Soldier's Angel

[Ghosty]

I had started to talk about this in the Underwhelmed thread, but figured it could have its own thread. About the song, and the topic.

I love her work that she does for the soldiers. Wish the song was different though.

Soldier's Angel - ehh, not loving it - yet. I like it. but it's not one of my favorites, yet. As usual, she is taking a huge, historical, major tragedy and writing not so much about IT, but about herself in the midst of it. Which is fine, but in this case I really wish she had made it their song, not hers. The word "I" is used way to much to make it not sound self-absorbed (I hate to say, because stevie is such a caring person, but it's just how it comes off sounding, imo). I know she was uplifting, comforting, inspiring for the soldiers she visited and wrote to, but she said she listened to them and they told her their story. I am sure there was a common thread linking all their unique stories. I wish she had written about that. I wish the song was really all about them and their state of mind, their experiences of war, not stevie's. We know how it effects us. Their story is what is hardly ever told. Some of her lyrics hit that (as I look upon their faces, I try to write their stories and tell them to the world, I keep the tears inside and put them down in verse, I try to push them gently into the light, no one walks away from this battle, soldiers of my heart). I want to hear what they said, what they are experiencing, how (or IF) they are healing.

I urge you all to rent RESTREPO. You can see parts on youtube, but it's something we all need to watch in its entirety. I wonder if Stevie has seen it? Here's a few bits on youtube - you need to see the whole thing, seriously - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvUdruvbdmI and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvUdruvbdmI

PLEASE rent it. It gives me an anxiety attack, it's very hard to get through.Watch it with someone, don't watch it alone. My godson was there for a year and thank God is okay, but I do worry, is he truly okay? Can anyone be okay after that. Death around you, being shot at anytime, seeing friends die, lining up stray dogs and having to kill them because they are spreading disease....heartache until your heart dies, sometimes.... 18 year old "children"...really. America's children being put through that.

I am happy my Godson was there when they closed Restrepo. And he came back home in one piece. but never the same. God bless him, and all of them.

[WildHearted]

I understand your sentiments. The phrase "I am a soldier's angel" itself comes off as very pretentious, unfortunately, even though I'm sure that was not Stevie's intention. However, I think the rest of the comparisons are very heartfelt, as she spends time with the Soldiers and hears their stories she begins to feel and relate to what the people in their lives feel, basically just showing how they have touched her.

[markolas]

I thought it would be awful, but I like it well enough. Yes, the lyrics are a bit self-absorbed, but Stevie is incapable of writing songs that aren't. Some are worse than others, and this is one is certainly not among the most egregious offenders.

I was really, really worried about Soldier's Angel and New Orleans, b/c Stevie just doesn't do socially conscious lyrics well. But I was pleasantly surprised by both of them, esp. New Orleans.

[-Lillith-]

I was very corious about that Song before i heard it the first time.
I know what you mean with the lyrics beeing a little self centered but this is the way Stevie writes.
She can only say and wants only to say what this situation does to her and how she feels, and that comes thru in this song very well.
it s her view on the situation and how she feels about it.
I think it really shows how hard it is to see and how much she wants to help.
The soldiers have all different storys and but can one who has not had this Situations really tell what they must feel like, even if they tell her ? .... i dont know.

The Song really touches me, i get your point thou.

I wrote about a death of a close family member , that was an overwhelming situation to me and i dont like to explain myself and so wrote and got some friends a copy to tell them what it is all about.
This death had affected many but what i wrote about it was very self centered as well. But non the less everybody who read it was very touched by it and understood the view, thou i talked about me in the situation most of the time instead of the whole story.
The song reminded me of this in a way of writing about something heavy like that...

Its a different thing but i mean the way to describe something in a self centered way better than about the subject itself.

Anyone know what i mean ? :confused:

[deribish]

maybe when she sings "i am a soldier's angel" she's talking about this great group:

http://www.soldiersangels.org/

[Jondalar]

She said the song was a very important song and it straddles a unique perspective that may or may not be important. The song is actually about the non-soldiers effected by the war. She is putting herself in the place of the mother's, wifes.... she is looking through their eyes in the song to say she understands. And it is a self-absorbed song, but it's done with a great sentiment and such a different perspective that it is just its own thing. And in its own way, the song shows that war equals pain.

She said this album was mostly about her experiences over the last 10 years and she spent many hours in that hospital listening to their pain. I like the different perspective of this song and think it is one of the best songs on the CD.

[-Lillith-]

She said the song was a very important song and it straddles a unique perspective that may or may not be important. The song is actually about the non-soldiers effected by the war. She is putting herself in the place of the mother's, wifes.... she is looking through their eyes in the song to say she understands. And it is a self-absorbed song, but it's done with a great sentiment and such a different perspective that it is just its own thing. And in its own way, the song shows that war equals pain.

She said this album was mostly about her experiences over the last 10 years and she spent many hours in that hospital listening to their pain. I like the different perspective of this song and think it is one of the best songs on the CD.

Thats what i meant she s telling the story throu her eyes. ;)

[PenguinHead]

I understand your sentiments. The phrase "I am a soldier's angel" itself comes off as very pretentious, unfortunately, even though I'm sure that was not Stevie's intention. However, I think the rest of the comparisons are very heartfelt, as she spends time with the Soldiers and hears their stories she begins to feel and relate to what the people in their lives feel, basically just showing how they have touched her.

That's a weird self-centric quirk with Stevie. Anytime she writes a song with a topical subject, she addresses it with a self-centered perspective. Illume is a great example. She happened to be in New York when 9-11 happpened. It was a huge tradegy; many people lost their lives. So she was inspired to write a song about it, but it was oddly emotionally disconnected to the event, and more about her burining insense and candles to dispel the smell!

[WildHearted]

That's a weird quirk with Stevie. Anytime she writes a song with a topical subject, she addresses it with a self-centered perspective. Illume is a great example. She happened to be in New York when 9-11 happpened. It was a huge tradegy; many people lost their lives. So she was inspired to write a song about it, but it was oddly emotionally disconnected to the event, and more about her burining insense and candles to dispel the smell!

