Couldn't Stand the Weather

Couldn't Stand the Weather
Studio album by Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble
Released	May 15, 1984 (1984-05-15)
Recorded	January 1984 Power Station (New York City)
Genre	Blues rock, Texas blues, electric blues
Length	38:08 (1984 issue) 54:46 (1999 reissue) 154:40 (2010 Legacy Edition issue)
Label	Epic, Legacy, Music On Vinyl, Pure Pleasure, Sundazed
Producer	Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, Richard Mullen, Jim Capfer
Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble chronology
Texas Flood (1983)Texas Flood1983 Couldn't Stand the Weather (1984) Soul to Soul (1985)Soul to Soul1985

Couldn't Stand the Weather is the second studio album by American blues rock band Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble. It was released on May 15, 1984, by Epic Records as the follow-up to the band's critically and commercially successful 1983 album, Texas Flood. Recording sessions took place in January 1984 at the Power Station in New York City.

Stevie Ray Vaughan wrote half the tracks on Couldn't Stand the Weather. The album went to No. 31 on the Billboard 200 chart and the music video for "Couldn't Stand the Weather" received regular rotation on MTV. In 1999, a reissue of the album was released which contains an audio interview segment and four studio outtakes.

In 2010, the album was reissued again as the Legacy Edition containing two CDs with a previously unreleased studio outtake and an August 17, 1984 concert at The Spectrum in Montreal, Canada.

Recording and production

During January 1984, Vaughan and Double Trouble spent 19 days at the Power Station in New York City. John Hammond was executive producer and supervised the sessions.^[1][2]

The first track recorded was the old blues standard, "Tin Pan Alley", which was done in one take. Hammond said into the talkback microphone, "That's the best you'll ever get that song. That sounded wonderful."^[2]

Vaughan's brother, Jimmie Vaughan, played rhythm guitar on "Couldn't Stand the Weather" and "The Things (That) I Used to Do".

For "Stang's Swang", drummer Fran Christina and saxophonist Stan Harrison recorded parts for the track.^[3]

Couldn't Stand the Weather was produced by the band along with Richard Mullen and Jim Capfer. The album was engineered by Mullen and Rob Eaton.^[1] Graphic artist Holland MacDonald designed the album cover art with assistance from Shostal Associates for the tornado image.^[4]

Touring

In support of Couldn't Stand the Weather, Vaughan and Double Trouble toured throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan from February 1984 to December 1984. On April 15, 1984, they performed a concert at the Austin Opera House in Austin, Texas, which was broadcast on the King Biscuit Flower Hour.^[5] They also opened for Huey Lewis & the News on August 3, 1984, at the USF Sun Dome in Tampa, Florida.^[6]

The band went to Canada and performed three shows with one being at The Spectrum in Montreal which was also broadcast on the King Biscuit Flower Hour.^[7][8] From Montreal, they went to Germany and performed at the Loreley Open-Air Theatre which was broadcast on Rockpalast.^[9]

After returning to the United States, Vaughan and Double Trouble appeared at Carnegie Hall in New York City on October 4, 1984.^[10][11] The show featured many special guests and was released on the CD entitled Live at Carnegie Hall.

They did a tour of Australia and New Zealand in November 1984 including two sold-out concerts at the Sydney Opera House.^[12][13] The tour wrapped up in the United States.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[14]
Christgau's Record Guide	B+[15]
Entertainment Weekly	B+[16]

The album was another commercial success for Stevie Ray Vaughan, selling 1,000,000 copies within five weeks.

Track listings

1984 issue

All songs were written by Stevie Ray Vaughan except where noted.

