Like or Dislike: If Anyone Falls

[skcin]

I was in love with this song a few years ago - definitely a top 10. Now I'm just in like with it. My opinion goes back & forth for some reason. I never tire of it really, but sometimes the song just hits me more than others.

The music - very 80's pop, I think moreso than any other tune on the album (yes, including Stand Back.) It doesn't really stand out, though. It's not quick & rocking, it's not slow & sultry. I wouldn't call it midtempo either though. I guess it's...nondescript?

The lyrics & her vocal are phenomenal, IMO. One of the few songs I can actually understand exactly what she's talking about completely - whether it's about Waddy or not, I don't really care. It's almost as if I can see all these things happening as she sings them - like it were a movie or something. Esp. the following:

"I hear a voice...in the room next to mine
Feels good...sounds good...
Closes the door from behind
And another voice...comes thru the door

I am dealing with a man
When away from me...stays deep inside my heart"

and

"And I heard someone say
As my eyes turned away
He said "I have loved many women
I have many times...run away"

Stevie longing for something she can't have - I don't think that happened to her very often back in the day. :D

Live? SO impressed with it in Vegas. The accapella harmonies gave me chills. Great on TWH tour too.

Video - I just watched this the other day. I can do without the ballet scenes, but the rest fits the song perfectly. I don't even mind creepy Mick walking with her at the end - it's much better than creepy Mick skulking around the stairs in I Can't Wait.)

[amber]

Meh, I usually don't like it, but then sometimes I like it a lot. Three stars. Mainly what saves it is it's....synthy, backgroundvocally exuberance - which is also part of what I don't like. I like the verse Paula quoted best, and "Shadows against the wa-all!!". I really don't like the notes much otherwise, too majory. Especially the chorus. But I like how the girls slide up on "miiiiiiiiiiiiiiind". It was very good in Vegas, it made me like the song much better than I ever had. Before, it was one of 2 songs I consistently skipped on Timespace. Considering that, three stars is pretty generous. I might say two, as well. Can't decide.

[The Tower]

I have never liked this song. The video makes it abysmal.

[ontheEdgeof17]

Love it. It's probably my favorite single of hers. It gives me a good feeling inside.

[WildInTheWind]

3 stars from me. I used to like it a whole lot....now it's just not all that great and exciting anymore. Maybe I overplayed it. I don't lke the video either.

[NoSpeedLimit8]

I looove this song, esp live.

[DavidMn]

I thought it was fantastic in Vegas in May. :)

[GateandGarden]

I love the song but still wouldn't consider it one of my very favorites of hers. But I got to liking it right off. It's very catchy and the vocals are dramatic, and usually that'll do it for ya with a Stevie song.

I love all the lyrics Paula mentioned, as well as the "Shadow against, shadow against, Shadow Against the Wall!!! BABY I See Your Shadow Against the Wall!!!" I love singing that part, though I suck at it. :laugh:

[michelle2677]

I gave it 2 !!'s...

top 50 for me....
I mostly like the part where she says.."and he said if anyone falls in love...it will be one of us" how tragic!!!

[GypsySorcerer]

Not one of my favorites. :shrug:

[AliceLover]

Love this! Never tire of it.

[Neal]

Four !'s. One of only 3 Wild Heart tracks I love... ;)

[KarmaContestant]

I gave it three !'s. It's a good tune, in the 30 Stevie songs for me, I guess.

I didn't care for it in Vegas on 5/14/05...I liked the a'capella part, but I didn't think at the time that Stevie sustained the energy of the vocal very well, and I haven't heard it since.

[Dreammms]

i love this song. gave it five stars. my friend became a stevie fan after i played her this song. her daughter at the time was five and would sing it all the time. she is now ten and still loves it and sings it. very cute to hear.

[golden braid]

I don't have much to say but I love this song. Nothing spectacular but I really enjoy listening to it. I love her vocals on the song especially hearing the opening line "I hear a voice..." I also loved hearing it in Vegas.

[Karlie]

I didn't use to like it very much, but it was awesome in Vegas. Now it's one of my favorite songs. I gave it 5 !'s.

Oh, by the way, I'm new here. Hi everyone! :wavey:

[Stevie_Buck]

I LOVE IT! :thumbsup:

It's a powerhouse of a song for me. I don't know why. :shrug:
In my top 5!

[Serendipity]

Love it! Great upbeat music, but with tragic lyrics. The voice....meh, I just love it. Four stars for me, top 10 I would say. At least today. :)

~Nicki

[Kelly]

I like it but don't LOVE it. It is ok and I never skip it. I love the "sssshhhhhhhh" parts! The album cut is fun and enjoyable to sing-a-long with and Stevie's vocal is committed. In Vegas, she seemed committed to the vocal but something was up with the energy of her vocal. She could not sustain the tempo, or she thought she couldn't, so they ssllllowwwddd the song down so much it almost ruined it. Honestly, the first night I though it went over like a lead balloon. The pace was so different from The Wild Heart that the song was almost unrecognizable to alot of casual fans. The acapella part saved it for ME, plus it was something different and I gave her an A plus for effort. Wednesday night was much better, she seemed more confident and the song came off better. I like the song but really could take it or leave it. Out of the three new songs she sang in Vegas, IAF was my least favorite. Maybe the fact that I don't feel like I really understand the song is making me feel indifferent towards it. I said before that I like to understand the meaning behind the song, or at least try to...for the song to truly touch me. (Or the song must be important in something that happened in my own life, like Nightbird)
I guess two stars would be about what I would give it. So...2.

[skcin]

I didn't use to like it very much, but it was awesome in Vegas. Now it's one of my favorite songs. I gave it 5 !'s.

Oh, by the way, I'm new here. Hi everyone! :wavey:


Welcome, Karlie! :wavey: Which show(s) did you see in Vegas?

[GypsySorcerer]

Oh, by the way, I'm new here. Hi everyone! :wavey:
Welcome, Karlie! :wavey:

[face of glass]

Not the greatest favourite, but still very good. The opening synth burst has seemed unnecessary for the longest time to me, but the vocal harmonies have never failed to win me over.

[Dreammms]

Oh, by the way, I'm new here. Hi everyone! :wavey:

Welcome Karlie. Love the name! :)

[Karlie]

Welcome, Karlie! :wavey: Which show(s) did you see in Vegas?

May 14th and August 6th. They were awesome! :D

[ontheEdgeof17]

May 14th and August 6th. They were awesome! :D


That is awesome.

I went on the 6th....the tall guy in the front row that didn't sit down...that was me. :lol:

We prolly saw each other.

[Karlie]

That is awesome.

I went on the 6th....the tall guy in the front row that didn't sit down...that was me. :lol:

We prolly saw each other.

Probably. I was in the 11th row but I got really close to the stage for Edge of Seventeen.

[David]

It's not quick & rocking, it's not slow & sultry. I wouldn't call it midtempo either though.Well what would you call "midtempo"?

I love the **** out of "If Anyone Falls," mostly I guess for sentimental reasons. I sat in the seats at Irvine Meadows on Sept. 24, 1983, with pals of mine from Santa Barbara, & I can remember saying about two or three songs into the set: "If she doesn't do 'If Anyone Falls,' we're leaving." And she did! And it's been one of the coolest songs in my brain ever since. It has that Stevie embodiment that her signature songs all have; these are songs that no one else in the world could do, or probably would even want to do. I've been hooked on the lurchy synthesizer part for 22 years, & I still play it all the time. The a cappella chorus round & the Soulville sax on the 1991 tour were nice surprises, although the '83 performances were the benchmark. I have no comment on the current performances, having heard only two or three MP3s & having fallen asleep during them.

So, anyway, God bless "If Anyone Falls"!

o/~ If anyone falls in love o/~
"It should be one of us, right?" [10.02.83]

[Richard B]

Well what would you call "midtempo"?

I love the **** out of "If Anyone Falls," mostly I guess for sentimental reasons. I sat in the seats at Irvine Meadows on Sept. 24, 1983, with pals of mine from Santa Barbara, & I can remember saying about two or three songs into the set: "If she doesn't do 'If Anyone Falls,' we're leaving." And she did! And it's been one of the coolest songs in my brain ever since. It has that Stevie embodiment that her signature songs all have; these are songs that no one else in the world could do, or probably would even want to do. I've been hooked on the lurchy synthesizer part for 22 years, & I still play it all the time. The a cappella chorus round & the Soulville sax on the 1991 tour were nice surprises, although the '83 performances were the benchmark. I have no comment on the current performances, having heard only two or three MP3s & having fallen asleep during them.

So, anyway, God bless "If Anyone Falls"!

o/~ If anyone falls in love o/~
"It should be one of us, right?" [10.02.83]
Damn. Well put. Particularly the "lurchy synthesizer." That was really well put.

