You Can't Fix This - Full Song

[WildHearted]

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Her vocals at the end are amazing. This is a great song, wow.

[kak125]

awesome!! thank you so much you made my night!!!

[BombaySapphire3]

Great production and committed performance on this one..thanks!

[Jondalar]

I love this. Great production. Finally, some real rock. I like the lyrics more and more. The song unwinds...

[redbird]

Great song, thanks for posting.

[SpyNote]

I love the studio version!

I created a page (http://www.stevie-nicks.info/soundtracks.html) for the song with the lyrics, so you can sing along. :laugh:

"He will burn you down!!!"

[Fireflies]

love the song overall, hate the production of the backing vocals. :shrug:

[Artemis]

Compare this to any TISL/SYW song, and is it just me, or is her voice waaaay less nasal lately? Heck, even compared to IYD this is a marked improvement. Great song. Makes me want more from Stevie.

[Tango]

Compare this to any TISL/SYW song, and is it just me, or is her voice waaaay less nasal lately? Heck, even compared to IYD this is a marked improvement. Great song. Makes me want more from Stevie.

I think her voice has been sounding great. Take a listen to "Not Fade Away," the Buddy Holly song she did for PBS (it's on iTunes). Her voice is amazing! Maybe it's the voice coach, not smoking, not drinking, taking better care of herself, the weight loss, feeling good, etc. Whatever it is, she is turning it on! And she seems happy.

[jkmaletic]

I love the studio version!

I created a page (http://www.stevie-nicks.info/soundtracks.html) for the song with the lyrics, so you can sing along. :laugh:

"He will burn you down!!!"

Thanks! That was fun!

I'm totally obsessed with this song. I think that was the 6th time I've listened/watched the performance of it today!

[diamondsnake]

This is so good! It makes me sad that she is going to be wasting time on a Greatest Hits tour with Fleetwood Mac when she is capable of this kind of stuff. She obviously doesn't enjoy being in FM anymore, so maybe it is time she just quit the band?! She is more stimulated as a solo artist, or collaberating with other artists, like in this song.

Don't get me wrong- FM is the greatest band of all time- but this song is better than hearing Dreams for the one millionth time! It would be different if she were recording stuff with the Mac.

[johnnystorms]

This is so good! It makes me sad that she is going to be wasting time on a Greatest Hits tour with Fleetwood Mac when she is capable of this kind of stuff. She obviously doesn't enjoy being in FM anymore, so maybe it is time she just quit the band?! She is more stimulated as a solo artist, or collaberating with other artists, like in this song.

Don't get me wrong- FM is the greatest band of all time- but this song is better than hearing Dreams for the one millionth time! It would be different if she were recording stuff with the Mac.

hell YEAH!!
if it weren't for her MASSIVE overhead costs, we'd get a LOT more of this. FM pays the bills tho

[Jondalar]

I like this a lot, but I will say that Stevie may have been inspired by the death of her godson, but this is not his story. It is her story.

[sleepless child]

Great song. I absolutely love the music.

[WildHearted]

I like this a lot, but I will say that Stevie may have been inspired by the death of her godson, but this is not his story. It is her story.

Aren't all of Stevie's songs?

The way I read into the song is that she's sort of directing it to her Godson's friend. She's telling them her/their (whoever "we" is) story as a warning and then in the chorus she's saying, but you guys took it too far, you can't fix this, etc...

[Somegirl60171]

I sure hope stevie works with grohl in the future he should produce and write some music for her next solo album , he is more relevant than any of her past producers and this is rock and roll - she can benefit from his abilities, AND he is obviously a fan of hers having grown up in the 70 s. / 80 s. I love this song and love them playing together. No more waddy, make grohl her musical director/guitar player come on!!!:thumbsup:

[Jondalar]

Aren't all of Stevie's songs?

The way I read into the song is that she's sort of directing it to her Godson's friend. She's telling them her/their (whoever "we" is) story as a warning and then in the chorus she's saying, but you guys took it too far, you can't fix this, etc...

Soldiers Angel, Illume...
In a way, this song reminds me of Trouble in Shangri La, where you know she is talking over-indulgence (you can't consume all the beauty in the room...). She uses a lot of imagery and has her own way of doing it.

I took this song as warning against partying with drugs. Never go to the party if you think you won't come home..

[WildHearted]

Soldiers Angel, Illume...

Yes, exactly - despite the inspiration/sentiment, still about Stevie and written like a personal narrative... :thumbsup:

[Lilyfan]

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Her vocals at the end are amazing. This is a great song, wow.

I'm liking this song more and more every time I hear it.

[On Ice]

Very nicely done. My only critique is a part that seems a bit too wordy just around 3:50 but other than that, the song is well written, and superbly performed. Please Stevie give us a whole album of this passion, IYD it seems could be a warm up to what she has left in her as an artist.

[bluecalmsea]

Does anyone happen to know if we will be able to purchase this song without buying the entire Sound City soundtrack? I just looked on iTunes and the song as shown as available with "album only."

[WildHearted]

Does anyone happen to know if we will be able to purchase this song without buying the entire Sound City soundtrack? I just looked on iTunes and the song as shown as available with "album only."

Not sure. I would say it is probably going to be an 'album only' track - especially since they're promoting this song in particular. Usually on soundtracks they only let you purchase really random songs individually, and make all of the good ones album only...

However, the album still isn't available. So maybe when the album becomes available they'll allow us to download all of the songs. I guess we'll see.

[Machu]

This turned out MUCH better than I expected and her vocals are great on this song.

[bluecalmsea]

Not sure. I would say it is probably going to be an 'album only' track - especially since they're promoting this song in particular. Usually on soundtracks they only let you purchase really random songs individually, and make all of the good ones album only...

However, the album still isn't available. So maybe when the album becomes available they'll allow us to download all of the songs. I guess we'll see.

I didn't know that about soundtracks! Thank you for the info! :)

[fairydust75]

I like this a lot, but I will say that Stevie may have been inspired by the death of her godson, but this is not his story. It is her story.

Stevie wrote this poem to perhaps exorcise some demons, Glenn Jr.'s death brought into the light.
I hope this collaboration brings some sort of comfort to Glenn and his family. Glenn was around for the worst times of Stevie's addiction, one can only imagine what his eyes have seen. Her fall fron grace, her rise back to the top.
Maybe this song may influence someone to make a better choice, to stop and think about the consequences.

[Etisl]

Love this song, and really love the music. I would love to see her work with him on her next solo project. The keyboards remind me of old Fleetwood Mac, the music....just sounds very "Stevie", magical & mystical. At first I wasn't quite sure if I liked it, but..........damn it a great ROCKING song.....even though the matter is very sad.....it is a rocker. ;)

[Bandon]

Very nicely done. My only critique is a part that seems a bit too wordy just around 3:50 but other than that, the song is well written, and superbly performed. Please Stevie give us a whole album of this passion, IYD it seems could be a warm up to what she has left in her as an artist.

Agreed. :nod:

[WildHearted]

Around 3:50 is one of my favorite parts of the song :lol:

I love the "But we never allowed the devil to come to the party / We said that we would never be sorry / For what we'd done."

Also, just wanted to add that one of the things I love about the song is that it's a rocker without trying too hard to be one, and without deviating from the inherent Stevie-ness of the song. I've found a lot of her recent more rocking songs unappealing (Ghosts are Gone, for example) because they just sound like generic radio rock that any artist could have put out. This breaks that trend. I really love it.

[michelej1]

Also, just wanted to add that one of the things I love about the song is that it's a rocker without trying too hard to be one, and without deviating from the inherent Stevie-ness of the song. I've found a lot of her recent more rocking songs unappealing (Ghosts are Gone, for example) because they just sound like generic radio rock that any artist could have put out. This breaks that trend. I really love it.

I think this is a good point to make. I have thought this about FFG. The FFG lyrics are Stevie, but not the music. I feel it is just generic rock. Noise. It felt she wanted a rocker, rather than that should naturally be a rock song.

As for Ghosts Are Gone, I thought it a great improvement. Obviously, it doesn't reach the heights of EO17, but I think it is both rock and Stevie. It has a tune I can latch onto and words that I can kind of fantasize a meaning around, even if it's not what she quite intended. It gets my imagination going.

Michele

[shackin'up]

Around 3:50 is one of my favorite parts of the song :lol:

I love the "But we never allowed the devil to come to the party / We said that we would never be sorry / For what we'd done."

Also, just wanted to add that one of the things I love about the song is that it's a rocker without trying too hard to be one, and without deviating from the inherent Stevie-ness of the song. I've found a lot of her recent more rocking songs unappealing (Ghosts are Gone, for example) because they just sound like generic radio rock that any artist could have put out. This breaks that trend. I really love it.

I agree. To me, this is better than anything on IYD because of that. Except maybe Soldiers angel. The only thing that bugs me in Stevie's songs these days, is the fact that they exist of parts almost spoken poems. She sings fabulous on this, but in the verses I'm bugged about how little melody it has. Musically, this is great arrangement and production. It sounds warm and it rocks naturally. But it was expected; I don't like the forced popsheen of Dave Stewarts production.

[bombaysaffires]

Compare this to any TISL/SYW song, and is it just me, or is her voice waaaay less nasal lately? Heck, even compared to IYD this is a marked improvement. Great song. Makes me want more from Stevie.

i wondered if it was due to the way she was recorded. I think Dave Stewart uses a lot of digital technology. He even manipulates her voice in spots-- the computer enhanced vibrato on the word "day" in the middle of the IYD "come in out of the darkness/it's a beautiful dayyyy" is one of the most egregious.

[xhector]

Dave did an amazing work. He got perfectly into Stevie's sound, with a slight compact rocking edge but everything very familiar anyway.

I like how sometimes it even sounds to me like Christine's there (the electric piano, some color of the backing vocals).

At first I thought the verse was a bit lazily written, but the chorus is great and the production fantastic and all the passion and all mystery are there so I'm happy :D

[Jondalar]

Here is a bad review

STEVIE NICKS + SOUND CITY PLAYERS, ‘YOU CAN’T FIX THIS’ – SONG REVIEW
by Billy Dukes 8 hours ago

RCA/Roswell
Stevie Nicks leads Dave Grohl and the Sound City Players on ‘You Can’t Fix This,’ a song inspired by the death of the Fleetwood Mac singer’s godson. The group recently performed a slower, bluesier version of the track from the ‘Sound City’ soundtrack on ‘The Late Show with David Letterman.’ It’s best experienced live.

