Rita Coolidge is an American singer who started her artistic career as a backing vocalist in the 1960s for artists like Leon Russell, Joe Cocker, Harry Chapin, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Dave Mason, Graham Nash and other Stephen Stills …
The solo career began in 1969 with the release of a first Single “Turn around and love you”, a single which unfortunately went somewhat unnoticed…
She will have to wait 2 more years and the release in 1971 of her first eponymous album to finally see her efforts rewarded by obtaining a very first success with the title “I believe in you”. A year 1971 which saw the release of a second album immediately with “Nice feelin’”, an album with less success…
New album “The lady’s not for sale” the following year in 1972, an album which will allow the singer to return to the forefront but nothing more.
Above all, it was the following album “Full Moon” which really changed things in 1973, an album where we found her alongside Kris Kristofferson. The album will produce two huge hits starting with “A song I’d like to sing” the same year and “Loving arms” a year later in 1974.
We will find her again alongside the same singer the following year in 1974 on the album “Breakaway”, an album with less success than its predecessor. A year 1974 which saw the release of another album “Fall into Spring”. In the end 2 albums which only produced minor hits…
The year 1975 saw the release of a new album called “It’s only love”, an album which would bring the singer back to a level of success equivalent to her debut…
Which is absolutely not the case for the following “Anytime…Anywhere” which was released 2 years later in 1977, a record-breaking album for the artist with enormous global success for the album and the production of 2 mega hits alongside Singles with the titles “(Your love has lifted me) Higher nd higher” and “We're all alone”. Two huge titles which will remain as the highest ranked in her entire discography.
New successful album “Love me again” in 1978, an album with less success but which still produced the high-profile Single which bears the name of the album. The same year we will find her once again alongside Kris Kristofferson on the album “Natural act”, an album which paradoxically will not produce a Single worthy of the name.
It was the turn of the album “Satisfied” to be released in 1979, an album which confirmed that the singer was still in the race, notably thanks to the two big Singles “One fine day” and “I'd rather leave while I'm in love”.
Unfortunately the machine will seize up somewhat at the start of the 80s and everything that comes out afterwards will only experience a limited level of success. Except in 1983 when she was going to be talked about again in a significant way with the title “All time high”, a title that we will find on the soundtrack of a little film called 'Octopussy', a film about a certain James Bond…
But this will indeed be the last time that we find her at such a high level of success.
To discover or rediscover...
Discography (among others...) :
70s Decade :
Turn around and love you 1969
70s Decade :
I believe in you 1971
Second story window 1971
Fever 1972
My crew 1973
Whiskey, whiskey 1973
A song I’d like to sing 1973
Loving arms 1974
Mama Lou 1974
Love has no pride 1974
Rain 1974
Lover please 1975
(Your love has lifted me) Higher and higher 1977
We’re all alone 1977
The way you do th things you do 1978
Words 1978
You 1978
The jealous kind 1978
Love me again 1978
Slow dancer 1978
Hello, love, goodbye 1979
One fine day 1979
I’d rather leave while I’m in love 1979
80s Decade :
Somethin’ bout you baby I like 1980
Fool that I am 1980
We could stay together 1980
Let’s go dancing 1981
The closer you get 1981
Walk on in 1981
Hold on (I feel our love is changing) 1981
Lake freeze 1983
All time high 1983
Only you 1983
Only youStop wasting your time 1983
Something said love 1984
Love from Tokyo 1984
90s Decade :
I'm still learning about love 1990
That's just the way love is 1990
Fire me back 1990
I just want to be with you 1991
End of the summer 1991
Another Saturday/Let it be me 1991
Heart don't fail me now 1992
If you find it 1992
Love lessons 1992
Cactus flower 1993
Please don't be scared 1995
Old heartaches 1995
Mean to me 1996
For the good times 1996
2000s Decade :
Cry me a river 2005
2010s Decade :
Rockin' around the Christmas tree 2012
Circle of light 2012
Satisfied 2018
Doing fine without you 2018
The things we carry 2018
Tracks :
1969...as is very often the case with the very first titles, this one will be no exception to the rule and will go somewhat unnoticed...
1971...she thinks that revisiting one of Neil Young's songs from 1970 could possibly unblock the situation. Well seen because first title ranked on this one...
1971...this title will not be officially released as a Single but it is not entirely devoid of interest so we might as well bring it back into the light a little...
1972...she gives us here a new version revisited this time of the title of Little Willie John dating from 1956. A luxury cover which will bring her once again...
1973...a career which begins to take off slowly but surely with this new classified title. Certainly a minor success but a success all the same...
1973...same for this one. Even if she still hasn't succeeded in producing THE big takeoff title, she is working on it in any case...
1973...it's THIS duo of shock but above all charm which will launch her career for good and above all offer her a first global top hit. Thanks Kris on this one...
1974...they're doing it again and even if this title will be a slight notch below in terms of success it will still come out very well...
1974...a solo return which will not really benefit her with a decline in the Charts that is violent to say the least. Attention danger...
1974...afterwards should we be more worried than that, not sure. She is only at the beginning of her career and everything remains possible at this stage...
1974...here she is again with her favorite partner and as before their association will work particularly well...
1975...this one much less on the other hand. It seems that the public has become somewhat tired of their cooing at first glance...
1977...it's a new revisited version which will finally bring her her first solo mega hit. A luxury cover of Jackie Wilson's title from 1967 which will propel her to stratospheric heights in terms of success. HU-GE !
1977...and it's another one that will bring her her second mega hit. This time it will be the title of Boz Scaggs dating from 1976 which will bring her luck...
1978...definitely she only deals with luxury cover. It's the turn of the Temptations and their title dating from 1964 to have its favors...
1978...then it was the Bee Gees and their title dating from 1968 to be brought up to date. As much as the previous recovery benefited her, this one will go somewhat unnoticed...
1978...a series of luxury covers which never ends since it is now the turn of Marcia Hines and her title dating from 1977 to be revisited in her own way...
1978...a year 1978 which will undoubtedly remain one of its most prolific vintages, it is clear...
1978...because she will release no less than 6 titles that year. Including this one which will remain as one of the best ranked in the end...
1978...this one will not really experience the same fate. Afterwards, when we take stock of the year, it is still very flattering, that much is clear...
1979...a year 1979 which begins as the year 1978 ended, that is to say quietly. While waiting for a much more favorable outcome...
1979...and we're back in the luxury revival with this time her revisited version of the Chiffons title dating from 1963. As long as it's profitable for her, why change her method...
1979...so original title or new cover ? Cover of course from Carole Bayer Sager's title dating from 1977, a revisited version which will add a new prestigious star to her prize list...
1980... we might as well start this new decade as we ended the previous one with a good old cover. It's the turn of Tom Jones and his title dating from 1974 to be brought back into the spotlight, all in duo mode of shock and charm...