Well, when you think about it.... it kind of makes sense, considering that she gets all of her songs and lyrics (nowadays) from her journals. Generally when you write in journals you are writing about yourself and your feelings - Stevie, it seems, is no exception... so with that taken into consideration, it's not quite so strange.

I mean, anytime Stevie writes on ANY subject it's all about her essentially.

[Ghosty]

maybe when she sings "i am a soldier's angel" she's talking about this great group:

http://www.soldiersangels.org/

i think she would have put a link or mention to them on the liner notes or mentioned it in an interview??

[Ghosty]

She said the song was a very important song and it straddles a unique perspective that may or may not be important. The song is actually about the non-soldiers effected by the war. She is putting herself in the place of the mother's, wifes.... she is looking through their eyes in the song to say she understands. And it is a self-absorbed song, but it's done with a great sentiment and such a different perspective that it is just its own thing. And in its own way, the song shows that war equals pain.

She said this album was mostly about her experiences over the last 10 years and she spent many hours in that hospital listening to their pain. I like the different perspective of this song and think it is one of the best songs on the CD.

i guess i heard it differently. i didn't see it as her singing about the soldiers' wives, mothers, etc,
i saw it as her saying she was there, the soldiers were kind of confiding in her as if she was their wife, their mother, etc.
and not that it is bad at all, her being there to comfort them, that is somethng very few celebrities have done. that's why i said how i hate to say it "sounds" self absorbed, because sn was so not being self-absorbed, visiting them, sending ipods, giving money, talking about them to the press to give them coverage, and truly, i bet, feeling heartache and pain over it. she's been wonderful to them and for them. she cares, i bet to the deepest of her heart. that, i have no doubt.

so, it's just me i guess. not my favorite song yet.

as for illume, it seems she was writing about someone she loves, realizing what is truly precious in life, after being in the midst of death and tragedy, and how you realize any time, anywhere, it could be us in that wreck, or our loved one. i like the lyrics a lot, and parts of the song. just was not my favorite. like, that probably wouldn't end up on a mixed cd of mine either. i like it, but it's not an all-time favorite.

[Jondalar]

i guess i heard it differently. i didn't see it as her singing about the soldiers' wives, mothers, etc,
i saw it as her saying she was there, the soldiers were kind of confiding in her as if she was their wife, their mother, etc.
and not that it is bad at all, her being there to comfort them, that is somethng very few celebrities have done. that's why i said how i hate to say it "sounds" self absorbed, because sn was so not being self-absorbed, visiting them, sending ipods, giving money, talking about them to the press to give them coverage, and truly, i bet, feeling heartache and pain over it. she's been wonderful to them and for them. she cares, i bet to the deepest of her heart. that, i have no doubt.

so, it's just me i guess. not my favorite song yet.

as for illume, it seems she was writing about someone she loves, realizing what is truly precious in life, after being in the midst of death and tragedy, and how you realize any time, anywhere, it could be us in that wreck, or our loved one. i like the lyrics a lot, and parts of the song. just was not my favorite. like, that probably wouldn't end up on a mixed cd of mine either. i like it, but it's not an all-time favorite.

I didn't say that. She putting herself in there place, looking through their eyes, not about them

[Ghosty]

i guess i worded it wrong. sorry.

i didn't see it as her being in their place, but as her thinking the soldiers were sort of putting her in their place. if that makes sense? do you know wha i mean? subtle difference, i guess.

[WildHearted]

i guess i worded it wrong. sorry.

i didn't see it as her being in their place, but as her thinking the soldiers were sort of putting her in their place. if that makes sense? do you know wha i mean? subtle difference, i guess.

I'm not sure if this is what you mean... but I saw it as like, when the soldier's were telling her their stories and she went to visit them, she was overwhelmed with emotion and she begins to feel and relate to the feelings of all of the people in a soldier's life - their mothers, their girlfriends, etc.

[Ghosty]

kind of. and since their wife, parents, etc weren't there, she was sort of filling that void for the soldiers, in that moment. idk.

[Ghosty]

kind of. and since their wife, parents, etc weren't there, she was sort of filling that void for the soldiers, in that moment. idk. but those are very precious shoes to try to fill, let alone telling people you filled those shoes. you can empathize like crazy, but it's still .... not the same. you know what i mean?

i write in a journal and about the wars and the very brave men and women. i use a lot of "they" and "them" and "can't say enough prayers for them" " how can they get through this" "what are they feeling, how can they ever heal from this, how can they get paid so little for being there, how can they be so forgotten when they come home, they risk their lives day after day in such a horrible place, how do they do it?" and i hear their voices crack when they talk about it. i see a young man cry in front of the world, too stunned with grief and terror to care if anyone sees him cry. i see some of the young come back home and get drunk and party like life means nothing. what consequence bothers them after what they have experienced. the young kids who grew up in an age of self absorbed parents, then they get sent overseas to "hell" - and we wonder how they have a chance in hell to feel love in this world.

(ok, obviously i am just too close to some of these issues, with people i know and have met and so my whole thread here is tainted - forget it, please forgive. i see too much crazy emotion could start coming out if i write any more.so, it's obviously not about stevie's song - my bad. i see now just a little storm brewing in me, no pun intended.)

anyways, i need to listen to it more. it will be nice once the cd comes. but it may never end up being one of my favorite songs.

[CADreaming]

WB should not drop the ball on this. They need to get this song out there somehow asap.

[HejiraNYC]

I'm not quite sure why there is so much criticism about this song because it is "all about her." Of course it is. It's Creative Writing 101. The best poetry is written in the first person. Rather than try to read minds or to embody the persona of the wounded soldier, which is impossible for her to truly understand, she can only write about her own emotions and experiences. No, it's not as traumatic as being on the battlefield and in the line of fire, but being there at Walter Reed, plastering on a smile and carrying on while absorbing all of these harrowing stories, must have been traumatic in its own way. This song is cathartic for Stevie- perhaps the most open expression of angst that she has ever written. I too was a bit startled by it the first time I heard it, but I have really grown to appreciate this little rose of a song (with thorns intact).

[KarmaContestant]

I am not yet decided on this song. I've only listened to it a few times, and each time I am ok until Lindsey's harmonies come in. I find his presence jarring, and not at all like anything Buckingham-Nicks as described by Stevie. Not that it matters, but Christine McVie would have been a better choice for harmonies.