The studio version ultimately relies on Nicks, who is not quite the gifted vocalist she once was. Only when one knows the context in which she penned the lyrics is it effective. Lost in the studio mix is the swirling guitar licks that set the mood for this dark quasi-anti-drug message. “We were careful in our own way / We walk through the darkness / We made a pact not to dance with the devil / Even when the devil seemed to have a heart,” she sings before the first chorus.

That chorus is an unimpressive, slogging arrangement that fails to grab one’s attention. “You can’t fix this / You lost a friend / Hearts breaking / Right and left / Friendships break like glass / And the devil pours another glass,” Nicks sings. Later a pair of backing vocalists freshen-up the lyrics. It’s a necessary addition, as the finished cut comes in at a lumbering six minutes.

“We never allowed the devil to come to the party,” Nicks sings multiple times. Presumably the “devil” is the drugs, which she did let come to the party during points in her life. Her godson overdosed, and Nicks has talked about him before.

Lyrically, the message is meaningful but not brilliant prose. Clumsy rhymes aren’t softened by a magical arrangment of guitars and drums. Instead they’re left as the focus of a song that just sounds flat on the record. The slowed down live version they performed on late night television adds another dimension to the single, but ultimately it’s not going to be one fans remember forever.

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/stevie-nicks-sound-city-players-you-cant-fix-this/

[WildHearted]

That was a terribly written/structured review.

The studio version ultimately relies on Nicks, who is not quite the gifted vocalist she once was. Only when one knows the context in which she penned the lyrics is it effective.

The flow of sentences here makes no sense. Her vocals are only effective when you know the context of the lyrics? What? It sounds like the second sentence was meant to refer to the lyrics as only being effective when you know their context, but they left out a sentence or something.

Personally, I think the studio version is just as good as, if not slightly better than (due to the perfected vocals), the song performed live. Not to mention that I'm not sure the live version really differs from the studio version in any significant way, aside from the obvious constraints of a live performance...

[Jondalar]

That was a terribly written/structured review.



The flow of sentences here makes no sense. Her vocals are only effective when you know the context of the lyrics? What? It sounds like the second sentence was meant to refer to the lyrics as only being effective when you know their context, but they left out a sentence or something.

Personally, I think the studio version is just as good as, if not slightly better than (due to the perfected vocals), the song performed live. Not to mention that I'm not sure the live version really differs from the studio version in any significant way, aside from the obvious constraints of a live performance...

He's trying to say the lyrics don't stand on their own. You can only understand what the song is about when she tells you.

[WildHearted]

He's trying to say the lyrics don't stand on their own. You can only understand what the song is about when she tells you.

I know that was what he meant - unfortunately that wasn't what he said.

[michelej1]

I know that was what he meant - unfortunately that wasn't what he said.

Only when one knows the context in which he penned the review is it effective.

Michele

[Sanne2]

I don't get all the negative comments (especially in the comments section on Nickslive). I think it's a great song, I might even go as far as saying that I love it. Maybe it's because English is not my first language but I'm never too bothered by some of Stevie's "bad" lyrics. This song sounds great to me: it rocks, it's a bit mystical, it's GDW-esque and I like the way she sings it, the Letterman live version really sold it to me and the recorded version is great too.

[DashingDan]

My poorly worded critique of YCFT


I give it a solid B.

Passionate singing and spooky, musical atmosphere abound. A perfect combination for her and her fans.

However, with the exception of her choice to engage the word 'fix' in a song about drug use (fix--an amount of an illegal drug, or of another substance which has an effect on someone if they take it. ) and a situation that is beyond repair, which is brilliant (she's always excelled when she written about her favorite things, love that is over, or just about to end, and drugs), it's the lyrics that are very weak. It's stuff like; landing two lyrics, one after the next, with the word glass; cliches such as 'we walked through the darkness'; awkward lyrics "We made a pact not to dance with devil, even when the devil seemed to have a heart". We're super-fans here, so we know how she uses her poetry as lyrics, but I wonder what would have happened if she listened to someone whom she respected say to her, "Great first draft, but there are a few problems...", "Great second draft, I like the changes you made, almost done, it just needs polish".

[Lilyfan]

My poorly worded critique of YCFT


I give it a solid B.

Passionate singing and spooky, musical atmosphere abound. A perfect combination for her and her fans.

However, with the exception of her choice to engage the word 'fix' in a song about drug use (fix--an amount of an illegal drug, or of another substance which has an effect on someone if they take it. ) and a situation that is beyond repair, which is brilliant (she's always excelled when she written about her favorite things, love that is over, or just about to end, and drugs), it's the lyrics that are very weak. It's stuff like; landing two lyrics, one after the next, with the word glass; cliches such as 'we walked through the darkness'; awkward lyrics "We made a pact not to dance with devil, even when the devil seemed to have a heart". We're super-fans here, so we know how she uses her poetry as lyrics, but I wonder what would have happened if she listened to someone whom she respected say to her, "Great first draft, but there are a few problems...", "Great second draft, I like the changes you made, almost done, it just needs polish".

You know she would say, "You wouldn't say that to Bob Dylan".;)

[Angel69]

I think this is a good point to make. I have thought this about FFG. The FFG lyrics are Stevie, but not the music. I feel it is just generic rock. Noise. It felt she wanted a rocker, rather than that should naturally be a rock song.


Michele

The live versions of FFG are way better than the album version, especially that Blockbuster Awards performance.

[elle]

I don't get all the negative comments (especially in the comments section on Nickslive). I think it's a great song, I might even go as far as saying that I love it. Maybe it's because English is not my first language but I'm never too bothered by some of Stevie's "bad" lyrics. This song sounds great to me: it rocks, it's a bit mystical, it's GDW-esque and I like the way she sings it, the Letterman live version really sold it to me and the recorded version is great too.

GDW has a melody. this one doesn't. i love GDW, it's a timeless and amazing song.

maybe i'm deaf but i don't get how this song has anything in common with GDW. :shrug:

i do agree that the arrangement of this song rocks. i just don't like talk-singing and no melody.

[elle]

However, with the exception of her choice to engage the word 'fix' in a song about drug use (fix--an amount of an illegal drug, or of another substance which has an effect on someone if they take it. )
ha that's a great point - brilliant!

[michelej1]

However, with the exception of her choice to engage the word 'fix' in a song about drug use (fix--an amount of an illegal drug, or of another substance which has an effect on someone if they take it. ) and a situation that is beyond repair, which is brilliant (she's always excelled when she written about her favorite things, love that is over, or just about to end, and drugs), it's the lyrics that are very weak. It's stuff like; landing two lyrics, one after the next, with the word glass; cliches such as 'we walked through the darkness'; awkward lyrics "We made a pact not to dance with devil, even when the devil seemed to have a heart". We're super-fans here, so we know how she uses her poetry as lyrics, but I wonder what would have happened if she listened to someone whom she respected say to her, "Great first draft, but there are a few problems...", "Great second draft, I like the changes you made, almost done, it just needs polish".

When you said that about "fix" it revealed to me how clever the usage actually was. I like that more now.

You're right on the lyric repetition. And she shouldn't use "break" and "breaking" so close together either. She could say hearts were aching, instead or it doesn't even have to rhyme. She could say hearts were pounded, crushed, whatever and then let break have more power in the subsequent line.

Michele

[AliceLover]

Is this song great? No. Is it good? Yes.

I've listened to this more times than I have "Everybpdy Loves You" and "Wide Sargasso Sea" combined.

[vivfox]

just wanted to add that one of the things I love about the song is that it's a rocker without trying too hard to be one, I've found a lot of her recent more rocking songs unappealing (Ghosts are Gone, for example) because they just sound like generic radio rock that any artist could have put out. This breaks that trend. I really love it.


I agree with this and feel the same about GAG and about Fall From Grace. I really wanted to love both of those songs but they are lacking something for me and I could never figure out what that was/is. I was glad she performed GAG on the IYD Tour because she needs more rockers in her set but YCFT really rocks, and from the second I heard the music I knew I was gonna love this song.

[Ghost_Tracker]

Aren't all of Stevie's songs?

The way I read into the song is that she's sort of directing it to her Godson's friend. She's telling them her/their (whoever "we" is) story as a warning and then in the chorus she's saying, but you guys took it too far, you can't fix this, etc...

I think she's saying - We took it to far, don't make the same mistakes we did.

By the way, all due credit to Stevie, but don't forget this song was co-written with Dave Grohl and one other person.

[Ghost_Tracker]

Here is a bad review

STEVIE NICKS + SOUND CITY PLAYERS, ‘YOU CAN’T FIX THIS’ – SONG REVIEW
by Billy Dukes 8 hours ago

RCA/Roswell
Stevie Nicks leads Dave Grohl and the Sound City Players on ‘You Can’t Fix This,’ a song inspired by the death of ....
this dark quasi-anti-drug message. “We were careful in our own way / We walk through the darkness / We made a pact not to dance with the devil / Even when the devil seemed to have a heart,” she sings before the first chorus.

.....going to be one fans remember forever.

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/stevie-nicks-sound-city-players-you-cant-fix-this/


"“You can’t fix this / You lost a friend / Hearts breaking / Right and left / Friendships break like glass / And the devil pours another glass,”

That sure as hell get's my attention! . . . . ;)

[WildHearted]

I think she's saying - We took it to far, don't make the same mistakes we did.

Per her introduction though, they did a lot of things but they never danced with the devil and unfortunately this boy did...

[Zanobbi]

Better than half the songs on IYD

[wheart]

It's a great song but I still have a problem with some of the lyrics...mainly "devil" is repeated too often for my liking. It doesn't flow...I also wish they had really loaded up the ending with more vocal overdubs. I like Lori and Sharon's bits but it would have been great to have Stevie in the mix, too, wailing and whatnot, maybe with a lyric that wasn't present in the song up until that point. Just a few minor things because I always look for what's not there...

But overall I love the song and I think Stevie's vocal is terrific! Maybe it's just a suggestion from the subject matter but the music reminds me of "Battle of the Dragon" in some way. I'm really excited to have this little unexpected treasure!!

