As an editor, I often roll my eyes at the opaqueness, odd phrasing, poor grammar, and repetitiveness of some of Stevie's songs; however, I forgive her because she's really an artist by nature who follows her muse wherever it may take her. To me, Stevie's intent with every song she writes is to leave an impression, to create a feeling, not necessarily to tell a coherent story through a straightforward narrative.
That said, many of Stevie's songs are beautifully structured and perfectly acceptable from a language perspective.... "Leather and Lace," "New Orleans," "Gold Dust Woman," "Dreams," "Sisters of the Moon," "Rhiannon," "Think About It," "After the Glitter Fades," "Kind of Woman," "I Miss You," "Love Changes," "Say You Will" are all wonderfully crafted songs with clear narratives and cogent lyrics.... Unfortunately, I think Stevie's image as an airy-fairy California witchy-woman has often undermined her intelligence as a songwriter. When she puts her mind to it and shows some discipline, this woman can write just as well, if not better, than the Freys, Henleys, and Pettys of the world.
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