When Linda Ronstadt stepped into the studio to record her 1978 album Living in the USA, she wasn’t just looking for fresh material; she was looking back at the music that shaped her.
Her eyes landed on a soulful 1960s favorite that had already captivated the airwaves almost a decade prior. By giving the original track her unmistakable, belt-it-out vocals, Ronstadt didn’t just honor the original; she reimagined the classic with a modern pop-rock edge.
Ronstadt released “Just One Look” in February of 1979. The track peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 44 one month later.
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Doris Troy and Gregory Carroll co-wrote the track. Troy first had a hit with the tune in 1963, and her version spent 14 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 10. She simultaneously reached No. 3 on the Billboard R&B chart.
Troy worked with Dionne Warwick, Cissy Houston, the Drifters, and Solomon Burke before hitting it big with “Just One Look,” reported Pop Dose. That success led her to 1960s collaborations with the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Humble Pie, Dusty Springfield, Nick Drake, and George Harrison.
Troy’s life was documented in a musical, Mama, I Want To Sing. It is the longest-running Black off-Broadway musical in musical theater history. The musical was eventually made into a film starring Ciara, Lynn Whitfield, Patti LaBelle, and Ben Vereen.
Ronstadt’s version of Troy’s iconic hit was included on her Living in the USA album, which peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and achieved double-platinum status reported her official Facebook page. The album, which was released 48 years ago, included classics like “Back in the USA” and “Ooh Baby Baby.”
Rhino Records reported that the album was a “massive success. Big enough to knock Fleetwood Mac’s monster record Rumours from the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 in December of that year, holding the top position for the rest of ’77. The LP spawned a string of hit singles, including ‘Blue Bayou,’ ‘It’s So Easy,’ and Ronstadt’s take on the Rolling Stones’ classic, ‘Tumblin’ Dice.'”
Ronstadt and producer Peter Asher gathered a series of songs to cover for her ninth Studio album, including “Just One Look.” The song was so beloved as a pop standard that it continued to be covered in the following years by The Hollies, Bryan Ferry, Anne Murray, and Harry Nilsson.
Related: Linda Ronstadt Celebrates the 50th Anniversary of a 1970s Smash That Made Her a Superstar