Raitt began playing guitar at an early age, something not a lot of her high school girlfriends did. "I had played a little at school and at camp," she later recalled in a July 2002 interview. "My parents would drag me out to perform for my family, like all parents do, but it was a hobby—nothing more...I think people must wonder how a white girl like me became a blues guitarist. The truth is, I never intended to do this for a living. I grew up...in a Quaker family, and for me being Quaker was a political calling rather than a religious one."
In 1967 Raitt continued her pursuit in that path when she entered Harvard's Radcliffe College as a freshman, majoring in African Studies. "My plan was to travel to Tanzania, where President Julius Nyerere was creating a government based on democracy and socialism," Raitt recalled. "I wanted to help undo the damage that Western colonialism had done to native cultures around the world. Cambridge was a hotbed of this kind of thinking, and I was thrilled."
One day, Raitt was notified by a friend that blues promoter Dick Waterman was giving an interview at WHRB, Harvard's college radio station. An important figure in the blues revival of the 1960s, Waterman was also a resident of Cambridge. Raitt went to see Waterman, and the two soon became friends, "much to the chagrin of my parents, who didn't expect their freshman daughter to be running around with 65-year-old bluesmen," recalled Raitt. "I was amazed by his passion for the music and the integrity with which he managed the musicians."
During Raitt's sophomore year, Waterman relocated to Philadelphia, and a number of local musicians he counted among his friends went with him. Raitt had become a strong part of that community, recalling that "these people had become my friends, my mentors, and though I had every intention of graduating, I decided to take the semester off and move to Philadelphia...It was an opportunity that young white girls just don't get, and as it turns out, an opportunity that changed everything."
Raitt eventually went back to school, but her time performing in Philadelphia had encouraged her to pursue music as a career. When Waterman contacted her and invited her to tour with The Rolling Stones, she made a second trip to the admissions office at Radcliffe and told them, "I'm going to take a leave of absence, but this is only going to last a year." As Raitt would later recall, "Imagine being 20 in 1970—wouldn't you have gone on tour with the Rolling Stones?"
By now, Raitt was also playing both folk as well as rhythm and blues clubs in the Boston area, performing alongside established blues legends like Howlin' Wolf, Sippie Wallace, and Mississippi Fred McDowell, all of whom she met through Waterman. In the fall of 1970, while opening for Fred McDowell at the Gaslight Cafe in New York, a reporter from Newsweek Magazine saw her and began to spread word of her performance. Scouts from major record companies were soon attending her shows to watch her play. She eventually accepted an offer with Warner Bros. who soon released her eponymously titled debut in 1971. The album was warmly received by the music press, many of which praised her skills as an interpreter and as a bottleneck guitarist; at the time, very few women in popular music had strong reputations as guitarists.
While admired by those who saw her perform, and respected by her peers, Raitt gained little public acclaim for her work. Her critical stature continued to grow but record sales remained modest. Her second album, Give It Up, was released in 1972 to universal acclaim, and though many critics still regard it as her best work, it did not change her commercial fortunes. 1973's Takin' My Time was also met with critical acclaim, but these notices were not matched by the sales.
Raitt was beginning to receive greater press coverage, including a 1975 cover story for Rolling Stone Magazine, but with 1974's Streetlights, reviews for her work were becoming increasingly mixed. By now, Raitt was already experimenting with different producers and different styles, and she began to adopt a more mainstream sound that continued through 1975's Home Plate.
In 1976, Raitt made a notable appearance on Warren Zevon's self-titled album with Warren Zevon's friend Jackson Browne and Fleetwood Mac's Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks.
1977's Sweet Forgiveness gave Raitt her first commercial breakthrough when it yielded a hit single in her cover of Del Shannon's "Runaway." Recast as a heavy r&b recording based on a rhythmic groove inspired by Al Green, Raitt's version of "Runaway" was disparaged by many critics, but its commercial success prompted a bidding war between Warner Bros. and Columbia Records. "There was this big Columbia – Warner war going on at the time," recalled Raitt in a 1990 interview. "James Taylor had just left Warner Bros. and made a big album for Columbia...And then, Warners signed Paul Simon away from Columbia, and they didn't want me to have a hit record for Columbia — no matter what! So, I renegotiated my contract, and they basically matched Columbia's offer. Frankly the deal was a really big deal."
