Let's talk about... OUTSIDE THE RAIN

[FMlex]

(With a quick search, it appears as if we haven't covered this great one yet!)

OUTSIDE THE RAIN.
Love it. Love the lyrics. The song is set up uniquely -- the whole "Look at my eyes, touch my face" has high emotion right at the end of the song (in live versions we lose the last lyric which I have at the bottom of this post because it's fab.u.lous.).
She had a good thing going on tour in the '80s when she flowed straight into "Dreams."

Stevie looks so pretty in this live concert, and I freaking love this blue cape.
Check it:
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Oh and I was listening to the Wild Heart tour from Austin and she sings "Well Mick said that it's just one more link in the chain baby"
Ha, gotta say I thought that was pretty funny. If you have a copy of this, go listen to it if you've never noticed that before.

So what do yall think of this one?

"Love is a word that some entertain. If you find it, you have won the game..."

[Phoenix]

I ADORE THIS SONG. LIVE ESPECIALLY. I still whish that she had done this on Soundstage. I want a REALLY nice Clean, newer-sounding version. I love the one from Australia with the symphony. too bad it wasnt released. i always watch it on youtube, its cool to see her rocking out in the Beauty and the Beast gown!:thumbsup:
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[daniellaaarisen]

Oh and I was listening to the Wild Heart tour from Austin and she sings "Well Mick said that it's just one more link in the chain baby"
Ha, gotta say I thought that was pretty funny. If you have a copy of this, go listen to it if you've never noticed that before.

She also does this in the Red Rocks DVD.

Sooooooooo "Outside the Rain" is one of my favorite Stevie songs EVER. I think it is a beautiful combinaton of whimsical Stevie-esque lyrics and classic rock with a hint of accessible early 80s pop.

I will write more on this later tonight.

[LukeA]

I liked this song when it was touched up, re-recorded, and called "Straight Back".

[daniellaaarisen]

I ADORE THIS SONG. LIVE ESPECIALLY. I still whish that she had done this on Soundstage. I want a REALLY nice Clean, newer-sounding version. I love the one from Australia with the symphony. too bad it wasnt released. i always watch it on youtube, its cool to see her rocking out in the Beauty and the Beast gown!:thumbsup:
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Um, that video is magical. I can't believe I'd never seen it before!

[Dodfather]

Good choice for a thread. I love this Let's Talk About... series and really hope itkeeps going for ages, there are so many, many songs to cover!

Anyway, I'm going to sound a controversial note and say that when I first heard it Outside The Rain didn't do much for me. Then she seemed to open every single concert with it and I started to just get bored...until recently.

I don't know what happened but upon hearing it for the nth time about 6 months ago I suddenly loved it! It was very strange! The one part I had always loved was the "look in my eyes, touch my face" line but I found myself singing along to the whole thing this time and now it's one of my favourites right now.

The description from another poster of how it combines the ethereal and rocking Stevie is spot on and it's just what I was going to put to sum up my thoughts on the song if I'd gotten to this thread faster - haha!

I was also very surprised that it wasn't on Soundstage. With the way Stevie so rarely varies her set and so regularly has Outside The Rain as an opener I really thought it would be there, but hopefully not as the first number because she needs to change it up! I'm glad she did. Waddy has discussed this too and how always having this as the opener bugs him. I think it's on his Ledsge Q & A.

[gypsy4life]

I love the smooth, easy ethereal feel of this song..it's a candle light dinner, or a bubble bath....it's velvet.

[michelej1]

I love the line, "and it's been like dying."

I love the directness of "look in my eyes; touch my face." Stevie doesn't often get so tactile (she does in Love Is when she talks about the softest lips, etc.). She is usually describing things more lofty and far less tangible than skin.

And when she says it's been a week, well love doesn't usually count itself in weeks. There's a certain timelessness to love, that causes you to count it in hours, days and years that stretch out through infinity. But not usually weeks. When she says, "it's been a week," it sounds to me like she's measuring something much more concrete than love. Like, I'm thinking a week since she and the "creature of the night" slept together. A week, a mere 7 days, that's left him desperate and lonely.

So, when she says "touch my face" in the end, it's very human and physical. Yes, very much as if words don't matter at all. So, she won't bother with the flowery description but will, instead get right to the center of the matter. There's a certain forcefulness to to it.

It's like Stevie, someone who usually hides behind ambiguous words herself, won't let the other person conceal this way. She's pushing aside pretense and facade and all the protective barriers you put up to shield yourself from pain and really penetrating. You miss me. Still. Miss looking at me, touching me. You can't hide it. You can't deny the heartache. Can't shroud it in song.