I think Stevie's work at Walter Reed is nothing less than angelic. Those men...what some of them have endured...I'm sure to some of them Stevie does seem like an angel - speaking words of kindness - a person with warmth, interested in their stories and not just the medical facts - talking to them like people instead of patients - and most importantly I think the music she brings them is a gift unparalled.

The lyrics to Soldier's Angel are ok, though I find myself annoyed with the repetitiveness of the song. It has a very Oh Daddy feel to it, which is maybe why I like the idea of Christine's harmonies instead of Lindsey.

Someday this song might impact me on a personal level, but it doesn't right now.

[Richard B]

I've only listened to it a few times, and each time I am ok until Lindsey's harmonies come in. I find his presence jarring, and not at all like anything Buckingham-Nicks as described by Stevie.

Interesting. For me, I can't help but think of 'Frozen Love' sometimes, especially on certain phrases in Solider's Angel when Nicks Buckingham are singing together.

[Artemis]

I find his presence jarring, and not at all like anything Buckingham-Nicks as described by Stevie. Not that it matters, but Christine McVie would have been a better choice for harmonies

Jarring? I couldn't disagree more, I think they harmonize really well and it's so fantastic to hear them sing together again. On Say You Will, they didn't really harmonize, they just... echoed on each other's tracks. If that makes sense. :laugh:

Although, I like the idea of having Christine on this track, I think Lindsey AND Christine singing on this track would have made it absolutely perfect. I can already picture that song on a Fleetwood Mac album :nod:

[KarmaContestant]

Jarring? I couldn't disagree more, I think they harmonize really well and it's so fantastic to hear them sing together again. On Say You Will, they didn't really harmonize, they just... echoed on each other's tracks. If that makes sense. :laugh:

Although, I like the idea of having Christine on this track, I think Lindsey AND Christine singing on this track would have made it absolutely perfect. I can already picture that song on a Fleetwood Mac album :nod:

Yeah, I'm not sure what it is exactly - it just throws me off a bit.

[Annabell Lee]

As soon as i heard this song i heard Buckingham/Nick clear as day. It's the harmonizing, it's beautiful. I love this song, i can completely understand why it HAD to make the cd. There is something so organic and pure when they sing together, it gets me everytime ! The lyrics in this song, forget about it ! It's the exact reason i got hooked on Stevie in the first place. It's the WAY she tells the story, i love it ! :thumbsup:

[WildHeart69]

My thoughts:

The music I like, but I would much rather hear it as a Lindsey track with some of his own lyrics over it. It fits his personality and doesnt feel like Stevie to me.

I like the words when I read this as a poem, but when its put to music its just too much for me. This just isnt something I can listen to everytime it comes on.

My impressions before hearing it were that it would be a soft, slow song (a'la "Touched by an Angel") so I was happy she went in another direction, but for me the "song" as a whole does not do it for me... but you can't please everyone

I guess it's just my "Silver Girl" and "That Made Me Stronger" of this album...

[Jondalar]

As soon as i heard this song i heard Buckingham/Nick clear as day. It's the harmonizing, it's beautiful. I love this song, i can completely understand why it HAD to make the cd. There is something so organic and pure when they sing together, it gets me everytime ! The lyrics in this song, forget about it ! It's the exact reason i got hooked on Stevie in the first place. It's the WAY she tells the story, i love it ! :thumbsup:

I totally agree with this. This song is Buckingham/Nicks and it adds sooo much gritty, depth to this album. The perspective off this song is sooo unique. It's a gem. Her voice is excellent and perfect for this song.

[Djwidow]

the one song I thought would be old school stevie...haunting and drifting...but to me it just doesn't work...a few songs on the cd just don't work...with stevie not writing the music to most of the songs, it lost a feeling that she brings to it...but over all I think this song could have been more "dark" and have the feeling of Edge of Seventeen to it...if maybe someone else produced it...:sorry:

[michelej1]

Yeah, I'm not sure what it is exactly - it just throws me off a bit.

I actually think it's supposed to disarm or jar a bit. A quiet song, where the vocals sound a rather surprising alert and cause an undercurrent, so that it's not just about empathy, but darkness and the sinister as well.

Michele

[louielouie2000]

I actually think it's supposed to disarm or jar a bit. A quiet song, where the vocals sound a rather surprising alert and cause an undercurrent, so that it's not just about empathy, but darkness and the sinister as well.

Michele

This is just the most beautiful assertion :nod:.

I agree that Lindsey's presence is there to really drive home the depth & subject matter of the song. I think Soldier's Angel might be the most powerful songs Stevie's been a part of. I think the production is absolutely masterful... it really grabs and keeps your attention, and what the lyrics don't say, the music & production fully convey.

[michelej1]

I agree that Lindsey's presence is there to really drive home the depth & subject matter of the song. I think Soldier's Angel might be the most powerful songs Stevie's been a part of. I think the production is absolutely masterful... it really grabs and keeps your attention, and what the lyrics don't say, the music & production fully convey.

Agreed. To me, it reveals more than Peacekeeper dared. Michele

[darklinensuit]

I love the whole verse that ends with putting the tears down in verse.

As for Stevie putting herself in the song, I think this song is much better than "Desert Angel" in that respect. Here she keeps the lyrics about how she sees the soldiers. She sings about her relationship with the soldiers & what she sees of the pain in their loved ones; with DA, it was like, who gives a krap that you live under a mountain in the place the Indians named?

- Jake

[blemelin]

Just the actual sound of this song: it does not sound like it was recorded during the same sessions as the rest of the album. I find it jarring and it disrupts the flow of the record.

I've seen her quote describing the song as "sacred." It might have been, had it been at all coherent or less narcissistic. Two of my friends sat with me as we listened to the album twice. Both times, they were like, "What is that song about?" I told them about her work at the hospitals, and they were blown away by that, but both of them agreed that they would never have gotten any of that from this song.

And lyrically, if there was one more line in any of the songs that included, "through the eyes of [fill in the blank]," I'd probably put the whole thing away and not listen to any of it for a while. As it is, after repeated listening, I've edited the playlist down to nine out of the thirteen songs.

