Waldman – backing vocals (2)
Cissy Houston – backing vocals (4)
Joyce Nesbitt – backing vocals (4)
Maria Muldaur – backing vocals (5)
Emmylou Harris – harmony vocals (8)

Production

Peter Asher – producer
Val Garay – engineer, mixing
David Hassinger – engineer, mixing
Dennis Ferrante – assistant engineer
John Haeny – assistant engineer
Peter Kelsey – assistant engineer
George Massenburg – assistant engineer
Peter Swettenham – assistant engineer
Bernie Grundman – mastering at A&M Mastering Studios (Hollywood, California).
Rod Dyer – design
Leandro Correa – photography
Eve Babitz – photography

Charts

=Weekly charts=

scope="col"\| Chart (1974–1975) ! scope="col"\| Peak position
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="row"\| Australia Albums(Kent Music Report){{cite book\|last=Kent\|first=David\|author-link=David Kent (historian)\|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992\|edition=illustrated\|publisher=Australian Chart Book\|location=St Ives, N.S.W.\|year=1993\|isbn=0-646-11917-6\|page=258}} \| 35
{{album chart\|Canada\|7\|chartid=3921a\|rowheader=true\|access-date=December 15, 2024}}
{{album chart\|Billboard200\|1\|artist=Linda Ronstadt\|rowheader=true\|access-date=December 13, 2021}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
scope="col"\| Chart (1975) ! scope="col"\| Position
{{album chart\|Canada\|39\|chartid=6489a\|rowheader=true\|access-date=December 15, 2024\|refname=CA_YE}}
scope="row"\| US Billboard 200{{cite magazine\|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1975/top-billboard-200-albums\|title=Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1975\|magazine=Billboard\|access-date=December 13, 2021\|archive-date=November 8, 2021\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211108112558/https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1975/top-billboard-200-albums\|url-status=dead}} \| 54

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

scope="col"| Chart (1975)

! scope="col"| Position

{{album chart|Canada|39|chartid=6489a|rowheader=true|access-date=December 15, 2024|refname=CA_YE}}

scope="row"| US Billboard 200{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1975/top-billboard-200-albums|title=Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1975|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 13, 2021|archive-date=November 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211108112558/https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1975/top-billboard-200-albums|url-status=dead}}

| 54

Certifications

{{Certification Table Entry|title=Heart Like a Wheel|artist=Linda Ronstadt|type=album|relyear=1974|region=United States|award=Platinum|number=2}}

Release history

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" \|+ Release history and formats for Heart Like a Wheel !scope="col"\| Region !scope="col"\| Date !scope="col"\| Format !scope="col"\| Label !scope="col"\| Ref.
scope="row"\| North America \| November 19, 1974 \| {{hlist\|LP\|cassette}} \| {{hlist\|Asylum Records\|Capitol Records}} \| {{cite journal \|last1=Ronstadt \|first1=Linda \|title=Heart Like a Wheel (Liner Notes) \|journal=Asylum Records/Capitol Records \|date=November 19, 1974 \|id=ST-11358 (LP); 4XT-11358 (Cassette)}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

|+ Release history and formats for Heart Like a Wheel

!scope="col"| Region

!scope="col"| Date

!scope="col"| Format

!scope="col"| Label

!scope="col"| Ref.

scope="row"| North America

| November 19, 1974

| {{hlist|LP|cassette}}

| {{hlist|Asylum Records|Capitol Records}}

| {{cite journal |last1=Ronstadt |first1=Linda |title=Heart Like a Wheel (Liner Notes) |journal=Asylum Records/Capitol Records |date=November 19, 1974 |id=ST-11358 (LP); 4XT-11358 (Cassette)}}

=Reissues=

class="wikitable"
Year ! Label ! Edition
2009 \| Audio Fidelity \| 24 Karat Gold HDCD
2017 \| Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab \| SACD

class="wikitable"

Year

! Label

! Edition

2009

| Audio Fidelity

| 24 Karat Gold HDCD

2017

| Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab

| SACD

References

External links

[http://www.myspace.com/lindaronstadt/music/albums/heart-like-a-wheel-9644978 Heart Like a Wheel] at Myspace (streamed copy where licensed)
[http://www.wnyc.org/story/linda-ronstadt-heart-like-a-wheel/ Linda Ronstadt: “Heart Like a Wheel” | Studio 360] on WNYC's Inside The Recording Registry

Category:1974 albums

Category:Linda Ronstadt albums

Category:Albums produced by Peter Asher

Category:Albums recorded at Trident Studios

Category:Capitol Records albums

Category:United States National Recording Registry albums