Linda Ronstadt Turned “When Will I Be Loved” Into The Question That Made Her A Superstar
Linda Ronstadt Turned “When Will I Be Loved” Into The Question That Made Her A Superstar
“When Will I Be Loved” is such a simple question.
That is exactly why it still works.
LINDA RONSTADT TOOK AN EVERLY BROTHERS CLASSIC AND MADE IT BELONG TO A NEW GENERATION.
Phil Everly wrote the song, and the Everly Brothers released it in 1960, taking it to No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.
But when Linda recorded it for Heart Like a Wheel, she gave the song a sharper, brighter, more wounded edge.
Linda Ronstadt- “When Will I Be Loved”
https://youtu.be/wYGK3GvgaII?si=l2Z94CkUC-h5GakJ
But here’s what made her version explode…
The song is about being lied to, cheated, and pushed around in love until the singer finally asks the question everyone has felt at least once.
When will I be loved?
Linda made that heartbreak sound less helpless and more fed up.
That is why her 1975 version climbed even higher than the original, reaching No. 2 on the Hot 100 and No. 1 on Billboard’s country chart.
And that’s not all…
Before this era, Linda had already made noise with the Stone Poneys and “Different Drum,” but Heart Like a Wheel pushed her into a different class. The album became a crossover success and helped establish her as one of the strongest voices in country-rock and pop.
Here’s the Everly Brothers version that started it all…
https://youtu.be/rI0ll5SexV0?si=to6VT8CHAq07DLBV
Here’s the truth…
Linda did not erase the Everly Brothers.
She revived the song for people who may never have found the original.
And in doing so, she proved that the right voice can make an old question feel brand new.
Do you prefer Linda’s version or the Everly Brothers’ original?