The Nightmare

[Macfan4life]

Let's do a mini deep dive into this song. I would say this is one of the better songs on RAL but that does not mean much because I think the album is terrible. None of the album is very "Stevie" with her crooning professional song written songs by other writers. But Stevie shows up here and there and this is one of the songs. Its very programmed and drowning in 80's synths. Her brother gets co-writes and I wonder what he contributed. I wonder if he added all of those cheezy Stevie-isms like the "moon and her sisters" "drowning in the sea" and "leaving you with something warm."
But here is the kicker for me. Her vocal is not that bad on the song. I much prefer every other version except the album version. Stevie sings the song as if she is sort of acting or pretending to be Stevie Nicks rather than Stevie just belting out a song like Edge of 17 or Nothing Ever Changes. The way she delivers the song is her sort of trying to be Stevie. Does that make sense? Anyone else hear that? She's not going for Prince like on Sister Honey but its sort of like she needed some Stevie shtick for the album and this was going to be her "dramatic" song.
Nothing is more 80s than the extended version at the end where she is saying with a stern voice "how dare he.........how dare he" at the fade out. Maybe its so bad its good I guess. Someone on this board mentioned they thought the song was about her marriage to Kim. I would agree with that especially when she says "I stood with you against the storm".
Anyway many on this board like RAL better than me. What do you think of this song? I think with real drums and it not being so programmed would have made the song better. But the song is drowning in Stevie cheese and there never used to be Stevie cheese.

The funny part (IMHO) at the end:

SHE WANTS YOU TO FIGHT **anytime**
SHE WANTS YOU TO STAND UP **anywhere**
SHE WANTS YOU TO WIN


It sounds like cheerleaders at a game

[David]

What do you think of this song?

It has always been one of my favorites of hers, quite possibly of all time. But I doubt I could explain why. Unlike on the Other Side of the Mirror album, where she is obviously trying to sound reckless and windswept (and failing—because she can’t make us think of anything but Laurel Canyon), here she is sounding authentically reckless and believably windswept. In terms of the 19th century literary movement, there is nothing more Romantic in Stevie’s catalogue than her cocaine-fueled wail of erotic frustration in “The Nightmare.” The persona she creates in this track is kinetically animated and driven — you can almost see her running across the moors, or riding a black steed, or fleeing the lord of the manor to the edge of the rocky cliff. The turbulent North Sea is in this song.

No, I doubt her brother had anything to do with the lyrics. A songwriting credit often refers to a musical addition. I think Chris added some synthesizer effects like a phaser here or possibly a chord progression — and then took songwriting credit.

[mitzo]

I fully agree with David, I love the song. Big drama, and her vocal is lifted by the wall of production. Barely coherent lyrics delivered across a tapestry of sounds. Classic Stevie vibe. And I always say, no matter what you think of RAL it is not boring like BD.

[BLY]

I have always loved The Nightmare (and really liked the extended version) I’m definitely from the camp of loving RAL. I liked that she went a different direction after BD and WH. The 80’s was a great decade and RAL as TOSOTM still get a lot of play in my rotations.

[bombaysaffires]

Wow.....I've always considered The Nightmare just that.....a total nightmare.

It's a cheesy recycling of previous lyrics into a tossed word salad. Lazy, lazy, lazy.

One of her worst.

[Bandon]

So The Nightmare is messy and delicious.:)

[Macfan4life]

Wow.....I've always considered The Nightmare just that.....a total nightmare.

It's a cheesy recycling of previous lyrics into a tossed word salad. Lazy, lazy, lazy.

One of her worst.
That is sort of how I see it too. The lyrics are Stevie trying to be Stevie when the tank is empty. The extended version is so meandering that its so bad its good. One review of the song from 1985 said something like "blinded by the light of the day" is nowhere as good as "thunder only happens when its raining." Yet Stevie seems to not know thinking its one of her epic songs but its not.
It's unique for many reasons. It appears to have been added to the album late. It feels to me that during playback the album felt and sounded nothing like a Stevie album so this song was to add all of those words and phrases to almost give the album a Stevie vibe. Maybe its such a trainwreck its fun to listen to. At the end of the day I will take a song of Stevie trying to sound like Stevie over the songs that are so un-Stevie on RAL. Early demos of the song with the piano are nothing special. She's got some good lines but then the final product has all of those cliches throw in. She's trying too hard to be like Stevie on this one. Its part funny, part annoying, and very schticky. She's doing too much. But in the wild excesses of the mid 80s its a trip listening today. Her earlier efforts had lots of drama in her songs. But the drama seems forced on this one. The way she sings "but the nightmare was not over" is a way she does not usually sing with such forced drama. The bridge is so cheezy "and about the moon and her sisters, how dare he take them prisoner" Its like her or Chris were trying to layer in her witchiness into the song. Its fine but its clearly a mid 80s synth pop sensation especially the rambling expanded version. The music gets very hypnotic crazy at the end right before the How dare he's ;) I wonder if it was Kim that was holding her prisoner. How dare he!

[sleepless child]

I'm not a big fan of The Nightmare, but I am intrigued by the lyrics. I always thought it was about her marriage to Kim also.

[bombaysaffires]

I agree the song is probably, like most of her songs, about something real in her life.

I just feel like this was a time in her life where her creativity had mostly run out, she was burned out, she was addicted, she was on the hamster wheel running non stop between two careers, and honestly her ego had grown out of proportion regarding her own greatness. As a result she just sort of "manufactured" songs so she had enough for an album. It's like "I need a song, and people expect these kinds of phrases from me, so I'll put them all in a blender and see what comes out". It's just a sad reflection from the smart songwriter she was in her early days. She wasn't getting time off to let her creativity regenerate itself. I guess in that way this song feels to me more like "product" than an organic song.

No judgement if other people like it; it's just cringey to me. There are other songs I actually quite like that other people hate, so to each their own.

[Villavic]

At first I was going to post Yeah! I really like that song! But then I realize... Oh, The Nightmare, not Nightbird. That shows how "much" of a fan I am of Stevie's solo works. :sorry:

So listening to it (probably for the first time cause I don't remember that song) and paying attention to the lyrics I agree it could be about Kim.

[Macfan4life]

Just today I listened to the album version on youtube. The mid 80s keyboards makes this probably her biggest synth sound on the album IMHO. The extended version opens with guitar and is an eclectic mix of so many synth sounds, guitars, bongos that really gets hypnotic at the end. Its really wild. Like much of her RAL songs I think it could have been done better or at least hold up over time.
The part that gets me is how she lowers her voice for the part "that was when the dream took her prisoner and she knew The Nightmare was not over" Drama Stevie preach!

[cbBen]

Just today I listened to the album version on youtube. The mid 80s keyboards makes this probably her biggest synth sound on the album IMHO.

I did the same, and concur. Tom Petty was right when he told her at this time she was making synthesized pop music, not rock and roll.

I looked up the musician credits on Wikipedia:*

Stevie: lead vocal, synths (the only song on the album on which she plays an instrument)
Rick Nowels: synths, backing vocals
Charles Judge: synths
Michael Landau: guitars
George Black: drums, synth bass, backing vocals
Andy Newmark: drums
Lori Perry-Nicks, Sharon Celani, Maria Vidal: backing vocals

*Especially in the case of the synth players, of which there are three, I'm dubious as to whether each player credited with "synths" or "guitars" in fact plays multiple synthesizers or guitars.

[BrownEyedGirl26]

[QUOTE=Macfan4life;1305617]Just today I listened to the album version on youtube. The mid 80s keyboards makes this probably her biggest synth sound on the album IMHO. The extended version opens with guitar and is an eclectic mix of so many synth sounds, guitars, bongos that really gets hypnotic at the end. Its really wild. Like much of her RAL songs I think it could have been done better or at least hold up over time.
The part that gets me is how she lowers her voice for the part "that was when the dream took her prisoner and she knew The Nightmare was not over" Drama Stevie preach![/QUOTEI

I remember hearing this song for the first time after buying "Rock A Little" and really liking the drama of the beat and the music. However, she sounded so sad while she was singing the lyrics. I wonder who she was referring to when she was singing and I paraphrase here, how dare he take the moon (her), and her sisters, prisoner?

[Macfan4life]

I did the same, and concur. Tom Petty was right when he told her at this time she was making synthesized pop music, not rock and roll.

