"...I Know You're Leavin'...But I'm Leavin' Too..."
Bonnie's quietly superb
third Warner Brothers platter "Takin My Time" from the winter of 1973
cemented the reputation of her career opener "Bonnie Raitt" in
November 1971 and the superb follow-through "Give It Up" in October
1972 (see my separate reviews for those and the 'Original Album Series' 5CD
Mini Box Set that carries the five albums that followed).
Like its two predecessors –
"Takin My Time" was another great Blues and Rock album played by a
woman steeped in the traditions of American R&B and Soul and ably supported
by a gang of likeminded quality musicians – helmed this time by Producer John
Hall (who would later form Orleans) and featuring members of LITTLE FEAT
including Lowell George on three cuts. Her second LP "Give It Up"
only made No. 138 in October 1972 on the American LP charts - so her placing of
No. 87 for "Takin My Time" showed progress and a public that was finally
picking up on her great albums. And this superlative 2002 CD Remaster only
hammers that home. More moody this time around - here are the candles and the
rainstorms...
UK released March 2002 –
"Takin My Time" by BONNIE RAITT on Warner Brothers 8122-78379-2
(Barcode 081227837921) is a straightforward remaster of the album and plays out
as follows (37:24 minutes):
1. You've Been In Love Too
Long
2. I Gave My Love A Candle
3. Let Me In
4. Everybody's Cryin' Mercy
5. Cry Like A Rainstorm
6. Wah She Go Do [Side 2]
7. I Feel The Same
8. I Thought I Was A Child
9. Write Me A Few Of Your
Lines/Kokomo Blues
10. Guilty
Tracks 1 to 10 are her third
studio album "Takin My Time" - released October 1973 in the USA on
Warner Brothers BS 2729 and November 1973 in the UK on Warner Brothers K 46261.
Produced by JOHN HALL - it peaked at No. 87 on the US album charts (didn’t
chart UK).
The 6-leaf foldout inlay
gives song-by-song breakdowns, reproduces the gatefold artwork and offers basic
reissue credits but no new liner notes. There's a 'Digitally Remastered' logo
sticker on the jewel case and a silver inlay that says the same. GREGG GELLER
has co-ordinated the Warner Remasters Series with LEE HERSCHBERG carrying out
the remaster. Like its two predecessors (also in this series) - this CD sounds
fantastic – a transfer that's brought out the original production values with
aplomb. Fans are going to love it.
"Takin My Time"
opens on a Martha And The Vandellas cover – a funky rendition of their
September 1965 Gordy Records hit "You’ve Been In Love Too Long". With
Paul Barrere and Bill Payne of Little Feat on Guitar and Electric Piano – it’s
hardly surprising that the songs sounds like a very cool Little Feat outtake.
Warners tried it as a 45 in October 1973 in the USA with “Everybody’s Cryin’
Mercy” on the flipside (Warner Brothers 7758) but it didn’t ignite. That said -
you also notice John Hall’s truly expert Production values throughout – warm
and full – really great stuff. Written by Joel Zoss "I Gave My Love A Candle"
slows things down to a middle pace – a lovely ballad that perhaps overdone with
John Hall's Mellotron backdrop (great guitars though). Written by Yvonne Baker
of the Soul/R&B Vocal Group The Sensations – "Let Me In" was
their lone chart hit back in February 1962 on Argo. Bonnie keeps it peppy with
a New Orleans ragtime twist – her band featuring Taj Mahal on Acoustic Bass,
Bill Payne of Little Feat on Piano and master Trumpeter Oscar Brashear giving
it some funeral-happy Flugelhorn. One of my fave-raves on the album is her
fantastically sleazy-Blues take on Mose Allison's "Everybody's Cryin'
Mercy" with Taj Mahal's Harmonica warble throughout making the song (Bill
Payne, Bonnie, Freebo (Bassist), John Hall and Taj Mahal do the backing
vocals). Linda Ronstadt also saw the heartbreak potential in Eric Kaz's hurting
song when she named a whole album after it in October 1989 – even completing
the lyric "Cry Like A Rainstorm –
Howl Like The Wind".
Side 2 opens with a cod
Reggae conga in the shape of "Way She Go Do" written by Calypso
artist McCartha Lewis – but it's a rhythm that's best left to people like Ry
Cooder (feels oddly out of place here). Far, far better is the Acoustic Blues
of "I Feel The Same" which features a sucker-punch house band of
greats – Bonnie on Acoustic with Little Feat's Lowell George on Electric Slide,
Bill Payne on Keyboards and Earl Palmer on Drums with Milt Holland patting the
Tabla. It's fabulous stuff. "I Feel The Same" was written by a
songwriter I love called CHRIS SMITHER. Bonnie would record a stunning duet
with Smither and his deep dark voice of Bob Dylan's "Desolation Row"
on his 2003 CD album "Train Home" – a near 8-minute masterpiece of
interpretation that I urge you seek out (their voices so sweet together).
Jackson Browne provides the
plaintive ballad "I Thought I Was A Child" where the singer comes
upon wisdom "...in your eyes..." Billy Payne and John Hall keep the
instrumentation simple and sweet - exacting a Jackson Browne feel to the
outcome. Back to her first love – Blues – and a wickedly good doubled-up
hand-clapping set of covers by Mississippi Fred McDowell - "Write Me A Few
Of Your Lines/Kokomo Blues". Her bottleneck guitar playing is so damn good
as the duo of tunes chug along with their infectious and irresistible beat
(would have been a great single). It ends on a Randy Newman classic –
"Guilty". A slow Bluesy Piano plinkers in and a clearly hurting and
very drunk singer is miserable as he reminisces at the blurry black and white
keys (done his baby wrong – again). The rendition builds with a great set of
four horn players giving it some serious Orleans lament - while Lowell George
floats over proceedings with the tastiest of slide guitar. It's short but oh so
sweet and like all great albums – leaves you wanting more...
In February 2016 Bonnie
released her 20th album "Dig In Deep" and already it's received a
warm welcome and many rave reviews. This great American Blues Lady has been a
class act for a very long time...time to respect that...
