Bella Donna vs. The Wild Heart

[TheWILDheart]

The Mirage vs Tango thread is making for some interesting discussions over in the Rumours forum, so I thought we'd start with some Stevie solo stuff. Bella Donna vs. The Wild Heart.

For me, it's "Bella Donna". As Stevie has said before, "Bella Donna was scared". Bella Donna was like standing on a cliff, on the brink of success of failure, diving headlong into the unknown, terrified of the outcome but taking a big risk because one half of the 50/50 chance outcome will be completely worth it. Kind of a "nothing ventured, nothing gained" approach, and I can relate to that far more than The Wild Heart.

[WildHearted]

I love them both but I had to pick Bella Donna. I love every single song on Bella Donna. Unfortunately I strongly dislike Gate and Garden so I can't say the same of The Wild Heart.

[bluefox4000]

BD. She's never bettered it. Absolutely classic album. WH's first half is great. The back half is like an anchor dragging it down. Half a great album.

So for me it's BD.

Mick

[markolas]

Bella Donna, by far. I couldn't stand The Wild Heart for a long time, then I came around to liking it, now I'm back to not caring for it that much. Every song on BD is perfect, whereas TWH falls apart somewhat toward the end. If you take out "Nothing Ever Changes" and "I Will Run to You" and replace them with "Garbo" and "Violet & Blue," then it comes close to perfection.

Also, "Gate and Garden" becomes a far more awesome song if you take it as a reference to Stevie's ladyparts.

[GypsySorcerer]

Also, "Gate and Garden" becomes a far more awesome song if you take it as a reference to Stevie's ladyparts.

So to the red rose grows the passion... :thumbsup:



To answer the poll, BellaDonna. The only miss for me there is "After the Glitter Fades."

[Blueletter18]

This was so tough! I had to go with Bella Donna for the same reason as Wildhearted, except I can't stand Beauty and the Beast on The Wild Heart.

[bluecalmsea]

Very tough! I love both albums so much. I went with The Wild Heart though. Only because I dislike "Think About It" "After the Glitter Fades" and "Highwayman" more than I dislike anything on WH.

Side note- I hear "If Anyone Falls" played in restaurants and stores more than any other Stevie song. Cracks me up!

[Artemis]

Bella Donna, it's been in my car non-stop this week, mainly because I've developed a new addiction to After The Glitter Fades.

The Wild Heart is a damn close second though. I even love I Will Run To You, but Gate and Garden ruins it. And it could be sequenced a little better.

[On Ice]

Bella Donna because the song selections and writing were from Stevie's artistic peak. That said, I think The Wild Heart is her best solo vocal performances, she does so much with her voice, takes some (successful) risks and make some questionable lyrical choices, sound awesome. I love Gate and Garden simply because she sings it so damn well and as we saw many years later, she did much worse lyrically than that.

[mitzo]

Wildheart by light years. Mostly 'cause of BATB. No particularly unlikeable things on the album except maybe the title track, which is ruined by crapola production.

On BD I cannt handle Think about It, Highwayman, Kind of Woman, and the title track. Eof17, Glitter, and Leather and Lace are tolerable, How Still and Outside the Rain are potential masterpieces ruined by the amateur garage-band, scratch-and-play, throwaway, "who cares?" production.

[WatchChain]

Stevie Nicks Studio Albums Ranked in Order of Greatness

1. Bella Donna
2. In Your Dreams
3. Trouble In Shangri La
4. Wild Heart
5. Rock A Little
6. The Other Side of the Mirror
7. Street Angel

[TheWILDheart]

Stevie Nicks Studio Albums Ranked in Order of Greatness

1. Bella Donna
2. In Your Dreams
3. Trouble In Shangri La
4. Wild Heart
5. Rock A Little
6. The Other Side of the Mirror
7. Street Angel

It's interesting how this varies between fans. Mine would be:

1. Bella Donna
2. Trouble In Shangri-La
3. The Wild Heart
4. In Your Dreams
5. Rock A Little
6. Street Angel



7. The Other Side of the Mirror

[KarmaContestant]

I can't choose, really! I love both albums.

[WildHearted]

It's interesting how this varies between fans. Mine would be:

1. Bella Donna
2. Trouble In Shangri-La
3. The Wild Heart
4. In Your Dreams
5. Rock A Little
6. Street Angel



7. The Other Side of the Mirror

Mine would be
1. Bella Donna
2. The Wild Heart
3. In Your Dreams & TISL & Rock a Little, tied

6. Street Angel




7. The Other Side of the Mirror

[Macfanforever]

BD of course.But WH will be second on my list.

[GoldDustBoy]

Love them both to pieces, but I have to go with Belladonna, just because it was the first one I got. Plus, it's one of the albums I like to listen to most during long trips which I often take.

[Hawkeye]

I'm shocked how lopsided this race is. I knew bella Donna would win but not nearly triple wild heart.

I voted wild heart. All 10 songs are great., 4 of which are in my Stevie solo top 10 songs (wild heart nothing ever changes night bird and sable on blonde)

Bella Donna has the overall best song in edge of 17 but also 3 songs I can't stand (after the glitter fades leather and lace and highwayman) a 30 percent dislike percentage is not very good.

[BombaySapphire3]

Bella Donna easily .The last great California rock album of the 1970s IMO as 7 of the 10 tracks were penned in that decade.The Wild Heart has some awesome high points but began the trend of uneven solo albums that continues to this day.I concur with others that it could have been greatly improved by switching out Violet and Blue and Garbo for Gate and Garden and Nothing Ever Changes.

[Blueletter18]

BD. She's never bettered it. Absolutely classic album. WH's first half is great. The back half is like an anchor dragging it down. Half a great album.

So for me it's BD.

Mick

Accurate assessment!

[TheSorcerer]

Bella Donna for me. The only track on the album I don't care for is The Highwayman. The Wild Heart is still a great album.

[PolishStevieFan]

As much as I love certain tracks on "The Wild Heart" (title song, "Stand Back", "If Anyone Falls", "Beauty and The Beats") still "Bella Donna" is classic and absolute stunner from the beginning right till the very last song. Even though there are Stevie's albums that I prefer much more, "Bella Donna" started her solo career on truly high level.

[starshine]

I picked BD also but I do love WH as well. I love each for different reasons really. I think they are both special in there own way. I love BD cause its the start of Stevie's solo career and all the songs --the photos with the blue lamp all the outtakes of songs and photos the short tour. I wish there'd be more of it and I'd wished we'd gotten a special LTD edition BD with outtakes etc and a DVD it would've been so awesome really. I love WH and LP cover its so cool. I wish there'd been more outtakes etc but it was done in such a short time. Anyway, they are usually #1 & 2 for me. :D:shrug:

[SpyNote]

Bella Donna and The Wild Heart will also be #1 and #2 because these were the last two albums with Stevie's old voice.

[gypsy-sara]

"The Wild Heart" is my favorite Stevie Nicks-Album, but nevertheless I do love "Bella Donna". I just don't enjoy "As The Glitter Fades" as much as the rest.
On "The Wild Heart" everything is perfect. I even love "Gate And Garden".
But I have to admit that "Stand Back" has lost momentum over all these years, and in my opinion, could be left off the setlist on the next tour. But if they play it (and I think they will) it's still ok with me. :-)

Both of the title tracks are absolutely epic. It would be a total blast to hear them live, though this will probably remain just a dream.