[louielouie2000]

It's a great song but I still have a problem with some of the lyrics...mainly "devil" is repeated too often for my liking. It doesn't flow

But overall I love the song

Agreed... she says "devil" *FOURTEEN TIMES*. That's just poor songwriting. I do love the music & feel of the song as well... but those lyrics are so damned clunky. I'm still a bit mixed on her vocal, too... it's so strong in the lower range, but her higher notes are just shrieky. I can't say I've ever had such a muddled reaction to a Stevie tune. I really dig the aura of the song... the subject matter, the sound, some of Stevie's vocals... but then the lyrics are just so bad in some places, as is her voice in certain spots. I *really* want to love You Can't Fix This, I really do...

[wheart]

Agreed... she says "devil" *FOURTEEN TIMES*. That's just poor songwriting. I do love the music & feel of the song as well... but those lyrics are so damned clunky. I'm still a bit mixed on her vocal, too... it's so strong in the lower range, but her higher notes are just shrieky. I can't say I've ever had such a muddled reaction to a Stevie tune. I really dig the aura of the song... the subject matter, the sound, some of Stevie's vocals... but then the lyrics are just so bad in some places, as is her voice in certain spots. I *really* want to love You Can't Fix This, I really do...

Yup...I just wanna get in there and Fix "You Can't Fix This". She was probably trying to "make a point" with the devil reference in the original poem and it may have worked very well in that context but the translation to song needed some changes. In places it just doesn't work.

[PenguinHead]

Only when one knows the context in which he penned the review is it effective.

Michele

:nod: very clever!

[PenguinHead]

Agreed... she says "devil" *FOURTEEN TIMES*. That's just poor songwriting. I do love the music & feel of the song as well... but those lyrics are so damned clunky. I'm still a bit mixed on her vocal, too... it's so strong in the lower range, but her higher notes are just shrieky. I can't say I've ever had such a muddled reaction to a Stevie tune. I really dig the aura of the song... the subject matter, the sound, some of Stevie's vocals... but then the lyrics are just so bad in some places, as is her voice in certain spots. I *really* want to love You Can't Fix This, I really do...

The lyrics are a bit clunky -- that was one of my first impressions upon first hearing the song. The words meander about, without any cohesiveness, and yes, the "dance with the devil" line is overdone. Unfortunately it reveals Stevie's limitations as a writer. Any time she delves into deep subject matters and attempts to turn them into songs, things get a little dicey. Take for instance, Desert Angel, Jane...and for some, Soldiers Angel.

I think she will never again write a song that achieves the universal appeal of Landslide. And even that song has some slight lyrical clunk to it.

[BombaySapphire3]

Any time she delves into deep subject matters and attempts to turn them into songs, things get a little dicey.
.

Overall I tend to agree but there is at least one notale exception.Edge of Seventeen inspired by the murder of John Lennon and the death of her uncle remains the crowning glory of her solo career IMHO.

[Christopher]

Never before has a Stevie Nicks song thrown me in such a quandary. Usually I know within seconds, minutes, or the very least after 3 or 4 solid listens, whether I love, like, or detest a song, e.g., loved "Moonlight" at first sight, but loathed and scorned "That Made Me Stronger" for ever being allowed to drag TISL down a peg or 2. I, like many others expressed, initially had difficulty with the muddled lyrical cadence and repetitiveness of certain words (DEVIL) and phrases. So as I listened a few more times, clearly unable to get beyond what I perceived as horrendous blemishes - I put the song away, and hoped I would forget all about it.

Funny thing is the song crept up on me, haunted me, stayed in my head, despite my reluctance. That refrain, the uneasy catchiness of it. The tug and pull -- NEVER DANCE WITH THE DEVIL (You Can't Fix This - You Lost A Friend) -- HE WILL BURN YOU DOWN!! (Hearts breaking - Right and Left). Ever so slowly came down my pretension, the holier than thou "Stevie is capable of better" which i.e., since when does a pop/rock song (an art form) necessarily aim to be always as high-minded as some art forms. For instance, I know we all wish Stevie would constantly crank out the likes of "Sara", "Gold Dust Woman", "Gypsy", "Edge Of 17" , "Bella Donna" & "Trouble In Shangri-La"-- pseudo mystical & philosophical aural landscapes as easily as she could wave a golden wand, click her platform heels and make it so. Thing is, Stevie's song-writing has changed. "In Your Dreams" is representative of this fact. And IYD is chock-full of straight forward great songs, keeping just enough mysticism not to be embarrassing for a woman of 64 years of age.

Which brings me (Straight) back to "You Can't Fix This" - this song is solid, not high-minded, just solid. We all know its backstory of inspiration - which could have been Stevie's story - she was lucky, we were lucky - we still have her songs to critique. And the sober musical foundation the Foo's & Butch Vig provide is familiar and assessable. Heavy guitars riffs, pumping drum fills, Hammond B3, the cascading guitar riff lifting the chorus - what's not to love! Once I got over myself, I realized this is solid song. Straight forward and honest. Real music, with real soul & it builds to a satisfying climax in the end, that stays humming in your head, like a heartbeat drives you mad - yeah, I just wrote that, I'm tired, get over it.:cool:

Stevie has many art-pieces in her canyon of treasures. But I suddenly find myself loving this greased up guitar rock vibe. It reminds me of a time (in my early teens) when I wished Stevie's albums Rocked A Little bit harder, kind of more like Pat Benatar's "Crimes Of Passion" or "Precious Time". Actually, I've come to find this is a Stevie Nicks I wanna get to know more of. Going back in for another listen and cranking it way UP!!!:nod:

[wheart]

Never before has a Stevie Nicks song thrown me in such a quandary. Usually I know within seconds, minutes, or the very least after 3 or 4 solid listens, whether I love, like, or detest a song, e.g., loved "Moonlight" at first sight, but loathed and scorned "That Made Me Stronger" for ever being allowed to drag TISL down a peg or 2. I, like many others expressed, initially had difficulty with the muddled lyrical cadence and repetitiveness of certain words (DEVIL) and phrases. So as I listened a few more times, clearly unable to get beyond what I perceived as horrendous blemishes - I put the song away, and hoped I would forget all about it.

Funny thing is the song crept up on me, haunted me, stayed in my head, despite my reluctance. That refrain, the uneasy catchiness of it. The tug and pull -- NEVER DANCE WITH THE DEVIL (You Can't Fix This - You Lost A Friend) -- HE WILL BURN YOU DOWN!! (Hearts breaking - Right and Left). Ever so slowly came down my pretension, the holier than thou "Stevie is capable of better" which i.e., since when does a pop/rock song (an art form) necessarily aim to be always as high-minded as some art forms. For instance, I know we all wish Stevie would constantly crank out the likes of "Sara", "Gold Dust Woman", "Gypsy", "Edge Of 17" , "Bella Donna" & "Trouble In Shangri-La"-- pseudo mystical & philosophical aural landscapes as easily as she could wave a golden wand, click her platform heels and make it so. Thing is, Stevie's song-writing has changed. "In Your Dreams" is representative of this fact. And IYD is chock-full of straight forward great songs, keeping just enough mysticism not to be embarrassing for a woman of 64 years of age.

Which brings me (Straight) back to "You Can't Fix This" - this song is solid, not high-minded, just solid. We all know its backstory of inspiration - which could have been Stevie's story - she was lucky, we were lucky - we still have her songs to critique. And the sober musical foundation the Foo's & Butch Vig provide is familiar and assessable. Heavy guitars riffs, pumping drum fills, Hammond B3, the cascading guitar riff lifting the chorus - what's not to love! Once I got over myself, I realized this is solid song. Straight forward and honest. Real music, with real soul & it builds to a satisfying climax in the end, that stays humming in your head, like a heartbeat drives you mad - yeah, I just wrote that, I'm tired, get over it.:cool:

Stevie has many art-pieces in her canyon of treasures. But I suddenly find myself loving this greased up guitar rock vibe. It reminds me of a time (in my early teens) when I wished Stevie's albums Rocked A Little bit harder, kind of more like Pat Benatar's "Crimes Of Passion" or "Precious Time". Actually, I've come to find this is a Stevie Nicks I wanna get to know more of. Going back in for another listen and cranking it way UP!!!:nod:

Yes! I kinda wanted this song to go away, too but it refused to. It was stuck in my head from the first moment I heard it ...and that's only gotten stronger as I listen to it more and more.

[Blueletter18]

love the song overall, hate the production of the backing vocals. :shrug:

Yes, I completely agree! They seem too smooth.

[Blueletter18]

I agree. To me, this is better than anything on IYD because of that. Except maybe Soldiers angel. The only thing that bugs me in Stevie's songs these days, is the fact that they exist of parts almost spoken poems. She sings fabulous on this, but in the verses I'm bugged about how little melody it has. Musically, this is great arrangement and production. It sounds warm and it rocks naturally. But it was expected; I don't like the forced popsheen of Dave Stewarts production.

Right on- although I admire Dave's ambition and his sense of fun, this sounded so warm (I think part of the problem is Dave's addiction to Protools) and it wasn't overreaching for its inherent qualities.

[vivfox]

I keep playing this song a lot and am happy about it. It has been YEARS since I have listened to one of her songs repeatedly.

[On Ice]

It reminds me of a time (in my early teens) when I wished Stevie's albums Rocked A Little bit harder, kind of more like Pat Benatar's "Crimes Of Passion" or "Precious Time". Actually, I've come to find this is a Stevie Nicks I wanna get to know more of. Going back in for another listen and cranking it way UP!!!

Christopher, I couldn't agree more! I used to like to pretend that Stevie was a harder rocker than she actually was, just to get my friends to see how friggin cool she was. And in turn, how cool I was. LOL> 35 and a bit years ago. This song picks up where IYD left off, Stevie is ready to show the world she's not done yet, and good on her at 65 yrs of age, that's no small feat. For all its quirks, You Can't Fix This is fine just the way it is and I love, love, love it!:nod:

[BellaSoprano71]

Compare this to any TISL/SYW song, and is it just me, or is her voice waaaay less nasal lately? Heck, even compared to IYD this is a marked improvement. Great song. Makes me want more from Stevie.

I was thinking the same thing from the Letterman version!!! I so much more love her voice now compared to TISL/SYW. Maybe she has her mojo back!!! She know' she is loved.....I LOVE this song...:blob2:

[Macfanforever]

I have to pass this tune to my buddy.He said there's no meat { heavier rock and roll}on IYD CD.

[Jondalar]

The lyrics are a bit clunky -- that was one of my first impressions upon first hearing the song. The words meander about, without any cohesiveness, and yes, the "dance with the devil" line is overdone. Unfortunately it reveals Stevie's limitations as a writer. Any time she delves into deep subject matters and attempts to turn them into songs, things get a little dicey. Take for instance, Desert Angel, Jane...and for some, Soldiers Angel.

