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The opening track, Driving wheel, is a brilliant rocking song that was co-written by Billy Swan (famous for I can help) and T Bone Burnett. White shoes is from the songbook of Jack Tempchin, who wrote several Eagles songs including Peaceful easy feeling and Already gone. Randy Meisner, once a member of the Eagles, recorded White shoes on one of his solo albums, three years before Emmylou recorded the song.
Some continuity with the past is provided – there are two Rodney Crowell songs (Baby better start turning 'em down, It's only rock'n'roll). The album is completed by two brilliant original songs, In my dreams (the biggest hit from the album) and Good news.
This is a fascinating album in many ways, not like any of Emmylou's other albums. It is albums like this that make me grateful for having eclectic musical tastes. The music is brilliant but it is not obvious what the target market was. It was a decisive move in the direction of rock music, but with Brian Ahern as producer (his last Emmylou album in that role), it probably was not decisive enough for those rock fans that weren't won over by her country-rock albums of the seventies, while some of her existing country fans just didn't want to know.
So this album's appeal was limited to die-hard Emmylou fans and those (like me) with eclectic tastes, which is a pity because there are some great performances here. Perhaps the fans that Emmylou acquired with Wrecking ball and other more recent albums may appreciate this album more than Emmylou's traditional fans.
You have to listen to "White Shoes" 3 or 4 times before you get a real feel for the simple genius it took to weave this collection of songs together. You can rock with Emmylou to "Drivin' Wheel" and her 2 Rodney Crowell covers, "It's Only Rock and Roll" and "Baby, Better Start Turnin' 'Em Down"....all three are show stoppers. Emmylou can rock country like no one else; somehow the voice of an angel becomes a snarling, driving song machine.
As is the custom with a star true to her music, you will experience the best in background instrumentation and vocals, because the musicians who are the best want to work with the best. Most of the Hot Band is back, and the listener is treated to both the electric and acoustic talents of John McFee; outstanding! Bonnie Bramlett joins for background vocals with her gutsy harmony, and we are treated to a new talent, composer Shirley Eikhard, who blends with Harris on the introspective "Good News". Although there are finer songs on "White Shoes", "Good News" is my favorite so far, the one that runs through my head in the car, in the shower, in the...you get the point.
The key piece on "White Shoes" graces the middle of the CD, a haunting version of Moroder's "On the Radio". You will forget that Donna Summer ever sang it, Emmylou makes the song her own.
And, like many Ahern-Harris collaborations, you are left to wonder about the tune "White Shoes". It grows on you to the point that you stop wondering what the song is trying to say and just flow with it. When you lose yourself in the song, you will see why these 2 great musicians chose it to title a collection that is priceless.
No price is too much for "White Shoes"!
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