[Ghosty]

the one song I thought would be old school stevie...haunting and drifting...but to me it just doesn't work...a few songs on the cd just don't work...with stevie not writing the music to most of the songs, it lost a feeling that she brings to it...but over all I think this song could have been more "dark" and have the feeling of Edge of Seventeen to it...if maybe someone else produced it...:sorry:

john shanks.

i love dave stewart with her. i love lindsey. but just when she says lindsey had to come in and help because they didn't know what to do with it, it reminded me of how she said that about planets, how no one knew what to do with it, but john. and did he do it great!

[Ghosty]

Jarring? I couldn't disagree more, I think they harmonize really well and it's so fantastic to hear them sing
:

i look forward to hearing it when i get the cd so i can really hear it much better. doubt it will ever become an all-time favorite to me, but i'm sure i'm missing a lot in the sound quality.

[Jondalar]

This song is produced correctly in my opinion. It's dark enough and very gritty.

[CADreaming]

Just the actual sound of this song: it does not sound like it was recorded during the same sessions as the rest of the album. I find it jarring and it disrupts the flow of the record.

I've seen her quote describing the song as "sacred." It might have been, had it been at all coherent or less narcissistic. .

I wondered about the recording too. What 'jarred' me first was the opening guitar riff. And, it's supposed to be that way. It's like Taps or a 21 gun salute. Brilliant. I could tell immediately they were reverting back to a '70's sound. When Stevie began singing and Lindsey joined in, Buckingham Nicks for me came alive again. But, to me it doesn't interrupt the album. This album reminds me of what I loved most about all great albums - eclecticism.

As far as the narcissistic aspect of the song - you don't have to hear it that way if you listen to it not as Stevie saying that about herself but as her saying it for whoever she is talking about: the mothers, the daughters, the nurses, the angel that guards them....through their eyes she's saying she thinks she gets what they go through a little and how it reminds her of her youth - probably when Vietnam was going full swing. I don't think she's blowing her own bugle in this song at all.

[Jondalar]

I wondered about the recording too. What 'jarred' me first was the opening guitar riff. And, it's supposed to be that way. It's like Taps or a 21 gun salute. Brilliant. I could tell immediately they reverting back to a '70's sound. When Stevie began singing and Lindsey joined in, Buckingham Nicks for me came alive again. But, to me it doesn't interrupt the album. This album reminds me of what I loved most about all great albums - eclecticism.

As far as the narcissistic aspect of the song - you don't have to hear it that way if you listen to it not as Stevie saying that about herself but as her saying it for whoever she is talking about: the mothers, the daughters, the nurses, the angel that guards them....through their eyes she's saying she thinks she gets what they go through a little and how it reminds her of her youth - probably when Vietnam was going full swing. I don't think she's blowing her own bugle in this song at all.

that is what I wanted to say :)

[blemelin]

My favorite part of the song is where it gets most personal and coherent, where she sings about remembering dances and JFK's Camelot, but then it swirls away again.

As far as the sound, I was watching the levels on my equalizer (I'm an AV tech and still have one) and they don't match the levels on the rest of the songs. The song did bother my ear at first, so I hooked up the equalizer to my new equipment and played the whole thing through again. The levels are relatively close, but they're off by enough of a degree, that it is completely audible to the human ear. I think the rest of the album is very skillfully recorded and produced (there are tons of delightful little sound effects and audio flourishes throughout), so the change in the levels makes a difference. Maybe I'm too picky, but I noticed the difference on the first listening.

[CADreaming]

^No, I noticed it too - but I like it. :)

[Jondalar]

My favorite part of the song is where it gets most personal and coherent, where she sings about remembering dances and JFK's Camelot, but then it swirls away again.

As far as the sound, I was watching the levels on my equalizer (I'm an AV tech and still have one) and they don't match the levels on the rest of the songs. The song did bother my ear at first, so I hooked up the equalizer to my new equipment and played the whole thing through again. The levels are relatively close, but they're off by enough of a degree, that it is completely audible to the human ear. I think the rest of the album is very skillfully recorded and produced (there are tons of delightful little sound effects and audio flourishes throughout), so the change in the levels makes a difference. Maybe I'm too picky, but I noticed the difference on the first listening.

when she goes "they are the soldier's of my heart" I feel like the song sores.

[Aussie W/Heart]

I wondered about the recording too. What 'jarred' me first was the opening guitar riff. And, it's supposed to be that way. It's like Taps or a 21 gun salute. Brilliant. I could tell immediately they were reverting back to a '70's sound. When Stevie began singing and Lindsey joined in, Buckingham Nicks for me came alive again. But, to me it doesn't interrupt the album. This album reminds me of what I loved most about all great albums - eclecticism.

As far as the narcissistic aspect of the song - you don't have to hear it that way if you listen to it not as Stevie saying that about herself but as her saying it for whoever she is talking about: the mothers, the daughters, the nurses, the angel that guards them....through their eyes she's saying she thinks she gets what they go through a little and how it reminds her of her youth - probably when Vietnam was going full swing. I don't think she's blowing her own bugle in this song at all.

You have summed up this great song perfectly, except i loved the opening riff at first listen:thumbsup: i think ive played this song over 30 times in 3 days, it's addictive i love it...

[CADreaming]

^I liked it to. It was "jarring" in the best way - both musically and emotionally.

[tabruns]

The chorus is what has been winning me over to the song. On first listen I was stunned by how ominous and eerie it was, which I took to be a good thing. On repeated listens the whole "in a war of words between worlds, mmmm" etc. part just pulls you in.

[Jondalar]

The chorus is what has been winning me over to the song. On first listen I was stunned by how ominous and eerie it was, which I took to be a good thing. On repeated listens the whole "in a war of words between worlds, mmmm" etc. part just pulls you in.

the song build to an the emotional part when she says They are the Soldiers of My Heart - love it.

[cliffdweller]

Jarring? I couldn't disagree more, I think they harmonize really well and it's so fantastic to hear them sing together again. On Say You Will, they didn't really harmonize, they just... echoed on each other's tracks. If that makes sense. :laugh:

I couldn't agree more. I love Soldier's Angel, and think it's a stand-out track on the album. The addition of Lindsey's vocals and guitar are just the icing on the cake. He really added something dark and edgy here and I love the way it sounds!

