Editing Takin' My Time

{{For|the After 7 album|Takin' My Time (After 7 album)}}
{{good article}}
{{Infobox album
| name       = Takin' My Time
| type       = [[Album]]
| artist     = [[Bonnie Raitt]]
| cover      = Bonnie Raitt - Takin' My Time.jpg
| alt        = The album cover for Takin' My Time. It features a photograph of Raitt standing underneath an archway at a train station. Two children sit on a bench to the right of the archway.
| released   = October 1973
| recorded   = June–July 1973
| studio     = [[Sunset Sound]], Los Angeles
| genre      = 
*[[Blues]]
*[[American folk music|folk]]
*[[jazz]]
*[[New Orleans rhythm and blues]]
*[[calypso music|calypso]]
| length     = 37:37
| label      = [[Warner Records|Warner Bros.]]
| producer   = [[John Hall (New York politician)|John Hall]]
| prev_title = [[Give It Up (Bonnie Raitt album)|Give It Up]]
| prev_year  = 1972
| next_title = [[Streetlights (Bonnie Raitt album)|Streetlights]]
| next_year  = 1974
}}
'''''Takin' My Time''''' is the third studio album by American musician [[Bonnie Raitt]]. It was released in 1973 by [[Warner Records|Warner Bros. Records]]. The album is an amalgamation of several different genres, including [[blues]], [[American folk music|folk]], [[jazz]], [[New Orleans rhythm and blues]], and [[calypso music|calypso]]. The 10 tracks on the album are [[cover version|covers]], ranging from soft [[sentimental ballad]]s to [[Wikt:upbeat|upbeat]], rhythmic-heavy tracks. [[Lowell George]] was originally hired to handle the production, but was ultimately replaced by [[John Hall (New York politician)|John Hall]] when Raitt became unhappy with his production.

''Takin' My Time'' received positive reviews from [[Music journalism|music critics]], and reached number 87 on the US [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' Top LPs & Tapes]] chart. Retrospective reviews have also been positive, with critics praising the eclecticism, as well as Raitt's attempts to broaden her musical horizon. Raitt went on an accompanying tour of the United States.

==Background and composition==
In 1973, Raitt moved to [[Los Angeles]], and became friends with members of American [[rock music|rock]] band [[Little Feat]]. After the release of their album ''[[Dixie Chicken (album)|Dixie Chicken]]'' (1973), Raitt hired frontman and guitarist [[Lowell George]] to produce her upcoming album. Raitt was unhappy with George's production, which she said was due to a lack of objectivity. According to Raitt: "It became too emotional. It's hard having a strong woman telling the man her ideas when, in fact, the man wants to take over the situation." American musician [[John Hall (New York politician)|John Hall]] was then brought in for production to replace George. Under the direction of Hall, ''Takin' My Time'' was recorded from June to July 1973 at [[Sunset Sound Recorders]] in Los Angeles.{{sf|Bego|1995|pp=45–47}}

''Takin' My Time'' combines many different music genres, including [[blues]], [[American folk music|folk]], [[jazz]], [[New Orleans rhythm and blues]], and [[calypso music|calypso]].<ref name="AllMusic"/><ref>{{cite book|last=Lee|first=Peter|title=The Blues Encyclopedia|publisher=[[Taylor & Francis]]|year=2004|page=805|isbn=978-1-1359-5832-9}}</ref> ''Takin' My Time'' is similar to Raitt's previous studio album ''[[Give It Up (Bonnie Raitt album)|Give It Up]]'' (1972), as both albums feature a mix of soft [[sentimental ballad]]s and [[Wikt:upbeat|upbeat]], rhythmic-heavy tracks.<ref name="AllMusic"/><ref name="Marsh"/><ref name="EW"/> The sentimental ballads focus on romance and heartache, and possess a "late night, bluesy intimacy," according to ''[[No Depression (magazine)|No Depression]]''.{{sf|Bego|1995|pp=45–47}}<ref name="ND">{{cite web|url=https://www.nodepression.com/album-reviews/bonnie-raitt-give-it-up/|title=Bonnie Raitt – Give It Up|work=[[No Depression (magazine)|No Depression]]|date=May 1, 2002|access-date=November 26, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201008212732/https://www.nodepression.com/album-reviews/bonnie-raitt-give-it-up/|archive-date=October 8, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> The upbeat tracks vary in genre; "Wah She Go Do" is a calypso and [[reggae]]-inspired track, while "[[Let Me In (The Sensations song)|Let Me In]]" is a [[Dance music|dance]] track, inspired by [[polka]] and [[ragtime]].{{sf|Bego|1995|pp=45–47}}<ref name="EW"/> All 10 tracks on the album are [[cover version|covers]] of songs from musicians like [[Jackson Browne]], [[Randy Newman]] and [[Calypso Rose]].<ref name="AllMusic"/><ref name="CG"/>

