“I Cringe When It Comes On”: The One Song Linda Ronstadt Hates

Following the breakthrough success of Heart Like A Wheel, Linda Ronstadt released her next album, Prisoner In Disguise, in 1975. This became her first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200, and continued her successful rise.

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However, there’s one song from that album that Ronstadt can’t stand. She once revealed that she cringes every time it comes on the radio. Overall, she never felt that she did the song justice. Even with her room-filling vocals and aptitude for choosing songs, she felt that this one fell short.

“Heat Wave” was first released by the girl group Martha And The Vandellas in 1963. Years later, Ronstadt and her band first played it at a Long Island club after receiving six encores and running out of material. Someone in the audience requested “Heat Wave”, so Ronstadt and her band complied.

From there, the song was reworked and recorded during Prisoner In Disguise sessions in 1975. When Linda Ronstadt heard the final mix, however, she was far from impressed.

“I’m still sorry, because I hate to sing it,” she said, according to the 1998 book Classic Rock Stories: The Stories Behind The Greatest Songs Of All Time. “I don’t think I sing it well. I don’t think the record was good, and I cringe when it comes on the radio. I’m not doing it in the show anymore, and people are going to be b—-ing at me.”

Linda Ronstadt Never Liked Her Version of “Heat Wave” and Hated To Hear It

Despite Linda Ronstadt’s disappointment with her version of “Heat Wave”, it reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also reached No. 4 on the U.S. Cash Box Top 100.

Ronstadt had found success with other 1960s covers like “You’re No Good” and “When Will I Be Loved”. But for her, “Heat Wave” was the one that didn’t stick. In her opinion, she wasn’t suited for the song, but her audience loved it anyway.

“Heat Wave” was released as the B-side to the single “Love Is A Rose”. While “Love Is A Rose” allegedly did well on country radio, “Heat Wave” took the pop charts. Still, “Love Is A Rose” rose to No. 5 on the country charts as well, matching its flip side on the Billboard charts.

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