[jcfree]

Love this song! Stevie asking Lindsey to do this song was perfect. Soooo BN throughout. As someone already said, it is reminiscent of playing taps at the beginning of the song. Very somber like, their harmonies, beautiful. My DH, upon hearing this for the first time, was blown away at how great they sounded together and he loves Lindsey's guitar on this song (this from a heavy metal. alt. rock guy.)

[markolas]

I took a break from IYD for a week, and downloaded it today. I liked it from the beginning, but after taking a break and then listening to it again, I have to say that I like Soldier's Angel even more. I don't think it's out of place at all.

[RockAlot]

I listened to this song 3 time's yesterday, I love it, very Buckingham/Nicks and I think Lindsey did a great job!

[RockAlot]

The chorus is what has been winning me over to the song. On first listen I was stunned by how ominous and eerie it was, which I took to be a good thing. On repeated listens the whole "in a war of words between worlds, mmmm" etc. part just pulls you in.

Dito!! When Lindsey joins the song it really becomes "special".

[llb]

I love it too.:angel:

[Hawkeye]

I'm really shocked looking at all those Rankings in the other thread to see so many of you puuting this song in the bottom 2, 3 or even dead last. Even some who say all the sogns are good its just the least good, I'm still baffled. Ghosts are Gone is #1 for me and this is #2, but I can at least see how Ghosts are Gone can rub people the wrong way, I don't agree but its understandable to those who aren't into her longer more rambling songs, BUT the dissapointment expressed towrds Soldiers Angel makes NO SENSE. It's her most passionate lyrics and delivery this century. And those are the best harmonies between Stevoie and Lindsey EVER. I know not everyones a Neil Young fan but this is Ohio to me.

And LOUIE I want to address you specifically and say I officially FORGIVE you for not liking Wild Heart for being one of the few to fully appreciate this song. I will never question your tastes ever again you may want to save that somewhere incase I forget :laugh:

[PenguinHead]

Yeah, I'm not sure what it is exactly - it just throws me off a bit.

That's the sign of a powerful song. No one is indifferent to it. If it invokes such disparate passion, then I would consider it successful in its intent. Bravo Stevie, for singing/writing outside of the box. It's not a show-er, it's a grower.

[CADreaming]

I'm really shocked looking at all those Rankings in the other thread to see so many of you puuting this song in the bottom 2, 3 or even dead last. Even some who say all the sogns are good its just the least good, I'm still baffled. Ghosts are Gone is #1 for me and this is #2, but I can at least see how Ghosts are Gone can rub people the wrong way, I don't agree but its understandable to those who aren't into her longer more rambling songs, BUT the dissapointment expressed towrds Soldiers Angel makes NO SENSE. It's her most passionate lyrics and delivery this century. And those are the best harmonies between Stevoie and Lindsey EVER. I know not everyones a Neil Young fan but this is Ohio to me.



I love Neil Young and that's an excellent comparison!

[wheart]

I was expecting acoustic guitar on this song so I was pleasantly surprised. I've only listened to it once but I do like it. I can't help but wonder how the demo sounds. Stevie's vocals are generally more impassioned and gritty on demos 'cause she's not trying to hard to sound good and sing correctly.

[Bubba Fleetwood]

As soon as i heard this song i heard Buckingham/Nick clear as day. It's the harmonizing, it's beautiful. I love this song, i can completely understand why it HAD to make the cd. There is something so organic and pure when they sing together, it gets me everytime ! The lyrics in this song, forget about it ! It's the exact reason i got hooked on Stevie in the first place. It's the WAY she tells the story, i love it ! :thumbsup:Yes, I agree with you 100 %. It's very Buckingham/Nicks to me. It's very stripped down with two voices that absolutely belong together on a song.

[Bubba Fleetwood]

I totally agree with this. This song is Buckingham/Nicks and it adds sooo much gritty, depth to this album. The perspective off this song is sooo unique. It's a gem. Her voice is excellent and perfect for this song. This is not a song you listen to lightly or cranked the volume up to. It's one where you sit down and listen to the words and be very still while it's playing. How many songs today are about something ? How many are about anything ???? I think it's a powerful song that gets better the more you listen to it. Not every song has to grab on the first listen. I bought Tusk the day it came out and the one song that I really didn't care for too much was "Sara". I just could not get into it. Then over time it became tthe song I would stop and listen to every time I had the record playing. I mean, really stop and listen to. Today, I think it's the best song FWM ever recorded.

[TrueFaith77]

Now that I've had a turn-around on "Ghosts Are Gone"--which, even though it's not my kinda thing, I might love--there's nothing left on this ablum that doesn't move me. Soldier's Angel keeps getting better and better, but so does its competition.

[caroline79]

So I just got my copy of IYD today. I'm laying on my bed listening to it with headphones and I decided to listen to Soldier's Angel first. I listened to it and immediately had to get on here to talk about it!

It's so funny how people can have totally different opinions on things...I love this song. I thought LB only played guitar, I didn't realize he sang on it to, so when the chorus came on it certainly was "jarring" to me :lol: I didn't think of the song as self-obsorbed at all. I think it is absolutely beautiful. Their voices are so amazing and magical together it is truly unbelievable. Hearing LB's voice on this song makes me want another FM album so bad!

This song definitely reminds me of Illume, which is a favorite of mine. It took me a long time to be able to listen to that song without tearing up and listening to SA today I had that same feeling. I can already say with 100% certainty that this will probably be one of my favorites on the album, if not one of my favorites of all time!

Now...onto the rest of the album! :D

[Stevie's~Prince]

"About what is wrong, about what is RIGHTEOUS"

The last 2 times she sings that line.. I can't even describe how much I love it :]

[lvhlive!]

I like the music, it's quite folky and unusual, but I agree with the original sentiments of this post. The incessant references to herself are cringeworthy.. whatever way you carve it up, if she went to hear these sad stories and was moved by them, she shouldn't then write a song about how moved SHE is, she should write about how inspiring THEY are. It's very easy to say "that's just how Stevie is" but that's not really an excuse considering the sensitivity of the subject. If I was one of the soldiers, I'd be quite disappointed that what she got from her visit to me was this feeling of being everyone's saviour. I was looking forward to that song but I played it for the first time with my friend and we both looked at each other like "oh.. this isn't good.." after about the 5th line talking about how she floated through the wards being their angel or their this or that.

