Couldn't Stand the Weather


Couldn't Stand the Weather is the second studio album by American blues rock band Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. It was released on May 15, 1984, by Epic Records as the follow-up to the band's critically and commercially successful 1983 album, Texas Flood. Recording sessions took place in January 1984 at the Power Station in New York City.
Stevie Ray Vaughan wrote half the tracks on Couldn't Stand the Weather. The album went to No. 31 on the Billboard 200 chart and the music video for "Couldn't Stand the Weather" received regular rotation on MTV. The album received mostly positive reviews, with AllMusic giving it a four out of five stars. It received praise for Vaughan’s playing and highlighted songs such as Voodoo Child and Tin Pan Ally, but received criticism for the lack of original songs and forgetability of some of the songs.
In 1999, a reissue of the album was released which contains an audio interview segment and four studio outtakes.
In 2010, the album was reissued again as the Legacy Edition containing two CDs with a previously unreleased studio outtake and an August 17, 1984 concert at The Spectrum in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Recording and production

During January 1984, Vaughan and Double Trouble spent 19 days at the Power Station in New York City. John Hammond was executive producer and supervised the sessions.
The first track recorded was the old blues standard, "Tin Pan Alley", which was done in one take. Hammond said into the talkback microphone, "That's the best you'll ever get that song. That sounded wonderful."
Vaughan's brother, Jimmie Vaughan, played rhythm guitar on "Couldn't Stand the Weather" and "The Things I Used to Do".
For "Stang's Swang", drummer Fran Christina and saxophonist Stan Harrison recorded parts for the track.
Couldn't Stand the Weather was produced by the band along with Richard Mullen and Jim Capfer. The album was engineered by Mullen and Rob Eaton. Graphic artist Holland MacDonald designed the album cover art with assistance from Shostal Associates for the tornado image.

Touring

In support of Couldn't Stand the Weather, Vaughan and Double Trouble toured throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan from February 1984 to December 1984. On April 15, 1984, they performed a concert at the Austin Opera House in Austin, Texas, which was broadcast on the King Biscuit Flower Hour. They also opened for Huey Lewis & the News on August 3, 1984, at the USF Sun Dome in Tampa, Florida.
The band went to Canada and performed three shows with one being at The Spectrum in Montreal which was also broadcast on the King Biscuit Flower Hour. From Montreal, they went to Germany and performed at the Loreley Open-Air Theatre which was broadcast on Rockpalast.
After returning to the United States, Vaughan and Double Trouble appeared at Carnegie Hall in New York City on October 4, 1984. The show featured many special guests and was released on the CD entitled Live at Carnegie Hall.
They did a tour of Australia and New Zealand in November 1984 including two sold-out concerts at the Sydney Opera House. The tour wrapped up in the United States.

Reception

The album was another commercial success for Stevie Ray Vaughan, selling 1,000,000 copies within five weeks. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic wrote: "Stevie Ray Vaughan's second album, Couldn't Stand the Weather, pretty much did everything a second album should do: it confirmed that the acclaimed debut was no fluke, while matching, if not bettering, the sales of its predecessor, thereby cementing Vaughan's status as a giant of modern blues.", but lamented that "Vaughan didn't really push himself as hard as he could have, and the feeling that if he had, he would have come up with something a bit stronger." Robert Christgau said in his review that "Though he comes close sometimes, this Texan ain't Hendrix. But between earned Jimi cover and lyric refreshment, album two is almost everything a reasonable person might hope from him: a roadhouse album with gargantuan sonic imagination"

Track listings

1984 issue

1999 reissue bonus tracks

  2. "SRV Speaks" – 1:08
  3. "Hide Away" – 4:04
  4. "Look at Little Sister" – 2:46
  5. "Give Me Back My Wig" – 4:07
  6. "Come On " – 4:33

    2010 ''Legacy Edition'' issue

Disc 1

  1. "Scuttle Buttin'" – 1:52
  2. "Couldn't Stand The Weather" – 4:41
  3. "The Things I Used to Do" – 4:55
  4. "Voodoo Child " – 8:01
  5. "Cold Shot" – 4:01
  6. "Tin Pan Alley" – 9:12
  7. "Honey Bee" – 2:43
  8. "Stang's Swang" – 2:50
  9. "Empty Arms" – 3:28
  10. "Come On " – 4:33
  11. "Look At Little Sister" – 2:46
  12. "The Sky Is Crying" – 4:12
  13. "Hide Away" – 4:03
  14. "Give Me Back My Wig" – 4:08
  15. "Boot Hill" – 2:23
  16. "Wham!" – 2:27
  17. "Close To You" – 3:11
  18. "Little Wing" – 6:49
  19. "Stang's Swang" – 2:44

    Disc 2

  20. "Testify" – 4:37
  21. "Voodoo Chile " – 11:53
  22. "The Things I Used To Do" – 5:30
  23. "Honey Bee" – 2:33
  24. "Couldn't Stand The Weather" – 4:53
  25. "Cold Shot" – 4:05
  26. "Tin Pan Alley " – 10:30
  27. "Love Struck Baby" – 3:01
  28. "Texas Flood" – 8:21
  29. "Band Intros/Encores" - 1:18
  30. "Stang's Swang" – 3:07
  31. "Lenny" – 11:07
  32. "Pride and Joy" – 4:59

    Charts

Certifications

Personnel

;Double Trouble
;Additional personnel
;Production
;1999 reissue
;2010 Legacy Edition issue