I think she will never again write a song that achieves the universal appeal of Landslide. And even that song has some slight lyrical clunk to it.

She has said before she can't write like she did in the 70's. I just don't understand how she doesn't notice when something is just wrong with her song.

[Hawkeye]

I love it obviously, having loved it the second I heard the first live performance. I will say I like all the live versions a little bit better. Just a little. I do like the way she screams and the devil pours ANOTHER glass in this version, and I can't decide if I like background vocals on the chorus or not.


But that's all splitting hairs. This song is like a mix of Stevie's 2 best songs of the 2000s, TISL and fall from grace. It' rocks like fall from grace even with a similar finale but with the Erie stevieness of TISL.

[WildHearted]

She has said before she can't write like she did in the 70's. I just don't understand how she doesn't notice when something is just wrong with her song.

To be fair, it can be hard to be objective about something that you've written when it holds a deep personal meaning to you.

But even more than that - I think the reason we end up with issues like there are in YCFT is that really, Stevie has never followed the typical songwriting "rules" and a lot of times it has worked to her advantage (Sara, Edge, Bella Donna, etc, etc)... so she got used to doing things her own way and not paying attention to the conventional methods of writing. She doesn't think they matter. She doesn't want to follow the rules because then she wouldn't be writing the way "she writes."

But at times like these it actually hinders the song, and it would be more beneficial for her to stay a little more inside the lines (lyrically) for the sake of the music... but I think she would be offended if anyone tried to tell her that (and most people wouldn't dare to tell someone their song needed fixing unless they specifically asked for criticism/opinions/help, and I'm not sure Stevie would ever ask anyone for any of those things) and I think she might have a hard time distinguishing when it works and when it doesn't, because she's attached to her writings...

That's not to say I think that YCFT is a bad song. I personally love it despite the flaws. I just think it could have been a really, without a doubt, undeniably top notch piece of work if just a few of the lyrical blunders had been addressed. It really would have been such an easy fix...

[britt0308]

Well said WildHearted!

[Jondalar]

To be fair, it can be hard to be objective about something that you've written when it holds a deep personal meaning to you.

But even more than that - I think the reason we end up with issues like there are in YCFT is that really, Stevie has never followed the typical songwriting "rules" and a lot of times it has worked to her advantage (Sara, Edge, Bella Donna, etc, etc)... so she got used to doing things her own way and not paying attention to the conventional methods of writing. She doesn't think they matter. She doesn't want to follow the rules because then she wouldn't be writing the way "she writes."

But at times like these it actually hinders the song, and it would be more beneficial for her to stay a little more inside the lines (lyrically) for the sake of the music... but I think she would be offended if anyone tried to tell her that (and most people wouldn't dare to tell someone their song needed fixing unless they specifically asked for criticism/opinions/help, and I'm not sure Stevie would ever ask anyone for any of those things) and I think she might have a hard time distinguishing when it works and when it doesn't, because she's attached to her writings...

That's not to say I think that YCFT is a bad song. I personally love it despite the flaws. I just think it could have been a really, without a doubt, undeniably top notch piece of work if just a few of the lyrical blunders had been addressed. It really would have been such an easy fix...

Her talent will always be in question becuase of stuff like this. Any one can write a bunch of words and give it too a great producer to turn it into gold. I can do that. Some of her albums should of never been released. If its her stuff, she should have the talent to know.

[Christopher]

Her talent will always be in question becuase of stuff like this. Any one can write a bunch of words and give it too a great producer to turn it into gold. I can do that. Some of her albums should of never been released. If its her stuff, she should have the talent to know.
OK Jondalar, exactly where do you stand!? Love it or hate it?
Sure, it's easy to argue any artist has had an album, or two, that maybe should have never been released - but remember, hindsight is 20/20! Nothing is perfect. NOTHING. Not everyone is gonna like or love everything, that's a given.

On a scale of 1-10 where does it land? :shrug:
I'd give it a solid 7. which is WAY more than I'd give any of Lindsey's "This is 40" soundtrack contributions! :nod: Just to compare tossed - off soundtrack contributions.:xoxo:

[Jondalar]

OK Jondalar, exactly where do you stand!? Love it or hate it?
Sure, it's easy to argue any artist has had an album, or two, that maybe should have never been released - but remember, hindsight is 20/20! Nothing is perfect. NOTHING. Not everyone is gonna like or love everything, that's a given.

On a scale of 1-10 where does it land? :shrug:
I'd give it a solid 7. which is WAY more than I'd give any of Lindsey's "This is 40" soundtrack contributions! :nod: Just to compare tossed - off soundtrack contributions.:xoxo:

I adore the music. The music gets a 10, the song gets a 5, the harmonies get a 8. I guess a 7 too.

[redbird]

She has said before she can't write like she did in the 70's.
Well to stay "on theme" Bob Dylan said pretty much the same about his songs from the 60's. I can't think of a lot of people who can sustain brilliance over 30, 40 years. The frustrating part about the Mac members for me is how sporadic their output is given how long they've been around.

I don't think YCFT is brilliant but I do think it's fun and has some good things going for it. It's okay for me if it's not as good as her previous heights, but I understand it being on others' minds, I've been that way about some artists sometimes.

[blemelin]

I've listened to the live versions on YouTube about 500 times. And I've watched the Stevie new-recording portion from the SC doc (I bought it on iTunes and downloaded it). This is the first time I've heard the full studio version. I love the background vocals. The whole thing--the energy, the rock elements mixed with the softer production elements, the unexpected harmonies (I mean, Stevie and Dave Grohl sounding so good?)--reminds me of the early days when Stevie and Lindsey first joined FM. The only thing missing is a searing Lindsey Buckingham guitar solo. I mean, really, think of it: that's the one thing that could have pushed this over the top. And I know LB doesn't really do "searing guitar solos" anymore, but I can't help it. I want to hear LB in there ripping this song a new one.

[sparky]

To be fair, it can be hard to be objective about something that you've written when it holds a deep personal meaning to you.

But even more than that - I think the reason we end up with issues like there are in YCFT is that really, Stevie has never followed the typical songwriting "rules" and a lot of times it has worked to her advantage (Sara, Edge, Bella Donna, etc, etc)... so she got used to doing things her own way and not paying attention to the conventional methods of writing. She doesn't think they matter. She doesn't want to follow the rules because then she wouldn't be writing the way "she writes."

Agreed and agreed. I think that the problem is that she doesn't step outside of herself and criticize. It is almost too personal. It is great that she bucks the rules. That used to often work in her favor, but it doesn't much anymore lyrically - see this song and Italian Summer to note a few prominent examples.

But at times like these it actually hinders the song, and it would be more beneficial for her to stay a little more inside the lines (lyrically) for the sake of the music... but I think she would be offended if anyone tried to tell her that (and most people wouldn't dare to tell someone their song needed fixing unless they specifically asked for criticism/opinions/help, and I'm not sure Stevie would ever ask anyone for any of those things) and I think she might have a hard time distinguishing when it works and when it doesn't, because she's attached to her writings...

I submit she is exactly that, and to a fault. Of course I am not privy to her process, but the impression I get is that she looks at her "poems" as if they are carved into stone the second she lays pen to paper. As if there is some kind of inherent magic contained in a first draft. It doesn't seem to me that she ever edits much at all, and never reworks words anymore. Some fans in the past have argued that it would be calculating for her to refer to a thesaurus or god forbid a rhyming dictionary, but I think she would benefit from both. The bulk of good writing is REwriting. I think SN takes herself far too seriously at this point to rewrite or alter her words at all.

That's not to say I think that YCFT is a bad song. I personally love it despite the flaws. I just think it could have been a really, without a doubt, undeniably top notch piece of work if just a few of the lyrical blunders had been addressed. It really would have been such an easy fix...

I agree completely.

The live version did not catch me right away. In fact, the lyrical clunks and bad syntax jumped out at me like rabid dogs on first listen. In spite of that, certain parts of it stuck in my head like so much glue. So much so that one night I listened to it about 7 times in a row.

The studio version has some hinky transitions - mostly the introduction of the girls in the outro part. They appear out nowhere. But I totally get what Grohl was doing. It is in essence a 70's homage. He utterly captured that vibe, and did excellent work containing the sections of the song. I can stand outside the material and completely understand the few bad reviews I have read of the song. Mostly they rip on the lyrical shortcomings. And on a level I concur. A few word substitutions would have done wonders and taken it to another level.

On the other hand, as a Stevie diehard, I put on my Stevie blinders and can totally get lost in it. This vocal performance, and the intuitive production are able to pull me along.
The vocal captures some incandescent whisper singing and even some WH era type wailing - that strange ad lib foolery she used to pull out at the drop of a hat in the old days. The counter intuitive chorus is great. As is the build in those repeats at the end - the slight melodic variations build beautifully to that crushing last "burn you down."

I forgive her the clunks as a long time fan. I get her. But I also understand that from a more casual listener's view some of the words seem lazy and unsophisticated. Especially coming from someone with her pedigree. As an ancient fan, I love it. As a listener who can call criticism outside of my personal passions, I can clearly see where it falls short.
It is great for us hopelessly enchanted people. Others can just say "meh, why does she say the word devil so damned many times?" And I can't argue with them.

[bombaysaffires]

it's sort of ironic that most all of her best, iconic songs are from the Mac era and benefitted from some form of editing from Lindsey. Even the stuff on Bella Donna was predominantly (not necessarily exclusively) a lot of older material that had been saved up ("nowhere to go with only 3 songs on a Mac album every few years") and previously worked by Lindsey in some capacity. Even some of the material on TISL was stuff he'd worked on at some point (Candlebright, Planets of the Universe among them).

Truth is, Stevie needs a strong editor, like all good writers. Lindsey was very good at it but B-R-U-T-A-L in the way he went about it a lot of the time. No wonder she's turned off by dealing with that again. Jimmy Iovine was also very good, IMHO, but again due to a personal falling out between them and too many drugs that ended.

I think she's too legendary and iconic now for any of these younger producers (and really, who's out there to produce her who is her age or older-- ok, besides Lindsey. I think Dave S. is a bit younger, but maybe close. And Iovine isn't producing anymore. Maybe Petty??) will dare tell her she's wrong.