[Dodfather]

I love this song. The harmonies with Lindsey are superb. Buckingham Nicks reborn!

[WildHearted]

I like the music, it's quite folky and unusual, but I agree with the original sentiments of this post. The incessant references to herself are cringeworthy.. whatever way you carve it up, if she went to hear these sad stories and was moved by them, she shouldn't then write a song about how moved SHE is, she should write about how inspiring THEY are. It's very easy to say "that's just how Stevie is" but that's not really an excuse considering the sensitivity of the subject. If I was one of the soldiers, I'd be quite disappointed that what she got from her visit to me was this feeling of being everyone's saviour. I was looking forward to that song but I played it for the first time with my friend and we both looked at each other like "oh.. this isn't good.." after about the 5th line talking about how she floated through the wards being their angel or their this or that.

That wasn't how I saw it at all :shrug:

For most of the song she's just putting herself in other peoples places... as she listens to the soldier's stories, she feels what it would be like to be a soldier's mother or a soldiers girlfriend, etc., as in, she begins to feel and understand their grief. At the same time, the soldiers bring back memories her of various times in her life (being young, taking chances, etc) ... the song is all about how the soldier's touched her.

[rubylounge]

I had started to talk about this in the Underwhelmed thread, but figured it could have its own thread. About the song, and the topic.

I love her work that she does for the soldiers. Wish the song was different though.

Soldier's Angel - ehh, not loving it - yet. I like it. but it's not one of my favorites, yet. As usual, she is taking a huge, historical, major tragedy and writing not so much about IT, but about herself in the midst of it. Which is fine, but in this case I really wish she had made it their song, not hers. The word "I" is used way to much to make it not sound self-absorbed (I hate to say, because stevie is such a caring person, but it's just how it comes off sounding, imo). I know she was uplifting, comforting, inspiring for the soldiers she visited and wrote to, but she said she listened to them and they told her their story. I am sure there was a common thread linking all their unique stories. I wish she had written about that. I wish the song was really all about them and their state of mind, their experiences of war, not stevie's. We know how it effects us. Their story is what is hardly ever told. Some of her lyrics hit that (as I look upon their faces, I try to write their stories and tell them to the world, I keep the tears inside and put them down in verse, I try to push them gently into the light, no one walks away from this battle, soldiers of my heart). I want to hear what they said, what they are experiencing, how (or IF) they are healing.

I urge you all to rent RESTREPO. You can see parts on youtube, but it's something we all need to watch in its entirety. I wonder if Stevie has seen it? Here's a few bits on youtube - you need to see the whole thing, seriously - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvUdruvbdmI and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvUdruvbdmI

PLEASE rent it. It gives me an anxiety attack, it's very hard to get through.Watch it with someone, don't watch it alone. My godson was there for a year and thank God is okay, but I do worry, is he truly okay? Can anyone be okay after that. Death around you, being shot at anytime, seeing friends die, lining up stray dogs and having to kill them because they are spreading disease....heartache until your heart dies, sometimes.... 18 year old "children"...really. America's children being put through that.

I am happy my Godson was there when they closed Restrepo. And he came back home in one piece. but never the same. God bless him, and all of them.

I am not in love with this song as a matter of fact I always skip it when listening the IYD cd. I loved Desert Angel that she recorded in the early 90’s. I was once engaged to a Marine in Desert Storm and when he came back he was totally changed. It is all the things that they see over there that changes some. My former fiancé did mention Stevie and that she was in one of their military magazines. If I remember this was back in the early 90's--she wrote a letter to the troops. He thought it was cool that she was supporting them and of course he knew that I loved her. I wish I liked Soldiers Angel but I just can't get into it. I also thought about the twinge of narcissism in the song & thought it was weird that she wrote about herself when it is for our troops. Maybe in a way she feels like a mother figure toward them since she never had any kids of her own. I know she meant well & I love her for supporting the troops.

[fumidesigns]

I love this song. The harmonies with Lindsey are superb. Buckingham Nicks reborn!

now if we could just get the album REBORN!!!! smmfh! what is the hold up?

[jcfree]

I love Soldier's Angel, very somber and she is expressing her experiences with these soldiers and their families as only Stevie does. Incorporating Lindsey in this song makes it happen, without him on it I don't think it would be as good as it is. Her lyrics I have always loved, she always has some twist to them in Stevie speak. Sometimes you have to read between the lines in respect to her lyrics, that's why I love her!

Ghosty, I have the dvd of Restrepo, it is very moving and an excellent real life depiction of what our military is facing over there. Definately worth a watch! Gives you another perspective of the war our military men and women face, without politics interjected into it. Very raw.

[fumidesigns]

I love Soldier's Angel, very somber and she is expressing her experiences with these soldiers and their families as only Stevie does. Incorporating Lindsey in this song makes it happen, without him on it I don't think it would be as good as it is. Her lyrics I have always loved, she always has some twist to them in Stevie speak. Sometimes you have to read between the lines in respect to her lyrics, that's why I love her!

Ghosty, I have the dvd of Restrepo, it is very moving and an excellent real life depiction of what our military is facing over there. Definately worth a watch! Gives you another perspective of the war our military men and women face, without politics interjected into it. Very raw.

and she knew it too! that's y she said she called him asap! convo as follows:

LB: *chokes/coughs* hello
S: "baby?"
L: "huh?"
S: "whatcha doing?"
L: *inhales smoke while speaking* "sh*t"
S: "come over and help me w/ this song"
L: "mmmmmm u want me to come over huh?"
S: "yessssssssssss"
L: "you wanna sing?"
S: "yesssssssssssss"
L: "give me 15 minutes. lemme grab my thing" *click*
S: "what da........? hello!?"

[CADreaming]

now if we could just get the album REBORN!!!! smmfh! what is the hold up?

Timing is everything, my dear! They will. They know...

