Riding with the King

Riding with the King was singer-songwriter John Hiatt's sixth album, released in 1983. It was his second of three albums with Geffen Records. Ron Nagle and Scott Mathews (credited as "Scott Matthews") produced side one of the album at The Pen in San Francisco, with Mathews himself playing all instruments (except guitar) and all the background vocals. The second side of the album was produced by Nick Lowe at Eden Studios in London with a group of crack pub rock musicians backing Hiatt. The album's title track was taken from an odd dream Scott Mathews had (although he was never credited as a co-writer) and would later be covered by B.B. King and Eric Clapton on their album of the same name.

Track listing

All songs written by John Hiatt, except as indicated

Side one

1. "I Don't Even Try" – 3:25
2. "Death by Misadventure" – 3:29 (Hiatt, John Hadley)
3. "Girl on a String" – 3:11
4. "Lovers Will" – 4:00
5. "She Loves the Jerk" – 3:38
6. "Say It with Flowers" – 3:06

Side two

1. "Riding with the King" – 4:18
2. "You May Already Be a Winner" – 3:35
3. "Love Like Blood" – 3:55
4. "The Love that Harms" – 2:49
5. "Book Lovers" – 3:04 (Isabella Wood, Hiatt)
6. "Falling Up" – 3:35

Personnel

• John Hiatt - vocals, guitar
• Scott Mathews - Producer, drums, slide guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, Saxophones, backing vocals (side one only)
• Nick Lowe - Bass guitar, backing vocals (side two only)
• Martin Belmont - Guitar (side two only)
• Paul Carrack - keyboards, backing vocals (side two only)
• Bobby Irwin - drums (side two only)

References