Side One

1. "Scuttle Buttin'" (instrumental) – 1:52
2. "Couldn't Stand the Weather" – 4:40
3. "The Things That I Used to Do" (Eddie Jones) – 4:55
4. "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" (Jimi Hendrix) – 8:01

Side Two

1. "Cold Shot" (originally credited to Michael Kindred and W. C. Clark; later incorrectly credited to only Michael Kindred) – 4:01^[17]
2. "Tin Pan Alley" (originally credited to Robert Geddins; later credited to James Reed) – 9:11
3. "Honey Bee" – 2:42
4. "Stang's Swang" (instrumental) – 2:46

1999 reissue bonus tracks

9. "SRV Speaks" – 1:08
10. "Hide Away" (Freddie King, Sonny Thompson) – 4:04
11. "Look at Little Sister" (Hank Ballard) – 2:46
12. "Give Me Back My Wig" (T. R. Taylor) – 4:07
13. "Come On (Part III)" (Earl King) – 4:33

2010 Legacy Edition issue

Disc 1

1. "Scuttle Buttin'" – 1:52
2. "Couldn't Stand the Weather" – 4:41
3. "The Things That I Used to Do" (Eddie Jones) – 4:55
4. "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" (Jimi Hendrix) – 7:59
5. "Cold Shot" (Michael Kindred, W. C. Clark) – 4:01
6. "Tin Pan Alley" (Robert Geddins) – 9:11
7. "Honey Bee" – 2:43
8. "Stang's Swang" – 2:50
9. "Empty Arms" – 3:28
10. "Come On (Part III)" (Earl King) – 4:33
11. "Look at Little Sister" (Hank Ballard) – 2:46
12. "The Sky Is Crying" (Elmore James) – 4:11
13. "Hide Away" (F. King, Thompson) – 4:03
14. "Give Me Back My Wig" (T. R. Taylor) – 4:07
15. "Boot Hill" (Sly Williams) – 2:23
16. "Wham!" (Lonnie Mack) – 2:26
17. "Close to You" (Willie Dixon) – 3:10
18. "Little Wing" (Jimi Hendrix) – 6:48
19. "Stang's Swang" (alternate take) – 2:44

Disc 2

1. "Testify" (The Isley Brothers) – 4:36
2. "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" (Jimi Hendrix) – 11:53
3. "The Things That I Used to Do" (Eddie Jones) – 5:30
4. "Honey Bee" – 2:32
5. "Couldn't Stand the Weather" – 4:53
6. "Cold Shot" (Michael Kindred, W. C. Clark) – 4:05
7. "Tin Pan Alley (aka Roughest Place in Town)" (Robert Geddins) – 10:29
8. "Love Struck Baby" – 3:00
9. "Texas Flood" (Larry Davis, Joseph Wade Scott) – 9:30
10. "Band Intros/Encores" - 1:18
11. "Stang's Swang" – 3:07
12. "Lenny" – 11:07
13. "Pride and Joy" – 4:59

Certifications

Personnel

Double Trouble

• Stevie Ray Vaughan – guitar, vocals
• Tommy Shannon – bass
• Chris Layton – drums

Additional personnel

• Jimmie Vaughan – rhythm guitar on "Couldn't Stand the Weather" and "The Things That I Used to Do"
• Fran Christina – drums on "Stang's Swang"
• Stan Harrison – tenor saxophone on "Stang's Swang"

Production

• Producers – Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, Richard Mullen, Jim Capfer
• Executive producer – John H. Hammond
• Engineer – Richard Mullen
• Assistant engineer – Rob Eaton
• Cover art – Holland MacDonald
• Photography – Benno Friedman

1999 reissue

• Producer – Bob Irwin
• Executive producer – Tony Martell
• Mastering engineer – Vic Anesini
• Tracks 10-13 mixed by Danny Kadar
• Dialogue edited by Darcy Proper
• Research assistants – George Deahl, Al Quaglieri, Matthew Kelly, Jon Naatjes
• Art director – Josh Cheuse
• Editorial director – Andy Schwartz
• Liner notes – Bill Milkowski

2010 Legacy Edition issue

• Photography – Jean Krettler, Robert Matheu, James Minchen III
• Liner notes – Andy Aledort

Notes

References