Notorious

Background

"Backlash" co-written by Jett with Paul Westerberg of the Replacements was the label's first choice for a single, but the resulting one-track CD was only available as a promotional item sent to DJs. "Don't Surrender" was released in the US as a CD single accompanied by a remix ("The Most Excellent Mix") and the non-LP track "Misunderstood". "Wait for Me", a song Jett wrote when she was just 16, was a cover version of the Runaways' version from their third studio album Waitin' for the Night (1977). "I Want You" was a revised version of a song from 1979 that Jett and Kenny Laguna had written for a film that she was set to star in. The original lyrics (which can be heard on the fan-club only CD 1979) were nihilistic and raw, whereas the version heard on Notorious is politically correct.

Several editions of the album feature "Machismo" before "Goodbye", but this is the only difference.

"I Want You", as well as other songs by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, was featured in Floria Sigismondi's biographical drama film The Runaways (2010), but they were not included on the soundtrack album of the film.

Personnel

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts

Joan Jett – rhythm guitars, lead vocals, co-producer

Ricky Byrd – lead guitars, backing vocals

Phil Feit – bass, backing vocals

Thommy Price – drums

Additional musicians

Paul Westerberg – guitar, vocals on "Backlash"

Manny Caiati – bass, backing vocals on "The Only Good Thing (You Ever Said Was Goodbye)" and "Machismo"

The Uptown Horns:

Crispin Choe – baritone saxophone

Robert Funk – trombone

Arno Hecht – tenor saxophone

Paul Litteral – trumpet

The Federal Strings – strings

Production

Kenny Laguna – producer on all tracks

Phil Ramone – producer on track 3

Thom Panunzio – co-producer, engineer, mixing

Thom Cadley – engineer

Carl Glanville – engineer

Guy Gray – engineer

John Aiosa – engineer

Andy Grassi – assistant engineer

Bob Smith – assistant engineer

Bob Ludwig – mastering at Masterdisk, New York