Actually, I don't know if I compare it to Dreams or what the problem is, but the music for OTR has never especially stirred, never meant as much to me as the lyrics.

Michele

[michelej1]

I love the line, "and it's been like dying."

I love the directness of "look in my eyes; touch my face." Stevie doesn't often get so tactile (she does in Love Is when she talks about the softest lips, etc.). She is usually describing things more lofty and far less tangible than skin.

And when she says it's been a week, well love doesn't usually count itself in weeks. There's a certain timelessness to love, that causes you to count it in hours, days and years that stretch out through infinity. But not usually weeks. When she says, "it's been a week," it sounds to me like she's measuring something much more concrete than love. Like, I'm thinking a week since she and the "creature of the night" slept together. A week, a mere 7 days, that's left him desperate and lonely.

So, when she says "touch my face" in the end, it's very human and physical. Yes, very much as if words don't matter at all. So, she won't bother with the flowery description but will, instead get right to the center of the thing. There's a certain forcefulness to to it.

It's like Stevie, someone who usually hides behind ambiguous words herself, won't let the other person conceal this way. She's pushing aside pretense and facade and all the protective barriers you put up to shield yourself from pain and really penetrating. You miss me. Still. Miss looking at me, touching me. You can't hide it. You can't deny the heartache. Can't shroud it in song.

Actually, I don't know if I compare it to Dreams or what the problem is, but the music for OTR has never especially stirred, never meant as much to me as the lyrics.

Michele

[nailatixela]

I love the line, "and it's been like dying."

Michele

Me too. And the next like, "no love's that hard to find" Is almost like a response to the previous line. If she really did write it as a response , than "it" in 'it's been like dieing" means finding love...then she (or someone else) is telling her that finding love isn't THAT hard, what's wrong with you.

I love this song live. I think she still does it justice but I love the WH and RAL versions with the extra add libs. "ooh no loves that hard to find. and this this time I'm tired of it, this time I'm tried of trying baby!" (I love the sexy sound stevie makes before her H's - esp. in this line, does anyone know what I mean)

[Dodfather]

Actually, I don't know if I compare it to Dreams or what the problem is, but the music for OTR has never especially stirred, never meant as much to me as the lyrics.

Yep, that's what I mean with this song too,or at least I did for a long time until it grew on me.

[michelej1]

Me too. And the next like, "no love's that hard to find" Is almost like a response to the previous line. If she really did write it as a response , than "it" in 'it's been like dieing" means finding love...then she (or someone else) is telling her that finding love isn't THAT hard, what's wrong with you.



And what I took from it is that it was continuation of the previous line. Changing is like dying. Moving away from a familiar love. Losing it and letting it go is like dying.

Michele

[Black_Moon]

Me too. And the next like, "no love's that hard to find" Is almost like a response to the previous line. If she really did write it as a response , than "it" in 'it's been like dieing" means finding love...then she (or someone else) is telling her that finding love isn't THAT hard, what's wrong with you.

I love this song live. I think she still does it justice but I love the WH and RAL versions with the extra add libs. "ooh no loves that hard to find. and this this time I'm tired of it, this time I'm tried of trying baby!" (I love the sexy sound stevie makes before her H's - esp. in this line, does anyone know what I mean)

I know exactly what you mean, but I'm not going to be able to put it into anymore romantic terms than her words getting caught in her throat. I noticed she does it with "Sara" - 'if you build your house'. I agree though, it is sort of sexy in a weird way.

[daniellaaarisen]

I agree with Michele on this one.

Also, I think that this song now stands (in my mind, anyway) as a representation of who Stevie was in this time period. You know-- the entire sex goddess, mystical enchantress who you "can't replace" thing. It glorifies all of that. I feel like this song is her own declaration of that. People "never thought [she'd] change but you know [she's] changing". She can define herself. It's just interesting.... She's declaring that she's "tired of trying" to find a love that's "hard to find". It's easier to be elusive and sensual, ethereal and dark-- ultimately "irreplacable" but so painfully transient.

All because she doesn't "wanna feel that".

"Love is a word that's some entertain
If you find it, you have won the game."




Sounds like she was still playing.

[jbrownsjr]

To me this defines Stevie Nicks without Fleetwood Mac... She had created an alternate sound that sort of distinguished my ears from FMac to her....

When I listen to some of her demos from Fmac that actually made it to her solo records I really notice the difference in Iovine vs Dashut...