Warner Bros. held higher expectations for Raitt's next album, 1979's The Glow, but it was released to poor reviews as well as modest sales. Raitt would have one commercial success in 1979 when she helped organize the five MUSE (Musicians United for Safe Energy) concerts at Madison Square Garden. The shows spawned a three-record gold album as well as a Warner Bros. feature film, No Nukes. The shows featured co-founders Jackson Browne, Graham Nash, John Hall, and Raitt as well as Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, The Doobie Brothers, James Taylor, Gil Scott-Heron, and numerous others.
For her next record, 1982's Green Light, Raitt made a conscious attempt to revisit the sound of her earlier records, but to her surprise, many of her peers and members of the press would compare her new sound to the burgeoning New Wave movement. The album received her strongest reviews in years, but her sales did not improve and this would have a severe impact on her relationship with Warner Bros.
In 1983, as Raitt was finishing work on her follow-up album, titled Tongue & Groove, Warner Bros. cleaned house, dropping a number of major artists from their roster. Van Morrison and Arlo Guthrie were two of the most high-profile cases, and the day after mastering was completed on Tongue & Groove, Raitt was notified that she was to be dropped too. The album was shelved indefinitely, and Raitt was left without a label. By now, Raitt was also struggling with alcohol and drug abuse.
Despite her personal and professional problems, Raitt continued to tour and participate in political activism. In 1985, she sang and appeared in the video of "Sun City," the anti-apartheid record written a produced by Steven Van Zandt. Along with her participation in Farm Aid and Amnesty International concerts, Raitt would later travel to Moscow in 1987 as part of the first joint Soviet/American Peace Concert later shown on Showtime television. Also in 1987, Raitt would organize a benefit in Los Angeles, for Countdown '87 to Stop Contra Aid, featuring herself, Don Henley, Herbie Hancock, Holly Near and others.
Two years after dropping her from their label, Warner Bros. notified Raitt of their plans to release Tongue & Groove. "I said it wasn't really fair," recalled Raitt. "I think at this point they felt kind of bad. I mean, I was out there touring on my savings to keep my name up, and my ablility to draw was less and less. So they agreed to let me go in and recut half of it, and that's when it came out as Nine Lives." A critical and commercial disappointment, 1986's Nine Lives would be Raitt's last new recording for Warner Bros.
In late 1987 she joined k.d. lang and Jennifer Warnes as female background vocals for Roy Orbison's television special, Roy Orbison and Friends, A Black and White Night. By now, Raitt was clean and sober, having broken her substance abuse — for which she would credit Stevie Ray Vaughan in a Minnesota State Fair concert[1] the night after Vaughan's 1990 death. Following this highly acclaimed broadcast, she began working on new material. During this time, Raitt considered signing with Prince's own label, Paisley Park, but negotiations would ultimately fall through. Instead she began recording a bluesy mix of pop and rock under the production guidance of Don Was at Capitol Records.
Raitt had met Was through Hal Wilner, who was putting together Stay Awake, a tribute album to Disney music for A&M. Was and Wilner both wanted Raitt to sing lead on an adult-contemporary arrangement created by Was for "Baby Mine," the lullaby from Dumbo. Raitt was very pleased with the sessions, and she asked Don to produce her next album.
After more than twenty years of singing and recording popular music, Bonnie Raitt achieved immense success with her 10th album. Released in 1989, Nick of Time went to the top of the U.S. charts and won three Grammy Awards. At the same time, she walked away with a fourth Grammy Award for her duet "In the Mood" with John Lee Hooker on his album "The Healer".
She followed up this success with three more Grammy Awards for her 1991 album, Luck of the Draw, then, in 1994 she added two more Grammy's with her album Longing in Their Hearts. Both of these albums were multiplatinum successes. Raitt's collaboration with Was would amicably come to an end with 1995's live release, Road Tested. Released to solid reviews, it sold well enough to be certified gold.
For her next studio album, Raitt hired Mitchell Froom and Tchad Blake as her producers. "I loved working with Don Was but I wanted to give myself and my fans a stretch and do something different," Raitt said. Her work with Froom and Blake was released on Fundamental in 1998.
In March of 2000, Raitt was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Silver Lining was released in 2002 while Souls Alike was released in September of 2005.
The Comin' Round Is Going Through
Bonnie Raitt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You rant and rave, you left it all out
The thing about it is, little that you say is true
Why bother checkin', the facts'll be damned
It's how you spin it, it's part of the plan
I'm here to tell you that your sicken loan is coming due
Before they wake up and see they've been played
Too many people with their livin' at stake
Ain't gonna take it
The comin' round is going through
The comin' round is going through
You say it's workin', it's tricklin' down
Yeah, there's a trick, 'cause the jobs ain't around
From where you're sittin' tell me how you think you possibly know?
