Linda Ronstadt - Alison Lyrics

1978 much better times

I think Linda did this alot better

I am obsessed with this song. Elvis Costello recently posted on his FB page a very Sincere & Moving Review (moved him to tears) about her documentary. He definitely had issues with people recording his music back then. I had to see it a few times - Cried like baby - I can't wait for the DVD. Thank You Linda for a Lifetime of memories!!!

Linda does a great job on this song. But check out the rendition by Everything But The Girl, too, which is really moving.

Definitely prefer the original but this was nice too

Best female voice ever. This song reminds me of my first wife.

All these years later I prefer this version to Mr. Costello's. Linda sigh...

I love this song so much...maybe because one of my 3 first names is Allison (Allie). As I got older, a lot of the meanings in the song seemed to apply to me. I'd moved on to the Elvis Costello version by then but I still love the originals ❤ Happy memories 💛

When Linda Ronstadt "covers" a song....she "OWNS" the song, making it her own.

Like Angelina Jordan?

She is wonderful

I love the way she sang this song, and as for range you would hard pressed to find someone with more. That said I will also say that hearing Lindas' cover Rock Me on the water, Iater heard Jackson Brownes recording and found it had more feeling to it, as opposed to lindas belting it out.

Linda took this song to vocal justice. She often brought male sentiments to spendid places.

What makes you believe they are only "male sentiments"?

In my opinion, Elvis vocals have more emotional edge, Linda's vocals are more about the performance, and Sanborn's sax sounds like a cheap 8 bit synth, until the end/fade out anyway. The layered vocals in the LR version are too show tuney. Elvis's version was sublime with the harmony. That said, up until a few minutes ago, I didn't even know LR did a version. She did at least one other EC song that she did very well with... not a fan of the intro guitar sound either. Twangy. Linda's voice just dominates the mix. She's great. but EC's original is way better.

She was great singer, just discovered her through this album. Better late than never

Good for you. You will really love her music.

Bridget Nolan
Thanks Bridget, you were right, i have played this Album to death, i got my self a copy of Simple Dreams wow, one of the best Female Singers ever, really enjoy her music.

Love this song, preferred her version much more than E. Costellos' version, even if he wrote it.
Linda Ronstat has always been a total fox and will always be to so many of us guys

And girls! 😘

*I love this lady😘*

An ultimate woman.

I'm a huge Linda Ronstadt fan but this is really not good. Elvis' Live at the Hollywood High version is the one.

.you are so sweet.

what a wonderful cover...and that saxophone!!!! love it.

Loved to hear her gorgeous voice wrap around a great song. Linda had some flexible pipes.

Cheers to LR for bringing this great song to public attention.  Elvis' version is one of my all time favorite songs - thanks to the exceptional guitar work by John McFee (McFee was outstanding throughout the entire "My Aim is True" album.  No one can twist a phrase like Elvis (e.g. - "I don't know if you are loving some body ... I only know it isn't mine ...")

I bought this Linda Ronstadt album only because of this song, after hearing it on the radio for the first time. I'd never heard it before. Elvis C was very happy that Linda covered his song and made him lots of royalty money. But the point is that I now like Elvis' version as much or better than Linda's. One of my all time favourites.

Ronstadt's version of "Alison" was a moderate hit, reaching number 30 in the U.S. on the Billboard adult contemporary chart. Her single also reached number 66 in the UK Singles chart.[7] Years later, Costello joked that he might have been publicly derisive of Ronstadt's version, "but I didn't mind spending the money that she earned me".[8] Costello donated royalties from Ronstadt's version to the African National Congress after she played at Sun City in South Africa.[

same, I like Elvis' version but i heard him mention this in an interview he gave in Berkeley, CA interview. Here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXBReln1iHA&t=256s at 10:24 in the interview link, but you should listen to the whole interview, it's great!

Great interview which mentions this song: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/the-rolling-stone-interview-linda-ronstadt-19781019

Linda had a way of taking another artists song and actually doing it better. ..just my opinion

Karen Darke *exactly😍*

Not only is this version NOT better than Elvis Costello’s original, it makes no sense for a girl to sing it.

@Dave Bramble Let me guess -straight white male?

@Dave Bramble Linda was part of the L.A. scene where it didn't have to be the 21st century to understand love between people regardless of gender. Gay relationships have existed forever.
It's only because of self righteous pricks like you that they've been hidden.

but Linda Ronstadt wasn't gay.... so why start seeing this as a lesbian interpretation?
She's a straight woman singing a straight man's song about a fucked up girl named Alison... who was most likely fat and pimply and bound to go lesbian anyway...

The Great Linda Ronstadt.

I didn't have to do a thing.  But It wasn't me.

I always thought she was confronting a woman who had stolen her man in the past, that she was trying to get closure or make her realize what she had done.

This is an Elvis Costello song that she changed the words.  I like her version better, but please don't try to analyze her lyrics, they are not hers and don't relate to her.

Great performance by the incomparable Linda Ronstadt. Costello really gave her a hard time about recording his signature tune. Years later, he thanked her. Quote: "That nice lady, Linda Ronstadt, recorded this song, and the money kept us going for a while." He's a class act and it's nice to see how he matured over the year and had a new perspective.

"Your contribution is perfect, thank you"

what do you mean by "English"? no i am french

I think he was asking for a translation to English

[8] Costello donated royalties from Ronstadt's version to the African National Congress after she played at Sun City in South Africa.[

Yes he was a bitter young man.  Weren't we all ? And that is probably what drove him to  him write as great and unhappy songs as this and "Oliver's Army". Greetings from London, England  btw.

it is "sticky"

What do you mean?

@justme sticky fingers lying in the wedding cake .. as opposed to pretty fingers as Linda sings.

both versions are so different, but great. Love the sax (David Sanborn) in this one.

Syco-valentines (from sycophant) not "sticky valentines", Linda.

+Sprongo I thought it was sticky too. :)

+Greg Fox so wrong

Maybe true, but this is "her" interpretation. :)

i don't understand. somebody pls help.

Props to Costello for writing this amazing song;  Bigger props to Linda for singing and making it better than it could ever be, gave me an eargasm!

as a kid in the 70s I remember only Elvis' version. But I like this one by Linda, just didn't every hear it personally.

This is one of my favorite Linda Ronstadt recordings. She had not just a beautiful voice, but the best range of all the 70's singers, and David Sanborn was a perfect compliment to her vocals.
(I think Elvis Costello didn't like Linda's version because it was more popular than his.)Thanks for posting this.

I'd never heard this version till now. It was more popular?

Benjamin Armstrong very much so

Is there a live video of her performing this song?

Yep. That's Sanborn!

Different strokes for different folks. Like and let like!

I bet Elvis didn't mind the royalties...Linda is one of the greats.

Yes, Elvis even said the royalties "kept them going" for some time. Who doesn't like money?

He did say he hated it at first ,his angry young man days,but later he said he loved her for the royalties

Great song, one of the best voices in the business, and the sax, well, it's perfect

it's a beauty

@6Bb60 : DITTO!!!

@6Bb60 ive always like her version better, i even named my daughter after this song/version

Paul Barraza
Just read your comment from 6 years ago. That you named your daughter after Linda Ronstadt 's version of Alison . I did too.

my pop has this album...i heard it every Sunday morning as a kid...LOVE IT! and thank you for posting.

@6Bb60 I agree with you , I love Linda's rendition . I was really surprised to see how little this has been viewed . I guess you and are are in the minority on this tune .