This whole album is beautiful... but I love the way this song rocks... Great choice and yes she is stunning on stage singing it...

[CADreaming]

And what I took from it is that it was continuation of the previous line. Changing is like dying. Moving away from a familiar love. Losing it and letting it go is like dying.

Michele

Or, watching you go is like dying.

[nailatixela]

"Love is a word that's so entertaining
If you find it, you have won the game."




It's actually "Love is a word that some entertain". :)


Oh and I'm glad you know what I mean about the H sound. ;)

[daniellaaarisen]

It's actually "Love is a word that some entertain". :)


Oh and I'm glad you know what I mean about the H sound. ;)

I knew that, by the way. I had just woken up from a nap. And I suck.

"Outside the Rain" is my second favorite Stevie song ever.... no amount of fatigue excuses that.

[michelej1]

Or, watching you go is like dying.

Nice connection. Those are great lyrics. You know what I especially like about that: you'd rather be wrapped up in the arms of a storm. That's pretty convenient, because who do we know that has always been a storm?

Regarding OTR, I was thinking that a lonely creature of the night is rather like a madman out on a bad man's route, in the late of the evening.

Michele

[gldstwmn]

I love the 'maybe you never knew me, maybe you thought I'd never change' lines and sing them often. I also love this song because it opened the show for so many years. It was the slow churn that got the show going. There are some great live versions out there. If I come across one that I particularly like I'll post it.

[gldstwmn]

And when she says it's been a week, well love doesn't usually count itself in weeks. There's a certain timelessness to love, that causes you to count it in hours, days and years that stretch out through infinity. But not usually weeks. When she says, "it's been a week," it sounds to me like she's measuring something much more concrete than love. Like, I'm thinking a week since she and the "creature of the night" slept together.

I always thought that was exactly what was meant by that line.

[markolas]

Love, love, love this song and always have. The lyrics kill me every time. It's hard for me to pick favorite songs off of Bella Donna because I love every one of them, but this one would be somewhere near the top, without a doubt. Most of the live versions are amazing, too - tho I have heard several recent versions where she appears to be phoning it in.

[Dreamz19]

This is one of the best songs off Bella Donna and one of my favorite Stevie songs ever. It's a wonderful example of her great songwriting around that time.

[CADreaming]

Nice connection. Those are great lyrics. You know what I especially like about that: you'd rather be wrapped up in the arms of a storm. That's pretty convenient, because who do we know that has always been a storm?

Regarding OTR, I was thinking that a lonely creature of the night is rather like a madman out on a bad man's route, in the late of the evening.

Michele

Ha! Very true, Michele. There's a lot of night travel and waiting going on, for sure...

[Supernaut]

OK - hello. This song is epic. Some of the more transcendent performances, in my opinion:

I edited this one myself: it's cut down from an 8+-minute demo. The whole thing is incredible, but this encapsulates some of the great spoken stuff and some amazing vocal:

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A-MA-ZING!:
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If you can find the Ames, IA performance from the Wild Heart tour, it's off the hook! "She says take it away, now...the wildest, wildest heartache of all..."

And I've always liked the Red Rocks performance - although there are a bunch of other gems from the Rock A Little tour as well.

[JazmenFlowers]

when I first got into Stevie and FMac, Bella Donna was the first solo album I bought and I initially didn't like it. I thought it was way too country and not what I was expecting at all, but this song was the one thing that made me listen to the album over and over and I of course eventually fell in love with the song and Bella Donna. the song has what I call "atmosphere" - and that's what I love about this music. also, like others have said, this song is full of light and dark, fragility and strength...when I listen to this song I feel Stevie's pain, resignation and strength. love it.

[StreetAngel86]

I ADORE THIS SONG. LIVE ESPECIALLY. I still whish that she had done this on Soundstage. I want a REALLY nice Clean, newer-sounding version. I love the one from Australia with the symphony. too bad it wasnt released. i always watch it on youtube, its cool to see her rocking out in the Beauty and the Beast gown!:thumbsup:
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AWWWWWWWW thanks for posting this
i havent seen it in like 3 years
watching it live........ :eek:
i almost stopped breathing when she came out in THAT outfit and sed she had to sing it AGAIN :thumbsup:

i like the RAL live versions too...but the 05-06 tour had prob my favorite versions
i love how adds the end bit "somebody said outside the rain.....baby baby baby"

i like silly lil things.
did she always sing "well Mick says Stevie..." even when she was pissed with him?

