Happy Birthday to Stevie's greatest album

[The Highwayman]

Today marks the 35th anniversary of the release of Bella Donna, my favorite Fleetwood Mac-related album. To me, it's a flawless record, and something that was obviously long in coming for Stevie since she always had a backlog of great songs while only having 3 or so songs per FM album. Had she never started a solo career to go hand in hand with her career with the band, it's entirely possible she would've left the band a lot earlier. Thank god for Bella Donna.

Stevie's songs that she was cutting for the album were all so consistently strong, she didn't even need 'Stop Draggin' My Heart Around', but for commercial purposes. But she wanted Tom Petty, whom she admired, as part of her record. She wanted that Heartbreakers sound,the same producer and engineer, and the rock feel of Bella Donna is very distinct from Fleetwood Mac's (or more properly, Lindsey Buckingham's) sound.

Every song is at very least great, a handful being utterly amazing. Never a dull moment, never a wasted breath. I think it's a (somewhat) underrated masterpiece, one of my favorite albums of the '80s, already one of my favorite decades, musically. I remember when I first heard it, I was almost 19, back in 1998 just after becoming a new Stevie/Fleetwood Mac fan. I got BD on vinyl of all things (probably had a lot to do with the big and lovely cover, and the lovely lady on it, looking right at you. This might be where my crush on Stevie started). I loved every second of it. Still do. Today it's the FM/Stevie album I listen to the most by far.

Sure, I also love The Wild Heart and dig the wild vibe of Rock a Little, and Stevie's last three studio albums have been very enjoyable, but nothing can surpass Bella Donna for me. Not even Mirage, Tusk and Rumours. Yes, I'm totally serious. It's that great in my eyes.

(Now, where's that deluxe 35th Anniversary Edition with bonus tracks? A pipe dream, apparently.)

[~*BellaDonna*~]

It will always be my favorite Stevie Nicks album.

The Highwayman, After The Glitter Fades, Bella Donna and How Still My Love are songs I can't go without.

Happy Birthday!

[bwboy]

Highwayman, regarding Stop Draggin' My Heart, I've read that Jimmy Iovine pushed for that song to be included because Stevie was really resistant to an outside songwriter, but acquiesced because she was a Petty and Heartbreakers fan. And Iovine said he pushed for it because he felt the album didn't have an obvious lead single. Jimmy and Stevie made the right choice, because if she hadn't included that song on Bella Donna, Petty would have put it on his.

Even though she wrote Leather and Lace, that top 10 song was another duet, and Edge of Seventeen peaked at #11, so Stevie must have been thrilled and relieved that Stand Back, a song she wrote and only featured her on vocals, made the top 10- leaving no doubt she could get a top 10 song solo and without Fleetwood Mac.

[Macfan4life]

I agree the album is flawless. I would swap Gold and Braid for the Highwayman but even that change would not change my devotion to this album.

Paul Fishkin of Modern Records had the biggest say with the lead single and bringing the Heartbreakers on board along with Jimmy Iovine. It was a decision to promote Stevie's solo career as a rock star and not pop princess. Stop Draggin My Heart Around was the first single and jaws dropped when they heard this raw voice and rocking sound. The single almost made it to #1.

1981 was an amazing year of music. I consider Bella Donna one of the best albums of the entire 80's decade.

[olive]

so sad she doesn't seem to care

[~*BellaDonna*~]

Originally Posted by olive

so sad she doesn't seem to care

She has never made acknowledgments when the album has reached important anniversaries. Like you said, its sad, really sad.