Title Choice for Linda's Memoir

[the Scribe]

Let us know why you think one of these would be preferable to the others and if you have other suggestions it will be fun to hear them and your reasoning for it. It doesn't have to be a song title but would be nice.

[musicaamator]

I too went with Different Drum because that just encapsulates Linda's career--marching to the beat of a different drum.

However, I did consider "Prisoner In Disguise" as a possibility, only because she always felt out of place in California, was never comfortable with singing the rock n' roll songs, was not secure in her voice, etc. She also probably felt trapped by fame and its unwanted notoriety. Basically, a prisoner of her own fame...

Or something else.

[profstadt]

Gotta be "Different Drum"

[Deleted]

I also went with Different Drum, but it was a toss up with Heart Like a Wheel...

[Dianna]

I went with heart like a wheel.. that record established who Linda was as an artist and made her a household name.

[erik]

I think either title would have been good (there's no bad title [IMHO]), but I went, as Dianna did, with Heart Like A Wheel, for the reasons she stated.

[the Scribe]

The title Different Drum is a very good "jumping off" point if she plans on doing any interviews. The phrase and song typify both her personal and professional career. It could easily make a transition for an interviewer for her to discuss her unusal approach to life and music.

The song is interesting sung by a woman because back then it was the man who usually did the pursuing and women were passive but she turned that notion on its head and probably broke a lot of hearts.

It also defines her very eclectic music career and various professional relationships in the business. She couldn't be pinned down to any one genre.

The song has also become a staple for oldies stations. It is an anthem for women's libbers and I even saw a protest by gay groups in SF, California (on the news) using it as their theme for whatever it was they were marching about.

That song introduced the outside world to Linda Ronstadt and gave us the promise of wonderful things to come. It seems a befitting title to introduce the world to the woman behind that voice, in her own words.



You and I travel to the beat of a different drum
Oh can't you tell by the way I run
Every time you make eyes at me
Wo-oh

You cry and moan and say it will work out
But honey child I've got my doubts
You can't see the forest for the trees

Oh don't get me wrong
It's not that I knock it
It's just that I am not in the market
For a boy who wants to love only me

Yes, and I ain't saying you ain't pretty
All I'm saying is I'm not ready
For any person place or thing
To try and pull the reins in on me

So good-bye I'll be leaving
I see no sense in this crying and grieving
We'll both live a lot longer
If you live without me

Oh don't get me wrong
It's not that I knock it
It's just that I am not in the market
For a boy who wants to love only me

Yes, and I ain't saying you ain't pretty
All I'm saying is I'm not ready
For any person place or thing
To try and pull the reins in on me

So good-bye I'll be leaving
I see no sense in this crying and grieving
We'll both live a lot longer
If you live without me

[Richard W]

In my opinion: HLAW is just too obvious a choice; besides, it's the name of a movie, too. DD sounds a little too self-aggrandizing for an autobio/memoir. SD hits the right balance for me, plus the lyrics are pertinent:

When people don't know what you mean,
they may laugh at you and call you green.
They'll say your words are stupid and your plans or only schemes.
Truth is simple but seldom ever seen.
Let nothing come between
simple man, simple dreams.

Taken in the context of Linda's simple dream of becoming the best artist (as opposed to "star") she could be.

Then again, it could always be called, "Maybe I'm Right"!

[sliderocker]

In my opinion: HLAW is just too obvious a choice; besides, it's the name of a movie, too. DD sounds a little too self-aggrandizing for an autobio/memoir. SD hits the right balance for me, plus the lyrics are pertinent:

The publisher likely wants a title that is going to grab the customer's attention. Heart Like a Wheel is a good choice for that reason, and although the title may have been the title of a movie, a movie title is immaterial. There are movies which share the same title but which are completely different movies altogether (e.g.: Heaven Can Wait, Man in the Moon), so the fact the title has been used before as a movie title isn't that big of a deal. As for Different Drum being self aggrandizing, the lyrics are especially applicable to Linda's life long single status although as to her musical career, just the title alone makes it applicable.