i really love when she REALLY gets into the "no one in this whole wide world will EVER replace me..."
LOL so very true Stevie :D


I love this song live. I think she still does it justice but I love the WH and RAL versions with the extra add libs. "ooh no loves that hard to find. and this this time I'm tired of it, this time I'm tried of trying baby!" (I love the sexy sound stevie makes before her H's - esp. in this line, does anyone know what I mean)

so many great fave lines. this is another one i love when she REALLY gets in to it

[Phoenix]

AWWWWWWWW thanks for posting this
i havent seen it in like 3 years
watching it live........ :eek:
i almost stopped breathing when she came out in THAT outfit and sed she had to sing it AGAIN :thumbsup:

i like the RAL live versions too...but the 05-06 tour had prob my favorite versions
i love how adds the end bit "somebody said outside the rain.....baby baby baby"

i like silly lil things.
did she always sing "well Mick says Stevie..." even when she was pissed with him?

i really love when she REALLY gets into the "no one in this whole wide world will EVER replace me..."
LOL so very true Stevie :D



so many great fave lines. this is another one i love when she REALLY gets in to it


WOW U WERE THERE! Awsome!, that is one of my favorites ever. Magical. Just Magical. Anyone got an mp3?

[skuncles]

This is another great Stevie song, according to Stevie it's a continues on where "Dreams" left off. My favorite part of this is the live versions where says "Tell me do you think there's anyone in this whole wide world that can ever replace me? I don't think so!" That line is very prophetic because the songs is about Lindsey and she's saying he will never be able to replace her, but later also came very true when talking about Fleetwood Mac.

[wheart]

Outside the Rain was one of those songs that really cemented my obsession with Stevie early on. I remember listening to it and just marveling over the lyrics. It becomes more raw on stage, almost to the point where I don't enjoy the recorded version as much because it sounds almost sedate now, after hearing it live for so many years. I know she's opened with it for a gazillion years and I love change as much as anyone but I don't think any Stevie Nicks concert should open with anything other than this song. At the very least, it should never leave her set. Yes, I love this song and she seems to go to another place when she sings it. It's never been one of her "auto pilot" songs.

"no love's that hard to find..."

[Musicman408]

I ADORE THIS SONG. LIVE ESPECIALLY. I still whish that she had done this on Soundstage. I want a REALLY nice Clean, newer-sounding version. I love the one from Australia with the symphony. too bad it wasnt released. i always watch it on youtube, its cool to see her rocking out in the Beauty and the Beast gown!:thumbsup:
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Thank you for reminding us of this video!!!

I remember before I was to go Stevie solo for the first time, I watched this video NON STOP!!!! It's so magical, so solid, so special in pretty much every way. I love how in the transition from OTS to Dreams, she actually sings really quietly and isn't belting how sometimes we wish she wouldn't. It's a very touching moment!!!!

Classic video from a very classy lady!

[daniellaaarisen]

Thank you for reminding us of this video!!!

I remember before I was to go Stevie solo for the first time, I watched this video NON STOP!!!! It's so magical, so solid, so special in pretty much every way. I love how in the transition from OTS to Dreams, she actually sings really quietly and isn't belting how sometimes we wish she wouldn't. It's a very touching moment!!!!

Classic video from a very classy lady!

I've watched that video 4 or 5 times since I first saw it and it has probably ruined my life.... because now, I WILL NOT REST until I see "Outside the Rain" live at an age that I can actually appreciate it, not 9 years old like last time :/

[Glittermoondust]

You know I never cared for this song on the BD album........ I don't know why I just never liked it...... but I do love it live and I like some of the demos........

[daniellaaarisen]

I've watched that video 4 or 5 times since I first saw it and it has probably ruined my life.... because now, I WILL NOT REST until I see "Outside the Rain" live at an age that I can actually appreciate it, not 9 years old like last time :/

Because someone posted on this thread again, I had to come back and reread it.... and watch this video again... and hate my life again for not being old enough to have experienced it at its prime....

I want to bang my head into something. akldjfghadklha!

[StreetAngel86]

WOW U WERE THERE! Awsome!, that is one of my favorites ever. Magical. Just Magical. Anyone got an mp3?

:nod: 15 or so rows bak. but yeah...my first ever Stevie solo concert
im very disappointed no official dvd surfaced of this...:mad:

i dont know how to make an mp3 of this...soz

[jannieC]

You know I never cared for this song on the BD album........ I don't know why I just never liked it...... but I do love it live and I like some of the demos........

I didn't appreciate this song until I saw her live (RAL) either.