Illume

[jbrownsjr]

About 3 months ago, i kept listening to this song and it's so good I put it on repeat. Stevie wrote some good stuff here.

Anyone know if this is personal or her just storytelling and when she wrote it.

[chiliD]

It's based on her personal experiences from being in NYC on 9/11/02.

[strandinthewind]

At her official website www.nicksfix.com - there is a journal entry about it. Many believe from what she said there and in diff. interviews over the last year or so that it is about her lighting a candle and nap champra incense at her house in LA and staring out of the window at the glitering coastline before she is taken back to 9/11 in NYC. IMO - her repeated reference tp nag champra is brilliant and seductive because this is the incense she had to burn in her hotel in NYC to keep the smell of death and destruction away. Others have a different view of the song, but it is according to her, about her personal experience by being in NYC on 9/11.

[DownOnRodeo]

Awwesome song. I LOVE it!! In terms of tracklisting, it's Stevie's answer to the despair and angry frustration in Murrow. It was genius to put them both together!

"It's like a river.... it's never ending....
"It falls away... like a river..."

[dissention]

Originally posted by chiliD
It's based on her personal experiences from being in NYC on 9/11/02.

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

[Bella Figura]

and this is funny?? how??:confused:

[strandinthewind]

Originally posted by Bella Figura
and this is funny?? how??:confused:

The events happened in 2001 not 2002. Dis. is laughing at ChiliD's typo not the actual event.

[Livia]

The only thing I don't like about this song is the misspelling and pronunciation of Nag ChampRa. It's Nag Champa incense, there's no "R."

Okay, I'll shut up now and go back to drownDing in the sea of love...

:wavey: :laugh:

[darklinensuit]

Originally posted by Livia
The only thing I don't like about this song is the misspelling and pronunciation of Nag ChampRa. It's Nag Champa incense, there's no "R."

Okay, I'll shut up now and go back to drownDing in the sea of love...

:wavey: :laugh:

Okay, you're excused, Lindsia.:laugh:

- Jake

[DrummerDeanna]

Originally posted by Livia
The only thing I don't like about this song is the misspelling and pronunciation of Nag ChampRa. It's Nag Champa incense, there's no "R."

Okay, I'll shut up now and go back to drownDing in the sea of love...

:wavey: :laugh:

THANK YOU!! I have this exact peeve....it really bugs me...especially now everyone, well not *everyone* is calling it Nag Champra....errr....hahaha..I have never seen a box of Nag ChampRA...so if someone can show me one...I'll quit my bitchin' :nod:

[chiliD]

Originally posted by strandinthewind
The events happened in 2001 not 2002. Dis. is laughing at ChiliD's typo not the actual event.


Oops...my bad. :distress:

[Nixxxed]

My friend Larry and I have been fighting about the Nag Champa/Champra issue since the album came out...

I understand, at the least, that it is spelled wrong in the CD booklet, but I have never heard the offending R sung in the song.

When Stevie sings R's, she's usually pretty forceful about it (not to mention the way she sings H's). My friend always reads the lyrics while first listening to the album, so my point of our argument was that he was expecting to hear her sing the misspelling, and that's why he hears it that way.

I usually wait a few months until I have learned the song "by ear" before I read the lyrics. It's just more fun that way for me. You wouldn't believe some of the things I thought Lindsey was saying in "Murrow" before I read the lyrics... Also, in "Peacekeeper", I thought he was saying: "We make all of our SONS the same...", which makes for an entirely different meaning of the line: "They all explode just the same..." I was very disappointed to read "SUNS" in the lyric booklet. It kinda ruined the point of the song for me.

[diamondsnake]

Originally posted by Nixxxed

I usually wait a few months until I have learned the song "by ear" before I read the lyrics. It's just more fun that way for me. You wouldn't believe some of the things I thought Lindsey was saying in "Murrow" before I read the lyrics... Also, in "Peacekeeper", I thought he was saying: "We make all of our SONS the same...", which makes for an entirely different meaning of the line: "They all explode just the same..." I was very disappointed to read "SUNS" in the lyric booklet. It kinda ruined the point of the song for me.

I thought Stevie said she was a "good swimmer" instead of a "cliff dweller" in illume, so don't feel bad!

And about the would nag champa thing- maybe they had to do that for copyright issues? :confused:

And I think it sounds like Champa to me. She just sort of breaks up the word.

[dissention]

Originally posted by diamondsnake
And I think it sounds like Champa to me. She just sort of breaks up the word.

It's champ-ra that she sings. Look in the lyric book.

[Nixxxed]

Champ-A
Champ-A
Champ-A

I don't hear the R!!!!!!!

Infinity!

(Besides, Dissention, if we relied on the lyric book to be absolutely correct, we'd all be singing the lyrics to "Some Become Strangers" as the end of "Imperial Hotel", and the lyrics to "Imperial Hotel" would be at the end of "No Spoken Word".)

[dissention]

Originally posted by Nixxxed
Champ-A
Champ-A
Champ-A

I don't hear the R!!!!!!!

Infinity!

(Besides, Dissention, if we relied on the lyric book to be absolutely correct, we'd all be singing the lyrics to "Some Become Strangers" as the end of "Imperial Hotel", and the lyrics to "Imperial Hotel" would be at the end of "No Spoken Word".)

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: That booklet is a friggin' mess. :laugh:

But she says champ-ra.

[wondergirl9847]

Originally posted by DrummerDeanna
THANK YOU!! I have this exact peeve....it really bugs me...especially now everyone, well not *everyone* is calling it Nag Champra....errr....hahaha..I have never seen a box of Nag ChampRA...so if someone can show me one...I'll quit my bitchin' :nod:

Who sings nag champRa along with her? 'Fess up! :mad:

:lol:

I don't, I sing champa.

[darklinensuit]

Originally posted by wondergirl9847
Who sings nag champRa along with her? 'Fess up! :mad:

:lol:

I don't, I sing champa.

Me neither, I sing Children of the world, the forgotten champa.:cool:

- Jake

[Johnny Stew]

Personally, I think "champra" sounds more melodic... so I sing the same thing Stevie does. :)

[jbrownsjr]

I actually had to ask someone what that was!!:distress:

[DrummerDeanna]

Originally posted by dissention
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: That booklet is a friggin' mess. :laugh:

But she says champ-ra.

Yep...she says ChapRa alright...

I didn't look at the lyric booklet for a while either...but kept listening to that song...and finally I was like...it totally sounds like she's putting an R in there...it was at that point that I got the booklet out...and well...there it is: Champra...that's what I hear...

[strandinthewind]

I do not have time to look right now, but I think her journal entries on her website (www.nicksfix.com :wavey: John!!!! ) that contain the original lyrics to this song say "champra."

:cool:

[dissention]

Originally posted by strandinthewind
I do not have time to look right now, but I think her journal entries on her website (www.nicksfix.com :wavey: John!!!! ) that contain the original lyrics to this song say "champra."

:cool:

I can just picture the exchange between Stevie and Linds in the studio after the song was recorded:

Linds: Hey, I burned a stick of that smelly incense last night and it's actually called "Nag Champa."

Stevie: You can't make me change it. It's the poet that I am. You wouldn't correct Bob Dylan. It sounds soooooo beautiful.

Linds: But-

Stevie: Oy.

Linds: I-

Stevie: Want more than 40 dates?

Linds: Uh...

Stevie: Now, about the mixer...

[darklinensuit]

Originally posted by [email protected]
I actually had to ask someone what that was!!:distress:

I'd never heard of it before the song, either.
What was that Ambien/sleeping pill that I thought was a cocktail?:)

- unworldlyJake

[wondergirl9847]

Originally posted by dissention
I can just picture the exchange between Stevie and Linds in the studio after the song was recorded:

Linds: Hey, I burned a stick of that smelly incense last night and it's actually called "Nag Champa."

Stevie: You can't make me change it. It's the poet that I am. You wouldn't correct Bob Dylan. It sounds soooooo beautiful.

Linds: But-

Stevie: Oy.

Linds: I-

Stevie: Want more than 40 dates?

Linds: Uh...

Stevie: Now, about the mixer...

:lol:

I can actually see this in my head. BWAH!!!

Stevie: You know what, Lindsey, Rhiannon burned nag champra.

*crickets chirping*

Lindsey: Uh huh. Where is my guitar?!!?!? HEY, WHERE IS MY TURNER!?!? RAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[diamondsnake]

Does anyone like this stuff? I saw it at this mystical shop one day and thought of Stevie when I saw it, so I bought some and when I burned it, I did not care for it. And I like some insense (spelling?), but I guess I am just more of a candle person. This Nag Champa stuff was way too powerful! I'd rather smell a lit cigar (which I actually love the smell of!)

[dissention]

Originally posted by diamondsnake
Does anyone like this stuff? I saw it at this mystical shop one day and thought of Stevie when I saw it, so I bought some and when I burned it, I did not care for it. And I like some insense (spelling?), but I guess I am just more of a candle person. This Nag Champa stuff was way too powerful! I'd rather smell a lit cigar (which I actually love the smell of!)

I love it. There are so many scents to choose from, which one did you buy?

[dissention]

Originally posted by wondergirl9847
:lol:

I can actually see this in my head. BWAH!!!

Stevie: You know what, Lindsey, Rhiannon burned nag champra.

