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Don't Cry Now is the fourth solo studio album by Linda Ronstadt and the first of her studio releases for Asylum Records, following six albums recorded for and released on Capitol Records including three she recorded as a member of The Stone Poneys.

Don't Cry Now
Studio album by Linda Ronstadt
Released	October 1, 1973
Genre	Rock, country rock
Length	35:34
Label	Asylum, Rhino, Flashback
Producer	John David Souther, John Boylan, Peter Asher
Linda Ronstadt chronology
Linda Ronstadt (1972) Don't Cry Now (1973) Heart Like a Wheel (1974)
Singles from Don't Cry Now
"Love Has No Pride" Released: October 15, 1973 "Silver Threads and Golden Needles" Released: February 4, 1974 "Colorado" Released: June 17, 1974

It was reissued on Rhino's Flashback Records in 2009.

Background

The tracks on Don't Cry Now were produced individually, some by John Boylan, who produced Ronstadt's preceding eponymous album; some by singer/songwriter J. D. Souther; and, for the first time in what would ultimately be a long and highly successful professional relationship, by British musician Peter Asher, former member of the '60s rock duo Peter & Gordon. Asher was the head of A&R for Apple Records prior to his move to the United States.

This album contains three songs composed by Souther (Souther and Linda would become romantically involved and he would write several songs for her) one by Randy Newman, a cover of a Neil Young ballad, one originally from the Flying Burrito Brothers, and a version of the Eagles' "Desperado," which the band had released earlier that year.

Although Don't Cry Now marked the start of Ronstadt's long association with Asylum, due to contractual obligations her next recorded album, Heart Like a Wheel, would be released on her previous label, Capitol.[1]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]
Christgau's Record Guide	C+[3]
Rolling Stone	(favorable)[4]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[5]

Released in the fall of 1973, Don't Cry Now debuted on the Billboard album chart in late October and peaked at #45, the highest in her career at that point. The album had staying power, spending more than a year on the chart.[6] In addition to "Desperado," Asylum released two other singles. The first, "Love Has No Pride," originally recorded by Bonnie Raitt, peaked at #51 on the Billboard Hot 100[7] and became a Top 10 Easy Listening hit in Canada.[8] The song has endured over the years becoming one of Ronstadt's signature songs, included in her 7× platinum Greatest Hits. The other, "Silver Threads And Golden Needles," was the second recording of that song by Ronstadt, a previous version having appeared on her 1969 solo debut, Hand Sown ... Home Grown. A re-make of a 1962 hit by the Springfields, "Silver Threads..." peaked at #67 on the Hot 100[7] and became the first of more than 20 hits to reach the Hot Country Songs chart, peaking at #20 in the spring of 1974.[9]

Don't Cry Now became Ronstadt's second Gold-certified album and was followed by the blockbuster success of Heart Like a Wheel.

Track listing

Charts

Chart (1973)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[10]	46
United States (Billboard 200)	45

Personnel

Adapted from album's liner notes.[11]

References

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