==Release and reception==
{{Album ratings
|title = Retrospective professional reviews
| rev1      = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="AllMusic">{{cite web|last=Iyengar|first=Vik|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/takin-my-time-mw0000195664|title=Bonnie Raitt - Takin' My Time|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|date=n.d.|access-date=August 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170303092514/https://www.allmusic.com/album/takin-my-time-mw0000195664|archive-date=March 3, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
|rev2 = ''[[Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies|Christgau's Record Guide]]''
|rev2Score = A−<ref name="CG">{{cite book|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|year=1981|title=[[Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies]]|publisher=[[Ticknor and Fields]]|isbn=089919026X|chapter=Consumer Guide '70s: R|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=R&bk=70|access-date=March 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201007012329/https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=R&bk=70|archive-date=October 7, 2020|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| rev3      = ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''
| rev3Score = B+<ref name="EW">{{cite magazine|last=Gordon|first=Robert|url=https://ew.com/article/1991/08/23/bonnie-raitt-record/|title=Bonnie Raitt on the record|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=August 23, 1991|access-date=November 26, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180708084541/http://ew.com/article/1991/08/23/bonnie-raitt-record/|archive-date=July 8, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>
| rev4      = ''[[MusicHound|MusicHound Rock]]''
|rev4Score = 3.5/5<ref name="MH Guide">{{cite book|last1=Graff|first1=Gary|author-link=Gary Graff|last2=Durchholz|first2=Daniel|title=MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide|year=1999|publisher=[[Visible Ink Press]]|edition=2|page=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781578590612/page/918 918]|isbn=978-1-5785-9061-2|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781578590612}}</ref>
|rev5 = ''[[The New Rolling Stone Record Guide]]''
|rev5Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="Marsh">{{cite book|title=[[The New Rolling Stone Record Guide]]|edition=2nd|year=1983|publisher=[[Random House]]/Rolling Stone Press|page=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstoner00mars/page/410 410]|last=Testa|first=Bart|isbn=978-0-3947-2107-1|editor1-last= Marsh| editor1-first=Dave|editor-link=Dave Marsh|editor2-last=Swenson|editor2-first=John}}</ref>
}}

''Takin' My Time'' was released in October 1973, through [[Warner Records|Warner Bros. Records]].{{sf|Bego|1995|p=48}} It reached number 87 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' Top LPs & Tapes]] chart,<ref name="BB200"/> and number 91 on the ''[[Record World]]'' album chart.<ref name="RW">{{cite magazine|title=The Album Chart: Artists Cross Reference|magazine=[[Record World]]|page=34|volume=29|issue=1378|date=November 17, 1973}}</ref> Raitt supported the album with an incessant touring schedule across the United States;{{sf|Bego|1995|p=48}} biographer [[Mark Bego]] described Raitt's approach to touring as a "perform-pack-unpack-perform lifestyle."{{sf|Bego|1995|p=49}}

''Takin' My Time'' was met with positive reviews from [[Music journalism|music critics]]. The staff of ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' described the album as "a top mix of blues and ballads such as 'I Gave My Love a Candle' from one of po[p]'s most underrated female vocalists."<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Top Album Picks|magazine=Billboard|date=October 27, 1973|volume=85|issue=43|page=64}}</ref> A critic for ''Record World'' highlighted Hall's production, and wrote: "Bonnie's beautiful voice and super blues guitar playing grace a collection of wonderful songs."<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Album Picks|magazine=Record World|date=October 27, 1973|volume=29|issue=1375|page=18}}</ref> [[Tony Glover]] of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' felt that despite the large amount of musical variety, ''Takin' My Time'' was Raitt's most cohesive album. Glover commended the musicianship between Raitt and the backup musicians, with him writing that "it's evident a lot of her soul went into this one, and that makes it worth hearing."<ref name="RS">{{cite magazine|last=Glover|first=Tony|author-link=Tony Glover|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/takin-my-time-199951/|title=Takin' My Time|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=December 6, 1973|access-date=August 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200328051552/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/takin-my-time-199951/|archive-date=March 28, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>

Retrospective reviews of ''Takin' My Time'' from critics have also been positive. In his book ''[[Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies]]'', [[Robert Christgau]] commended Raitt's attempt to broaden her musical scope with more eclectic tracks such as "You've Been in Love Too Long" and "Wah She Go Do". Christgau wrote more negatively towards some of the folk-inspired tracks, which he called "too pretty, too ordinary."<ref name="CG"/> Robert Gordon of ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' praised the wide musical variety on ''Takin' My Time'', with him saying: "Raitt sounds comfortable singing rhythmic rockers, slow songs, and a swinging New Orleans tune, 'Let Me In.' The lighthearted calypso 'Wah She Go Do' may be just a lark, but it's definitely fun."<ref name="EW"/> Vik Iyengar of [[AllMusic]] felt Raitt had done a good job at choosing and interpreting the 10 cover tracks, and called ''Takin' My Time'' an "underrated gem."<ref name="AllMusic"/> Iyengar believed ''Takin' My Time'' was Raitt's last consistent album until her comeback in the 1980s.<ref name="AllMusic"/>

