Rickie Lee Jones (album)


Rickie Lee Jones is the debut album of singer-songwriter Rickie Lee Jones. After arriving in California in the mid-1970s, Jones started taking songwriting more seriously, and by 1977 had met singer-songwriters Chuck E. Weiss and Tom Waits.

Overview

Jones had begun playing live in the Los Angeles area at the age of 21, and after meeting singer-songwriter Alfred Johnson, the pair began writing and performing live together Two of their collaborations, "Weasel and the White Boys Cool" and "Company," would later be recorded for Jones' debut album. She also sang jazz standards, as well as a song penned by her father in her live sets.
Jones' performances around Los Angeles aroused interest from other local songwriters, as well as local record company executives. At a label showcase, Jones performed originals, including "Chuck E.'s in Love", "The Real Thing Is Back in Town" and "The Moon Is Made of Gold." This showcase performance, plus a demo containing "The Last Chance Texaco", "Easy Money", "Young Blood" and "After Hours" led to a record deal with Warner Bros.. For her major label debut, Jones scrapped "The Real Thing Is Back in Town," but used the titular line in one of the album's tracks - "Coolsville."
Recording sessions yielded eleven songs for inclusion on an album. Two of the songs - "On Saturday Afternoons in 1963" and "After Hours" - were recorded live on December 22, 1978.

Reception

The album was released in the spring of 1979 to mostly favorable reviews propelled by the substantial jazz-pop hit single "Chuck E.'s in Love," based on a rumored romance of her friend Chuck E. Weiss. The single became a US #4 hit during the summer, while the album, which went on to become a million seller, hit US #3. Jones was supported by a memorable slot on Saturday Night Live in April 1979, where she performed "Chuck E.'s in Love" and "Coolsville." A second single, "Young Blood," cracked the US Top 40 in late 1979, when Jones went on an international tour. By June 1981, the album had sold over two million copies in the US alone.

Image

The album cover photography and design was by Norman Seeff.

Awards

22nd Annual Grammy Awards

Track listing

Songs written by Rickie Lee Jones, except where noted.
  1. "Chuck E.'s in Love" 3:28
  2. "On Saturday Afternoons in 1963" – 2:31
  3. "Night Train" – 3:14
  4. "Young Blood" – 4:04
  5. "Easy Money" – 3:16
  6. "The Last Chance Texaco" – 4:05
  7. "Danny's All-Star Joint" – 4:01
  8. "Coolsville" – 3:49
  9. "Weasel and the White Boys Cool" – 6:00
  10. "Company" – 4:40
  11. "After Hours " – 2:13

    Personnel

;Technical
Album
YearChartPosition
1979US 3
1979UK18
1979Australia1

Singles - Billboard
YearSingleChartPosition
1979"Chuck E's In Love"R&B Singles79
1979"Chuck E's In Love"Pop Singles4
1979"Young Blood"Pop Singles40

Sample