Simple Dreams isn't a bad title, but it's not an especially good title either. The song's lyrics may reflect Linda's journey but the lyrics in and of themselves won't mean nothing to the fair weather fans or others who may buy her autobiography but who may not know the first thing about her music beyond her hits.

Another part of the problem of titling the book is how much of her life is she going to cover? Will she cover her life from childhood to present day, or just the days when she was the hottest female singer on the planet? Simple Dreams might be a good fit if she's just recalling her childhood and her life in music. I'm not so sure about in retirement. Different Drum is a better fit because the title can apply to any part of her life. She's always traveled to the beat of a different drum, whether it was in relationships or in music. Even in retirement, she's doing what she wants to do.

Heart Like a Wheel likewise can cover many aspects of her life, from childhood to musical career to retirement. But, with a title like that, one likely expected she would also write about some of her relationships but given how she values her privacy, she may not have wanted to reveal anything about that part of her life, especially if she sacrificed her relationships for her career. In a way, I've kind of wondered if the reason for her dislike of her music could be because she did sacrifice her relationships for the sake of having a career, and then regretted the choice she made?

Taken in the context of Linda's simple dream of becoming the best artist (as opposed to "star") she could be.

But, for someone who is said to be well grounded and who's said to have her ego in check, some could take a simple dream of becoming the best artist as being a little too self-aggrandizing by someone with a big ego.

Then again, it could always be called, "Maybe I'm Right"!

That title alone just says B-I-G E-G-O.

[the Scribe]

I thought her wanting to be the best was her wanting to be the best Mexican singer? At least that she has publicly stated. I know she has worked hard to be authentic with all her music. Everything she has done she has done well.

[erik]

Quote by ronstadtfanaz:

I thought her wanting to be the best was her wanting to be the best Mexican singer? At least that she has publicly stated. I know she has worked hard to be authentic with all her music. Everything she has done she has done well.

True. But having asked some friends of mine who happen to be of Mexican-American heritage, they tell me that there really isn't any way she could ever be the best Mexican singer because she herself isn't Mexican-born to begin with. She might be the best Mexican-American singer, however.

[cymru56]

May I suggest "Try Me Again"
It being one of the few songs Linda has apparently written and because with each change of musical genre she has taken she was in a sense asking us to do just that.

[JasonKlose]

Feb 7, 2013 11:34:34 GMT -5 musicaamator said:

I too went with Different Drum because that just encapsulates Linda's career--marching to the beat of a different drum.

However, I did consider "Prisoner In Disguise" as a possibility, only because she always felt out of place in California, was never comfortable with singing the rock n' roll songs, was not secure in her voice, etc. She also probably felt trapped by fame and its unwanted notoriety. Basically, a prisoner of her own fame...

Or something else.

I actually like the "Prisoner In Disguise" idea. It seems rather fitting for Linda for the reasons you mentioned. She has always been anti-celebrity, never really embraced her fame, and Los Angeles became too enclosing an environment for her. She even said as much in a 1995 interview. That's one of the reasons she first moved to San Francisco in the 1980s.

"Heart Like a Wheel" is good too because it was her breakthrough hit album and put her on the map so to speak. Not only was it a breakthrough for her, but also set a standard for women who would follow in her footsteps in the music industry. She was very influential.

But I also really like "Simple Dreams" because to me, it sort of symbolizes Linda in regard to her life goals. She has said that all she ever wanted to do was be a singer, plain and simple. I think she just didn't expect the price that would come with it later; being a celebrity, being scrutinized by the media, etc. She didn't want to be a beauty queen, although I think she was and still is one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen. And we all know how modest she has been about her looks, and also her voice. I think Linda really dreamt about having the simple things in life. And in a sense, she does kind of live that way compared to most people with that level of fame. She has even called herself a homebody, even when she was younger. I think if she hadn't become a singer, she probably would have settled down and had a family like her brothers and sister did.

So I think "Simple Dreams" would be a very fitting title to her book. I'd like to hear everyone's thoughts on this.

