Riding With the King

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
John Hiatt has had a long, schizophrenic career. He's been a singer-songwriter, a new waver, an AOR dinosaur, a country rocker, and an adult-contemporary powerhouse. Throughout, his songwriting has been admirable. The production here is sometimes tricky, a tad bombastic, a bit too mainstream and yearning for success. (Ah, the '80s!) It is also an album divided. Nick Lowe, Paul Carrack, and ex-Rumour guitarist Martin Belmont join the backing band for the Lowe-produced second half and it's here that the ensemble cooks. But it's really about the songs, and there's no denying songs as clever as "She Loves the Jerk," "Death by Misadventure," or "You May Already Be a Winner," which all feature Hiatt's humor hidden under a serious degree of healthy cynicism. --Rob O'Connor

Riding With the King, Music, John Hiatt, Heartland Rock, Pop, Rock, Rock & Roll, Rock/Pop, Roots Rock, Singer/Songwriter
Riding with the King
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • A must have blues album
  • "These are the great ones"
  • RICK SHAQ GOLDSTEIN SAYS: "CLAPTON MAY BE BEHIND THE WHEEL ON THE COVER, BUT HE'S DEFINATELY JUST ALONG FOR THE RIDE WITH BB!"
  • just buy it
  • Riding With the King- Eric Clapton and B.B. King
 Riding with the King
Eric Clapton & B.B. King
Manufacturer: Reprise / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00004THAY
Release Date: 2000-06-13

Tracks:

  1. Riding With The King
  2. Ten Long Years
  3. Key To The Highway
  4. Marry You
  5. Three O'Clock Blues
  6. Help The Poor
  7. I Wanna Be
  8. Worried Life Blues
  9. Days Of Old
  10. When My Heart Beats Like A Hammer
  11. Hold On I'm Coming
  12. Come Rain Or Come Shine

Amazon.com

It sounds like the beginning of a story: "So, Slowhand and the King of the Blues were riding in a car ..." If this is a musical journey, it's the kind that rolls down long, empty stretches of country highway at 80 miles an hour, with the top down and the stereo blasting. Clapton and King may be more city than country, but this collection has the relaxed, laid-back feel that only comes from a pair of veterans doing what they do best. What they do here is cover 12 classic blues songs, many of them staples of King's repertoire, so the title of this album makes sense. Whether it's the rollicking rock & roll of the title track, or the acoustic shuffle of "Key to the Highway," or the sweet notes of "When My Heart Beats Like a Hammer," a real sense of pleasure comes through on this album, the kind of pleasure one gets from jamming late at night with a good friend. --Genevieve Williams

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars A must have blues album.......2007-06-23

Very good blues album, filled with just good tracks. If you like blues,
you can't go wrong with this one. Two great bluesman and great guitar players. Go buy it !

5 out of 5 stars "These are the great ones".......2007-03-02

If you love the Blues you have to have this cd. These 2 guys are the best in the business. They do not compete with each other. They simply make beautiful music as a team. With some new albums I have to play them a few times so they can grow on me. Not this time. I fell in love with it the first time I played it. Claptons band is there with them and that just makes it that much better. The only thing I think I could enjoy more is to see them together on stage. Who knows! Stranger things have happened. Buy this cd and buy it now!!

4 out of 5 stars RICK SHAQ GOLDSTEIN SAYS: "CLAPTON MAY BE BEHIND THE WHEEL ON THE COVER, BUT HE'S DEFINATELY JUST ALONG FOR THE RIDE WITH BB!".......2007-02-06

This is a good solid blues CD, with songs varying from toe tapping to mellow. This pairing of performers, was certainly more beneficial for Clapton, than for King. Even at BB's age, his voice is smoother, than Clapton's. As mentioned earlier, there is a full spectrum of songs, ending with the silky smooth, old classic, "Come Rain Or Come Shine".

4 out of 5 stars just buy it.......2007-01-06

I'm really glad my mom turned me on to bb king when I saw a kid, I owe her.

Just buy the cd, make up your own mind. Yes, it's a polished piece, perhaps overproduced; they have the bucks, the studio and the talent - who can blame them for making the cuts the way THEY wanted?

You and I certainly can't do it and that's why I'm gratfeful BB and EC did do it. It's a shame it's over so quick however.

"Worried Life Blues' worth the price of admission alone.

