{"id":654507,"date":"2026-06-23T19:18:12","date_gmt":"2026-06-23T19:18:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/654507\/"},"modified":"2026-06-23T19:18:12","modified_gmt":"2026-06-23T19:18:12","slug":"the-1974-hit-song-linda-ronstadt-almost-threw-away","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/654507\/","title":{"rendered":"The 1974 hit song Linda Ronstadt almost threw away"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Linda<\/p>\n

Credit: Far Out \/ Linda Ronstadt<\/p>\n

Tue 23 June 2026 17:10, UK <\/p>\n

No matter what anybody says, being corny either works or it doesn\u2019t. Most of us try to avoid it, like it is somehow a badge of honour that proves we\u2019re worthy of respect. Why, therefore, if it\u2019s such a bad thing, do the corniest songs often end up being the most popular? <\/p>\n

Linda Ronstadt<\/a> isn\u2019t someone usually associated with clich\u00e9s, especially not ones that reduce her music to mere banality, but one song felt a little too close to what some might scrunch their noses up at.<\/p>\n

Throughout her career, Ronstadt built a reputation for choosing material based on emotional resonance rather than commercial calculation. Whether performing rock, country or folk-inspired songs, she consistently gravitated towards music that connected with her on a personal level.<\/p>\n

In life, being corny isn\u2019t the worst thing you can be. In fact, sometimes it\u2019s quite comforting to see someone acting corny, even if it comes across as what some of the youngsters might call \u201cmillennial\u201d behaviour. In those scenarios, however, you have to ask yourself: what\u2019s wrong with that? If someone\u2019s biggest turnoff is how much they show emotion, why is that a bad thing? Should people try harder to spend whatever time they have left being lifeless forms on a dull planet?<\/p>\n

That said, being corny is embarrassing. It\u2019s undeniable. It\u2019s the one trait most of us with self-awareness fight tooth and nail to push away, the one thing that most of us think about when we get to the end of another long day: \u201cGod, I hope I wasn\u2019t cringey today.\u201d Perhaps that\u2019s anxiety speaking, or maybe it is a commonly shared experience\u2014hoping and praying you came across as cool as a cucumber at all times\u2014but in music, there\u2019s often more space to poke around in the ripples of what constitutes \u201ccorny\u201d. <\/p>\n

\"Linda<\/a>Credit: Far Out \/ Linda Ronstadt<\/p>\n

The distinction often comes down to sincerity. Audiences can usually tell when sentiment feels manufactured, but they are equally capable of embracing songs that wear their hearts openly on their sleeves when the emotion feels genuine.<\/p>\n

But that\u2019s only if that space is pre-agreed upon in the first place. Some artists get torn to pieces for it, others get commended for it, but somewhere in the middle, there are those trusty authentic figures that, no matter what they do, will always be seen as \u201ccool\u201d. Linda Ronstadt is one. Weirdly, she\u2019s never felt that way herself<\/a>, but that only adds to the fact that that\u2019s exactly what she is, ignorant of her own magnetism, like the caterpillar that became the butterfly.<\/p>\n

Further reading: From The Vault<\/p>\n

It comes as no surprise, therefore, that Ronstadt is also oblivious to her own corniness, even when it presents itself to her, clear as day. This made itself known when she first heard \u2018Heart Like a Wheel\u2019, when her manager told her it was \u201ctoo corny\u201d to earn respect. \u201cI just thought they were the most beautiful lyrics I\u2019d ever heard,\u201d she told The New Yorker<\/a>, an excitement that no doubt got quashed the moment her then-manager tried to pour cold water over it. <\/p>\n

In this scenario, however, it\u2019s clear that they had simply misinterpreted its gorgeous melody and heartfelt harmonies as something to be ashamed of, as not only did people love Ronstadt\u2019s version of \u2018Heart Like A Wheel\u2019, it also became a live staple, one that people waited for with wide-eyed admiration, hoping that, for one special moment, they could feel the one thing the anti-corny will likely never know: the in-the-moment bliss of feeling, and letting it show.<\/p>\n

After all, corny either works or it doesn\u2019t. But in music, when it comes from a place of pure emotion, perhaps that isn\u2019t the right word. Perhaps the right word isn\u2019t something that represents showing yourself up, but showing up for yourself instead. In that way, no one can ever accuse perceived \u201ccorniness\u201d of being a bad thing, especially not when Ronstadt is in front of the microphone.<\/p>\n

In retrospect, the success of \u2018Heart Like a Wheel\u2019 highlights how unreliable labels such as \u201ccorny\u201d can be when applied to music. What some hear as sentimentality, others hear as authenticity, and Ronstadt\u2019s enduring affection for the song serves as a reminder that emotional truth will often outlast concerns about appearing cool.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

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