Introduction
When people think of Linda Ronstadt, they often picture the velvet-voiced balladeer, the woman who could stop time with a tender lyric and a single breath. But in 1980, she did something so unexpected, so jarring, that it left both critics and fans stunned. With the release of “How Do I Make You,” Linda didn’t just sing—she detonated.
This was not the gentle Ronstadt of Blue Bayou or Long Long Time. No, this was Linda with the volume turned all the way up, guitar riffs slicing through the speakers, and her voice transformed into a raw, unrelenting force. It was punk-infused, it was edgy, it was dangerous. And it terrified the industry that had comfortably placed her in the box of “soft country-pop queen.”
The shock was real. Audiences who expected another easy-listening ballad were suddenly hit with a sound that belonged more to The Ramones than to the California folk scene. Dressed in leather, thrashing under the stage lights, Linda Ronstadt proved she wasn’t here to be predictable—she was here to dominate.
“How Do I Make You” wasn’t just a single; it was a declaration of war on complacency. It challenged radio programmers, unsettled critics, and forced fans to confront a side of Linda they never imagined existed. Some loved it. Some hated it. But no one could ignore it.
This moment cemented Ronstadt as something greater than a genre-bound singer—she became a fearless chameleon, a woman willing to risk it all to stay authentic, to stay alive in an industry that thrives on repetition.
The question wasn’t How do I make you love me?
The real question Linda asked the world in 1980 was: How do I make you understand that I cannot, and will not, be tamed?
Video
Lyrics
You’re a doll
Your eyes see all
And how do I make you
How do I make you
How do I make you
want to see me?
You’re so young
But your feelings are deep
And how do I make you
How do I make you
How do I make you feel for me
You put your head on my pillow
And you’re fast asleep
And how do I make you
How do I make you
How do I make you
Dream about me?
Ooh, ooh, baby
The world’s a wall of ice
You’re gonna need someone
To treat you warm
And keep you nice
I like the way you dance
The way you spin
And how do I make you
How do I make you
How do I make you
Spin for me?
You put your head on my pillow
And you’re fast asleep
And how do I make you
How do I make you
How do I make you
Dream about me?
Dream about me?