The way it feels to get turned away
Never enough, it's day after day
Yank that by your bootstraps
'Cause that's the way it really goes
Only so long you can keep this charade
Before they wake up and see they've been played
Too many people with their livin' at stake
Ain't gonna take it
The comin' round is going through
The comin' round is going through
'Cause when the money's makin' money, it comes down to a few
Got their hands on the throttle and nobody gets through
You can work all your life for a hand that will play
With one role of the dice, it gets swept away
Just look around, things are startin' to slip
You're outta control, and you're losin' your grip
No way to stop it, that river's spillin' over for good
We don't have the answer, we know what it's not
'Cause the people will keep pushin' 'til they get a shot
Your money's no good there, we wouldn't cash you a check if we could
The song "The Comin' Round Is Going Through" by Bonnie Raitt is a politically charged song that addresses issues of government corruption, money in politics, and the struggles of everyday people. The lyrics describe a person who is all talk and no substance, someone who spouts off their opinions without bothering to fact-check. The singer acknowledges that this person's tactics of spinning the truth are part of a larger plan, but warns them that eventually, the truth will come to light, and those who have been hurt will demand justice.
The first verse of the song sets up the theme of deceit and misinformation, criticizing those who talk the talk but don't walk the walk. The second verse specifically addresses trickle-down economics, a controversial economic theory that suggests that government policies benefiting the wealthy will eventually trickle down to benefit those at the bottom. The singer argues that this theory is flawed and that the jobs simply aren't there, leaving many people struggling to make ends meet.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the idea that change is on the horizon, that people are tired of being misled and that they will demand accountability. The repeated phrase "the comin' round is going through" suggests that there is a turning point on the horizon, one that will eventually shift power back to the people.
Overall, the song is a powerful statement about the current state of politics and the need for change. It speaks to the frustration that many people feel with corrupt government leaders and a system that seems to favor the wealthy at the expense of everyone else.
Line by Line Meaning
You got a way of running your mouth
You tends to talk a lot and dominate with your words.
You rant and rave, you left it all out
You express yourself loudly, carelessly, and passionately.
The thing about it is, little that you say is true
Your words are often untrue.
Why bother checkin', the facts'll be damned
You don't even check your facts, ignoring evidence and truth.
It's how you spin it, it's part of the plan
You manipulate and present information in a way that benefits you.
I'm here to tell you that your sicken loan is coming due
Your dishonesty and tricks will catch up with you; you will bear the consequences of your actions.
Only so long you can keep this charade
You cannot continue this deceptive behavior forever.
Before they wake up and see they've been played
People will realize that they've been deceived by you.
Too many people with their livin' at stake
There are too many individuals relying on this situation financially.
Ain't gonna take it
People will not accept your behavior any longer.
The comin' round is going through
Consequences are inevitable.
You say it's workin', it's tricklin' down
You claim that the situation has improved, but it's only affecting a few at the top.
Yeah, there's a trick, 'cause the jobs ain't around
Your strategy is flawed; there aren't any employment opportunities.
From where you're sittin' tell me how you think you possibly know?
You're not in a position to truly understand the situation.
The way it feels to get turned away
You have no idea how it feels to be rejected or to struggle financially.
Never enough, it's day after day
People continue to struggle every day.
Yank that by your bootstraps
People are expected to improve their situation through their own efforts.
'Cause that's the way it really goes
That's just the hard truth.
'Cause when the money's makin' money, it comes down to a few
The wealthy few have a grip on the economy, and they benefit most from it.
Got their hands on the throttle and nobody gets through
The rich control everything and prevent others from succeeding.
You can work all your life for a hand that will play
People can work hard all their life, only for everything to be taken away by one sudden event.
With one role of the dice, it gets swept away
With one sudden occurrence, everything can be lost.
Just look around, things are startin' to slip
The situation is deteriorating and becoming more severe.
You're outta control, and you're losin' your grip
Things are spiraling out of control, and no one has a handle on the situation.
No way to stop it, that river's spillin' over for good
The problems have reached a critical mass, and there is no going back.
We don't have the answer, we know what it's not
We don't know how to solve the problem, but we know what's not working.
'Cause the people will keep pushin' 'til they get a shot
People will continue to fight for what they believe is right.
Your money's no good there, we wouldn't cash you a check if we could
Your money and influence won't help you in this situation, and we won't take it anyway.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: GEORGE MARINELLI, BONNIE RAITT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind