The Sleeve:
The Liner/Sleeve Notes:
“Don’t blame it on me…
And…
“Just like the white white winged dove”.
This music is dedicated to Robin –
for her brave, wild heart
And to the gypsies –
that remain…”
Personal Review:
Everyone knows Stevie Nicks for her contribution to Fleetwood Mac and music in general, this is one of solo albums – which has a ridiculous amount of album credits.
The album starts off with “The Wild Heart” and we get the piano playing, and that slight country sound before Stevie actually starts to sing, and well she puts on a good build-up. Then comes the release, the chorus! I really have no idea what is happening in this song anymore, it honestly sounds like Stevie is singing gibberish. Then comes “If Anyone Falls” and you know, continuing onto this song, I’m still very confused. The chorus comes around, and you know it sounds like Stevie is really trying to that early 90’s – Wilson Phillips type of thing. I’m not getting this at all. “Gate and Garden” comes next, and I still feel these songs sound cheap and dull, it’s really not impressing me. We go onto the song “Enchanted” and I’m like, still confused, but at least we can all say that the musicianship is good right. “Nightbird” closes the A-Side, and you know, I’m just not digging Stevie as much as I did with Fleetwood Mac. I’m kind of liking the backing vocalists vocals better.
“Stand Back” opens the B-Side and once more, we’re back to that weird 90’s sounding pop, not sure if it’s just Stevie who sounds off, or if I’m going crazy, but hey. I don’t even know. Then Stevie is joined by the great Tom Petty on “I Will Run to You” and needless to say Tom’s vocals are great, and Stevie’s aren’t bad, but honestly, this whole song isn’t that good, even Tom Petty can’t save it. It’s weird. It gets good at the parts where they sing together, other than that, nothing. “Nothing Ever Changes” follows and you know, Stevie is finally picking this up. Too repetitive. We continue on with “Sable on Blond” and well, I’m continuously unimpressed with what I am hearing. We end with “Beauty and the Beast” which you know was used on the soundtrack to the film “Against All Odds” – so, therefore it must be a good song. It wasn’t..
Interesting Facts:
None.
Track Listing:
A1 – Wild Heart
A2 – If Anyone Falls
A3 – Gate and Gardens
A4 – Enchanted
A5 – Nightbird
B1 – Stand Back
B2 – I Will Run to You [w/ Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers]
B3 – Nothing Ever Changes
B4 – Sable On Blond
B5 – Beauty and the Beast
Label:
Modern Records
Catalog Number:
79 00841
Studio Musicians & Other Album Credits:
Lead Vocals – Stevie Nicks
Ladies Vocals – Sharon Celani & Lori Perry
Produced by Jimmy Iovine
Engineer – Shelley Yakus
Mixed by Shelley Yakus & Greg Edwards
“I Will Run to You” Produced by Tom Petty & Jimmy Iovine
“Wild Heart” & “Gate and Garden” Produced by Jimmy Iovine & Gordon Perry
Additional Engineering – Greg Edward
“Wild Heart” & “Gate and Garden” Engineered by Tom “Gordo” Gondolf
Mixed at Rumbo Recorders
“Enchanted” & “Beauty and the Beast” Mixed at The Hit Factory, N.Y.
“Gate and Garden” & “Wild Heart” Mixed by Shelley Yakus, Greg Edward & Lori Perry
Assistant Engineers – Michael Brooks, David Bianco, Bobby Cohen, Julian Stoff, Bill Freesh, David Dubow, Pete Kudas, John Smith, John Curcio & Josh Abbey
Masterd at Precision Lacquer by Stephen Mascussen
Strings on “Beauty and the Beast” Arranged by Paul Buckmaster & Kenneth Whitfield
Conducted by Paul Buckmaster
OBX-A & DMX Drum Machine on “Stand Back” and Nightbird” Programmed by David Bluefield
Additional Background Vocals on “If Anyone Falls” & “Beauty and the Beast” by Carolyn Brooks, and on “Nightbird” by Sandy Stewart
Production Coordinator – Janet Weber
Personal Assistant to Stevie Nicks – Rebecca Alvarez
Security for Stevie Nicks – Dennis Dunstan
Album Cover Concept – Herbert W. Worthington & Stephanie L. Nicks
Album Cover Inspiration – Sulamith Wulfing
Photographers Assistant – Robert Alfrod & Michael Marks
Stevie’s Haircut by Beverlee Vance
Hair Design (Front Cover) – Jim Fisher of Rumors
Clothes by Margi Kent
Boots (“All Summer Long”) by Mardiros Vartania of Maia Custom Shoe Salon
Make-Up Front Cover & Small Insert – Christi Thomason
Make-Up Back Cover & Large Insert – Liza Edwards
Hands by Kathryn Greenbaum
Handtinting by Stevie Nicks & Lori Perry
Logo Design – Mike Manoogian
Layout Design – Michael Curtis
Synthesizer – Sandy Stewart & Roy Bittan
Guitar – David Monday, Waddy Wachtel, David Williams, Steve Lukather, Tom Petty, Mike Campbell & Don Felder
Bass – Roger Iausz, Bob Glaub, Kenny Edwards, Howie Epstein & John Beal
Drums – Brad Smith, Russ Kunkel, Marvin Caruso & Stan Lynch
Percussion – Brad Smith, Bobbye Hall & Ian Wallace
Keyboards – Sandy Stewart & Benmont Tench
Organ – Benmont Tench
Piano – Roy Bittan, David Foster & Sandy Stewart (Piano solo on “Nightbird”)