3 out of 5 stars Riding With the King- Eric Clapton and B.B. King.......2006-12-05

The Album Riding With the King has some really fantastic blues songs but is lacking the elements that would make this album worth buying. The 12 songs are all repetative and dull; they should have put some classic blues songs like "Have You Ever Loved a Woman". You would think two notorious classic blues guitar artists would collaborate to make a better album. Spend the extra money and buy Eric Claptons live album "One More Car, One More Rider", its worth the money.This album definatly didnt meet my expectations. But what do you expect from a guy who refuses to play chords.
Riding With the King
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • One of the best John Hiatt Cd's Ever
  • Hiatt Rocks!
  • King of America!
  • Two great EPs that sound great togther
  • An overlooked gem from an underrated singer-songwriter
 Riding With the King
John Hiatt
Manufacturer: Geffen Gold Line Sp.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Stolen Moments
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  3. Two Bit Monsters
  4. Perfectly Good Guitar
  5. Bring the Family

ASIN: B000000OXN
Release Date: 1996-03-19

Tracks:

  1. I Don't Even Try
  2. Death By Misadventure
  3. Girl On A String
  4. Lovers Will
  5. She Loves The Jerk
  6. Say It With Flowers
  7. Riding With The King
  8. You May Already Be A Winner
  9. Love Like Blood
  10. The Love That Harms
  11. Book Lovers
  12. Falling Up

Amazon.com

John Hiatt has had a long, schizophrenic career. He's been a singer-songwriter, a new waver, an AOR dinosaur, a country rocker, and an adult-contemporary powerhouse. Throughout, his songwriting has been admirable. The production here is sometimes tricky, a tad bombastic, a bit too mainstream and yearning for success. (Ah, the '80s!) It is also an album divided. Nick Lowe, Paul Carrack, and ex-Rumour guitarist Martin Belmont join the backing band for the Lowe-produced second half and it's here that the ensemble cooks. But it's really about the songs, and there's no denying songs as clever as "She Loves the Jerk," "Death by Misadventure," or "You May Already Be a Winner," which all feature Hiatt's humor hidden under a serious degree of healthy cynicism. --Rob O'Connor

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars One of the best John Hiatt Cd's Ever.......2006-08-13

All but one song on the album is written by John. But no matter becaues his rendition of "Death By Misadventure" is fantastic. Not to metion the other great hits like "Say it With Flowers", "I Dont Even Try", "Riding With The King" and the rest of the album is just great. Not a song to skip on this album.

5 out of 5 stars Hiatt Rocks!.......2005-10-18

This was John Hiatt's peak as a Rock'n'Roller. Turn this one up loud, sit back, hang on. Highlights from this one are, Book Lovers, She Loves The Jerk (My girl's favorite song for some reason), Lover's Will and the classic title track most recently covered by Eric Clapton & B.B. King (Hiatt's version is still superior).

5 out of 5 stars King of America!.......2005-07-02

I love this record. Scott Mathews and Ron Nagle do an excellent job on the first half - Nick Lowe and company kick it up a notch on the second half and somehow it remains cohesive. Hiatt comes up with some great songs and has never been more limber vocally. Essential listening.

Music fanatic.

4 out of 5 stars Two great EPs that sound great togther.......2004-09-05

I remember hearing this album described soon after its release as two great half albums and thinking that was pretty much on the mark. "Riding With The King" was a step away from the extremely slick sound of "All Of A Sudden," but still found Hiatt being interpreted by his producers instead of having his own voice. The most important thing about "Riding With The King" is that Ron Nagle and Scott Matthews (known collectively as The Durocs) and Nick Lowe probably had the best understanding of any of Hiatt's producers to this point.

Of course, Nick Lowe was there when it came time to record Hiatt's masterpiece, "Bring The Family." That makes it an easy leap to think Lowe had an easy time grasping the folksy "Love Like Blood" or the great title song (which became better known after Eric Clapton and BB King recorded it). Lowe also had the benefit of the band format (Paul Carrack, Martin Belmont and himself, along with Hiatt on guitar and Bobby Irwin on drums). The first half of the disc is Nagle on everything but guitars (Hiatt), and sounds a bit stiffer. The Nagle and Matthews half doesn't fare quite as well because of this, but they got the better songs to work with. "She Loves The Jerk" has since made the rounds with everyone from Rodney Crowell to Elvis Costello taking a crack at it. "I Don't Even Try" mixes humor and bitterness with an even handedness that few songwriters can match.

Along with those songs, "Lover's Will" and "Book Lovers" remain songs in search of artists to make them into hits. Of the three albums Hiatt recorded for Geffen, "Riding With The King" is probably the closest to what fans of John would recognize as a John Hiatt album. Consider that the best recommendation possible.