*crickets chirping*

Lindsey: Uh huh. Where is my guitar?!!?!? HEY, WHERE IS MY TURNER!?!? RAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Stevie: Rhiannon is in all of us. She surrounds us and her spirit emrges when Nag Champra is burned.

Linds: ****, the seventies were good to you.

[diamondsnake]

Originally posted by dissention
I love it. There are so many scents to choose from, which one did you buy?

I don't know. Mine doesn't say anything on it. I guess original, is that a scent? None of the boxes hade any scents on them, so I assume they didn't carry all the scents and just had "original". What kind are there?

[dissention]

Originally posted by diamondsnake
I don't know. Mine doesn't say anything on it. I guess original, is that a scent? None of the boxes hade any scents on them, so I assume they didn't carry all the scents and just had "original". What kind are there?

Yeah, there is an original scent.

Go here for the other scents:

http://www.nagchampa.com/incense/superhitincense.htm

My fave is Sai Ram. :)

[strandinthewind]

In her journal entries on her website (www.nicksfix.com) , she says champa - to wit:

S. Nicks

Thursday Night
Back at the beach

Illume
Says the candle that I burn
A reflection in the window
All the way to point Dune
A cliff dweller from the old school-

I like the coastal cities
I like the lights
I like the way the ocean blends
Into the city at night
Like living on a working river
The coastline is glittering-
Like a diamond snake-
In a black sky

And I am alone with my thoughts
And how we could make it-
And what we have all been through
And all of the trauma-
With the smell of Nag Champa
Like a kiss- like a stranger-
What we have seen on this journey
Are what legends are made of-

I will not take you for granted
My friend, my dear one, my love-
I wouldn’t trade you for jade…
Or for diamonds~
I need you to be there~
Please~
Remember when I am haunted
That I was just scared-
And when I remember
That day in my life-
I will remember that you-
Were there-

Stevie Nicks
Oct. 11th, 2001

___________________________________

My question is who is she talking about - who was there?

Also, the journal indicate she was at her house in LA when she wrote this.

[dissention]

Originally posted by strandinthewind
My question is who is she talking about - who was there?

I think she's referring to everyone in NY that day. Human life in general. :)

[strandinthewind]

I think that too. I also thought maybe it was the heroic firemen, police officers, etc. But, I think you are right and it is more general than that :cool:

[jbrownsjr]

Quite honestly, without knowing the history you guys presented; I was imagining her alone in her house, driving down the coast, burning incense looking at the sunset, thinking about a lover that she just couldn't get together with no matter how hard she tried. And it cost her a lot of emotion either way she went with it. So she's finally alone and sort of telling this person, hey this is where I am at this moment.


Just my very first impression and I thought it was a beautiful concept.

Shows my imagination will run to the romance factor!! :laugh:

[DrummerDeanna]

Originally posted by diamondsnake
Does anyone like this stuff? I saw it at this mystical shop one day and thought of Stevie when I saw it, so I bought some and when I burned it, I did not care for it. And I like some insense (spelling?), but I guess I am just more of a candle person. This Nag Champa stuff was way too powerful! I'd rather smell a lit cigar (which I actually love the smell of!)

I LOVE Nag Champa (the original scent in the blue box)!!

It is seriously the ONLY incense I will burn now...I think it is actually less harsh and smelly than regular incense...it also calms me...so I love the stuff...

I also turned my ex-boyfriend into a Nag snob and now it's all he'll burn as well lol...

[jwd]

Champa/Champra, makes no difference to me. I didn't even know what it was till I found out here on The Ledge. "Illume" is stil one of my favorite songs from SYW. Up there with "Red Rover". I've seen posts where Ledgies despise both of these songs. I guess it's one of those things where you either hate it or love it.

[EveryHour]

And about the would nag champa thing- maybe they had to do that for copyright issues? :confused:



I do hear her singing "champRa", and I will never go with any theory here other than copyright issues. Yes, Stevie throws extra letters in words sometimes ("drownDing", as mentioned...which is a very common slip, BTW), but the fact that it's printed in the booklet with an R is what makes this different.

[EveryHour]

Quite honestly, without knowing the history you guys presented; I was imagining her alone in her house, driving down the coast, burning incense looking at the sunset, thinking about a lover that she just couldn't get together with no matter how hard she tried. And it cost her a lot of emotion either way she went with it. So she's finally alone and sort of telling this person, hey this is where I am at this moment.


Just my very first impression and I thought it was a beautiful concept.

Shows my imagination will run to the romance factor!! :laugh:

Just out of curiosity, then what the heck did you think the secondary song title, "9/11" meant?