I looked up the musician credits on Wikipedia:*

Stevie: lead vocal, synths (the only song on the album on which she plays an instrument)
Rick Nowels: synths, backing vocals
Charles Judge: synths
Michael Landau: guitars
George Black: drums, synth bass, backing vocals
Andy Newmark: drums
Lori Perry-Nicks, Maria Vidal: backing vocals

*Especially in the case of the synth players, of which there are three, I'm dubious as to whether each player credited with "synths" or "guitars" in fact plays multiple synthesizers or guitars.
That is an interesting fact that I forgot about which is another reason a deep dive of this song is needed. Very rare for her to be credited with an instrument on an album in addition to giving her brother a writing credit. If you decode the lyrics it's probably the only song on the album that gave a glimpse into her life at the time of the mid 80s. Was it Rolling Stone that said that Stevie was becoming a parody of herself with RAL? Its songs like this that sort of highlight that. Speaking of all the synths, what about No Spoken Word. Its completely destroyed by programed synth bass and other parts. Clearly it was her favorite song from the album being one of the few she completely wrote herself and she performed it on so many tours while never touching the other RAL songs. But its drowning in so many synths on the album. The live version freed it from the chains of the mid 1980s. All of her Tusk references in the song are clues (Storms, Sara, Sisters).

The sisters (moon) reference is another clue about Robin and Kim. Hernan Rojas, who served as the audio engineer for Tusk, recalled that Nicks dubbed her friend group of Sara Recor, Sharon Celani, and Robin Anderson as "members of the sisterhood", all of whom were bestowed golden half-moon pendants.

BTW
There was a ledge deep dive into this song in 2010
From the ledge archives:
https://ledge.fleetwoodmac.net/archive/index.php/t-43627.html

[cbBen]

Speaking of all the synths, what about No Spoken Word. Its completely destroyed by programed synth bass and other parts.

"No Spoken Word" credits – again per Wikipedia:*

Stevie: lead vocal
Bill Cuomo: keyboards
Waddy Wachtel: guitars
Mike Porcaro: bass
Denny Carmassi: drums
Lori Perry-Nicks, Sharon Celani, Marilyn Martin, Rick Nowels: backing vocals

*Again, who knows whether Waddy in fact played multiple guitars. Also Sharon Celani sings on "The Nightmare" as well. I errantly omitted her above.

[bwboy]

Wow, interesting theories here about the Nightmare. I do not have any passionate thoughts about this song, I don’t love it but I certainly don’t hate it, either. Listening to the radio this morning, I heard We Don’t Need Another Hero by Tina Turner from the Mad Max sequel, and it kind of brought to mind the Nightmare a little bit. The radio said We Don’t Need Another Hero came out in 1985, the same year Rock a Little came out. I could imagine Stevie singing it. I think These Dreams by Heart also came out in 1985. Between Some Become Strangers, Talk to Me, and Reconsider Me, it seems like Stevie or her people were actively seeking out songs from other songwriters for the album.

[Macfan4life]

Wow, interesting theories here about the Nightmare. I do not have any passionate thoughts about this song, I don’t love it but I certainly don’t hate it, either. Listening to the radio this morning, I heard We Don’t Need Another Hero by Tina Turner from the Mad Max sequel, and it kind of brought to mind the Nightmare a little bit. The radio said We Don’t Need Another Hero came out in 1985, the same year Rock a Little came out. I could imagine Stevie singing it. I think These Dreams by Heart also came out in 1985. Between Some Become Strangers, Talk to Me, and Reconsider Me, it seems like Stevie or her people were actively seeking out songs from other songwriters for the album.
I think that was out of necessity. Lindsey and Jimmy were not around to craft her songs and the songs were not great. Also in the age of Madonna they were moving her to be more pop and Prince like which was not authentic IMHO.
I know you love RAL but there is a reason Stevie pretty much ignores the album. But considering everything it's a miracle an album came out.

[DownOnRodeo]

At first I was going to post Yeah! I really like that song! But then I realize... Oh, The Nightmare, not Nightbird. That shows how "much" of a fan I am of Stevie's solo works. :sorry:

:lol: "It's my favourite track on The Wild Horse!"

[bombaysaffires]

I think that was out of necessity. Lindsey and Jimmy were not around to craft her songs and the songs were not great. Also in the age of Madonna they were moving her to be more pop and Prince like which was not authentic IMHO.
I know you love RAL but there is a reason Stevie pretty much ignores the album. But considering everything it's a miracle an album came out.

