Bonnie Raitt has released a third track – “Livin’ For the Ones” – from her new album Just Like That… which is set for release this Friday, April 22.
Accompanied by a touching lyric video, the song was co-written with Raitt’s long-time guitarist George Marinelli and is dedicated to those loved ones who have recently passed away.
“I wanted to say something on this record about what we’ve all been through the last couple of years,” explains Raitt. “Putting powerful emotions into songs like this is the best remedy I know.”
It felt healing to have something to focus on
Bonnie Raitt
In the wake of the political and social upheaval of the early '20s thus far, Raitt says her new album gave her a purpose.
“I knew that we eventually were going to either get back on the road or I was going to get in the studio,” she told Zane Lowe in a recent Apple Music interview. “It felt healing to have something to focus on.”
Speaking of her new album Raitt goes on to say, “It’s so driven by what I haven’t already said – some fresh musical way that I can put something on a record.
“I know I’ve done those kind of Stones-y rockers before, but I can add some lyrics that you wouldn’t normally hear.”
Raitt’s love for songwriting and astute lyrical expression goes back a long way.
Born into a musical family she would often watch stage productions such as Carousel, Oklahoma! and The Pajama Game, marvelling at how the performers embodied their characters.
“Between that and the heritage of Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald, I was exposed to a tremendous amount of storytelling in music when I was growing up,” said Raitt.
“I appreciated really good writing and really good lyrics, because of the Rodgers and Hammerstein shows that I watched growing up and the Frank Sinatra records that I listened to. What a songbook! What a history lesson in how to write a song!”
Pre-order/pre-save Just Like That... here.
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