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Rickie Lee Jones — Letters From The 9th Ward/Walk Away Rene
Album: Girl At Her Volcano
Avg rating:
6.1

Your rating:
Total ratings: 168









Released: 1983
Length: 4:17
Plays (last 30 days): 0
(no lyrics available)
Comments (44)add comment
I always liked this song, but I always had a crush on her anyway. May be the hormones...anyway. Brings up fond memories of high school and the years right after.

On the subject of concert walkouts, I think the Replacements might hold a couple of those top spots. Not from getting pissed and walking out. More like getting drunk and passing out.

Saw Elvis Costello once where I was ready for him to leave the stage about a half hour before he finally did :)
 Shesdifferent wrote:
Boy does she butcher this song......please spare me her cattawailing.......worse than horrid,....and I like this song (the original that is)
 
Seconded, though I think you mean caterwauling. Mind you, cats wailing would do a good impression of Rickie Lee Jones...

sorry, not for me....
Yay, my upload !
 cc_rider wrote:
I have seen way too many performances ruined by the chattering of the audience. If people are not there for the music, then they should LEAVE. As much as it would pi$$ me off if a performer left in the middle of a show, I would not be pi$$ed at them, but at the audience that prompted such a response. Whatever happened to paying attention to the performer, the one you shelled out big bucks to see? Either shut up or get out.

 
I remember attending a particularly rowdy show back in the early 90s at the PNE Forum here in Vancouver. Canadian icons The Tragically Hip were on tour promoting their excellent Fully Completely album, and for the life of me I couldn't understand why they were playing such a dump and having to deal with a bunch of drunks. There was a lot of moshing going on in front of the stage, which is fine, but there was also a lot of debris being hurled at the band. Watching the guys dodging projectiles as they played was embarrising, and I wondered how long it would be before they told the crowd to cool it or they'd walk.

Toward the end of Cordelia, a shoe hit Gord Downie square in the mouth, knocking the mike from his hand. He let the band finish the song without singing another word, pacing back and forth and probably wondering what the hell he was doing there. I was certain they were going to walk off the stage, but the next number started and the band carried on. They finished their set and even came out to play an encore. The last thing Gord said to the crowd was something to effect of "To the guy who threw the shoe, you hit me in the fucking teeth and I hate your fucking guts." Then they launched in to a blistering version of On The Verge to close the show.

I was amazed they stuck it out. I know it's rock 'n roll, and bands like the Stooges used to encourage people to throw bottles and crap at them, but I personally wouldn't blame anyone for walking off the stage rather than put up with being a target in a shooting range.


Boy does she butcher this song......please spare me her cattawailing.......worse than horrid,....and I like this song (the original that is)
Ok Bill- I have had enough. See you later, I'm headed to Pandora. {#Beat}
 Proclivities wrote:
I don't suppose we might hear "Little Fluffy Clouds" by The Orb after a Rickie Lee Jones tune?
 
Don't give Bill any ideas!

 WonderLizard wrote:

Y'know, if Rolling Stone really wanted to perform a public service, what with its penchant for lists and all, it should compile something like "The 100 Greatest Premature Concert Exits." Elvis Costello might hold down the first five spots, along with Rickie Lee, Stills, John Lydon, and so on. It would be fair warning to anyone who plunks down cold cash only to have some petulant crybaby, who doesn't know how to work a room, get all huffy and split. Or get all drunky and splat.

 
I went to see Stanley Jordan once in Houston. Tickets were $25, which was a lot for a show in '91 or so. The crowd would NOT shut up, even after Mr. Jordan stopped playing, TWICE, to ask for quiet. Stanley Jordan was up there all by himself, playing that incredible stuff he does: how on earth is he supposed to 'work a room' while he's performing?

I have seen way too many performances ruined by the chattering of the audience. If people are not there for the music, then they should LEAVE. As much as it would pi$$ me off if a performer left in the middle of a show, I would not be pi$$ed at them, but at the audience that prompted such a response. Whatever happened to paying attention to the performer, the one you shelled out big bucks to see? Either shut up or get out.

Thanks for reminding me who wrote this one..I had forgotten..Bobby Darin came to mind. dmax wrote:
Just picked up a The Left Banke collection and so have been hearing this and similar songs by them recently. Interesting stuff, and they're referred to as "Baroque Rock" for their arrangments. The guy that penned this had a bit of a Brian Wilson thing in his head ("I write em, you tour with em").

I can see why someone might not like this, but I do. Thanks, B&R.
 

 rtrudeau wrote:
So many bad memories. Why you ask? My name's Renée, and I can't tell you how many times I had this song sung "at" me in teenage falsetto. :grinds teeth:
 
So sorry. It is one of my favorite songs of all time (though this version is pretty grating). I know a number of Renée's and it never even crossed my mind to sing them this song. I suppose if 99.4% of all people DON'T think to sing it, that doesn't help with the 0.6% that do. 

I don't suppose we might hear "Little Fluffy Clouds" by The Orb after a Rickie Lee Jones tune?
 Shesdifferent wrote:
Spare me......{#Puke}
 
Really! I like both RLJ and the original tune as performed by the Left Bank, but I sure don't need to hear this POS.

 rtrudeau wrote:
So many bad memories. Why you ask?