And her voice just isn't what it used to be at ALL. It's still unique, and can have its moments, but listening to the outtakes on the recent Rumours package reminded me of HOW EFFING AMAZING her voice was in the day. Mind-blowingly amazing when it was a good day.

[WildHearted]

Truth is, Stevie needs a strong editor, like all good writers. Lindsey was very good at it but B-R-U-T-A-L in the way he went about it a lot of the time. No wonder she's turned off by dealing with that again. Jimmy Iovine was also very good, IMHO, but again due to a personal falling out between them and too many drugs that ended.

I think she's too legendary and iconic now for any of these younger producers (and really, who's out there to produce her who is her age or older-- ok, besides Lindsey. I think Dave S. is a bit younger, but maybe close. And Iovine isn't producing anymore. Maybe Petty??) will dare tell her she's wrong.


I don't get the impression that Lindsey ever edited Stevie's writing in the sense that he was going through her lyrics with a red pen and fixing things.

I think Lindsey would say, "Look, this is too long. We have to cut some of it out so it can fit on a record." But I don't think that the words themselves were ever affected by him.

Her voice sounded better on this track than it did on a lot of things on IYD, in my opinion. It had more warmth and I was impressed with the wailing outro (which reminded me of a lot of her earlier solo work). Of course she doesn't sound like she did in 1978.... I wouldn't expect her too. Truth be told, she hasn't sounded like that in 30 years.

Stevie has said in the past that she would go through her journals and turn things into rhymes. The problem is she forgot to turn this into a rhyme. :lol:

I do think that at times, Stevie has 'edited' her writing. She'll go through and change maybe just a word or two, but I'm not sure it has anything to do with how it sounds as a song. For instance, we have a picture of Stevie's original 'Italian Summer' lyrics (which I can't find at the moment - maybe someone has them on hand).. and they're different from what ended up on the record. They're better than what ended up on the record, to me. Some of the things about the studio version that made me cringe didn't exist in it's first incarnation. I have to wonder why she felt the need to change it/add those things in.

[vivfox]

I forgive her the clunks as a long time fan. I get her. But I also understand that from a more casual listener's view some of the words seem lazy and unsophisticated. Especially coming from someone with her pedigree. As an ancient fan, I love it. As a listener who can call criticism outside of my personal passions, I can clearly see where it falls short.It is great for us hopelessly enchanted people. Others can just say "meh, why does she say the word devil so damned many times?" And I can't argue with them.


So very well spoken and it totally makes sense. It's the Stevie fans that act like she farts rainbows that I will never understand.

[bombaysaffires]

I don't get the impression that Lindsey ever edited Stevie's writing in the sense that he was going through her lyrics with a red pen and fixing things.

I think Lindsey would say, "Look, this is too long. We have to cut some of it out so it can fit on a record." But I don't think that the words themselves were ever affected by him.

Her voice sounded better on this track than it did on a lot of things on IYD, in my opinion. It had more warmth and I was impressed with the wailing outro (which reminded me of a lot of her earlier solo work). Of course she doesn't sound like she did in 1978.... I wouldn't expect her too. Truth be told, she hasn't sounded like that in 30 years.

Stevie has said in the past that she would go through her journals and turn things into rhymes. The problem is she forgot to turn this into a rhyme. :lol:

we have a picture of Stevie's original 'Italian Summer' lyrics (which I can't find at the moment - maybe someone has them on hand).. and they're different from what ended up on the record. They're better than what ended up on the record, to me.

Amen to this last bit about Italian Summer.

Regarding LB, I don't have the articles at hand, but he's been quoted numerous times saying how he's totally picked apart her songs..I think he said in one interview he did that from the first they met and he's been doing it ever since. I think one of his comments was "some things never change". I don't myself think that's been limited to the music. I think the DR "Bob Dylan" scene has been played out many times over during the course of all these years, just not always so civilized. Now, you're right, whether that has actually resulted in changed lyrics we don't know, but I tend to think *maybe* in the earlier days when she was more deferential to his ideas it did. :shrug:

Someone on one of the threads mentioned the scene in the Tusk doc where he and Stevie are working on Angel and how touching it was. I'm not so sure anymore. If you really listen to what he's saying to her he's 1-changing her melody and 2- telling her to cut some of what's she's written (i don't recall what he says) They were being very civilized about it because the cameras were there. she says something to him like "it's too much?" and is being very upbeat (my opinion coz they were being filmed) and LB says "in a word, yes". And she sorta makes the best of it and laughs. (I contrast this to her reaction in the DR doc after many years of much solo success where clearly she's not going to change a thing). ymmv

[vivfox]

Someone on one of the threads mentioned the scene in the Tusk doc where he and Stevie are working on Angel and how touching it was. I'm not so sure anymore. If you really listen to what he's saying to her he's 1-changing her melody and 2- telling her to cut some of what's she's written (i don't recall what he says) They were being very civilized about it because the cameras were there. she says something to him like "it's too much?" and is being very upbeat (my opinion coz they were being filmed) and LB says "in a word, yes". And she sorta makes the best of it and laughs.


I view this scene in a different way than you. First off, I don't think the cameras in the room had anything to do with how they acted. The film people were secondary to the situation. It is the producer's job to suggest changes to a song. Regarding her "ooh oos" she asked him if it was too much, knowing full well she had often used that in many of her songs and his opinion often was it wasn't needed as much. She was being upbeat because the two of them were getting along great at that moment which clearly translates while they are harmonizing at the piano. If she was angry or yelling at him for any reason that scene would have been edited out completely. They only showed us the good parts of recording with FM in the Tusk Doc.

[KarmaContestant]

I think Italian Summer is flawless. Completely flawless. :shrug:

[bombaysaffires]

If she was angry or yelling at him for any reason that scene would have been edited out completely. They only showed us the good parts of recording with FM in the Tusk Doc.

I guess this is my point exactly. So we'll never really know.

And I tend to disagree that the band didn't alter any of their behavior in any way because they were being filmed. Everyone acts a little different when there are strangers, especially strangers with cameras, in the room. Suddenly you are more "onstage" than you are if it's just the two of you in a room.

[michelej1]

Well to stay "on theme" Bob Dylan said pretty much the same about his songs from the 60's.

I wasn't aware that Stevie ever said she can't write the way she did in the seventies. Although, I have heard her discuss not liking what she wrote during the Klonopin years.

Michele

[michelej1]

Amen to this last bit about Italian Summer.

Regarding LB, I don't have the articles at hand, but he's been quoted numerous times saying how he's totally picked apart her songs..I think he said in one interview he did that from the first they met and he's been doing it ever since. I think one of his comments was "some things never change".



He said she read him a poem when they met and he criticized it and he commented that some things never change. Just because he was critical, I don't think he rearranged her words. I don't think she would let him. Michele

[michelej1]

Someone on one of the threads mentioned the scene in the Tusk doc where he and Stevie are working on Angel and how touching it was. I'm not so sure anymore. If you really listen to what he's saying to her he's 1-changing her melody and 2- telling her to cut some of what's she's written (i don't recall what he says) They were being very civilized about it because the cameras were there. she says something to him like "it's too much?" and is being very upbeat (my opinion coz they were being filmed) and LB says "in a word, yes".

Weren't they talking about something like "la la la" rather than actually lyrics. I think what they were talking about was more melody than words.

Michele

[michelej1]

If she was angry or yelling at him for any reason that scene would have been edited out completely. They only showed us the good parts of recording with FM in the Tusk Doc.

She was angry at him and yelling in one of the promos. Although, I think it was about song selection. She said something like, "I knew you wouldn't like that song, because I wrote it."

He said he just didn't like it -- it's not that he didn't like it because she wrote it. I was looking forward to seeing what had led up to this exchange, but it didn't make the final cut.

Michele

[wheart]

I think Italian Summer is flawless. Completely flawless. :shrug:

I'm with you. Probably my fav track on IYD. I never get tired of listening to it...

[vivfox]

She was angry at him and yelling in one of the promos. Although, I think it was about song selection. She said something like, "I knew you wouldn't like that song, because I wrote it."

He said he just didn't like it -- it's not that he didn't like it because she wrote it. I was looking forward to seeing what had led up to this exchange, but it didn't make the final cut.



That was in the SYW Doc, not the Tusk Doc.

[WildHearted]

I wasn't aware that Stevie ever said she can't write the way she did in the seventies. Although, I have heard her discuss not liking what she wrote during the Klonopin years.

Michele

She said it in one of the most recent interviews, but it wasn't exactly in the context we've thrown it into.

She was talking about Without You. She sang a little bit of it, and then said something along the lines of, "I can't write like that anymore. Honestly, I can't. Because I'm not in love with anyone like that. And you have to really be in that place.."

[Christopher]

I think Italian Summer is flawless. Completely flawless. :shrug:
No shrug about it, "Italian Summer" is exquisite!!:nod: I find it not only to be one of the many great treasures on IYD, but also such an interesting & unique rarity in Stevie's entire catalog.

And even though, I actually like "Cheaper Than Free" with all its simple & sweet earnestness, along with Stevie's divine harmony singing:xoxo:.
I really wish Stevie would've had the vision to leave well enough alone, keeping CTF only on Dave's "The Blackbird Diaries" and ended IYD with "Italian Summer" - what a magical way to end the stunning effort of dark elegance that is "In Your Dreams"!

[Jondalar]

No shrug about it, "Italian Summer" is exquisite!!:nod: I find it not only to be one of the many great treasures on IYD, but also such an interesting & unique rarity in Stevie's entire catalog.

And even though, I actually like "Cheaper Than Free" with all its simple & sweet earnestness, along with Stevie's divine harmony singing:xoxo:.
I really wish Stevie would've had the vision to leave well enough alone, keeping CTF only on Dave's "The Blackbird Diaries" and ended IYD with "Italian Summer" - what a magical way to end the stunning effort of dark elegance that is "In Your Dreams"!

I really like Italian Summer and it was something that was sort of a stretch for her. It's like show tune. Great vocal. My only complaint is one I have with many songs on IYD - it was a little too long.

[Jondalar]

appreciating the refreshing honesty on this site.

[On Ice]

No shrug about it, "Italian Summer" is exquisite!! I find it not only to be one of the many great treasures on IYD, but also such an interesting & unique rarity in Stevie's entire catalog.

Well said, it's a beautiful song and fits in perfectly with a great album.

