đź’” The Timeless, Heartbreaking Irony of Letting Go
Ah, for those of us who remember the classic AM radio spinning gold, or perhaps wore out the grooves on a vinyl copy, the very mention of Linda Ronstadt’s soaring, yet subtly aching, take on “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore” immediately takes us back to a time of glorious country-rock crossover. This was a standout track on her pivotal 1974 album, Heart Like A Wheel, an LP that didn’t just cement her stardom but propelled her to a new level of superstardom. The album itself was a phenomenon, soaring to Number 1 on both the US Billboard Pop and Country Albums charts.
The song’s path to Ronstadt is an intricate thread woven through the fabric of early Rock and Roll history. Its original genesis lies with the prodigious songwriter Paul Anka, who penned the tune specifically for the legendary Buddy Holly in 1958. It was recorded by Holly during his final studio session with Dick Jacobs’ orchestral backing, a creative flourish Holly had long desired. When the song was released in January 1959, it carried a gentle, almost buoyant pop quality, a seemingly lighthearted shrug at a broken romance.
A Shrug Turned to a SIGH
However, fate gave the song a cruel, immortal twist. Less than a month after its release, Buddy Holly tragically died in a plane crash—the fateful “Day the Music Died.” Suddenly, the title, “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore,” and the lyrics, took on a chilling, heartbreaking, and profound new significance that transcended a simple lover’s lament. It became a posthumous hit for Holly, reaching Number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1959. Paul Anka, recognizing the gravity of the song’s new context, generously donated all of his composer’s royalties from the song to Holly‘s widow, Maria Elena Holly—a truly noble gesture that is part of the song’s enduring story.
Fast-forward fifteen years, and Linda Ronstadt revisits this classic for her fifth solo album, Heart Like A Wheel. Her interpretation is a stunning, sorrowful meditation. Where Holly’s version was upbeat and forward-looking, Ronstadt‘s is infused with a country-folk melancholy. She slowed the tempo, letting her powerful, clear-as-a-bell voice linger on the words, turning Anka‘s tune into an empowering ballad about finally moving on after profound heartbreak. The pedal steel guitar solo on her version is a mournful, shimmering cry that evokes that distinct ache of a love lost but finally let go.
Nostalgia and Chart Success
While “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore” wasn’t the main single from the album—that honor went to the chart-topping “You’re No Good” and the iconic “When Will I Be Loved”—it found its own success as the B-side to “When Will I Be Loved” (released in 1975), and also received significant airplay, charting independently on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, peaking at Number 81. It was a testament to Ronstadt‘s incredible ability to bridge genres, appealing simultaneously to pop and country audiences, and honoring the legacy of the original Rock and Roll era.
For many older readers, this song is not just a track; it’s an auditory time capsule. It connects the youthful exuberance and tragedy of the 1950s—the memory of Buddy Holly—with the mature, reflective sound of the 1970s embodied by Linda Ronstadt. It’s a poignant reminder that while the pain of love and loss is universal, finding the strength to declare “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore” is the ultimate act of self-reclamation. Ronstadt’s voice, a beautiful blend of strength and vulnerability, transforms the song into an anthem of resignation and enduring hope. It’s a gorgeous moment of musical nostalgia, a song that reminds us of the beautiful, powerful, and sometimes tragic ways music can mark the passing of time and the healing of a heart.
Oldies Songs