Loretta Lynn and Jack White – Portland Oregon

I was listening to Led Zeppelin earlier and now I have switched gears. After Loretta Lynn passed away  I spent the night listening to her Van Lear Rose album and finding again how great that album is. I would recommend taking a listen to this song. It works for country, rock, and pop. I love the opening line… Well, Portland, Oregon and sloe gin fizz, If that ain’t love then tell me what is, uh huh, uh huh. 

She did a lot for women in the business and paved the way for later stars. Songs like The Pill and X Rated were largely ignored by country radio at the time but that didn’t stop them from hitting #1. She was one of the best songwriters in country history.

The White Stripes dedicated their 2001 album, ”White Blood Cells,” to her and she found out about them. Jack was still with the White Stripes at the time, but he approached her backstage and the two had a conversation that led to him following Lynn home to Tennessee and making an album with her.

They recorded and released this album in 2004. She wrote this song years before about a romance that wasn’t…she pretended to have a romance with her guitar player at the time to make her cheating husband jealous.

This one is a duet between Jack and her and it’s great. As I said yesterday…if modern country was like this…I would listen. Their voices go really well with each other.  Country radio would not play it but the album still peaked at #2 on the Country Charts and #24 on the Billboard 200 in 2004. They didn’t win any country music awards but came away with two Grammys.

jack White must have liked Nashville because, in 2009, White opened the doors to his very own Nashville-based record label, Third Man Records.

Jack White: “I said when I was first asked about her what I thought and I said years ago that I thought she was the greatest female singer-songwriter of the 20th century. I still believe that, she was such an incredible presence and such a brilliant genius in ways that I think only people who got to work with her might know about. What she did for feminism, women’s rights in a time period, in a genre of music that was the hardest to do it in, that’s just outstanding and will live on for a long time.”

The top video is Lynn and White receiving a Grammy… I would recommend watching the Letterman show version of the song at the bottom. The youtube police took the good quality one away but I found another.  I like how White and the band make a LONG build-up…and the anticipation mounts before Lynn comes on. Jack White has that country band really rocking. Their voices sound so good in this song.

The video below is Lynn and White winning a Grammy…its really funny.

Portland Oregan

Well, Portland, Oregon and sloe gin fizzIf that ain’t love then tell me what is, uh huh, uh huhWell I lost my heart, it didn’t take no timeBut that ain’t all, I lost my mind in Oregon

In a booth in the corner with the lights down lowI was movin’ in fast, she was takin’ it slow, uh huh, uh huhWell, I looked at her and caught him lookin’ at meI knew right then we were playin’ free in Oregon

Next day, we knew last night got drunkBut we loved enough for the both of us, uh huh, uh huhIn the morning when the night had sobered upIt was much too late for the both of us in Oregon

Well, sloe gin fizz works mighty fastWhen you drink it by the pitcher and not by the glass, uh huh, uh huhHey bartender, before you closePour us one more drink and a pitcher to go

And a pitcher to go(And a pitcher to go)And a pitcher to go(And a pitcher to go)

And a pitcher to go(And a pitcher to go)Yeah

And a pitcher to goAnd a pitcher to go

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Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball fan, old movie and tv show fan... and a songwriter, bass and guitar player.

32 thoughts on “Loretta Lynn and Jack White – Portland Oregon”

    1. The Letterman performance is great to me. Their voices go so well with each other….great contrast. That band is great.

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    1. I like that song also. I’m about to cover I.O.U.

      Yea last year it was pulled off of streaming services for some reason…some people think it has to do with the record company Interscope Records…that she signed with at the time.

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  9. I’ve been meaning togive this a listen for a long time. It now has the Max stamp so I guess it’s time to pull the trigger. I have revisited a few duets like this lately and I love them. This cut is really good Max. Lots of these kinds of non mainstream creative pairings out there.

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  10. Damn, Max, that Letterman clip really rocks – so good! Jack and Loretta, two seemingly unlikely collaborators, sound so good together. Really good!

    Also, that tremolo bar on White’s Telecaster is a monster. You could kill somebody with it. But it sure as heck sounds mean!

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  11. Pingback: Loretta Lynn and Jack White – Portland Oregon – MobsterTiger

  12. I couldnt stop myself. When you were commenting about Dave being on Zeps label I had to send you this. It was one of those duets I told you I was listening to. I sent this to someone else recently. Dave is a rockabilly country guy. I remember getting a buddy to listen to this tune. He fricken hated it. I loved it so it evened out. Edmunds, Lowe (married to Carter for a while), Parker, Costello and those guys all have these roots.

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    1. Oh man…that is great. I’ve liked what I’ve heard of Carlene’s music. You get a thumbs up from me man! She looks so much like her mom now.

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      2. Parsons and Emmy are some of the best duets I’ve ever heard. I love Parsons but with Emmy…CB she could duet with us and make us sound presentable lol.

        Liked by 1 person

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