[Travisevian]

I'd consider If Anyone Falls to be a signature Stevie Nicks song. I really like this song because it's upbeat, romantic, high-energy and fun. The video is lovely and ethereal as well and never do I fail to chuckle at the ending with Stevie and Mick Fleetwood. I'm glad that Stevie has incorporated this into her set in recent years and hope that she continues to do so.

[Macfanforever]

I love .I love it.I love it.Great tune.I love hearing it live too.

[GoldDustGypsy]

When I first heard If Anyone Falls I really didn't like it all that much. But it seemed to somehow grow on me....I hadn't listened to it in a long time and one day I was driving and decided that I REALLY wanted to hear this song. I've loved it ever since. Definitely not one of Stevie's BEST but it's very catchy and never fails to make me smile/dance.

[BombaySapphire3]

Very good song and productionwise very much of it's time.I'd give it a 4.I do think it is odd that even after Stand Back was in the can the label was going to release If Anyone Falls as the lead single.It was apparently only after a test group of listeners went with Stand Back that the order was changed.

[Nathan]

Love it. It's probably my favorite single of hers. It gives me a good feeling inside.

Me too....

It's like, it's optimistic. It WILL be one of us.
But not 'both' of us, only 'one' of us - interesting.

Love this song. Love the Soundstage version, great acapella on it. Also love the Wild Heart out takes that run about five and half minutes, with all the extra vamping at the end. Incredible.

They could've done something different with the 'shadow against the wall' part. Some kinda harmony thing might've worked better.

[PolishStevieFan]

This is one of the greatest songs of Stevie's solo career and definately was worthy of TOP 10 position back in the time. Just like "Stand Back" the song was quite a departure from Stevie's "Belladonna" music stylings, most importantly incorporating that undeniably catchy sytnhs riffs, which I absolutely love. This is one of the best songs to sing, especially chours which is so powerful.

[GypsySorcerer]

Not one of my favorites. :shrug:

Well, seven (!!!) years later, it's still not one of my favorites. :laugh: I have learned to appreciate it a bit more, especially live.

[greendaze5]

One of my all time favorite Stevie songs! Just Love the video as well!

And a big thank-you to Sandy Stewart who wrote the instrumental track. :thumbsup:

[Blueletter18]

This has to be in my top ten Stevie songs- LOVE it. When I'm having a bad day or something, I always listen to the first 4 tracks off of The Wild Heart. i get so excited when I hear the synth opening to If Anyone Falls!:blob1:

[Rod~A~Little]

I was a bit caught off guard when I first heard it...because it was not the usual Stevie sound. (But I like artist who experiment and try new things)

This is one of the few 80's keyboard sounds that I think actually enhance the song! And someone commented about the dreadful video, but I thought it was uber cool...Stevie comes in like a ghost!

Enough said...thumbs up for me!

:thumbsup:

[jkmaletic]

I love this song. It's one that makes me smile right away. And I too, got goosebumps when she did it live in Vegas.

[AliceLover]

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE

She could play this at every show I ever go to and I would never not love it. I'll never forgive the b*tch who started fighting with me about her (my) seat at the Boston 2011 show. Missed this whole entire song, I could have killed her.

[Jondalar]

There was one reviewer that described this song as one of the greatest songs of the 80s. The reason is because people fell in and out of bed with each other. The song is about jumping in and out of love—feels good, but doesn't last, don't blame it on Stevie, blame it on her Wild Heart.

[Thrown_Down]

I love it. It's definitely the synths that make it. I love the energy of it, especially the 'Live In Chicago' version.

[Blueletter18]

There was one reviewer that described this song as one of the greatest songs of the 80s. The reason is because people fell in and out of bed with each other. The song is about jumping in and out of love—feels good, but doesn't last, don't blame it on Stevie, blame it on her Wild Heart.

Well said :thumbsup:

[michelej1]

I really did love it when the album came out. Now, in concert, I find it sort of dull. But on record, it was tremendous.

Michele

[mikephxaz]

Love the song. Love the video. Love the synths. Love the back up vocals. Stevie looked so natural and beautiful in the video. Love the lyrics. Like alot of music from the 80ties i don't like it live.

[mitzo]

To me it is an OK Stevie song, about mid-range in terms of likeability. It is a kind of relic of Steviepop from that era.