4 out of 5 stars An overlooked gem from an underrated singer-songwriter.......2003-04-18

For twenty-five years, John Hiatt has been held in high esteem by colleagues and critics alike, yet his sales figures have never really matched his talent.

This 1983 album is one of his finest (in spite of the slightly mean editorial review); a pleasant slice of what I suppose is called "heartland rock".
The title song, "Riding With The King", is not a cover, by the way, it is indeed written and composed by John Hiatt himself. And it is one of the strongest selections on the album, which consists mainly of mid-tempo rock songs, not unlike Bruce Springsteen's "Tunnel of Love", although with fewer anthemic shout-along choruses than the average Springsteen-record.

John Hiatt is a relative low-key rocker, but fully capable of turning out memorable, melodic songs such as "She Loves The Jerk" and "You May Already Be A Winner".
There may not be too many obvious hits on this album, but there are no bad songs either. Everything is worth a listen, and how many 80s rock records can you say that about?

"Riding With The King" is a very enjoyable rock record with some fine lyrics and some memorable tunes. Great handiwork from a real professional who hasn't gotten the recognition he deserves.
Riding With the King
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • One of the best John Hiatt Cd's Ever
  • Hiatt Rocks!
  • King of America!
  • Two great EPs that sound great togther
  • An overlooked gem from an underrated singer-songwriter
 Riding With the King
John Hiatt
Manufacturer: Mobile Fidelity
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Singer-SongwritersSinger-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
Singer-SongwritersSinger-Songwriters | Rock | Styles | Music
Roots RockRoots Rock | Rock | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Stolen Moments
  2. Slow Turning
  3. Two Bit Monsters
  4. Perfectly Good Guitar
  5. Bring the Family

ASIN: B000000IW1
Release Date: 1997-07-08

Tracks:

  1. I Don't Even Try
  2. Death By Misadventure
  3. Girl On A String
  4. Lovers Will
  5. She Loves The Jerk
  6. Say it With Flowers
  7. Riding With The King
  8. You May Already Be A Winner
  9. Love Like Blood
  10. The Love That Harms
  11. Book Lovers
  12. Falling Up

Amazon.com

John Hiatt has had a long, schizophrenic career. He's been a singer-songwriter, a new waver, an AOR dinosaur, a country rocker, and an adult-contemporary powerhouse. Throughout, his songwriting has been admirable. The production here is sometimes tricky, a tad bombastic, a bit too mainstream and yearning for success. (Ah, the '80s!) It is also an album divided. Nick Lowe, Paul Carrack, and ex-Rumour guitarist Martin Belmont join the backing band for the Lowe-produced second half and it's here that the ensemble cooks. But it's really about the songs, and there's no denying songs as clever as "She Loves the Jerk," "Death by Misadventure," or "You May Already Be a Winner," which all feature Hiatt's humor hidden under a serious degree of healthy cynicism. --Rob O'Connor

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars One of the best John Hiatt Cd's Ever.......2006-08-13

All but one song on the album is written by John. But no matter becaues his rendition of "Death By Misadventure" is fantastic. Not to metion the other great hits like "Say it With Flowers", "I Dont Even Try", "Riding With The King" and the rest of the album is just great. Not a song to skip on this album.

5 out of 5 stars Hiatt Rocks!.......2005-10-18

This was John Hiatt's peak as a Rock'n'Roller. Turn this one up loud, sit back, hang on. Highlights from this one are, Book Lovers, She Loves The Jerk (My girl's favorite song for some reason), Lover's Will and the classic title track most recently covered by Eric Clapton & B.B. King (Hiatt's version is still superior).

5 out of 5 stars King of America!.......2005-07-02

I love this record. Scott Mathews and Ron Nagle do an excellent job on the first half - Nick Lowe and company kick it up a notch on the second half and somehow it remains cohesive. Hiatt comes up with some great songs and has never been more limber vocally. Essential listening.

Music fanatic.

4 out of 5 stars Two great EPs that sound great togther.......2004-09-05

I remember hearing this album described soon after its release as two great half albums and thinking that was pretty much on the mark. "Riding With The King" was a step away from the extremely slick sound of "All Of A Sudden," but still found Hiatt being interpreted by his producers instead of having his own voice. The most important thing about "Riding With The King" is that Ron Nagle and Scott Matthews (known collectively as The Durocs) and Nick Lowe probably had the best understanding of any of Hiatt's producers to this point.