==Track listing==
Credits adapted from Bonnie Raitt's official website.<ref name="auto"/>
{{tracklist
|headline= Side one
|title1=[[You've Been in Love Too Long]]
|writer1={{hlist|[[Ivy Jo Hunter]]|[[Clarence Paul]]|[[William "Mickey" Stevenson|William Stevenson]]}}
|length1=3:43
|title2=I Gave My Love a Candle
|writer2=[[Joel Zoss]]
|length2=4:20
|title3=[[Let Me In (The Sensations song)|Let Me In]]
|writer3=Yvonne Baker
|length3=3:38
|title4=Everybody's Cryin' Mercy
|writer4=[[Mose Allison]]
|length4=3:29
|title5=Cry Like a Rainstorm
|writer5=[[Eric Kaz]]
|length5=3:55
}}
{{tracklist
|headline= Side two
|title1=Wah She Go Do
|writer1=[[Calypso Rose]]
|length1=3:12
|title2=I Feel the Same
|writer2=[[Chris Smither]]
|length2=4:40
|title3=I Thought I Was a Child
|writer3=[[Jackson Browne]]
|length3=3:49
|title4=Write Me a Few of Your Lines/Kokomo Blues
|writer4=[[Mississippi Fred McDowell]]
|length4=3:36
|title5=Guilty
|writer5=[[Randy Newman]]
|length5=2:58
|total_length = 37:37
}}

==Personnel==
Credits adapted from Bonnie Raitt's official website.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://www.bonnieraitt.com/content/liner-notes-takin-my-time|title=Liner Notes - Takin' My Time|website=Bonnie Raitt Official Website|date=n.d.|access-date=August 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224085145/https://www.bonnieraitt.com/content/liner-notes-takin-my-time|archive-date=February 24, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>
{{div col}}
*Bonnie Raitt – [[Steel-string acoustic guitar|acoustic guitar]], [[electric guitar]], vocals, background vocals, handclapping, [[slide guitar|bottleneck guitar]]
*[[Paul Barrere]] – electric guitar
*[[George Bohanon]] – [[trombone]]
*[[Sam Clayton]] – [[conga]]s
*Carol Farhat – handclapping
*Glenn Ferris – horn
*[[Freebo]] – [[fretless bass]], [[tuba]], background vocals
*[[Lowell George]] – slide guitar
*[[John Hall (New York politician)|John Hall]] – electric guitar, background vocals, handclapping, [[mellotron]]
*Bob Hardaway – horn
*Robert Hardaway – saxophone
*[[Milt Holland]] – [[tabla]], [[tambourine]], [[timbales]], [[claves]], [[Shaker (musical instrument)|shaker]]
*Carl Huston – handclapping
*Kirby Johnson – conductor
*[[Jim Keltner]] – [[Drum kit|drums]]
*Marty Krystall – saxophone
*[[Taj Mahal (musician)|Taj Mahal]] – [[harmonica]], vocals, background vocals, acoustic bass
*[[Earl Palmer]] – drums
*[[Van Dyke Parks]] – [[piano]], [[keyboard instrument|keyboard]], vocals, background vocals
*[[Bill Payne]] – [[organ (music)|organ]], piano, [[electric piano]], vocals, background vocals
*Joel Peskin – saxophone
*Nat Seligman – handclapping
*[[Tony Terran]] – trumpet
*[[Oscar Brashear]] – trumpet
*[[Bud Brisbois]] – trumpet
*[[Ernie Watts]] – [[soprano saxophone]]
{{div col end}}

'''Production'''
{{div col}}
*John Hall – producer
*[[John Haeny]] – engineer
*Richard Heenan – mixing
*Arnie Acosta – mastering
*[[Doug Sax]] – mastering
*[[Ed Cherney]] – remastering supervisor
*Lee Herschberg – remastering
*Jo Motta – project coordinator
*[[George Bohanon|H George Bohanon]] – horn arrangements
*Kirby Johnson – horn arrangements
*Tom Gamache – art direction, design
*Sandy Kroopf – art direction, design, photography, back cover
* Michael Dobo – photography, cover photo
{{div col end}}

==Charts==
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Chart performance for ''Takin' My Time''
|-
!Chart (1973)
!Peak<br>position
|-
!scope="row"| US [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' Top LPs & Tapes]]<ref name="BB200">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/bonnie-raitt/chart-history/tlp/|title=Bonnie Raitt Chart History (Billboard 200)|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=n.d.|access-date=April 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200513023626/https://www.billboard.com/music/bonnie-raitt/chart-history/TLP|archive-date=May 13, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|87
|-
!scope="row"| US [[Record World|''Record World'' 100]]<ref name="RW"/>
| style="text-align:center;"|91
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

'''Book sources'''
*{{cite book|last=Bego|first=Mark|author-link=Mark Bego|title=Bonnie Raitt : Just in the Nick of Time|publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]]|year=1995|isbn=978-1-5597-2315-2|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/bonnieraittjusti00bego}}

{{Bonnie Raitt}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1973 albums]]
[[Category:Albums recorded at Sunset Sound Recorders]]
[[Category:Bonnie Raitt albums]]
[[Category:1970s covers albums]]
[[Category:Warner Records albums]]