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Heart
Little Queen
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Heart
Dog & Butterfly
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Heart
Bebe le Strange
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For the re-release of Heart’s core 1970s albums, Legacy offers up digitally-remastered editions of Little Queen (1977), Dog & Butterfly (1978) and Bébé Lé Strange (1980). Each boasts never-before-available ‘bonus tracks’ consisting of rare demos, concert performances, alternate vocals, as well as newly-inked summaries of key selections from Nancy Wilson. Although theirs has historically been a profession primarily dominated by men, Nancy, along with sibling Ann, quickly established themselves as the undisputed first ladies of rock ‘n’ roll. This was indeed a formidable task, especially at the height of the gender-biased and chauvinistic ‘70s.
Having received favourable reviews and significant support for their indie debut long player Dreamboat Annie (1976) , the Wilson sisters were lured away from the Vancouver-based Mushroom label to the stateside Epic subsidiary Portrait. That ballsy move was a double-edged sword as it gave them greater distribution, while unwittingly subjecting them to legal wrangling when Mushroom cashed in on the Top Ten success of Dreamboat Annie with a haphazard collection of mostly incomplete demo tapes called Magazine (1977).
Seemingly undaunted, Heart -- which also featured the talents of Roger Fisher (guitar/mandolin), Howard Leese (vocals/guitar/keyboards), Michael Derosier (drums) and Steve Fossen (bass) -- essentially picked right back up with Little Queen (1977). The album’s exclamation point was undoubtedly the edgy and angry “Barracuda,” whose subject matter was squarely aimed at an unnamed music biz exec. The song developed into somewhat of a cathartic anthem skirting the Top Ten and cresting at #11. The 45 spurred the LP to fare even better, reaching #9 during an impressive ten-month run. Their incessant personal appearances likewise granted them ample opportunity to hone their repertoire, integrating a sampling of Led Zeppelin covers. A live version of “Stairway To Heaven” is one of the two extras on the recently refurbished Little Queen. The other supplementary side is a fascinating demo documented at Ann’s house circa 1976 as “Too Long A Time”. The tune resurfaced as “Love Alive” and specifically revealed Heart’s duality, as the composition’s underlying emotive nature is nothing short of the antithesis of harder cuts such as “Kick It Out”.
Dog & Butterfly continued in much the same vein, as the Wilson sisters let loose another round of evenly balanced material. By 1978 disco had become the craze de jour and may have impacted the platter as it peaked at #17. However, it had no effect on the music or the juxtaposition of vivid lyrical imagery with their unadulterated delivery, as both had arguably become increasingly pronounced. Enthusiasts embraced the combo’s folkie nature -- elegantly displayed in the title track -- alongside the no-nonsense propulsion of the pungent “Straight On” and the searing opener “Cook With Fire,” as it unleashed the ferocity of Heart in a live setting. These immediately became FM staples and are still considered seminal by enthusiasts some 25 years later. The extras on Dog & Butterfly include a vintage 1978 BBC Radio transcription of “Heartless” -- a tune that had initially surfaced on Magazine -- and two studio remnants. “Feels” is a very early rendering of a number overhauled almost seven years later as “Johnny Moon” for Passionworks (1983) and the expanded contents conclude with “A Little Bit,” a Nancy-penned acoustic jam that reiterates the ladies’ ‘unplugged’ prowess.
Bébé Lé Strange (1980) would be Heart’s last with drummer Derosier and bassist Fossen as personnel conflicts were exacerbated by their unrelenting touring schedule. That certainly did not prevent them from creating essential and meaningful sounds. Listeners at the time concurred as the record became their highest-charting to date, landing at #5 in March of 1980. In addition to the spirited “Even It Up,” the disc platter yielded the bluesy crunch of “Down On Me” and two of their best ballads, the brief acoustic interlude “Silver Wheels” as well as the romantic “Sweet Darlin’”. The latter foreshadowed the affective approach Heart continued to develop within the context of their mid ‘80s trademark sound, especially evident on “These Dreams” and “Alone”. Rounding out this entry is the unissued and punk-infused “Jackleg Man” and a fiery live rendition of the metallic deep cut “Break”.
While the trifecta of Little Queen, Dog & Butterfly and Bébé Lé Strange is undeniably the soul of Heart’s classic catalogue, hopefully Legacy plans similar treatments to Private Audition (1982) and the criminally underrated Passionworks (1983), their final outings under the Epic/Portrait umbrella.
