10 Favorite Songs from Post-Dance?
 

Now that it's been a few years since her last release, what are everybody's 10 favorite Stevie songs since her resurgence into the public conscious after 1997? Putting this in the Stevie forum since its about her and the work has mostly been solo since then.

I've noticed most people don't compare her later work favorably with Bella Donna or The Wild Heart, but if you pare it down to the best songs I think you have some standouts that rival the early stuff!

Here are mine:

1. Planets of the Universe (Extended): Driving rhythm, fiery lyrics and vocals, what's not to love?
2. It's Only Love: I'd argue it's her best vocal since Wild Heart and that it hasn't been beaten since. I don't even mind that she didn't write it- it's still got a Stevie vibe to it.
3. Everybody Finds Out: This one narrowly edged out RTTG, which is faulted by that cheesy keyboard. Mean bass-line from John McVie and fun build-up with the strings to the climax at the end. A great rocker that would have been fun in concert.
4. Thrown Down: It's a simple little song but it has that classic FM magic. Lindsey did a great job redoing this song for SYW and the two sound amazing together.
5. Annabel Lee: Never liked the demo but the finished version is really fun! I'm a big fan of the poem and her interpretation of it is great. Goes on about a minute too long but I can live with that.
6. Moonlight (A Vampire's Dream): Made me gag when I first heard it (of *course* Stevie is a Twilight fan) but changed my mind when I saw her on her last solo tour performing it. The chorus really works and the crescendo at the end I could listen to on repeat.
7. Wide Sargasso Sea: Probably not objectively that much of a standout, but its really angry and I like it :laugh:
8. Mabel Normand: I don't know why I like this song so much because I shouldn't. Vocal is nothing special and the lyrics are a wandering, messy leftover from the RAL cocaine maniac days. I guess I like the parallels Stevie drew between her and the actress and her addictions. It feels like a frazzled reflection on her state of being in the mid-80s.
9. 24 Karat Gold: I love the bass in the song, it feels like classic Stevie.
10. Touched by an Angel: Just a really sweet song, the only latter day Stevie song that can catch my feels.

I’m a big fan of Stevie's post The Dance solo work.

Trouble in Shangri-La is a solid return to form. Stevie’s vocals are finally out of their Klonopin haze. The album suffers a bit from too many producers and too many outside writers.

Say You Will was such a disappointment. I love all the demos, but the final versions pale in comparison. I prefer a more live sound and harmonies, so all the extra noises and distorted voices are just not for me. Smile at You and Thrown Down had all the energy sucked out of them and Goodbye Baby and Not Make Believe lost all their haunting beauty and were just lots of noise.

In Your Dreams is great. Remove Soldier’s Angel and Cheaper Than Free and it equals Bella Donna and Wild Heart for me. Dave Stewart does a great job of mixing different musical styles but keeping them sounding like Stevie.

24 Karat Gold is just below In Your Dreams. Unlike Say Your Will, the strongest demos were kept pretty much the same, the ok demos were beefed up a bit and the truly bad demo (Mabel Normand) was completely revamped. I don’t care and Carousel drag the album down for me.

Here is my ten songs in no particular order:

If You Ever Did Believe – Really thought this should have had more success. One of Stevie’s strongest choruses
Trouble in Shangri-La – Most inspired Stevie has sounded since Wild Heart
Planets of the Universe (Extended) – Really liked John Shanks work on TISL
Wide Sargasso Sea – A bit of a musical departure for Stevie, but it still feels very much like her
Moonlight (A Vampire's Dream) – In my top 5 of all time.
Mabel Normand – Stevie was able to channel her crazy Rock A Little persona on this
24 Karat Gold – Sounds like classic Mac
All The Beautiful Worlds - Sounds like classic Stevie
You May Be the One – Stevie’s emotions really shine through on this one
Destiny Rules - Her only Say You Will song that didn’t get destroyed by over-production

Honorable Mentions:

The Dealer – a better vocal would have moved it onto the list
Running Through the Garden – The cheesy keyboard keeps it off my list as well
Thrown Down (Wall of Sound) – Would have made the list if it was officially released. The Say You Will version just plods along without any passion

1. If You Were My Love
2. The Dealer
3. Trouble in Shangri La
4. Illume (hate the lyrics but love the production)
5. Planets of the Universe
6. 24k Gold
7. If you Ever Did Believe
8. You May Be the One
9. Bells Fleur
10. Wide Sargasso Sea

Honorable Mention
Candlebright, Mabel Normand, Destiny Rules

It’s Only Love - for the vocal, the song is just OK
That Made Me Stronger - I know, an unpopular choice, but I love the fade out... “Well once more I tell the shadows Of my soul to stay back...” classic Stevie
Candlebright - another wonderful fade
Illume - love the intensity, can’t stand Lindsey’s Speak N Spell interlude
Not Make Believe - wonderful quirkiness
Secret Love - just an excellent vocal and catchy as heck
Moonlight - though yes I agree the live version is better
New Orleans - this one will go through my head for days after I hear it
24 KG - takes you right back to the 1981 heyday (even if you didn’t live through it)
Mabel Normand - the crazy lyrics, yes, and that BRIDGE... “every other day you just change sides...” guitar solo... BAM. Back to the crazy.