[sparky]

For instance, we have a picture of Stevie's original 'Italian Summer' lyrics (which I can't find at the moment - maybe someone has them on hand).. and they're different from what ended up on the record. They're better than what ended up on the record, to me. Some of the things about the studio version that made me cringe didn't exist in it's first incarnation. I have to wonder why she felt the need to change it/add those things in.

I have no idea about which you speak.

I would love to see the original lyrics. Where was this?

[paleshadow]

I have no idea about which you speak.

I would love to see the original lyrics. Where was this?

Not sure if this is what WildHearted was talking about, but there is a 2 part promo for In Your Dreams on youtube. In part 2 she talks about writing Italian Summer and they show the hotel stationary she wrote the poem on. Some of the words are slightly different. Here are 2 screen caps:

<a href="http://s25.beta.photobucket.com/user/dsaje/media/ItalianSummer.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c62/dsaje/ItalianSummer.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo ItalianSummer.jpg"/></a>

<a href="http://s25.beta.photobucket.com/user/dsaje/media/ItalianSummer2.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c62/dsaje/ItalianSummer2.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo ItalianSummer2.jpg"/></a>

[sparky]

I think Italian Summer is flawless. Completely flawless. :shrug:

I cannot, though I would love to, call it flawless.

I remember very clearly listening to it for the very first time on the Rolling Stone stream on whatever day it was that they first streamed the entire album. I sat here right on this porch, likely chain smoking my Joni Mitchell American Spirit mediums and drinking tequila.

I saw it up there, and needed to set up my first ritual Stevie listening party. As always. I lit candles and got myself ready. Of course the damned album cover and lyric sheet were not available, but I could not wait and had to get my props in place. Good lord, is anyone left here on the ledge who remembers this time honored first Stevie album listen? Livia?
Marisa nightbird? Salvatore? Anyone? I don't think so. No matter.

So I did.

This song is stunning. No doubt. The only major club in the head I got was the "Ooh it's so romantic, hey it's so soulful" line.

WHAT THE HELL? It was like someone soiled a diaper in church. What a stinking and leaden thump that was in the middle of a gorgeous song. And it had to be repeated more than once! The lyrics to this song were actually fairly poetic. The music is gorgeous. TY Dave Stewart. Those heavenly strings. And a waltz no less! But good god almighty, those eight words so pulled me out of the movie. What a lazy and WTF moment! It took me quite some time to recover and get pulled back into the song. That eight word clunk in the middle of an epic beauty of a song made it a forever missed opportunity at flawless greatness. If Joni read those 8 words she would likely smack Stevie on the head with a guitar and toss her into a ditch on the back 40 of her Bel Air estate.

Don't get me wrong. At the first snippet of this gem on the "sizzle reel", I damn near wept. I may have. I know I texted amd emailed about 25 people the minute I saw that you tube clip. And to tell the truth, on my first full listen to Italian Summer, I was a wreck. But I was still recovering from You May Be The One. That song left me in such a state. I sobbed and damn near howled from the emotional pain it left me in. And that is no joke. I can't listen to that song to this day without crying. I just can't.

It is true that Italian Summer smacked me upside the head - that last note! What is it? 16 counts? Revelatory. But it was probably the impact of the previous song that had me a sobbing inconsolable disaster. I still hear the "romantic...soulful" throwaway line and I shake my head in regret that it pulls the song back from the perfection it had promised.
I still love the song. I do. But it has a fatal and ugly flaw in those eight words.

It was damn near the song I could present to any Stevie naysayer and proclaim, "She is a genius! A living legend! A national treasure!" Then those words drop out and I know that even a casual disinterested party can tell me that some of the words were stupid and pedestrian. And I have no argument. I have to agree.

The real masterpiece of IYD is You May Be The One. There isn't a bad phrase. No wasted words. Utter and searing perfection. To my ears. I just did a self flaggelating test with it.

Dumbass me. Yup. Makes me bawl like a jackass to this very day. And I don't even love that guy anymore. But this song makes me remember that once, I did. There are no bad words or lyrically mangled phrases. No musical missteps. That song utterly tears my guts out. Yard by agonizing yard, that song rips my very insides out, from my core and out of my paralyzed mouth. And leaves the tortured steaming remnants in a heap in front of me. All I can do is kind of tremble and twitch in the wake of that song. Crying in stunned disbelief these years later over "what I had and what I lost".

It leaves me destroyed.

So that, for me, is the masterpiece of IYD. Not Italian Summer.

[TheWILDheart]

The real masterpiece of IYD is You May Be The One. There isn't a bad phrase. No wasted words. Utter and searing perfection. To my ears. I just did a self flaggelating test with it.

Dumbass me. Yup. Makes me bawl like a jackass to this very day. And I don't even love that guy anymore. But this song makes me remember that once, I did. There are no bad words or lyrically mangled phrases. No musical missteps. That song utterly tears my guts out. Yard by agonizing yard, that song rips my very insides out, from my core and out of my paralyzed mouth. And leaves the tortured steaming remnants in a heap in front of me. All I can do is kind of tremble and twitch in the wake of that song. Crying in stunned disbelief these years later over "what I had and what I lost".

It leaves me destroyed.

So that, for me, is the masterpiece of IYD. Not Italian Summer.

:xoxo:

"You May Be The One" gets me EVERY time. And like you, it's not because I feel something for the particular person I associate with it, but it's the memories of what I did feel, the pain I went through and all the regrets I still have about it. In particular, this:

I hear the islands calling
I hear angry words
Fly across the ocean
Like some, sea birds
Never stopping
I feel my blood racing
Can't believe what you are saying
I used to love you, SOO much

God, I'm welling up just READING it! This might call for a new thread - "songs that make you cry". That'll be a long discussion :rolleyes:

[blinker12]

^ My favorite verse on the whole album. :nod:

Angry words / sea birds is such an awesome rhyme and an awesome (and non cliche) image! And yes sparky, when you realize she is capable of this, it makes you doubly frustrated about a line like the one you mention from Italian Summer.

[vivfox]

I remember very clearly listening to it for the very first time on the Rolling Stone stream on whatever day it was that they first streamed the entire album. I sat here right on this porch, likely chain smoking my Joni Mitchell American Spirit mediums and drinking tequila.

This song is stunning. No doubt. The only major club in the head I got was the "Ooh it's so romantic, hey it's so soulful" line.

WHAT THE HELL? If Joni read those 8 words she would likely smack Stevie on the head with a guitar and toss her into a ditch on the back 40 of her Bel Air estate.



From the very first paragraph you set up a visual demonstration I can relate to. Your entire column was such a fun read and so well written. I only quoted part of it but really, the whole thing was a delightful read. Have you ever, or anyone else here, ever typed out such a long article , then hit post only to have the page tell you it can't post for whatever reason and then the whole thing is lost forever? That has happened to me way too many times here so every time I write something long I'll copy it to paste if need be.

[DashingDan]

I cannot, though I would love to, call it flawless.

I remember very clearly listening to it for the very first time on the Rolling Stone stream on whatever day it was that they first streamed the entire album. I sat here right on this porch, likely chain smoking my Joni Mitchell American Spirit mediums and drinking tequila.

I saw it up there, and needed to set up my first ritual Stevie listening party. As always. I lit candles and got myself ready. Of course the damned album cover and lyric sheet were not available, but I could not wait and had to get my props in place. Good lord, is anyone left here on the ledge who remembers this time honored first Stevie album listen? Livia?
Marisa nightbird? Salvatore? Anyone? I don't think so. No matter.

So I did.

This song is stunning. No doubt. The only major club in the head I got was the "Ooh it's so romantic, hey it's so soulful" line.

WHAT THE HELL? It was like someone soiled a diaper in church. What a stinking and leaden thump that was in the middle of a gorgeous song. And it had to be repeated more than once! The lyrics to this song were actually fairly poetic. The music is gorgeous. TY Dave Stewart. Those heavenly strings. And a waltz no less! But good god almighty, those eight words so pulled me out of the movie. What a lazy and WTF moment! It took me quite some time to recover and get pulled back into the song. That eight word clunk in the middle of an epic beauty of a song made it a forever missed opportunity at flawless greatness. If Joni read those 8 words she would likely smack Stevie on the head with a guitar and toss her into a ditch on the back 40 of her Bel Air estate.

Don't get me wrong. At the first snippet of this gem on the "sizzle reel", I damn near wept. I may have. I know I texted amd emailed about 25 people the minute I saw that you tube clip. And to tell the truth, on my first full listen to Italian Summer, I was a wreck. But I was still recovering from You May Be The One. That song left me in such a state. I sobbed and damn near howled from the emotional pain it left me in. And that is no joke. I can't listen to that song to this day without crying. I just can't.

It is true that Italian Summer smacked me upside the head - that last note! What is it? 16 counts? Revelatory. But it was probably the impact of the previous song that had me a sobbing inconsolable disaster. I still hear the "romantic...soulful" throwaway line and I shake my head in regret that it pulls the song back from the perfection it had promised.
I still love the song. I do. But it has a fatal and ugly flaw in those eight words.

It was damn near the song I could present to any Stevie naysayer and proclaim, "She is a genius! A living legend! A national treasure!" Then those words drop out and I know that even a casual disinterested party can tell me that some of the words were stupid and pedestrian. And I have no argument. I have to agree.

The real masterpiece of IYD is You May Be The One. There isn't a bad phrase. No wasted words. Utter and searing perfection. To my ears. I just did a self flaggelating test with it.

Dumbass me. Yup. Makes me bawl like a jackass to this very day. And I don't even love that guy anymore. But this song makes me remember that once, I did. There are no bad words or lyrically mangled phrases. No musical missteps. That song utterly tears my guts out. Yard by agonizing yard, that song rips my very insides out, from my core and out of my paralyzed mouth. And leaves the tortured steaming remnants in a heap in front of me. All I can do is kind of tremble and twitch in the wake of that song. Crying in stunned disbelief these years later over "what I had and what I lost".

It leaves me destroyed.

So that, for me, is the masterpiece of IYD. Not Italian Summer.

I agree with EVERYTHING, and I mean EVERYTHING above. Thank you.

[bombaysaffires]

Weren't they talking about something like "la la la" rather than actually lyrics. I think what they were talking about was more melody than words.

Michele

I just don't believe that the Destiny Rules "Thrown Down" scene is the first time that Lindsey ever made any suggestion to Stevie about changing her lyrics since 1969.

[seekerj]

I cannot, though I would love to, call it flawless.


