Hand Sown ... Home Grown
Encyclopedia
Hand Sown ... Home Grown is a 1969 album
by American singer/songwriter/producer Linda Ronstadt
. Produced by Chip Douglas
of the Turtles
, it was Ronstadt's first solo release following three Folk Rock
albums with her band The Stone Poneys. The album saw Ronstadt take a decisive turn away from the Folk Rock of The Stone Poneys toward Country
and Rock
. Among others, Hand Sown... features covers
of songs by the Flying Burrito Brothers and Bob Dylan
and a song written by her fellow Stone Poney Kenny Edwards, who would go on to perform in her band through the 1970s.
The album was a commercial failure and did not register on the Billboard
album chart. In fact, it had sold less than 10,000 copies before her next album release. One single release from the album landed on Billboard
magazine's Hot 100 Pop Singles
chart belatedly in 1971, after the release of Ronstadt's follow-up album, Silk Purse
. Edwards' "The Long Way Around," was the B-side
to a single-only release of "(She's A) Very Lovely Woman." Ronstadt's version has never been subsequently included on an album or released on CD. The double-sided single peaked at #70 in 1971. Both songs also made the Cash Box singles chart as well.
Despite lack of chart success, Hand Sown... helped Ronstadt gain exposure on television variety specials and in live performances. Of particular note is her performance of one of Hand Sowns songs, a cover
of the country standard "Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line," renamed "[ Only Mama...]," on October 3, 1970, at the Big Sur
Folk Festival in Monterey, California
.
Hand Sown ... Home Grown features an early version of "Silver Threads and Golden Needles," a cover
of a 1962 hit by the Springfields
. Ronstadt would record the song again for the 1973 Gold-certified album Don't Cry Now
, a single release of which would reach the Top 20 of Billboard's Hot Country Songs
chart in early 1974.
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
by American singer/songwriter/producer Linda Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt is an American popular music recording artist. She has earned eleven Grammy Awards, two Academy of Country Music awards, an Emmy Award, an ALMA Award, numerous United States and internationally certified gold, platinum and multiplatinum albums, in addition to Tony Award and Golden...
. Produced by Chip Douglas
Chip Douglas
Douglas Farthing Walter Hatlelid, better known as Chip Douglas, is a songwriter, musician , and record producer, whose most famous work was during the 1960s...
of the Turtles
The Turtles
The Turtles are an American rock group led by vocalists Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman. The band became notable for several Top 40 hits beginning with its cover version of Bob Dylan's "It Ain't Me Babe" in 1965...
, it was Ronstadt's first solo release following three Folk Rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
albums with her band The Stone Poneys. The album saw Ronstadt take a decisive turn away from the Folk Rock of The Stone Poneys toward Country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
and Rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
. Among others, Hand Sown... features covers
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of songs by the Flying Burrito Brothers and Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
and a song written by her fellow Stone Poney Kenny Edwards, who would go on to perform in her band through the 1970s.
The album was a commercial failure and did not register on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
album chart. In fact, it had sold less than 10,000 copies before her next album release. One single release from the album landed on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
magazine's Hot 100 Pop Singles
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart belatedly in 1971, after the release of Ronstadt's follow-up album, Silk Purse
Silk Purse
Silk Purse is the second solo album by Linda Ronstadt, released in March 1970, a year after the release of her first solo set, Hand Sown ... Home Grown...
. Edwards' "The Long Way Around," was the B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
to a single-only release of "(She's A) Very Lovely Woman." Ronstadt's version has never been subsequently included on an album or released on CD. The double-sided single peaked at #70 in 1971. Both songs also made the Cash Box singles chart as well.
Despite lack of chart success, Hand Sown... helped Ronstadt gain exposure on television variety specials and in live performances. Of particular note is her performance of one of Hand Sowns songs, a cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of the country standard "Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line," renamed "[ Only Mama...]," on October 3, 1970, at the Big Sur
Big Sur
Big Sur is a sparsely populated region of the Central Coast of California where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise abruptly from the Pacific Ocean. The name "Big Sur" is derived from the original Spanish-language "el sur grande", meaning "the big south", or from "el país grande del sur", "the big...