[the Scribe]

I think with the use of Prisoner In Disguise she would have to explain herself with every interview. Lots of people would love to be a prisoner of fame and fortune. While Heart Like A Wheel is a romantic notion even I don't know what that means. Possible her heart is like a wheel, let me roll it to you, pappa was a rolling stone type thing. That title would force her to talk about her romantic life more than anything. Simple Dreams is better for many of the reasons Jason mentions. It allows her to speak to just about anything with as much detail as she wants. It is a "cushie" laid back title that might suit todays Linda but if she presents herself with a harder edge as a trailblazer not only in music but socially then I think Different Drum presents that image. I don't know why she doesn't like that song as it is one of the most beloved and recognizable songs of her career by old and young alike. Everyone has heard it. People relate to it. They embrace it.

Other possibilities might be Desperado, Long Long Time, All My Life, All That You Dream, Just One Look(is all you're gonna git), Por Un Amor (For A Love "of song"), Dreams To Dream, Those Memories, etc.

[the Scribe]

Feb 7, 2013 19:34:12 GMT -5 erik said:

Quote by ronstadtfanaz:

I thought her wanting to be the best was her wanting to be the best Mexican singer? At least that she has publicly stated. I know she has worked hard to be authentic with all her music. Everything she has done she has done well.

True. But having asked some friends of mine who happen to be of Mexican-American heritage, they tell me that there really isn't any way she could ever be the best Mexican singer because she herself isn't Mexican-born to begin with. She might be the best Mexican-American singer, however.

How about the best half-Mexican half-German American born in captured Mexican land? (which almost makes her Mexican if time didn't get in the way)

[sliderocker]

Feb 8, 2013 14:11:52 GMT -5 the Scribe said:

I think with the use of Prisoner In Disguise she would have to explain herself with every interview. Lots of people would love to be a prisoner of fame and fortune. While Heart Like A Wheel is a romantic notion even I don't know what that means. Possible her heart is like a wheel, let me roll it to you, pappa was a rolling stone type thing. That title would force her to talk about her romantic life more than anything. Simple Dreams is better for many of the reasons Jason mentions. It allows her to speak to just about anything with as much detail as she wants. It is a "cushie" laid back title that might suit todays Linda but if she presents herself with a harder edge as a trailblazer not only in music but socially then I think Different Drum presents that image. I don't know why she doesn't like that song as it is one of the most beloved and recognizable songs of her career by old and young alike. Everyone has heard it. People relate to it. They embrace it.

Other possibilities might be Desperado, Long Long Time, All My Life, All That You Dream, Just One Look(is all you're gonna git), Por Un Amor (For A Love "of song"), Dreams To Dream, Those Memories, etc.

I'd still go with Different Drum because it was her first major hit song and her first major signature song. She'll be long remembered for that song - her version of the song remains popular almost five decades (yikes! five decades) after it was recorded and released. The other song titles could be used for the naming of the book chapters, and for which could give the reader a clue as to what the chapter is going to be about.

[sliderocker]

Feb 8, 2013 14:22:22 GMT -5 the Scribe said:

Feb 7, 2013 19:34:12 GMT -5 erik said:

How about the best half-Mexican half-German American born in captured Mexican land? (which almost makes her Mexican if time didn't get in the way)

Captured Mexican land? Wasn't the Navajo Indian tribe and a few other Indian tribes in Arizona first before there was any Mexicans? Which would make it captured Mexican land of captured Indian tribal lands. As I recall, various Indian tribes had always complained about the white man taking their lands, and some of the Indian tribes in the southwestern part of the US also had issues about Mexico claiming parts of land they had occupied.

[the Scribe]

Correct me if I am wrong (as I used to think that too) but the original Native Americans didn't have the concept of anyone being able to "own the land." That wasn't necessarily in their paradigm which is why they were astounded when visitors to the land on which they lived began to claim it for themselves.

So, how about the best half-Mexican half-German American born in captured Mexican land that was first known to be occupied by native peoples? (this is starting to sound like Pirates of Penzance)

[erik]

Isn't the part of Arizona where Linda grew up actually ancient Apache land?