Totally! her output wasn't great in those years...she was drugged out, and she was exhausted with no breaks between FM work and solo work. The well of creativity never had a chance to refill itself. And as both Jimmy and she have said numerous times, he was always actively looking for a hit for her. She wasn't writing any then so they were going to other writers.

and let's face it, her most productive writing period was from the BN days up through the release of Rumours. She's been living off that backlog since... when she was an unknown and trying to prove herself as a writer she really put the effort in. Once she got famous it all went to her head, and she became convinced any turd she pooped out would be beloved.....:distress:

[Macfan4life]

Totally! her output wasn't great in those years...she was drugged out, and she was exhausted with no breaks between FM work and solo work. The well of creativity never had a chance to refill itself. And as both Jimmy and she have said numerous times, he was always actively looking for a hit for her. She wasn't writing any then so they were going to other writers.

and let's face it, her most productive writing period was from the BN days up through the release of Rumours. She's been living off that backlog since... when she was an unknown and trying to prove herself as a writer she really put the effort in. Once she got famous it all went to her head, and she became convinced any turd she pooped out would be beloved.....:distress:
My favorite Stevie interview was the one she did right before RAL was released. Its rare in the sense her management did not allow her to do such long sit down interviews from 1984-1986. But she talks about RAL and the delays and the state of her life in mid 1985. But the reason I bring this up is she seems rather annoyed doing the interview until the interviewer brings up that she believes Stevie has influenced Madonna and Prince. Stevie's face lights up like someone said Chef Boyardee. She nods in approval while she is literally showing off her Madonna inspired lace gloves. You cant make this up. Another great thing about the interview is her comments on Cindi Lauper going over the audience in a trash can (Money Changes Everything video). During this time Stevie would stay up all night and watch MTV and take polaroid photos of herself in her bathroom. She was a MTV junkie and knew videos. Later in the interview she even comments on Chris's Love Will Show Us How video on how the guitar explodes on the piano. Anyway, this segment starts right away with the Madonna comparisons.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeyZmD2ts08

[Villavic]

I find it hard to believe that Stevie influenced Madonna in the mid 80s, despite the gloves (a single detail, nothing more). The interviewer probably said it to please her and improve her mood. However I must admit that when I watched some of the Ray of Light (1998) video clips, I thought of Stevie, whether because of Madonna's look or a slight mystical touch in the songs, specially in Frozen, maybe Nothing Really Matters too, though updated. Not the title track of course.

[Macfan4life]

I find it hard to believe that Stevie influenced Madonna in the mid 80s, despite the gloves (a single detail, nothing more). The interviewer probably said it to please her and improve her mood. However I must admit that when I watched some of the Ray of Light (1998) video clips, I thought of Stevie, whether because of Madonna's look or a slight mystical touch in the songs, specially in Frozen, maybe Nothing Really Matters too, though updated. Not the title track of course.
Stevie never wore lace gloves until 1985's Madonna craze when all teenage girls and Madonna wore lace gloves. I just found the clip full of irony of Stevie and this interviewer alleging that Stevie influenced the fashion of Madonna. Madonna wore all sorts of neon and dressed like a hooker during this era. I see their styles in total opposite directions. Stevie wore long skirts with high top boots. Madonna wore a wedding dress and rolled around on the stage.
I am glad someone finally told her "your not living in the real world"
;)

Biggest cringe moment of the 1980s was at the end of the Talk To Me video Stevie purposely raises one of her hands to her face so we could see she was wearing one neon glove. I was at peak worship in 1985 but still cringed when I saw it and asked myself: why Stevie, Why? But Stevie influenced Madonna :lol:

[bombaysaffires]

Stevie really lost her way in the 80s. Everyone sees her now in her outfits that are updates to her 70s stage fashion but....after the early 80s she seemed to think she needed to change her look with the times. All that big hair and overdone makeup and shoulder pads and headbands and sh&t. It wasn't "her".... her early years in FM she had a real fresh-faced sorta girl next door look especially offstage-- she took the chiffon wings off and you'd see all sorts of pics of her with little to no makeup, wearing jeans, tee shirts, or hippie dresses and skirts with her boots. After Bella Donna....maybe up thru Wild Heart her stage outfits were clearly related to her 70s stage look, but then things got weird. And stayed weird through both bouts of rehab. It was quite a surprise to see her at whatever county fair that was in the 90s wearing a floral print dress and with toned down makeup, getting back closer to who she was. The gloves, the hats, the headbands, the huge clanky earrings, heavy makeup and various HUGE hairdos were....I dunno what....:shrug: Seems like it was her chasing trends rather than being true to herself. Tom Petty was right.