I was delightedly surprised when I discovered that a Linda Waterfall album was part of the Record Store Day 2025 UK line-up. Delighted, because she was truly brilliant. Surprised because I don’t think there was ever an attempt on her behalf to seek an overseas following. Even in her country (the USA), she mainly seemed to be of regional (Seattle) rather than national renown. And that was certainly no reflection of her talents – she was an exceptionally gifted singer (with a particularly impressive upper range that never sounded effortful), guitarist, pianist and composer, who could combine folk, jazz, pop, classical, world music and aspects of rock, often within the same album. I don’t know if she ever sought a major label contract; all her albums came out on indie labels, starting with Windham Hill (later a major when it got snapped up by BMG; not sure who owns it today), and what I’ve read about her here and there suggests that this suited her and that she wasn’t motivated by fame, ego or material acquisitiveness. The first time I heard The Bird Song (from Mary’s Garden), it moved me to tears.
My Heart Sings was her second solo album, from 1979. It was more strikingly experimental than her first (though the first is an undiscovered classic). I do hope it did well at RSD and that we might see more of her catalogue coming back. I popped online and found that much of her work has joined streaming since 2019 (also the year of her sadly premature death). But this is when I got a nasty surprise. I don’t doubt for a second that her catalogue is in good hands and being looked after by people who care. But when I decided to listen to the streaming version of My Heart Sings I got a shock. It was slower and a semitone lower than it should be. The worst consequence of this is how unflattering it is to her lovely voice (oddly, the same people have put one of the tracks from the album – Clarity – onto streaming as a single: this version plays at the correct speed and tone). I kept going and discovered that the problem affects the debut through to the fourth album. It really takes the magic out of the songs, many of which should barrel along at a decent clip (though it spoils the slow songs, too, of course).
If you’re planning on getting into Linda’s work, take the following into account:-
Linda Waterfall – Mary’s Garden
Sample track – Country Bar
Original key: D-major/Streaming Key: C#-major
Linda Waterfall – My Heart Sings
Sample track: Cachetitos de Sandias
Original key: D-major/Streaming key: C#-major
NB – Oddly, the individual track, Clarity, when listened to in its “single” form on streaming, is in the correct key
Linda Waterfall – Bananaland
Sample track: Bananaland
Original key: G-major/Stremaing key: G-flat major
Linda Waterfall – Everything Looks Different
Sample track: Everything Looks Different
Original key: E-flat major/Streaming key: D-major
Beyond those four albums, it’s all good, which is particularly welcome news because Linda’s fifth album, the unforgettable, stop-you-in-your-tracks Body English, was one of her very best. So whether you listen to it on streaming, vinyl or CD, you’ll be hearing it as it was meant to be.
Linda Waterfall – Body English
Sample track: Run It Like A Business
Original key: G-flat major/ Streaming key: G-flat major
