Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Angel from Montgomery

I caught Bonnie Raitt on Colbert last night doing a lovely cover of Gerry Rafferty's Right Down the Line. Raitt and Colbert first discussed her 1974 album Streetlights and how she popularized John Prine's classic "Angel from Montgomery." I had no clue it was Raitt who gave "Angel" it's first bit of fame. John Prine released the song in 1971 on his self-titled debut album. It was then recorded in 1972 by Carly Simon, but the Elektra record executives didn't like it, so her version wasn't released until her 1995 box set Clouds in My Coffee. (I may have to agree with Elektra on this one. Her version is, well, odd. And very 1970s rock.) John Denver recorded "Angel" in 1973 for his album Farewell Andromeda. But it was Raitt's 1974 version that made the song widely known. Maybe it needed a woman's voice for people to get it.

Check out the Bonnie Raitt and Stephen Colbert duet of "Angel" from last night's post-show session. Nice work Stephen!


John Prine - Angel from Montgomery.mp3
Buy: John Prine (1971, reissued 1990)

John Denver - Angels from Montgomery.mp3
Buy: Farewell Andromeda (1974, reissued 2008)

Carly Simon - Angel from Montgomery.mp3
Buy: Clouds in My Coffee 1965-1995 (1995 Box Set)

Bonnie Raitt - Angel from Montgomery.mp3
Buy: Streetlights (1974, reissued 2001)

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