My name's Renée, and I can't tell you how many times I had this song sung "at" me in teenage falsetto.

:grinds teeth:
 

An old friend of mine is named Husch.  He had the same experience with that Deep Purple song.
WAS THIS A SONG FROM A KIDDY CONTEST?
Spare me......{#Puke}
 westslope wrote:

I remember Neil Young telling the audience in Ottawa to shut up and threatening to bring out the band.  Walking out is a little rough though.

 
Y'know, if Rolling Stone really wanted to perform a public service, what with its penchant for lists and all, it should compile something like "The 100 Greatest Premature Concert Exits." Elvis Costello might hold down the first five spots, along with Rickie Lee, Stills, John Lydon, and so on. It would be fair warning to anyone who plunks down cold cash only to have some petulant crybaby, who doesn't know how to work a room, get all huffy and split. Or get all drunky and splat.

tearjerking beauty!!!
love you RLJ
{#Heartkiss}



oh lordy how I love this album of hers....a rare jewel...   thanks Bill!


. Great songwriter and singer, but too much ego.——— - - - -Oregon_Steve.

 Our lady has more problems than an inflated ego... When she is straight she is a super-talent.
But hey "as he drags in a huge amount of THC deep into the confines of his lungs," who am I to criticize.
I went to a concert in Seattle when Steve Stills fell off the stage dead ass drunk.. and I believe it was the
2nd song also. It puts a real damper on yer night... I imagine Steve's head (upon hitting the floor) felt pretty raw also. . .  

As years fly by... hey, I got to see Pink Floyd use flash pots in the 60's at the U of W in a Seattle appearance.
Lights go out and CA-WOOF —- I saw bright dots for 1/2 an hour after — it may have been the Owsley ? What a wasted night. I missed the whole concert because I was so damn high.. But caught them again several years later and had a safe and sane evening. sorry to free associate here —>>  the memories of a geezer.  . . .

 Oregon_Steve wrote:
Just "Walk Away Rickie" is how it went for me and some other folks. One of my most disappointing concert moments was when she opened for John Fogerty a few years back and walked out halfway through the second song because too many rock 'n' rollers were chattering and not paying attention to her. Her decision to walk out didn't bother the talkers- on the contrary! - but it sure was a drag for us who wanted to hear her perform. Great songwriter and singer, but too much ego.
 
I remember Neil Young telling the audience in Ottawa to shut up and threatening to bring out the band.  Walking out is a little rough though.

A great song performed by a great talent. I'll have to dig out this vinyl EP.
Just "Walk Away Rickie" is how it went for me and some other folks. One of my most disappointing concert moments was when she opened for John Fogerty a few years back and walked out halfway through the second song because too many rock 'n' rollers were chattering and not paying attention to her. Her decision to walk out didn't bother the talkers- on the contrary! - but it sure was a drag for us who wanted to hear her perform. Great songwriter and singer, but too much ego.
So many bad memories. Why you ask? My name's Renée, and I can't tell you how many times I had this song sung "at" me in teenage falsetto. :grinds teeth:
wow alright 1
Wow.
A gret cover of one of the best pop songs. Anyone heard the great Jimmy LaFave version of this?
Hey - it is her. Always wondered what became of Rickie. A beautiful voice
So many mellow tunes.... already bedtime in Paradise?
I'm luke warm on this, but man does she have a great voice. (Of course for me everyone has to line up behind Joni Mitchell)
damonr wrote:
Nah. Going to be the voice of dissent on this one. Reminds me of the woeful cover version of this (and other similar standards) that Vonda Shepherd did for Ally McBeal (only without the dancing anorexics in the background of course). Good background music to accompany a large martini and some cheesy nibbles but that's about it. Give me the Four Tops or even Billy Bragg any day.
I'm with you. I had to navigate back to the RP playlist to find out what manner of schlock was oozing out of my speakers and who was to blame for it.
Walk away... by 4 Tops,that's something!
No doubt, with that voice, RLJ was born to do covers. She could do show tunes, TV theme songs, the Star-spangled Banner, it really doesn't matter. I'd listen to all of 'em. bokey wrote:
I never knew she did this.She does a nice job with covers. I usually can't abide such behavior.
Nah. Going to be the voice of dissent on this one. Reminds me of the woeful cover version of this (and other similar standards) that Vonda Shepherd did for Ally McBeal (only without the dancing anorexics in the background of course). Good background music to accompany a large martini and some cheesy nibbles but that's about it. Give me the Four Tops or even Billy Bragg any day.
I never knew she did this. She does a nice job with covers. I usually can't abide such behavior.
I've been searching for this song for over 10 years. I was thinking maybe I had fabricated it in my mind that I had heard RLJ do this years ago on vinyl. Thanks so much for playing this.
What an awesome and hauntingly beautiful song!
I love this cover.
damn, this is nice.
Thanks!
holy frack!!!!!!!! THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU long since burned out my cassette tape of this!
Play it, please. Our vinyl copy of this has long since disappeared.