This song is stunning. No doubt. The only major club in the head I got was the "Ooh it's so romantic, hey it's so soulful" line. WHAT THE HELL? I still love the song. I do. But it has a fatal and ugly flaw in those eight words.

Ok, well, what the hell is so awful about those words??????!!!!!!! Really, what is it? Why are they SO objectionable? Why can't something be romantic? Why can't something be soulful? They are real , valid English language words. In fact, even a chimpanzee can be soulful. So, whazzamattababy? Why are those eight words so terrible? Specifically, why?

[diane_k]

I would have LOVED to have a set up like that, Sparky. Unfortunately I was at work when I found out that RS was streaming the album and my impatience wouldn't let me wait until I got home to give it a proper listen.

YMBTO is as bluesy Stevie gets. It's a great track to listen to when you're having one of those "well you never f*cking loved me anyway!" kind of moods. The girls sound great, it's not terribly overproduced and there's no airy fairy BS to dilute what she's trying to say.

Maybe it was just due to the way the songs were sequenced, but by the time I got to it on the first listen I was already worn down from getting emotionally attached to FWIW and Moonlight. Talk about a sobbing wreck! I had to listen to YMBTO a few times on its own to really get it.

[michelej1]

Not sure if this is what WildHearted was talking about, but there is a 2 part promo for In Your Dreams on youtube. In part 2 she talks about writing Italian Summer and they show the hotel stationary she wrote the poem on. Some of the words are slightly different. Here are 2 screen caps:


I like reading how "the thunder rolls" now that I've heard that other version of GYOW saying, "you can roll like thunder."

Michele

[michelej1]

I just don't believe that the Destiny Rules "Thrown Down" scene is the first time that Lindsey ever made any suggestion to Stevie about changing her lyrics since 1969.

He may have made suggestions, but I don't think she listened to him. That's one of the things about Thrown Down. He knew good and well she wasn't going to take his suggestion. She just put her demos by the coffee pot and told him not to change anything. I don't think there's anything in their history which would suggest he went around carving, editing and tailoring her lyrics. If anything, maybe he said it was too long and they couldn't use the song because of the length, giving her the choice of cutting the song or putting it away, but I don't think he was changing words around.

He may have suggested it, if he felt like getting into an argument with her, but I don't think he won those arguments. What he COULD do is decide which songs of hers he wanted to use and which ones he didn't. I don't think he could change the lyrics.

Michele

[michelej1]

Ok, well, what the hell is so awful about those words??????!!!!!!! Really, what is it? Why are they SO objectionable? Why can't something be romantic? Why can't something be soulful? They are real , valid English language words. In fact, even a chimpanzee can be soulful. So, whazzamattababy? Why are those eight words so terrible? Specifically, why?

I don't mind those words. They're simplistic, but not shameful. Not like the Cheaper Than Free lyrics.

So sew soulfully, people.

Michele

[DashingDan]

Ok, well, what the hell is so awful about those words??????!!!!!!! Really, what is it? Why are they SO objectionable? Why can't something be romantic? Why can't something be soulful? They are real , valid English language words. In fact, even a chimpanzee can be soulful. So, whazzamattababy? Why are those eight words so terrible? Specifically, why?

I object to anyone saying "hey" to me. :)
Firstly, I think "hey" is often, not always, a throwaway word. The melody really doesn't require the note where 'hey' sits. Singing "it's so romantic, it's so soulful" or even just "So soulful", works fine by me. Through the words and the music I imagine the person who is singing the song (male or female) as being a bit, for lack of a better word, refined. 'hey' just bursts that bubble for me.

"Romantic" works. Soulful, eh...sure it's a legit word, but it' a peculiar word to describe a thunderstorm or place or an emotion (our emotions come from our souls, they're naturally soulful). "Soulful" is defined as way to describe something that is expressed: "Stevie nicks soulful rendition of At Last was a highlight of the show."

I love "When I see you again". I love me some odd Stevie lyrics, but "hey"...nope, kills it for me.

[KarmaContestant]

Ok, well, what the hell is so awful about those words??????!!!!!!! Really, what is it? Why are they SO objectionable? Why can't something be romantic? Why can't something be soulful? They are real , valid English language words. In fact, even a chimpanzee can be soulful. So, whazzamattababy? Why are those eight words so terrible? Specifically, why?

:laugh: I'm with you.

I've been to Italy, and let me tell you, it is indeed romantic - and soulful. The words are perfect for the song, and the delivery is what *really* gets me. Stevie sings them like she's *truly* caught up inthe memory of her time in Italy.

[WildHearted]

Ok, well, what the hell is so awful about those words??????!!!!!!! Really, what is it? Why are they SO objectionable? Why can't something be romantic? Why can't something be soulful? They are real , valid English language words. In fact, even a chimpanzee can be soulful. So, whazzamattababy? Why are those eight words so terrible? Specifically, why?

Because they destroy the flow of the lyrics. If 'romantic' and 'soulful' had been used in a different way, there might not have been any issue - if she had embedded the words in a line with something with a little more substance, maybe, explaining exactly what about an Italian summer was so soulful and romantic (even just saying "the ___ is so soulful" would have been an improvement). The fact that they're emphasized by the drawn out 'ooohs' and 'heyys' before them combined with their overall throwaway status as a descriptor makes it awkward and clunky and really kills the chorus.


Just my opinion, obviously. (I love you Stevie.)

[KarmaContestant]

:xoxo:

"You May Be The One" gets me EVERY time. And like you, it's not because I feel something for the particular person I associate with it, but it's the memories of what I did feel, the pain I went through and all the regrets I still have about it. In particular, this:

I hear the islands calling
I hear angry words
Fly across the ocean
Like some, sea birds
Never stopping
I feel my blood racing
Can't believe what you are saying
I used to love you, SOO much



You do realize of course, this verse is the into to Italian Summer. :nod:

[HejiraNYC]

I am also a bit appalled by the use of the words "romantic" and "soulful" when it comes to lyrics and poetry. Poetry, IMHO, is supposed to be a deconstruction of a feeling. Poetry is supposed to be impressionistic- intended to convey emotion and feeling via a composite of words. Instead of saying something is "romantic," a poet creates an aura of romance with words, e.g., "put down the guitar and handed me a rose." The power of poetry is that it allows the reader/listener to attach his/her own life experience and worldview to connect with the imagery. Poetry is not supposed to spoonfeed the message. Using lines like "it's so romantic... so soulful" is tantamount to saying "it was pretty... it was beautiful" or "I'm sad and you are bad." There really is no point in setting the scene with poetry when you drop in these lead balloon words that just boil everything down to its essence, leaving no room for the listener's/reader's iterpretations. Those words are like two turds floating in an azure blue sea of tranquility.

[WildHearted]

I am also a bit appalled by the use of the words "romantic" and "soulful" when it comes to lyrics and poetry. Poetry, IMHO, is supposed to be a deconstruction of a feeling. Poetry is supposed to be impressionistic- intended to convey emotion and feeling via a composite of words. Instead of saying something is "romantic," a poet creates an aura of romance with words, e.g., "put down the guitar and handed me a rose." The power of poetry is that it allows the reader/listener to attach his/her own life experience and worldview to connect with the imagery. Poetry is not supposed to spoonfeed the message. Using lines like "it's so romantic... so soulful" is tantamount to saying "it was pretty... it was beautiful" or "I'm sad and you are bad." There really is no point in setting the scene with poetry when you drop in these lead balloon words that just boil everything down to its essence, leaving no room for the listener's/reader's iterpretations. Those words are like two turds floating in an azure blue sea of tranquility.

Yes, I completely agree. This is basically what I was attempting to get across but you put it much better than I did.

[soul_drifter333]

I bet you wouldn't say that to Bob Dylan! ;)

I am also a bit appalled by the use of the words "romantic" and "soulful" when it comes to lyrics and poetry. Poetry, IMHO, is supposed to be a deconstruction of a feeling. Poetry is supposed to be impressionistic- intended to convey emotion and feeling via a composite of words. Instead of saying something is "romantic," a poet creates an aura of romance with words, e.g., "put down the guitar and handed me a rose." The power of poetry is that it allows the reader/listener to attach his/her own life experience and worldview to connect with the imagery. Poetry is not supposed to spoonfeed the message. Using lines like "it's so romantic... so soulful" is tantamount to saying "it was pretty... it was beautiful" or "I'm sad and you are bad." There really is no point in setting the scene with poetry when you drop in these lead balloon words that just boil everything down to its essence, leaving no room for the listener's/reader's iterpretations. Those words are like two turds floating in an azure blue sea of tranquility.

[Stevie's~Prince]

I bet you wouldn't say that to Bob Dylan! ;)

:D This is great!

[chriskisn]

Just listening to this on the radio....so rare for Australian radio to play anything by Stevie!

[joe68]

Sorry if this has already been posted, but Stevie did not write the music for YCFT:

Dave Grohl:
"There are songs on the Sound City record that I wrote but never used because I didn't necessarily feel that they fit into the aesthetic of the Foo Fighters catalogue. The song that Stevie Nicks sings - "You Can't Fix This" - I wrote it eight years ago and didn't use it because I thought it sounded like a Fleetwood Mac song! It sounds better than if I had done it - I think she's just brilliant."

[GoldDustBoy]

:xoxo:

"You May Be The One" gets me EVERY time. And like you, it's not because I feel something for the particular person I associate with it, but it's the memories of what I did feel, the pain I went through and all the regrets I still have about it. In particular, this:

I hear the islands calling
I hear angry words
Fly across the ocean
Like some, sea birds
Never stopping
I feel my blood racing
Can't believe what you are saying
I used to love you, SOO much

God, I'm welling up just READING it! This might call for a new thread - "songs that make you cry". That'll be a long discussion :rolleyes:


You just described word by word how I feel about this song, and even quoted the verse that gets me the most. Especially the way she sing "I used to love you so much". I know that many people here dislike this song, but I just feel it to my very core.

[WildHearted]

Sorry if this has already been posted, but Stevie did not write the music for YCFT:

Dave Grohl:
"There are songs on the Sound City record that I wrote but never used because I didn't necessarily feel that they fit into the aesthetic of the Foo Fighters catalogue. The song that Stevie Nicks sings - "You Can't Fix This" - I wrote it eight years ago and didn't use it because I thought it sounded like a Fleetwood Mac song! It sounds better than if I had done it - I think she's just brilliant."

Oh, interesting. And hilarious that he didn't use it because he thought it sounded like FM. Fitting.