[fumidesigns]

Timing is everything, my dear! They will. They know...

yeah i know. i know it will be amazing. i want it now lol!

[jcfree]

fumidesigns, too funny!

[caterwench]

I want to love this song.....but I cringe when I hear it . I think that I need a visual to feel it. Stevie is not a nurse nor an angel. She is just giving back as many of us do. I have always liked Dessert Angel.
I am a soldier's angel
Through the eyes of a soldier
Through the eyes of a soldier
I am a soldier's mother

Through the eyes of an angel
I am a soldier myself
And no one walks away
From this battle

I'm a soldier myself
In the presence of angels
I am a soldier's widow
In the background at night

I am a ghostly shadow
As I follow close behind them
I try to push them gently
Back into the light

I am a soldier's angel four years later
In a war of words between worlds
About what is wrong, 'bout what is righteous
I am a soldier's girl

I am a soldier's memory
As I write down these words
I try to write their stories
And explain them to the world

I float through the halls of the hospitals
I am a soldier's nurse
I keep the tears inside
And put them down in verse

I'm a soldier's angel four years later
In a war of words between worlds
About what is wrong and about what is righteous
I am a soldier's girl

I am a soldier's girlfriend
As I look upon their faces
They make me remember my first love
And going out to dances

They make me remember Camelot
And being young and taking chances
They make me fall in love again
http://www.elyricsworld.com/soldier's_angel_lyrics_stevie_nicks.html
They give me all the answers

I'm a soldier's angel four years later
In a war of words between worlds
About what is wrong, 'bout what is righteous
I am a soldier's girl

I'm a soldier in their army
They are the soldiers of my heart
I try to make them smile again
Though it tears me apart

Their bravery leaves me spellbound
I try to be a small part
Bringing them back again
They are the soldiers of my heart

I'm a soldier's angel four years later
In a war of words between worlds
About what is wrong, 'bout what is righteous
I am a soldier's girl

I'm a soldier's angel
Through the eyes of a soldier
Through the eyes of a soldier
I'm a soldier's mother

Through the eyes of an angel
I'm a soldier myself
No one walks away
From this battle

[skuncles]

You're missing what she's saying. In the eyes of a soldier she IS an angel. The lyrics are really beautiful when "hear" them.

[TrueFaith77]

I want to love this song.....but I cringe when I hear it . I think that I need a visual to feel it. Stevie is not a nurse nor an angel. She is just giving back as many of us do. I have always liked Dessert Angel.


ahhh, the fat years.

[glamorousnymph]

ahhh, the fat years.

First, a belated :laugh: to that joke.

I listened to S.A. last night a few times, after not listening for a while, so I had fresh ears. I have to agree it comes off as narcissistic to me. YES, we all know Stevie is a woman of privilege ("Illume" was about her time "in lockdown at the Waldorf Astoria" on 9/11 ;)) and she is undoubtedly the center of her own universe. However, that's no excuse for a 60-something lady to not be able to get out of her own head for a moment to write down some lyrics that don't start with "I," when she's writing a poem FOR the troops and their families. At least, that's what she told them she was doing.

I love the chorus, and I love Lindsey on it. I like the "war of words between worlds," "wrong / righteous." I even like "I am a soldier's girl," at the end of the chorus, because that just sounds to me like she supports them, she's a fan. Don't really like the "four years later." After listening to the Jim Ladd interview I now get that line, but I didn't before. In a song about a decade-long war, you have a "four years later" reference, huh?

What kills it for me is "I try to tell their stories / and explain them to the world." She says that, but in the song, she has kept repeating things about herself by that time. I waited for the stories, first time I heard the song, but they didn't come.

There are many verses here in which she could have actually written about the soldiers themselves, what she sees in their eyes, what have they been through? Is there some little glimpse of something that those of us who are not Stevie Nicks at Walter Reed would find touching? The part about Camelot comes close...

Soldier's widow? Soldier's nurse? A soldier's angel, in the eyes of a soldier? A soldier herself, in the eyes of an angel? No. If she's trying to say she*becomes* a soldier's mother/girlfriend/whatever when she's there, because she's listening to their stories, I wish she would have written the rest of the song about the patients, then one or two lines about how she becomes a soldier's widow... nurse... mother (poet... priest of nothing ... legend?)

It would have been nicer to hear her sing of the family and friends who try to "push them gently back into the light" and "bringing them back again." They are the ones who spend all day and night with them. Stevie "walks in and walks out." NOT to diminish what she does! It's wonderful she has spent so much time at Walter Reed, and I realize that means a lot to her. I just wish she had written a more general song, more about the actual soldiers and maybe their loved ones, which would not only be *her* most precious song, but *their* precious song.

[WildHearted]

First, a belated :laugh: to that joke.

I listened to S.A. last night a few times, after not listening for a while, so I had fresh ears. I have to agree it comes off as narcissistic to me. YES, we all know Stevie is a woman of privilege ("Illume" was about her time "in lockdown at the Waldorf Astoria" on 9/11 ;)) and she is undoubtedly the center of her own universe. However, that's no excuse for a 60-something lady to not be able to get out of her own head for a moment to write down some lyrics that don't start with "I," when she's writing a poem FOR the troops and their families. At least, that's what she told them she was doing.

I love the chorus, and I love Lindsey on it. I like the "war of words between worlds," "wrong / righteous." I even like "I am a soldier's girl," at the end of the chorus, because that just sounds to me like she supports them, she's a fan. Don't really like the "four years later." After listening to the Jim Ladd interview I now get that line, but I didn't before. In a song about a decade-long war, you have a "four years later" reference, huh?

What kills it for me is "I try to tell their stories / and explain them to the world." She says that, but in the song, she has kept repeating things about herself by that time. I waited for the stories, first time I heard the song, but they didn't come.

There are many verses here in which she could have actually written about the soldiers themselves, what she sees in their eyes, what have they been through? Is there some little glimpse of something that those of us who are not Stevie Nicks at Walter Reed would find touching? The part about Camelot comes close...

Soldier's widow? Soldier's nurse? A soldier's angel, in the eyes of a soldier? A soldier herself, in the eyes of an angel? No. If she's trying to say she*becomes* a soldier's mother/girlfriend/whatever when she's there, because she's listening to their stories, I wish she would have written the rest of the song about the patients, then one or two lines about how she becomes a soldier's widow... nurse... mother (poet... priest of nothing ... legend?)

