"That Made Me Stronger" Appreciation Thread

[Davictoes]

I absolutely adore this song, it's such an up lifting song for me.

"Well once more I tell the shadows of my soul to stay back
Everything has changed now
And I don't want to go back
And nothing you can say can change my mind"

I was shocked to find out all the hate this song gets.
So I decided that this song needed an appreciation thread, because it never fails to make me smile and it definitely needs more love.

[Phil]

I actually like this song too, but I don't love it. I always had difficulty with Sheryl Crow's murky arrangement, which I think weighs it down and ultimately stultifies the song.
A common criticism of this track is that the lyrics were too literal, but I actually don't mind them. In fact, the section you have quoted Davictoes is rather wonderful in my opinion.

[KarmaContestant]

I don't hate this song, but I don't particularly like it either. Essentially, what bugs me is the story Stevie told about the song, about how she asked Tom Petty to help her write, and he said no - you can write your own songs. The end result? A song with two other co-writers. It just seems paradoxical. A song about advice given, in the creation of which the advice is not heeded, and is actually contradicted.

:laugh:

[drzubritsky]

I don't hate this song, but I don't particularly like it either. Essentially, what bugs me is the story Stevie told about the song, about how she asked Tom Petty to help her write, and he said no - you can write your own songs. The end result? A song with two other co-writers. It just seems paradoxical. A song about advice given, in the creation of which the advice is not heeded, and is actually contradicted.

:laugh:

That's pretty funny. I had never bothered to check the writing credits.

For some reason, this song does seem to generate a lot of hatred with Stevie fans, like "Docklands" or "Jane", which I never fully understood. I don't think it's a great song, but I actually kind of like how the lyrics are more literal than typical Stevie in describing her songwriting dry spell. And, unlike many of her "non-melody" tunes from the TITN and TOSOTM eras, the chorus has a reasonably coherent melody (I assume that the melody may have come from the co-writers).

I agree that the production isn't great, with that muddy arrangement and done-to-death drum loop sample.

[gldstwmn]

"Once more I tell the shadows of my soul t0 stay back" is a great lyric. Maybe she can recycle it in another song. I love it when she does that.

[TheWILDheart]

I was wondering when this would come up.

Now, I love "Trouble In Shangri-La". It is perfect. PERFECT.

TMMS gets a lot of stick. I don't LOVE it, it's certainly not my favourite on the album, but it's still a good song and it's kind of quirky beat is very welcome. I wouldn't put it in a worst of Stevie list like a lot of others have. But having said that, the fact that's it's on TISL gives it more credit that it's probably worth, because that album is flawless :p

[blinker12]

I absolutely adore this song, it's such an up lifting song for me.

"Well once more I tell the shadows of my soul to stay back
Everything has changed now
And I don't want to go back
And nothing you can say can change my mind"


Yes!!! Those lines make the song for me. I think they're some of the most powerful Stevie's written. Goosebumps.

[Dex]

The majority of the lyrics in this song are sublime, and the music, to my ears, is very likeable. That's what makes the ""Could you write this for me?" He said "No you write your songs yourself" line so jarring and frustrating. It's such a small thing that could easily have been tweaked, and it completely takes me out of the song. And then it repeats as part of the hooky chorus. The fact that this song could've otherwise been a favourite of mine is why I have such a problem with it.

IYD has its share of clunky overly literal writing, but nothing that bothers me nearly so much as this.

But, yes, I do think it gets a lot of needless flack. It's not like Stevie's never put out a bad song (or a song that is a "select taste", if you like) before. I don't get why fandom seems to zero in on this particular one so much.

[kak125]

these are my favorite lyrics from the song. i think i need to do dig out this cd again its so freaking good.

Dreams reoccur in my solitude
Breaking my heart, injuring my mood
With all of the things that I thought I knew
It was you

[vivfox]

I don't hate this song, but I don't particularly like it either. Essentially, what bugs me is the story Stevie told about the song, about how she asked Tom Petty to help her write, and he said no - you can write your own songs. The end result? A song with two other co-writers. It just seems paradoxical. A song about advice given, in the creation of which the advice is not heeded, and is actually contradicted.
:laugh:

Because I think this song is silly I never bothered to look at who wrote it. I just assumed she did and you know what assuming makes me. I was thinking about this a lot last night, Matt, and really giggling to myself how she really did want Tom to help her write a hit and when he refused she turned to others for help. She just gave us a cock and bull story of how he reawakened her songwriting abilities. Stevie is a great songwriter. She needs help from no one. This song would have been better as a B-side(if such a thing still exists)>LOL.

[KarmaContestant]

Because I think this song is silly I never bothered to look at who wrote it. I just assumed she did and you know what assuming makes me. I was thinking about this a lot last night, Matt, and really giggling to myself how she really did want Tom to help her write a hit and when he refused she turned to others for help. She just gave us a cock and bull story of how he reawakened her songwriting abilities. Stevie is a great songwriter. She needs help from no one. This song would have been better as a B-side(if such a thing still exists)>LOL.

I do like the chugging guitars. They're cool.

And I wish Stevie put out b-sides. She could have *so many* more released songs if she used them as b-sides or extra tracks on CD/digital singles.

[bombaysaffires]

To me this song always sounded as if the music/melody for the verses and the music/melody of the chorus came from two different places. Like they were bits of two totally different songs that got mushed together. There's some sort of stylistic disconnect between them that I find disconcerting.:shrug:

[gldstwmn]

these are my favorite lyrics from the song. i think i need to do dig out this cd again its so freaking good.

Dreams reoccur in my solitude
Breaking my heart, injuring my mood
With all of the things that I thought I knew
It was you

Great lyrics... :nod:

[SpyNote]

I had another listen to TMMS in my iTunes collection, where I had rated it two stars. I do appreciate the story behind the song and how it inspired the recording of the album, so I like the lyrics a lot. But I don't care for the music or production.

[Phil]

Dreams reoccur in my solitude
Breaking my heart, injuring my mood
With all of the things that I thought I knew
It was you

Kak125, I also dig this verse - it's a beautifully executed opening to the song.

It's strange because I actually don't have a problem with the "Could you write this for me?" He said "No you write your songs yourself"" lyric. The only line that concerns me is the actual title "That made me stronger" - it kind of reeks of a Hallmark card or soap opera sentiment. I remember reading the title some months before the album was released and anticipating the very worst!

I actually think the lyrics to "My Heart" are more cringeworthy so I'm grateful it wasn't included on either the TISL or IYD albums.

[vivfox]

I actually think the lyrics to "My Heart" are more cringeworthy so I'm grateful it wasn't included on either the TISL or IYD albums.

It's included on the Bonus Track version of IYD. Did you know that?

[Phil]

Yeah Viv, I did know that and I have the deluxe version of IYD, but I was thinking more in terms of it just being included as a bonus track (ie not considered worthy of inclusion on the standard version of the album). I do prefer the IYD version as it's not as strident as the original from the TISL sessions.

[MariaA37]

I like TMMS. It's certainly not Stevie's worst song.

I always thought it was Lindsey speaking and was surprised to find out it was Tom Petty. I read an interview with him once and he said that he thought that Stevie was the best songwriter, so I took it as he was telling her that she's such a good songwriter she should write the song herself.

~Maria

[Artemis]

It's not her best song, but I love it for the fact it's unashamedly Stevie singing about Stevie. Never fails to make me giggle a little bit.