[wheart]

Sorry if this has already been posted, but Stevie did not write the music for YCFT:

Dave Grohl:
"There are songs on the Sound City record that I wrote but never used because I didn't necessarily feel that they fit into the aesthetic of the Foo Fighters catalogue. The song that Stevie Nicks sings - "You Can't Fix This" - I wrote it eight years ago and didn't use it because I thought it sounded like a Fleetwood Mac song! It sounds better than if I had done it - I think she's just brilliant."

Brilliant? Really Dave? The music may be but those lyrics are far from brilliant.

[Macfanforever]

If that's the case .If he is behind the words and music and Stevie is just covering the tune .Maybe that's why I'm not getting into the tune.

It sounds like FM .Not to me.The music part just sounds like noise to me.

[Christopher]

Dave Grohl:
"There are songs on the Sound City record that I wrote but never used because I didn't necessarily feel that they fit into the aesthetic of the Foo Fighters catalogue. The song that Stevie Nicks sings - "You Can't Fix This" - I wrote it eight years ago and didn't use it because I thought it sounded like a Fleetwood Mac song! It sounds better than if I had done it - I think she's just brilliant."
Brilliant? Really Dave? The music may be but those lyrics are far from brilliant.

Key word: She's brilliant, not necessarily this song;). YCFT is catchy upon several listens & the music has a lot of air & is a nod to nostalgic classic rock. I think we can all agree this song is far from brilliance, but it is good - I accept it for what it is, a one-off collaboration for a documentary soundtrack, not intended to be featured as anything but filler. But even as filler, it's better than @10 or more songs that did make it onto some of Stevie's solo albums --I'm looking at you --TOSOTM, TS, ,SA, & TISL.:shrug:.

[WildHearted]

If that's the case .If he is behind the words and music and Stevie is just covering the tune .Maybe that's why I'm not getting into the tune.

It sounds like FM .Not to me.The music part just sounds like noise to me.

No, Stevie wrote the lyrics. Dave just wrote the instrumental track.

[Macfanforever]

No, Stevie wrote the lyrics. Dave just wrote the instrumental track.

Ok I must of misunderstand the earlier post then.

Ok Its probably the instrumental track which is drawing me away from enjoying the tune.

I want to hear her voice .Not the overloaded music.

[vivfox]

Its probably the instrumental track which is drawing me away from enjoying the tune.I want to hear her voice .Not the overloaded music.


This is the first time I've ever heard you say you did not like a Stevie song. Do you like a clunker like Jane better than this?

[Oooh Missionary]

This is the best Stevie Nicks song in a looong time.

[Macfanforever]

This is the first time I've ever heard you say you did not like a Stevie song. Do you like a clunker like Jane better than this?

I have no problem with her.I don't like the noise that Dave brought in.I want to hear her voice .Not the noisy band...

Jane is ok.She could written a song about Bob Barker since he loves animals like Jane did.LOL....

It it was toned down a bit I probably more enjoy the tune.

I'm not a fan of loud rock music.

[britt0308]

Stream the whole album on NPR now!

http://www.npr.org/2013/03/03/172990757/first-listen-dave-grohl-friends-sound-city-real-to-reel?sc=tw&cc=twmp&refresh=true

IMO You Can't Fix This and Dave's own track If I Were Me are the top tracks. Both haunting and deep melodies rather than more straight forward rockers.

[Phil]

I was just walking through a record store and "You Can't Fix This" started up. For a moment, I didn't recognise the intro and thought to myself how cool it sounded. Then Stevie's vocals chimed in and I realised what it was. It sounded fantastic blaring through the shop speakers - a truly amazing production job. I was able to then pick up the cd and dvd - can't wait to get home and devour these!

[Phil]

PS There's a great shot of Stevie recording inside the booklet - she looks happy and gorgeous!

[Aussie W/Heart]

Wow!!! How cool is that:thumbsup: love YCFT also:D JB HIFI??

Last week CH 10 during commercials were advertising the New Rumours 35th yr edition.. i thought that was pretty exciting lol..

[PenguinHead]

Also, just wanted to add that one of the things I love about the song is that it's a rocker without trying too hard to be one, and without deviating from the inherent Stevie-ness of the song. I've found a lot of her recent more rocking songs unappealing (Ghosts are Gone, for example) because they just sound like generic radio rock that any artist could have put out. This breaks that trend. I really love it.

That's a really astute and accurate observation! I hope her future music will continue in this direction, shedding some of the generic/formulaic-style music leanings.

[Phil]

Hi Aussie W/Heart, yep it was JBHiFi and the cd/dvd had just arrived so I was lucky with my timing. Truly, once you've heard "You Can't Fix This" on your own stereo, you'll be hooked. Sounds amazing.

[Christopher]

Hi Aussie W/Heart, yep it was JBHiFi and the cd/dvd had just arrived so I was lucky with my timing. Truly, once you've heard "You Can't Fix This" on your own stereo, you'll be hooked. Sounds amazing.

This!!!

Crazy, Amazing!!

[Aussie W/Heart]

Hi Aussie W/Heart, yep it was JBHiFi and the cd/dvd had just arrived so I was lucky with my timing. Truly, once you've heard "You Can't Fix This" on your own stereo, you'll be hooked. Sounds amazing.

lol, I'm already hooked as from day one, yes i can not wait till i buy my copy. Good ol'l JB's i love their store even more than i already do:thumbsup: FYI John opened his very first JB record shop in a Melb suburb, it was so tiny & jam packed with a rare variety of bootlegs & latest albums. I lived around the corner & would visit his shop daily, i bought my first copy of Rumours from him in 77.. He is probably a Billionaire now..

[Macfanforever]

Dave G was on Ellen today.I did not catch the show.

[Phil]

I was fond of "You Can't Fix This" from the fist audio snippet and became progressively more enamoured of it after the Letterman performance and subsequent full preview. I would have given it a solid 6/10 as I loved the instrumentation and Stevie's vocal, but didn't care for some of the lyrics. However, it snakes it's way into your subconscious and after listening to it through quality speakers, I am no longer fixated on those few lines that bothered me before. I'd now score it a healthy 8/10 without hesitation.
I just want her to keep writing and recording whilst she's enthused and on a creative roll, hence my annoyance with this impending concert tour. Just get it overwith and resume your more pressing duties Miss Stevie!!

[kak125]

some reviews i found online.

Stevie Nicks, for instance, is coaxed into one of her toughest recent vocals on “You Can’t Fix This,” leaving aside the witchy woman flourishes that have for too long defined/caricatured her. You get the sense, sadly rare, that you are seeing behind the veil — or, in Nicks’ case, the many veils — that she’s used as a defense against letting listeners in. It’s a remarkable performance, and (if this gutty attitude carries over) bodes well for a planned reunion with Lindsey Buckingham and Fleetwood Mac.

http://somethingelsereviews.com/2013/03/08/dave-grohl-paul-mccartney-stevie-nicks-rick-springfield-others-sound-city-real-to-reel-2013/

“[The] tracks that do command attention… are worth wading through the mire for. One can only assume, for instance, that Lindsay Buckingham and the rest of Fleetwood Mac will be kicking themselves upon hearing 'You Can't Fix This,' because this is simply the greatest Fleetwood Mac song that never was.

http://www.contactmusic.com/round-up/a-week-in-musicstevie-nicks-stars-in-sound-city-real-to-reel-palma-violets-can-t-match-the-hype-kendrick-lamar-s-slick-new-video-for-poetic-justice_3538497

But once you get past “Time Slowing Down,” you’re in for quite a few rockin’ tracks in a row. To start, Stevie Nicks’ “You Can’t Fix This” is a groovy, voodoo-trance dance that you can’t help swaying back and forth to. Her lyrics might be a bit oddball at times, with lines like “We never allowed the Devil to come to the party,” but it doesn’t really distract from the fantastic accompanying music from Foo Fighters alums Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins and Rami Jaffee.

http://www.craveonline.com/music/reviews/452531-review-sound-city-real-to-reel-soundtrack

[Christopher]

Has anybody heard if there will be an official single from Sound City's soundtrack?
I can only drool around the possibility of Stevie doing a simple performance video to accompany her song with the Sound City Players.:xoxo:

Unless, it collides directly with the new FM songs, (which I'm not anticipating being any more exciting) I don't see any reason to not officially release YCFT. And I suspect it would get a much better response from radio than her IYD releases.:cool:

Anyway when exactly are these supposed new FM tracks going to be release?!? Less than a month until the tour kick's off. FM are the worst regarding promotion of new material ever since SYW.

[Fireflies]

Has anybody heard if there will be an official single from Sound City's soundtrack?


mccartney's contribution was the first single.

[Christopher]

Sound City "Reel to Reel" is officially released today. The whole record is pretty good!
Standouts on first listen are "Mantra" w/ Reznor, "If I Were Me", "Centipede", "From Can to Can't" and of course "You Can't Fix This" - which was produced by Butch Vig.
Personally, I don't get all the fuss being made around McCartney's "Cut Me Some Slack" - other than the novelty of being recorded with the remaining Nirvana members, I find it the most irritating song on the whole record.:cool:
So proud that Stevie is a part of this awesome release. YCFT is ranking really high with me all around. It's pure vintage early solo Stevie, it reminds me more & more of SDMHA and her other BD sessions w/Tom & the Heartbreakers. Love it.

[jkmaletic]

Sound City "Reel to Reel" is officially released today. The whole record is pretty good!
Standouts on first listen are "Mantra" w/ Reznor, "If I Were Me", "Centipede", "From Can to Can't" and of course "You Can't Fix This" - which was produced by Butch Vig.
Personally, I don't get all the fuss being made around McCartney's "Cut Me Some Slack" - other than the novelty of being recorded with the remaining Nirvana members, I find it the most irritating song on the whole record.:cool:
So proud that Stevie is a part of this awesome release. YCFT is ranking really high with me all around. It's pure vintage early solo Stevie, it reminds me more & more of SDMHA and her other BD sessions w/Tom & the Heartbreakers. Love it.

I agree. This album rocks. I dig the Rick Springfield tune too - it's an interesting mix of his sound with the Foo Fighters.

Jamie

[editme2]

"You Can't Fix This" is currently number 84 on the iTunes rock chart. Meanwhile, the Paul McCartney song is at number 144. One other song is at number 9.....

[Christopher]

YCFT is currently #46 on Itunes Top Rock songs chart. :thumbsup:

[vivfox]

More info from Stevie about the creation of this track


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