Of course, Nick Lowe was there when it came time to record Hiatt's masterpiece, "Bring The Family." That makes it an easy leap to think Lowe had an easy time grasping the folksy "Love Like Blood" or the great title song (which became better known after Eric Clapton and BB King recorded it). Lowe also had the benefit of the band format (Paul Carrack, Martin Belmont and himself, along with Hiatt on guitar and Bobby Irwin on drums). The first half of the disc is Nagle on everything but guitars (Hiatt), and sounds a bit stiffer. The Nagle and Matthews half doesn't fare quite as well because of this, but they got the better songs to work with. "She Loves The Jerk" has since made the rounds with everyone from Rodney Crowell to Elvis Costello taking a crack at it. "I Don't Even Try" mixes humor and bitterness with an even handedness that few songwriters can match.

Along with those songs, "Lover's Will" and "Book Lovers" remain songs in search of artists to make them into hits. Of the three albums Hiatt recorded for Geffen, "Riding With The King" is probably the closest to what fans of John would recognize as a John Hiatt album. Consider that the best recommendation possible.

4 out of 5 stars An overlooked gem from an underrated singer-songwriter.......2003-04-18

For twenty-five years, John Hiatt has been held in high esteem by colleagues and critics alike, yet his sales figures have never really matched his talent.

This 1983 album is one of his finest (in spite of the slightly mean editorial review); a pleasant slice of what I suppose is called "heartland rock".
The title song, "Riding With The King", is not a cover, by the way, it is indeed written and composed by John Hiatt himself. And it is one of the strongest selections on the album, which consists mainly of mid-tempo rock songs, not unlike Bruce Springsteen's "Tunnel of Love", although with fewer anthemic shout-along choruses than the average Springsteen-record.

John Hiatt is a relative low-key rocker, but fully capable of turning out memorable, melodic songs such as "She Loves The Jerk" and "You May Already Be A Winner".
There may not be too many obvious hits on this album, but there are no bad songs either. Everything is worth a listen, and how many 80s rock records can you say that about?

"Riding With The King" is a very enjoyable rock record with some fine lyrics and some memorable tunes. Great handiwork from a real professional who hasn't gotten the recognition he deserves.
Riding With the King
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		Riding With the King
    E/King, B.B. Clapton
    Manufacturer: Phantom Sound & Vision
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    GeneralGeneral | Blues | Styles | Music
    ASIN: B000BRHPM8
    Release Date: 2000-11-20
    Bare Bone
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      		Bare Bone
      The Reels
      Manufacturer: Pacificsol
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      Contemporary BluesContemporary Blues | Blues | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Blues | Styles | Music
      Southern RockSouthern Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
      ASIN: B000CADTD8
      Release Date: 2003-10-07

      Tracks:

      1. Jet Black Ruby Red
      2. Who's Been Talkin'
      3. Me & My Baby
      4. Movin' Up To Malibu
      5. Baby Don't Worry
      6. Soul Blue
      7. I Want You (A Common Trilogy)
      8. Everybody's Got The Blues
      9. Early In The Evenin'
      10. Walkin' Blues
      11. Hold On
      12. Baby, Baby (Just Don't Want To Leave)
      Riding With the King
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        		Riding With the King

        Manufacturer: Phantom Sound & Visi
        ProductGroup: Music
        Binding: Audio CD

        Chicago BluesChicago Blues | Blues | Styles | Music
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        Electric Blues GuitarElectric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music
        GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
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        ASIN: B00004W4PD
        Release Date: 2000-11-20

        Tracks:

        1. Riding With The King
        2. Key To The Highway
        3. Let Me Lvoe You

        Album Description

        Japanese exclusive single from the two blues/rock guitar legends, three tracks including the title track, 'Key To TheHighway' and one non-LP track 'Let Me Love You'. Taken from the 2000 album, 'Riding With The King'. Slimline jewel case.
        Riding With the King
        Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
        • No King or Clapton Fan Should Miss This one
        		 Riding With the King
        Eric Clapton , and B.B. King
        Manufacturer: Wea
        ProductGroup: Music
        Binding: Audio CD

        GeneralGeneral | Rock | Styles | Music
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        RockRock | Imports | Stores | Music
        PopPop | Imports | Stores | Music
        ASIN: B00004Y2CV
        Release Date: 2000-08-09

        Customer Reviews:

        5 out of 5 stars No King or Clapton Fan Should Miss This one.......2000-11-19

        Absolutely essential BB King and Eric Clapton, this fusion piece is a must-have for every serious guitarist or guitar lover. From the screaming vocals to the screaming instruments, it is an electric and moving musical experience. Five stars.
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        Average customer rating: Not rated
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          Manufacturer: Metier
          ProductGroup: Music
          Binding: Audio CD

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          ASIN: B0000521ZZ
          Release Date: 2000-11-21

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