Folk Festival in Monterey, California
Monterey, California
The City of Monterey in Monterey County is located on Monterey Bay along the Pacific coast in Central California. Monterey lies at an elevation of 26 feet above sea level. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,810. Monterey is of historical importance because it was the capital of...
.
Hand Sown ... Home Grown features an early version of "Silver Threads and Golden Needles," a cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of a 1962 hit by the Springfields
The Springfields
The Springfields were a British pop-folk vocal trio who had success in the early 1960s in the UK, US and Ireland and included singer Dusty Springfield and her brother, record producer Tom Springfield, along with Tim Feild, later a noted Sufi writer, who was latterly replaced by Mike Hurst, who...
. Ronstadt would record the song again for the 1973 Gold-certified album Don't Cry Now
Don't Cry Now
Don't Cry Now is Linda Ronstadt's fourth solo LP and the first of her studio releases for Asylum Records, following six albums recorded for and released on Capitol Records...
, a single release of which would reach the Top 20 of Billboard's Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
chart in early 1974.
Track listing
- "Baby You've Been on My Mind" (Bob DylanBob DylanBob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
) – 2:31- Original title: "Mama, You Been On My Mind"
- "Silver Threads and Golden NeedlesSilver Threads and Golden Needles"Silver Threads and Golden Needles", a song written by Jack Rhodes and Dick Reynolds, was first recorded by Wanda Jackson in 1956. The original lyrics, as performed by Jackson, contain a verse not usually included in later versions, which also often differed in other minor details.-Other versions:*...
" (Dick Reynolds, Jack RhodesJack RhodesAndrew Jackson Rhodes was an American country music producer and songwriter, penning such hits as "A Satisfied Mind", "Silver Threads and Golden Needles", "Conscience I'm Guilty", "The Waltz of the Angels", "Beautiful Lies", and "Till the Last Leaf Shall Fall"...
) – 2:19 - "Bet No One Ever Hurt This Bad" (Randy NewmanRandy NewmanRandall Stuart "Randy" Newman is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, composer, and pianist who is known for his mordant pop songs and for film scores....
) – 2:41 - "A Number and a Name" (Tom Campbell, Steve Gillette) – 3:03
- "The Only Mama That'll Walk the Line" (Ivy J. BryantJimmy BryantJimmy Bryant was a prominent American session guitarist. He was billed as "The Fastest Guitar in the Country".-Biography:Ivy J. Bryant, Jr. was born in Moultrie, Georgia, the oldest of 12 children...
, Earl Ball) – 2:28 - "The Long Way Around" (Kenny EdwardsKenny EdwardsKenny Edwards was an American singer/songwriter. He was a founding member of The Stone Poneys and a long-time collaborator with both Linda Ronstadt and Karla Bonoff.-Biography:...
as Ken Edwards) – 2:17 - "Break My Mind" (John D. LoudermilkJohn D. LoudermilkJohn D. Loudermilk is an American singer and songwriter.-Biography:Born in Durham, North Carolina, Loudermilk grew up in a family who were members of the Salvation Army faith and was influenced by the church singing. His cousins Ira and Charlie Loudermilk were known professionally as the Louvin...
) – 2:52 - "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" (Bob Dylan) – 3:43
- "It's About Time" (Chip DouglasChip DouglasDouglas Farthing Walter Hatlelid, better known as Chip Douglas, is a songwriter, musician , and record producer, whose most famous work was during the 1960s...
) – 3:05 - "We Need a Whole Lot More of Jesus (And a Lot Less Rock & Roll)" (Wayne RaneyWayne RaneyWayne Raney was an American country singer and harmonica player.-Biography:Raney was born on a farm with a foot deformity and could not do heavy labor. After learning to play harmonica at an early age, he moved to Piedras Negras, Mexico at age 13, where he played on radio station XEPN...
) – 2:30 - "The Dolphins" (Fred NeilFred NeilFred Neil was an American folk singer-songwriter in the 1960s and early 1970s. He did not achieve commercial success as a performer, and is mainly known through other people's recordings of his material – particularly "Everybody's Talkin'", which became a hit for Harry Nilsson after being...
) – 4:06