The "Rock A Little" album discussion podcast

[bombaysaffires]

wasn't it Rock A Little that got interrupted by her stint in rehab? Then she came out of rehab and listened back to stuff and said holy sh&t and redid bunches of vocals and stuff?? I remember her talking about one of her albums and how she listened to it and went, "Where's all the Waddy Wachtel guitar??" Then at some point she said the album had been delayed enough and she couldn't delay it any longer and just had to put it out as it was at that point. I thought it was this album, but I'm sleep deprived so maybe my dementia is worse this morning.

[On Ice]

Hi Bombay-

I think similar stories happened with Rock a Little and Street Angel although no rehab with Rock a Little as she said no, no, no. Street Angel though, she scrapped the initial takes, brought in Panunzio and attempted to "fix" the album. The Rock a Little one though may have threads of the folklore around the missing Mirror Mirror album of the day. I wish I knew more about why she rejected that song twice after fully finishing the track, to my ears, great results both times! I still like Street Angel although not her best in the same camp as Rock a Little, I think the vibe is better and her singing although not up to par inspiration (pardon the pun) wise, it's still pretty good and she just kills it on the brief tour to follow.

[David]

Originally Posted by michelej1

That’s a great discovery. “Hurricane” is totally Stevie. Chimpanzee is not.

Or “baboon.” Think of that song with “baboon” in it.

Think of that song if it’s a forgotten baboon at the laundromat! There is the very kernel of an idea there.

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by bwboy

I finally listened to RAL and examined the booklet for the first time in years, and it really reinforced my belief that Stevie was aiming for a brighter, poppier sound. Also, virtually the entire album is Stevie giving advice and reassuring folks! Talk to Me, Rock a Little (Go Ahead, Lily), Some Become Strangers, If I Were You, and Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You, I mean the titles alone are perfect examples. Then you have lyrics like “Don’t turn around, there’s nothing here to fear,” “If I Were You, I would take the love I’m giving to you,” and perhaps her most important advice of all “don’t let that golden hair get in your way, baby” LOL! There are just so many examples on this album. I think it’s interesting she’s trying to be so helpful to others when her life was pretty chaotic at that time, especially recording this album. Maybe she’s trying to reassure HERSELF that everything will turn out all right?

My favorite advice, would come when Stevie was older and wiser: “Don’t buy that doll!”

[bombaysaffires]

Originally Posted by On Ice

Hi Bombay-

I think similar stories happened with Rock a Little and Street Angel although no rehab with Rock a Little as she said no, no, no. Street Angel though, she scrapped the initial takes, brought in Panunzio and attempted to "fix" the album. The Rock a Little one though may have threads of the folklore around the missing Mirror Mirror album of the day. I wish I knew more about why she rejected that song twice after fully finishing the track, to my ears, great results both times! I still like Street Angel although not her best in the same camp as Rock a Little, I think the vibe is better and her singing although not up to par inspiration (pardon the pun) wise, it's still pretty good and she just kills it on the brief tour to follow.

yes! you're right. I went and looked it up after I made that post because it bothered me that I couldn't recall the details, and she didn't do proper rehab til AFTER the RAL tour. That was the tour she said she tried to be careful in doing her coke because "you can't just go sober on a tour". But RAL did take forever to put out; I found an old interview in which she talked about mucking around with it forever. Jimmy quit (or she fired him, whomever you believe) and it's really a miso-mash of random producers and styles after that.

[JeremyGloff]

Responding to a post a couple pages back I just had to jump in and say that you are correct that Cyndi didn't write "True Colors" but she did indeed write "Time After Time" with Rob Hyman!!

I love that outtake of "Strangers" - the "oooh ooohs" at the beginning of the released version foreshadowed some serious "Street Angel" era overkill in that department!!!