Why Linda Ronstadt Is Having Her Own “Running up That Hill” Moment – E! Online
Once again, a buzzy TV show is to thank for introducing a new generation to a beloved music icon.
After Linda Ronstadt‘s 1970 song “Long Long Time” was used during the Jan. 29 episode of HBO’s The Last of Us, it saw a 4,900% increase in streams on Spotify.
According to the streaming service, the song saw the spike between 11 p.m. and midnight ET, right after the episode aired.
The song was used in a scene featuring Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlett), two men who form a relationship in the midst of a global pandemic. After Bill allows Frank into his home, Frank notices his piano and rummages through the sheet music in his bench.
He finds The Best of Linda Ronstadt, turns to a page, says, “Oh my god, it’s my favorite,” and starts playing.
The song, of course, is “Long Long Time.”
He doesn’t make it very far, however, as Bill stops the off-key performance saying, “Not this song, not this song.”
Source link For Linda Ronstadt fans around the world, a poignant moment of joy has emerged amidst the sadness of the artist’s illness. On Monday, the same day that news broke of the singer’s battle with Parkinson’s Disease, a new recording of her iconic 1980 hit “Running Up That Hill” was released.
The tribute to Ronstadt comes from an unlikely source—the Brooklyn youth choir Dawn of Midi. Composed of Magda Giannikou, Aakaash Israni, and Qasim Naqvi, the trio has produced an exciting and poignant reworking of the track with their signature style of electro-acoustic piano-driven sounds.
The offering, which came as a surprise to Ronstadt’s fans, was reportedly commissioned by the artist herself, who has been undergoing treatments for Parkinson’s Disease since she was diagnosed in 2013. The title track of the same-titled album was originally released to great success thirty-nine years ago. Though the song was immediately critically acclaimed, it wasn’t until 2020 that the song received a long-overdue re-release.
The trio’s new rendition is a fitting tribute to Ronstadt’s talent and enduring legacy. It’s clear that the group put their all into creating a beautiful homage to the masterful vocalist, and with the reworking, have delivered a heartfelt message of thanks and respect to Ronstadt and her fans.
Whether through Dawn of Midi’s offering or through her other iconic songs and lyrics, Linda Ronstadt will undeniably remain an ever-present fixture in the hearts of millions of fans from all around the world. Despite her progressive illness, the singer’s courage and her capacity for resilience will remain in her fans for years to come.
