17 Reasons This 'Rhiannon' Clip Is the Coolest Thing in the Universe
1) This is Stevie's encore on the third and final day of the 1983 Us festival, a "music and culture festival to bridge state-of-the-art technology and new music" held the 30 May of 1983. This event was recorded and later Showtime broadcasted and released as a compilation dvd three Stevie's performances Outside the rain, Stand back and Stop draggin' my heart around. Due to technical sound problems Stand back and Stop draggin' my heart around had to be overdubbed; you can see them in this video for Japan TV with some alternate scenes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qGo3iWI13U
2) We probably see the pinnacle of Stevie's solo career: after Bella Donna in 1981 and Mirage in 1982, with The Wild heart she has a top album for the third year in a row. This tour setlist is probably the best of Stevie's entire career, mixing classic Fleetwood Mac material (Gold dust woman, Dreams, Sara and Rhiannon), Bella Donna's biggest hits (Leather and lace, Stop draggin' my heart around and Edge of seventeen), meaningful deep cuts (Outside the rain, How still my love and Beauty and the beast), her freshest hit with Fleetwood Mac (Gypsy), and her new album most striking hits, destined to become classics (If anyone falls and Stand back). On this particular date Stevie surprisingly replaces Sara and Gypsy with Angel and Gold and braid.
3) This is just the second date of The wild heart tour and Stevie is nervous and somewhat shy having to perform solo and being filmed before a crowd of 200'000 people alone while the previous year she had participated with Fleetwood Mac. More than once she stated during her interviews that when she had to perform for videos she had to be relatively sober and restrained from cocaine. That's why her performance here is very demure but enthusiastic and filled with moments of absolute cuteness (see How still my love performance).
4) Stevie's voice during The wild heart doesn't have particularly severe problems, as there is hardly an occasion in which she isn't able to sing, but it has an overall scratchier and partially forced sound, anticipating the change that will happen during Rock a little.
5) The scene opens with Heartbreaker Benmont Tench playing a very beautiful Rhiannon intro. Recently Roy Bittan's work with Stevie has been praised a lot, but it shouldn't be overlooked either Benmont Tench's skill, as he was behind songs like Kind of woman, Gate And Garden, Enchanted, Nightbird, I Will Run To You and participated on both albums Trouble in Shangri-La and 24K gold.
6) Less than a year before Stevie's best friend Robin died and, as she admitted herself, at the time every song still brought her to tears. Just before Rhiannon she introduced Edge of seventeen With a dedication to Robin: "I would like to make one dedication tonight, and that is to my best friend who is a white winged dove". On her solo tours, Rhiannon is the song that brings out most sentiment in Stevie.
7) Stevie starts singing with her voice weary from the shrieking and the emotion, giving a heart wrenching interpretation of the classical Rhiannon intro: "Rhiannon, some say...Rhiannon, you ask...Rhiannon don't go...Rhiannon"
8) After that the whole band kicks in Stevie starts singing ponderously in her light-gold shawl, progressively bending with her microphone.
9) She rules her life like...what?
https://youtu.be/GsXl1X3Jfm8?t=227
10) Sweet moment with ‘Wizard’ during the chorus:
https://youtu.be/GsXl1X3Jfm8?t=268
11) Stevie turns and grabs her microphone again, continuing to sing despite her deep feelings overflowing. During the second chorus she starts her farewells: she wanders on the stage, bows before her drummer (Lybert Devitto) and salutes him, then goes to the guitarist that kisses tenderly Stevie on her nose in a comforting way.
12) Stevie returns to her microphone with tears streaming her face, bends down and sings giving her all despite barely being able to be heard.
13) Eventually Stevie finds her voice again, despite the microphone that nearly shuts down its sound during the Rhiannon coda: "Your dreams unwind and love's a state of mind"
14) During her last few notes, Stevie spreads her arms wide like a pair of wings and slowly drifts away towards the public.
15) A relieved Stevie finds consolation in the bond with her audience and waves her hands in front of the fans that sings with her, following the rythm of her lifted arms.
16) Stevie is finally happy again and satisfied by the incredible experience of this grand event and says a moving goodbye to the audience: "I want you to know that you're so very very special to me. Goodnight".
17) A voice out of field declares rightfully: "Ladies and gentlemen, the first lady of rock and roll Stevie Nicks...we will remember this for ever!"