Someone to Lay Down Beside Me - Karla Bonoff

Beautiful, marvelouse, I don't find the words.

This woman and Laura Branigan are always confusing me.

I still have her 1st LP. I saw her open for Jackson Browne on his Running On Empty tour in Mobile in1978. She was exceptional, Jackson Browne was...well, Jackson Browne.

saw her for the first time on the same tour in '78 at the University of Toledo. Believe it or not I'd never even heard of her. Familiar with Ronstadt's version of this song and Lose Again, and I love her covers, but Karla singing her own song with such heartfelt passion gave me goosebumps. Would love to see someone post a live concert video of her from that era! This album's one of my all-time favs. Jackson Browne rocked the house too....good times.

Like I said about "Trouble again", I'm very glad Ronstadt introduced me to Bonoff, but there's just no getting around Ronstadt's voice. I prefer her voice everytime. I think the world of Bonoff's compositions, ESPECIALLY this one, but actually I find Ronstadt's treatment to be just as heartfelt. Like Bonoff, Ronstadt can have this "crying" overtone in her voice, that feeling of being alone. Both are from a period in music, that for me, is unsurpassed in musical talent.

Have you seen the movie "Crossroads", where in the Ralph Machio & Steve Vai duelled, with Vai eventually dropping his guitar in frustration...?
I almost gave up professional songwriting due to this truly heartfelt song, as my mother was about to die from lung cancer, and in the middle of divorce for being on the road too long.
This song absolutlely floored me, yet helped so much in regard to my grieving for my yet to be late mother.
Great song!

Grew up in my late teens listenin' to this chick...awesome...and awesome memories...

There are a lot of cases in which great songwriters don't have the voice to really put their songs across. But I definitely agree with you here.
Linda Ronstadt has sung many songs with great feeling, but Bonhoff's version of this gem is "more raw and heartfelt," as you say. captures it. There's a blend of fragility, resignation, and yearning in the song, and her singing captures it.

Thanks for posting this - brings back some lovely memories.

This song is so beautiful-- original too :)
Love it.