When Will I Be Loved

Background

"When Will I Be Loved" is the closing track of The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again, the ninth solo album of John Fogerty with new material. The collection is a follow-up to Fogerty's first solo album The Blue Ridge Rangers which consisted of covers of old country and gospel tunes and came out in 1973.

Recording of The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again started in October 2008. The album was arranged and produced by John Fogerty. It was released in August 2009. The album peaked at #24 in the USA, #1 in Norway and #3 in Sweden. .

John heard the Everly Brothers doing "When Will I Be Loved" for the first time when he was riding in a car with his brother Tom. The song came from the car radio and Fogerty felt "it was so freaking good".  (Ken Dassow, Interview with John Fogerty, PRX, August 27th, 2009).    

Fogerty's version features Bruce Springsteen backing vocals on the chorus and singing lead on one verse. Julie Fogerty discussed the idea of dueting with Springsteen who immediately agreed. 

Fogerty and Springsteen have long been admirers of each other's work but never recorded together before "When Will I Be Loved". However they have shared the stage on many occasions: in 1993 Rock And Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremnoy, in 2004 during the Vote For Change Tour, in 2012 during the Hard Rock Calling Festival and 2014 during the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (Springsteen lyrics).

The track was cut in October 2008 at Berkeley Street Studios in Santa Monica, California, and the Fogertys travelled to Springsteen's New Jersey where the vocals were completed. The hardest part was it was in a very high range for Bruce's voice, but he got it done (Evan Schlansky, The American Songwriter, June 8th, 2009). 

Personnel

Vocals: John Fogerty, Bruce Springsteen

Guitar: John Fogerty

Electric rhythm guitar: Hunter Perrin

Steel guitar: Greg Leisz

Drums: Kenny Aronoff

Bass: Chris Chaney

Fiddle: Jason Mowery

Backing vocals: Jason Mowery, Jodie Kennedy, Oren Waters 

"When Will I Be Loved" was the first officially released collaboration between John Fogerty and Bruce Springsteen. 

Oren Waters had previously appeared on John Fogerty releases Premonition, Revival and Comin' Down the Road.

The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again was the second John Fogerty release featuring Jodie Kennedy on backing vocals. She debuted on the Comin' Down the Road live DVD. 

Trivia

"When Will I Be Loved" was released as a file on the official website of John Fogerty on August 4th, 2009, and as a single a week later.

Footage from the recording sessions with Bruce Springsteen in New Jersey can be seen in the bonus DVD that comes with the deluxe edition of the album (Springsteen lyrics). 

"When Will I Be Loved" is the second Everly Brothers song John Fogerty has performed live. He already delivered "Bye Bye Love" at the Animal Rescue Fund charity concert in Walnut Creek, California, on January 10th, 1992. 

Video

The music video of "When Will I Be Loved" feature John Fogerty and the band performing at a saloon of the old west. Bruce Springsteen appears on the "Wanted" poster on the wall. Julie Fogerty portraits a saloon girl. The David Gelb directed video was shot at Melody Ranch Studio in Santa Clarita, California, in mid-August 2009 and premiered on AOL in the USA on October 16th, 2009 (Robert Aerts). 

Collector's notes

Besides a commercial single record, "When Will I Be Loved" was also released as a 1-track promotional single (Springsteen lyrics). 

Live versions

The world premiere of the live version of "When Will I Be Loved" was witnessed in the free open air concert at Pier 17, South Street Seaport, New York, on September 2nd, 2009. Fogerty also performed the number regularly on the subsequent tour in the USA in fall 2009 and in Europe in 2010. Last time the audience got an opportunity to hear the version live was at Pori Jazz Festival in Finland on July 23rd, 2010. 

One day after the South Street Seaport show, Fogerty and the band delivered the song live on US TV on The Late Show with David Letterman.  

Fogerty also performed "When Will I Be Loved" in PBS Live By Request at Shrine Exposition Hall in Los Angeles. The concert was aired live in the USA on November 7th, 2009. 

Furthermore, Fogerty and the band played the song live on the Artist Confidential  series by Sirius XM satellite radio. It was taped at XM Performance Theatre in New York on September 4th, 2009, and broadcast in the USA on October 19th, 2009. 

Critical reception

"If “When Will I Be Loved” is any indication, Fogerty’s 36-year followup proves the legendary songwriter still has a few spices left in the ol’ crockpot. He’s just not the only guru in the proverbial kitchen. While the new song chugs, twangs, and cuts loose with the power of any country standard, the real treat is hearing the Boss power through his verse like a drunken — and especially — troubled Merle Haggard." -Chris Coplan, The Consequence of Sound, August 7th, 2009.

"He's joined by The Boss. You know, Jesus of New Jersey, Bruce Springsteen Himself. Yeah, Him. And in 1985, that might have meant something to music consumers. Today, it really just means something to aging rock critics who are male or male-identified." -The Common Ills, August 23rd, 2009. 

"Bruce Springsteen's rumpled harmony vocals put a roadhouse twist on the Everly Brothers' plaintive 'When Will I Be Loved.'" -Greg Kot, The Chicago Tribune, September 1st, 2009.

"Here, the duo manage to combine the longing of the original with Fogerty’s rough-around-the-edges style that is damn near perfect. It would be hard to miss with this combination of American rock legends, but they somehow manage to beat expectations, even with a somewhat awkward vocal ad-lib in the middle." .-The Sounds Country, September 15th, 2009. 

"This song --- is so masterfully written and artfully arranged that it’s near impossible to screw up. Add hearty amounts of fiddle and pedal steel, as Fogerty does here, and you’ve got a winner on your hands. Joining Fogerty is fellow iconic-voiced rocker Bruce Springsteen. These two guys lack the pure voices and brotherly harmonies of the Everlys, but their comparative roughness really drives the lyrics home: Fogerty and Springsteen sound as though they’ve spent a lifetime being cheated and mistreated, making the question “when will I be loved” sound just a little more urgent than when it’s sung by pretty young’uns with unsullied voices like Phil, Don, or Linda." -Juli Thanki, Engine 145, September 21st, 2009.

Fans' views

"I finally was able to hear it!  How fabuous can it be?  I have goose-pimples!  It can be totally fabulous!  And it is!  I can NOT wait for the entire album!   I think John has discovered a totally new nitch for himself in country music!  Now, if only everyone else will feel that way, this may be the beginning of literally, a new chapter in his career!"

"I found the "When will I be loved" single very underwhelming. I've listened to it at least 20 times and just don't think it's good at all. His cover of "Endless Sleep" on BMS is way better, as it "My Toot Toot" from the 80s. I hope the whole album is better than the single. --- I DO like the new album cover though. I may be the only one. I wish the colors were blended a little bit more though."

"Maybe retro country is not my thing, but "When Will I Be Loved" sounded like a poor karaoke song to me. --- If the rest of the album is like this I won't buy it."

"As far as the new single --- I think it's good but I think that it would have been better if John would have duet ed with Keith Urban, their collaboration on Crossroads a few years back was great and with keith a mega country star John would have been a shoe in to get on the radio I believe. Not that John is not a mega star on his own but let's face it he is known as a rock star and country radio is a bit funny about those who aren't their own,"

"It may have sounded better if John used the Waters as a layered backup or double or triple tracked his voice on it. They're are some good harmony's at times with Bruce and it sounds like a female towards the end of the song but the whole thing sounds lazy and not thought through...sort of like John in a Bizzaro world." 

"Get rid of Springsteen and this one is perfect. Tailor made for John's vocals and Bruce just gets in the way. I can't wait to hear this one live without "The Boss"." 

previous | next