About the song
Few voices in American popular music history have blended emotional clarity and technical brilliance quite like **Linda Ronstadt**. Emerging from the vibrant Southern California scene in the late 1960s and early ’70s, Ronstadt became known for her uncanny ability to inhabit songs so deeply that listeners felt she was singing directly to them. One of the most enduring examples of her extraordinary interpretive power is her rendition of **”When Will I Be Loved”**, a track that not only showcases her vocal dynamism but also reflects the broader cultural landscape of its era.
Originally written and recorded by the Everly Brothers in 1960, **”When Will I Be Loved”** found new life in Ronstadt’s hands when she included it on her landmark 1974 album *Heart Like a Wheel*. Her version propelled the song to the top of the charts, reaching No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, and ultimately helped to cement her status as the “Queen of Rock” while also bridging country, rock, and pop sensibilities in a way that felt both effortless and authentic.
What makes **Linda Ronstadt’s “When Will I Be Loved”** so remarkable is her straightforward but emotionally potent delivery. She strips the song of any pretense, letting the heartbreak and frustration of the lyrics come through with crystal-clear honesty. The arrangement, anchored by crisp acoustic guitars and tight vocal harmonies, provides a buoyant yet bittersweet backdrop that perfectly complements Ronstadt’s voice—bright and powerful but tinged with just enough vulnerability to make every word resonate.
In many ways, this song represents a perfect snapshot of **Linda Ronstadt** at her artistic peak: confident, versatile, and deeply connected to the emotional core of her material. Listening to **”When Will I Be Loved”** even today, one can’t help but admire how she transforms a relatively simple lament into something universal and timeless. It’s a testament to her enduring gift—the ability to take a familiar melody and make it feel personal, urgent, and entirely her own.
Would you also like me to suggest a few more songs from that era that pair beautifully with this track?
Video
Lyrics
I’ve been cheated
Been mistreated
When will I be loved?
I’ve been put down
I’ve been pushed ’round
When will I be loved?
When I find a new man
That I want for mine
He always breaks my heart in two
It happens every time
I’ve been made blue
I’ve been lied to
When will I be loved?
When I find a new man
That I want for mine
He always breaks my heart in two
It happens every time
Oh, I’ve been cheated
Been mistreated
When will I be loved?
When will I be loved?
Tell me, when will I be loved?