[sliderocker]

Feb 8, 2013 15:44:54 GMT -5 the Scribe said:

Correct me if I am wrong (as I used to think that too) but the original Native Americans didn't have the concept of anyone being able to "own the land." That wasn't necessarily in their paradigm which is why they were astounded when visitors to the land on which they lived began to claim it for themselves.

So, how about the best half-Mexican half-German American born in captured Mexican land that was first known to be occupied by native peoples? (this is starting to sound like Pirates of Penzance)

Maybe but then again, if the Indian tribes there didn't consider the land theirs, why did they make war against the white man and vice versa? There was enough room for everybody yet I recall hearing various Indian tribes of the southwest referring to the lands which became the states of Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arizona as being their lands. That was an awful lot of land, and even if they didn't own the land on an individual basis, they seemed to be saying the land was theirs as a nation, and the US and Mexico were interlopers, taking for themselves what wasn't theirs to take.

[the Scribe]

Feb 8, 2013 15:52:30 GMT -5 erik said:

Isn't the part of Arizona where Linda grew up actually ancient Apache land?

I'm originally from New York, ask me something about the Iroquois. I think the Apaches all lived in Apache County. ha .

[sliderocker]

Feb 8, 2013 15:52:30 GMT -5 erik said:

Isn't the part of Arizona where Linda grew up actually ancient Apache land?

It probably is, but I just remember hearing the people of the Navajo tribe being associated with Arizona. I know there were other Indian tribes, including the Apaches but didn't know how much space in Arizona they took up. I know the Apaches occupied southwestern Oklahoma and a lot of western Texas, and if they were in Arizona, they were in New Mexico too, so it would seem they were quite spread out.

[the Scribe]

Maybe but then again, if the Indian tribes there didn't consider the land theirs, why did they make war against the white man and vice versa? There was enough room for everybody yet I recall hearing various Indian tribes of the southwest referring to the lands which became the states of Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arizona as being their lands.

They were fighting back against people that were trying to kill them. Once they accepted the white man's premise of land ownership and their attacks to kill them they began to fight back and claim the land as theirs. By then it was too late.

[erik]

Getting back to the book title, as I've said, I don't think there could possibly be any "wrong" title for it. Just as it's deceptive to judge an album by its title or its cover, it's deceptive to judge a book the same way, in my opinion. Whatever title is finally ascribed to it, we're all going to go out and get it.

[the Scribe]

The name could be quite important in my mind. Maybe Linda should consult a good numerologist and present them with proposed titles. Maybe she should call it "Buy This Book."

[Dianna]

hmm.. as far as catchy goes.. I know this title has been taken but I saw a book titled "I was a rat." I think if used again, should be saved for a politician..

[RKEANE48]

How about ADIOS she is retired now

[sliderocker]

Feb 8, 2013 20:24:12 GMT -5 the Scribe said:

The name could be quite important in my mind. Maybe Linda should consult a good numerologist and present them with proposed titles. Maybe she should call it "Buy This Book."

The publisher could ask for or come up with another title for Linda's book. They don't necessarily have to use a song or album title associated with Linda, although that would be the best option.

[philly]

"The Memoir of Maria Linda Ronstadt" Isn't that her actual birth name?
It's not a musical title, but I think it could get people's attention. assuming they're over 30.

[the Scribe]

I've had problems with people up to 40 knowing who Linda and many of her contemporaries are. I was talking to a young woman in my office this morning and in conversation discovered she lived across the street from an old friend of mine in Tempe. I told her she lived two houses down from a guy in Stevie Nix's band and she had no idea who Stevie Nix was. So I mentioned Fleetwood Mac, Rhiannon, blah blah blah and she still had no idea.

Had lunch with a guy in his 30's a week ago and mentioned Linda Ronstadt and he said you mean "Pirates of Penzance Linda Ronstadt?" He only knew her from that musical as it was one of his favorites. He and his sons evidently love to rent musicals.

Interestingly, they all knew Different Drum.

Kids today!!!