It would have been nicer to hear her sing of the family and friends who try to "push them gently back into the light" and "bringing them back again." They are the ones who spend all day and night with them. Stevie "walks in and walks out." NOT to diminish what she does! It's wonderful she has spent so much time at Walter Reed, and I realize that means a lot to her. I just wish she had written a more general song, more about the actual soldiers and maybe their loved ones, which would not only be *her* most precious song, but *their* precious song.

But that's the thing about Stevie - and something she's really been quite upfront about - she only sings about herself.

[glamorousnymph]

But that's the thing about Stevie - and something she's really been quite upfront about - she only sings about herself.

And people she knows! But yeah, I s'pose there's no changing her now, it just realllly came across as cringe-inducing to me. Maybe I'll change my mind upon a few more listens.

[Jondalar]

Although I usually hate her political songs, I really love this song. To me, it's the emotional highlight of the album. When she sings, They are the Soldiers of My Heart—I'm there. It's a song that only Stevie could or would write and I think this song is going to find a home. It's got staying power because of it's uniquessness and the way it was produced.

[MrStevie]

and she knew it too! that's y she said she called him asap! convo as follows:

LB: *chokes/coughs* hello
S: "baby?"
L: "huh?"
S: "whatcha doing?"
L: *inhales smoke while speaking* "sh*t"
S: "come over and help me w/ this song"
L: "mmmmmm u want me to come over huh?"
S: "yessssssssssss"
L: "you wanna sing?"
S: "yesssssssssssss"
L: "give me 15 minutes. lemme grab my thing" *click*
S: "what da........? hello!?"

You been spyin' on them? ;) :xoxo: :wavey:

[tabruns]

That wasn't how I saw it at all :shrug:

For most of the song she's just putting herself in other peoples places... as she listens to the soldier's stories, she feels what it would be like to be a soldier's mother or a soldiers girlfriend, etc., as in, she begins to feel and understand their grief. At the same time, the soldiers bring back memories her of various times in her life (being young, taking chances, etc) ... the song is all about how the soldier's touched her.

This is how I see it as well. Actually I thought there was an interview somewhere where she specifically said she was thinking about how it must feel to be a soldier's girl, wife, mother, etc. (though to be technical, there are gay soldiers and there are women soldiers as well, so boy, husband, father as missing but whatever!).

[glamorousnymph]

This is how I see it as well. Actually I thought there was an interview somewhere where she specifically said she was thinking about how it must feel to be a soldier's girl, wife, mother, etc. (though to be technical, there are gay soldiers and there are women soldiers as well, so boy, husband, father as missing but whatever!).

"I'm a soldier's fathah.... "
Yeah, that would have been a little weird!

I think I get what she *meant*. I just don't think the lyrics, which fans understand as a "Stevie" thing, come across as well as they could to the average listener. To me that's a shame. :sorry: But I like the starkness of the song and Lindsey's part in it.

[tabruns]

I like pairing this song with "Illume"....they both have that spooky stark sound.

[PenguinHead]

This is how I see it as well. Actually I thought there was an interview somewhere where she specifically said she was thinking about how it must feel to be a soldier's girl, wife, mother, etc. (though to be technical, there are gay soldiers and there are women soldiers as well, so boy, husband, father as missing but whatever!).

In that line of thinking, for technical inclusion....

I am gay soldier's diva
I am a transgendered solider's husband
I am a lesbian soldier's wife
I am a solider's father's girlfriend

:shrug:

[michelej1]

Song of the Year by Ben Kessler for City Arts, January 17, 2012

http://cityarts.info/2012/01/17/song-of-the-year/

Saluting Stevie Nicks’ “Soldier’s Angel”

Years from now, 2011 may be remembered as the year postfeminism produced poster girls for the status quo. Female-fronted hits such as the movie Bridesmaids and the TV show New Girl were hailed as breakthroughs, despite their unremarkable content. (Bridesmaids even showed up on some confused critics’ year-end best lists.)

Ironically, inordinate media attention turned this distaff escapist trend into a genuine threat to women’s cultural advancement. The “women in comedy” hype carries the suggestion that lucrative half-truths are the best female artists can hope to achieve; risking personal expression turns funny chicks into Debbie Downers.

My choice for best pop song of last year, Stevie Nicks’ “Soldier’s Angel,” points the way out of hype. As if responding to Bridesmaids and New Girl, Nicks shows us how 21st-century pop artists can speak truth and navigate politics.

In “Soldier’s Angel,” Nicks tells how her visits with wounded veterans at Walter Reed and Bethesda Naval Hospital unsettled her as a woman, citizen and icon. Lindsey Buckingham’s resonant guitar notes ensure that the song is threaded through with dread in the face of mortality. Against this stirring backdrop, Nicks’ voice—scarred and pitted by time and trouble—expresses a veteran artist’s perseverance for inspiration.

Imagining how the soldiers to whom she ministers must see her, Nicks sings, “I am a soldier’s girlfriend as I look upon their faces/ They make me remember my first love/ Goin’ out to dances.” Buckingham’s presence as guitarist and background vocalist connects her romantic recollection to our collective Fleetwood Mac memories. As “smart” pop critics might say, Nicks “implicates the audience” in her healing mission.

The refrain of “Solder’s Angel” speaks of the “war of words between worlds” within which Nicks’ mission is enmeshed. This must refer to the partisan scapegoating that has infected American political discourse. While Hollywood entertainment like Bridesmaids and New Girl promises escape from political conflict, Nicks elevates the discourse to a philosophical, even spiritual plane.

“Soldier’s Angel” was a 2011 highlight, but it may resonate even more profoundly in this election year. As Nicks warns: “No one walks away from this battle.”

[dontlookdown]

i like the track - and i think it's one of the strongest on the album.
love the lindsey guitar and love how the vocal was recorded - almost in a Jimmy Iovine "live" way.

It would fit nicely into a live Fleetwood Mac setlist.

Here's a version from her show at the Wiltern:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Krtc6gqjMQ