Riding with the King
| Riding With The King | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by John Hiatt | ||||
| Released | 1983 | |||
| Recorded |
The Pen, San Francisco Eden Studios, London | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 42:05 | |||
| Label | Geffen | |||
| Producer | Scott Mathews, Ron Nagle, Nick Lowe | |||
| John Hiatt chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
| Robert Christgau | A− [2] |
| Rolling Stone |  [3] |
Riding with the King was singer-songwriter John Hiatt's sixth album, released in 1983. It was his second of three albums with Geffen Records. Ron Nagle and Scott Mathews (credited as "Scott Matthews") produced side one of the album at The Pen in San Francisco, with Mathews himself playing all instruments (except guitar) and providing all the background vocals. The second side of the album was produced by Nick Lowe at Eden Studios in London with a group of crack pub rock musicians backing Hiatt.
"I always kind of look at 'Riding with the King' as the first album where I really put it altogether. I finally figured out what I was all about and found three or four styles I liked to work in", Hiatt observed about the album.[4] Although the album failed to chart in the US, it received considerable critical acclaim with Robert Christgau observing "...this is his best album because the songs are so much his catchiest and pithiest. Most of them reflect smashed hopes." [5]
The album's title track was taken from an odd dream Scott Mathews had, although he was never credited as a co-writer. It was later covered by B.B. King and Eric Clapton on their album of the same name. Hiatt reworked the lyrics for the King and Clapton collaboration.
Track listing
All songs written by John Hiatt, except as indicated
Side one
- "I Don't Even Try" – 3:25
- "Death by Misadventure" – 3:29 (Hiatt, John Hadley)
- "Girl on a String" – 3:11
- "Lovers Will" – 4:00
- "She Loves the Jerk" – 3:38
- "Say It with Flowers" – 3:06
Side two
- "Riding with the King" – 4:18
- "You May Already Be a Winner" – 3:35
- "Love Like Blood" – 3:55
- "The Love that Harms" – 2:49
- "Book Lovers" – 3:04 (Isabella Wood, Hiatt)
- "Falling Up" – 3:35
Personnel
- John Hiatt - vocals, guitar
- Scott Mathews - Producer, drums, slide guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, Saxophones, backing vocals (side one only)
- Nick Lowe - Bass guitar, backing vocals (side two only)
- Martin Belmont - Guitar (side two only)
- Paul Carrack - keyboards, backing vocals (side two only)
- Bobby Irwin - drums (side two only)
- Brian Griffin - cover photography
- Phil Smee - sleeve design
References
- ↑ Deming, Mark. Riding with the King at AllMusic. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
- ↑ "Consumer Guide, John Hiatt reviews". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
- ↑ "Rolling Stone review". Rolling Stone.
- ↑ Scott Schinder, 2001 liner notes for 'John Hiatt Anthology', Hip-O,
- ↑ http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=John+Hiatt