[highpriestess53]

Nag Champa, Nag ChampRa......Nag ChamBra.....however you want to pronounce it LOL!

click this link for the real deal

http://www.incensemania.com

[darklinensuit]

Just out of curiosity, then what the heck did you think the secondary song title, "9/11" meant?

LOL, I was thinking the same thing when I read that post, but in his defense, Stevie does have the subtitle "Escape from Berlin" that has nothing to do with the Cold War. :shrug:

- Jake

[desertangel]

In my opinion, this is the mark of a well written song. When the story behind the inspiration could take many shapes. We as fans know what the real inspiration was, however, it could easily have been written about a relationship. I've always loved this song, from the first time I heard it.

Laura

[EveryHour]

In my opinion, this is the mark of a well written song. When the story behind the inspiration could take many shapes. We as fans know what the real inspiration was, however, it could easily have been written about a relationship. I've always loved this song, from the first time I heard it.

Laura

The beauty of music...yes?:)

[EveryHour]

LOL, I was thinking the same thing when I read that post, but in his defense, Stevie does have the subtitle "Escape from Berlin" that has nothing to do with the Cold War. :shrug:

- Jake

True, true. There's somewhere where Stevie explains the Escape From Berlin bit...is it in Ask Stevie on the Nicks Fix? I can't remember. Wherever it was, I think she said she was just relating it to an intense feeling of, well, escaping. I just made this sound SO profound, didn't I? :o :)

[dissention]

LOL, I was thinking the same thing when I read that post, but in his defense, Stevie does have the subtitle "Escape from Berlin" that has nothing to do with the Cold War. :shrug:

- Jake

Hines forced her to remove her many references to Hasslehoff, much to Stevie's behest.

[jbrownsjr]

Just out of curiosity, then what the heck did you think the secondary song title, "9/11" meant?

Don't flog me, haven't really purused the liner notes. I listen in my car quite a bit. :shrug: Oh and i have the deluxe version, so I carry the cd in a generic case! I guess I'll have to read it!

[EveryHour]

Hines forced her to remove her many references to Hasslehoff, much to Stevie's behest.

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

[EveryHour]

Don't flog me, haven't really purused the liner notes. I listen in my car quite a bit. :shrug: Oh and i have the deluxe version, so I carry the cd in a generic case! I guess I'll have to read it!

Not flogging, just honestly curious!:)

[jbrownsjr]

Not flogging, just honestly curious!:)

Phew! That was close! Never mess with Stevie fans! :laugh:

[cliffdweller]

Okay, I'll shut up now and go back to drownDing in the sea of love...

:laugh:

Her hypercorrection of words just slays me.

[Hawkeye]

Illume along with every other Stevie song from SYW is AMAZING. In fact the only non amazing song on SYW is Red Rover.

[chiliD]

Illume along with every other Stevie song from SYW is AMAZING. In fact the only non amazing song on SYW is Red Rover.

"Silver Girl", to me, is still just downright unlistenable. "Running Through The Garden" has grown boring until the guitar solo...Lindsey even recycled THAT from "This Is The Time".

But, surprisingly, it is Stevie's tunes on SYW that I keep going back to when I play the album. Mainly:

Smile At You
Thrown Down (although, I do listen to the wall-of-sound mix more often)
Destiny Rules
Illume
Everybody Finds Out

[Johnny Stew]

But, surprisingly, it is Stevie's tunes on SYW that I keep going back to when I play the album.Well, that's not surprising to me. ;)

Seriously though, Stevie's songs on 'Say You Will' (and 'Trouble In Shangri-La') are, with only a couple exceptions, outstanding... and, in my very humble opinion, rank right up there with the best of her work."Silver Girl", to me, is still just downright unlistenable.I don't dislike "Silver Girl" as much as some folks do, but it's not a favorite of mine, that's for sure... but it has definitely grown on me since this time last year.

I still think if it had been uptempo, it would have been more enjoyable.
Though it still wouldn't be one of Stevie's best, IMO.

[shackin'up]

Illume along with every other Stevie song from SYW is AMAZING. In fact the only non amazing song on SYW is Red Rover.


:confused: :shrug: I can understand that you don't like Red Rover, h*ll, I can understand that you even hate the song. I just don't get anybody stating that RR is "non amazing". I think nobody ever wrote a weird song that way before. Even if it's percepted as crap, it's still amazing.

[Hawkeye]

Actually Shacking Up I agree. The song is amzing. It's annoying to my ears. But it is a unique song. And I'm actually glad it's on the album. I have to skip #6 but it's something I'm glad Lindsey did. The guitar work is very impressive. And if I blast that soaring part of the song it's one of the albums finest moments. But it's also the only song on the album I overally (that's not a word lol) dislike. Mainly beacuse of the Red ROVER RED ROVER BLAH BLAH BLAH.