Music / Give It Up

Bonnie Raitt's sophomore album, 'Give It Up begins in the folk-blues style of her debut before opening up into New Orleans-styled r&b, twenties-style jazz-blues, singer-songwriter soft-rock. A frequently-cited influence on the loosely-defined Americana genre, Give It Up is a contender for the guitarist's masterpiece despite disappointing commercial returns, uncured even after her 1990's breakout.

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Tracklist:

Side One

1. "Give It Up Or Let Me Go" (4:28)
2. "Nothing Seems To Matter" (4:03)
3. "I Know" (3:51)
4. "If You Gotta Make A Fool Out Of Somebody" (2:54)
5. "Love Me Like A Man" (3:23)

Side Two

1. "Stayed Too Long At The Fair" (2:54)
2. "Under The Falling Sky" (3:38)
3. "You Got To Know How" (3:38)
4. "You Told Me Baby" (3:43)
5. "Love Has No Pride" (3:46)

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Tropes have no pride, when I call out their names...

• As the Good Book Says...: "Too Long At The Fair"
  Jesus cried, wept and died
  I guess he went up to heaven
  (...) Well, you can give my soul to Abraham
  Give my soul to Saul
• Break-Up Song:
  • "Give It Up Or Let Me Go"
  Well, you come home drunk and nasty, you won't tell me where you've been.
  Just when things are nice and sweet, you go back out again.
  Why do you wanna mess up a good thing?
  I'm gonna find me another man, one who wants to give me everything.
  • "I Know"
  I've loved so hard, everything I did was no joy
  If I can't love you right, baby, I don't have to love you at all
• The Cover Changes the Gender: Chris Smither's "Love You Like A Man" becomes "Love Me Like A Man", slightly changing the narration from a boast to a come-on as well.
• Cover Version: Raitt wrote three songs ("Give It Up Or Let Me Go", "Nothing Seems To Matter" and "You Told Me Baby") and a fourth was written for the album by Joel Zoss, leaving six covers out of ten songs.
• Face on the Cover: Maybe someone thought the purple border brought out her eyes?
• Intercourse with You
  • "Love Me Like A Man"
  They all want me to rock them
  Like my back ain't got no bone
  I want a man to rock me
  Like my back bone was his own
  Darlin', I know you can
  Believe me when I tell you
  You can love me like a man
  • "You Got To Know How"
  Technique ain't tough, if you care enough
  You can learn to know how
  I might drop a hint how to strike my flint
  If you yearn to know how
• I Will Wait for You: "If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody"
  Daytime, night time
  Any time at all
  I'll be there waiting
  Any time you call
  Just to be near you
• Love Hurts: "Love Has No Pride"
  But this love hurts me so, I don't care what you say
• The Power of Love: "You Told Me Baby"
  I know she hurt you,
  But you know I've been hurt too.
  You just come to me, we'll see
  What a love can do.
• Record Producer: Michael Cuscuna.
• Song Style Shift: "Give It Up Or Let Me Go" breaks out of folk-blues about halfway through when the horn section cuts in.
• Special Guest: Paul Butterfield plays harmonica on this album.
• There's No Place Like Home: "Too Long At The Fair"
  I've been downtown such a long, long time
  I'll never make it home by seven
  Won't you come & take me home?
  I've been too long at the fair
  And, lord, I just can't stand it anymore
• Title Track: "Give It Up"
  Oh honey, if you want me to love you
  You've to give it up or let me go
• 12-Bar Blues: "Love Me Like A Man"