Quote:
Originally Posted by Macfan4life
Yes Bella Donna is a masterpiece and almost as good as Rumours. It was made like a piece of art. Fantastic songs with fantastic musicians making music without regard of looking for pop radio success. Jimmy knew it was good but lacking any commercial songs which made him bring SDMHA which is a good song. But that point just shows how deep the album is in almost claiming the album is so good that it lacks commercial pop songs. All epic albums were made this way. From Led Zepplin albums to Hotel California. Everyone told the Eagles Hotel California is not a single because no radio station will have the patience to listen to such a long intro. They told the Eagles New Kid In Town is way too long for commercial success. I am sure Edge of 17 was seen as too unconventional and long for a lead single. Clearly it could have led off the album and even charted higher if it was the lead single.
Sadly Jimmy moved The Wild Heart much more towards the pop realm in caring how pop radio would hear and play it (chasing success). Some good songs but many of them watered down. Then, RAL, good grief what happened there 
Bella Donna was a moment. A quick album before the Mac regrouped. It came at the perfect time when her voice was at her peak and before the drugs completely took over. I love that the Buckingham/Nicks bassist Tom Moncrieff plays on the album's SDMHA. I wonder why Tom's bassist (Ron Blair) did not play on the song. He boycotted the recording LOL? The stories of how Jimmy had to keep his working with Stevie a secret (from Tom) are funny. |
You can actually blame Stevie and her own wild heart for the changes on The Wild Heart. She started really pushing back on Jimmy during that album, and wasn't as nervous about 'what if I'm not successful on my own' during the making of WH like she was during making of BD. She was far, far more humble and willing to take others' ideas during BD. Once her ego got all that solo success.....watch out. And her coke intake went up as well. She started leveraging her solo success within FM to get what she wanted and also in her solo career.