Drum Overdubs – Chet McCracken & Russ Kunkel
Vocals – Sandy Stewart & Tom Petty
Sax – Phil Kenzie
Harp – Gene Bianco
Violas – Jesse Levine, Julien Barber, Theodore Israel & Harry Zaratzian
Cellos – Jesse Levy, Frederick Zlotkin, Seymour Barab & Jon Abramowitz
Violins – Marvin Morgenstern, John Pintavalle, Regis Eandiorio, Peter Dimitriades, Matthew Raimondi, Raymond Kunicki, Ruth Waterman, Herbert Sorkin, Max Ellen, Harry Glickman, Paul Winter, Harry Cykman, Lewis Eley & Paul Gershman
Other Albums I Own by Stevie Nicks:
“Bella Donna”
Released:
1983
Are you that fucking stupid? Really? “90’s sound”? – which you repeated twice. The album was made in 1983! Seven years BEFORE 1990! So forgive the fuck out of the world ha ha, maybe it was ahead of it’s time or YOU’RE the one talking gibberish.
Well, Stevie’s songwriting is really sophisticated, full of strong metaphors and on a really high level. Well, some people (like for example you) are not born to understand very creative, abstract and difficult things (just like some don’t get Kate Bush’s music or Monty Python’s sense of humor). Sorry, but that’s the truth – some do understand the art and some are unfortunately too narrow-minded just like you. If you couldn’t understand the meaning of the songs, why didn’t you first check her interwievs because there she gives the clear explanations to the lyrics. So, if you weren’t even to clever to do this, then you’re a total disaster. And another disaster is that that you don’t see the difference between the 80’s and the 90’s sound – this album was realsed in 1983! And tracks like “Stand Back”, “If Anyone Falls” or “Nothing Ever Changes” have the synth sound that was typical for the 80’s! (let alone the rest of the songs are in Nicks unique style that’s close to Bella Donna or her work with Fleetwood Mac). And another disaster is your either big frality or ignorance: “Beauty and The Beast” was the movie’s “Against of Odds” soundtrack? Well, I don’t know how to say it but for your information it was “Violet and Blue” (and you really like Tom’s goat voice that’s one of the worst ever? well, it explains everything …). So, my advice is that you should give up with Nicks’s music because, as it’s seen, it’s impossible to you to get. So stop making a fool of yourself, stop writing gibberish reviews that only show your lack of intelligance and good taste and focus on singers like for example naive Herman’s Hermits because their music is perfect for your brain.
PS When a pleb or a boor begins to judge the worth music, then we have gibberish review …
Hello Katrina!
Firstly, let me thank you for stopping by my website and taking a look over my own personal gibberish! I appreciate the traffic and your comment.
I do not doubt that Stevie’s songwriting is really sophisticated, full of strong metaphors and on a really high level. – I know that Stevie is a very talented musician and songwriter, I have very much enjoyed countless other pieces of music that she has created. I also do enjoy Kate Bush – and let’s face it, Monty Python is probably better on screen than they are on record.
Now, let’s address the elephant in the room which is you calling me narrow-minded, I’d like to point out that this was written back in 2014, and over years opinions and feelings do change. Have I given the album a second chance since then? No. Why? Because I didn’t enjoy it the first time, because you see we as humans are entitled to make our own decisions and choices, and have our own tastes in music. Does having my own freedom of choice make me narrow-minded, absolutely not.
Also, you are correct I did not take the time to watch the interviews where she gives clear explanations to her lyrics, but as I said this was written in 2014 and like most people, I have a life outside of the internet and I simply run this site for fun – you know, which is what most people in life do, is try to have fun. I do apologize if my idea of fun, which is listening to music and writing my thoughts about it down offends you, it was not my intention because as I said this is all in fun for me.
Obviously, I know the album was released in 1983 as I have the album in my possession and like you, can use a computer. But from there on out on your response you completely lose me in your own gibberish, which honestly makes two of us, because my boorish plebian gibberish seems to have lost you along the way, just as yours has lost me.
I will take your advice, I will give Herman’s Hermits a try, they seem enjoyable and hopefully don’t have as much of a toxic fan base as Ms. Nicks.
In closing, I leave you with some advice of my own, go outside, have fun, enjoy life and touch grass, because if words on the internet upset you this much, then you must not be too fun to be around.
Best regards, and God bless!
Colin
P.S. before you insult someone’s intelligence make sure you’re spelling it correctly 🙂