I also love the verse only of “Beautiful People Beautiful Problems” with Lana.

If You Ever Did Believe
Crystal
Planets of the Universe (extended)
Bombay Sapphires (I prefer the demo)
Love Is (I prefer the demo)
Thrown Down (Wall of Sound)
Smile at You
Illume
Moonlight (A Vampire’s Dream)
Annabel Lee
Mabel Normand

I did 11 because I wasn’t sure if Crystal counted.

Honorable mention to For What It’s Worth, which I don’t think is great musically and yet it somehow always autoplays on YouTube and I sing along every damn time.

Oh, and I like the demo of Not Make Believe but I’ve never been able to find the official SYW bonus version.

I’m surprised so many of y’all like It’s Only Love. I always thought that was a real snoozer on TISL.

Most of my Stevie playlists stick pretty much to 1973-1983 (when I loved everything really).

But I've given her later work enough listens to answer this. But telling that more than half of this list was written (or mostly written - "Moonlight") in the '70s/'80s.

Not necessarily in this order:

1. Sorcerer (the WH outtake version is my favorite, but Sheryl Crow's production gave this TISL track some fun kick).
2. You May Be the One (love some bluesy Stevie; this one was personal meaning from my life at the time too)
3. Belle Fleur (would love to hear the early 80s version that was reportedly completed; is that circulating somewhere?)
4. If You Ever Did Believe
5. Touched by an Angel (should have saved this for TISL)
6. New Orleans
7. Annabel Lee (too long, like many IYD tracks, but still cool)
8. Moonlight (A Vampire's Dream) (one of her better latter-day vocals to my ears)
9. All the Beautiful Worlds
10. Planets of the Universe (extended) (the full version should have made the album)

Wow: Nothing from Say You Will quite made the cut.

1.Trouble in Shangri-La
2.Destiny Rules
3.Fall From Grace
4.Thrown Down
5.You May Be The One
6.Candlebright
7.Sorcerer
8.Love Is (I like the demo with Sarah better)
9.I Miss You (I've always wondered who this was about)
10.Everybody Finds Out (great energy)

honorary mention: Say Goodbye.

24k was forgettable. Some of those performances should have stayed forgotten. Most of IYD didn't last over time for me. TISL was her last great solo album; it ranks with her best early solo stuff.

Love Is
I Miss You
Everybody Loves You
Italian Summer
If You Were My love
24 Karat Gold
Illume
Thrown Down
Mabel Normand
Goodbye Baby

TISL is pretty flabby, for me, and In Your Drams is not mostly her songs but Dave Stewart's. 24 KG was a real treat for me, and her nine songs on SYW are, as a group, my all time favourites.

What do you mean? Stevie's labeled as writer for all of the songs on that album. Did Dave write the music? Secret Love doesn't sound like a Stevie song to me. It's almost U2ish

Of the 13 tracks on IYD Stevie is the sole writer of three only - Secret Love, Soldier's Angel, and Moonlight, plus Annabel Lee (with help from Waddy Wachtel, and the lyrics there are from a poem, not her). The rest are her lyrics to Dave Stewart's or other people's actual music.

I don't know why Stevie gets dinged for co-writing when honestly it's more the norm than not. Male writers who co-write don't get any blowback for it --Elton John never writes solo, Lennon and McCartney wrote together more than solo, Mick and Keith co-write most Stones songs, Tom Petty frequently co-wrote with Mike and others..... within FM Christine co-writes frequently especially post-Tusk. Lindsey doesn't really co-write, but then, not really surprising. Stevie just isn't a super talented musician, and her chord repertoire and playing capability kinda ran its course-- and even her early BN/FM stuff was tweaked and edited by LB so not necessarily entirely her own. Her stuff with Dave was him starting with her lyrics and the two of them working out a melody and arrangement, so the music isn't really entirely his.

She has built a big part of her reputation on her originality as a songwriter so the 90% lyrics only tracks on IYD is a bit disappointing. As for IYD Dave gets sole credit in the liner notes for the music on the songs.

Did Mike Campbell write the music for My Heart and For What It's Worth?

I remember he did the tv shows with her over the summer of 2011 to do FWIW

FWIW definitely. DOn't know abut My Heart

Totally agree about the 1973-1983 period she was never quite the same after this as a songwriter or a singer. 7 of the 10 "new " songs that you listed were also written during those years.

Agree with Thrown Down (Wall of Sound). Amazing vocals. It should have been on TISL and released as the first single.

And next to singing her talent is as a lyricist. I often think of Chris and Lindsey commenting on The Chain. They may think you’re kooky. They may not understand it. But they know the words sounds good. And they know it’s you. Indelible.

1. Moonlight (A Vampire's Dream). Tho I only ever play the extended version I made.
2. Trouble In Shangri-La
3. Destiny Rules
4. If You Ever Did Believe
5. Thrown Down
6. Mabel Normand
7. Planets Of The Universe [Extended Album Version]

and these probably don't count for this thread, but I play them an awful lot:

Edge of Seventeen (Live w/ The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra)
Dreams (Deep Dish Album Version) - well it's a new vocal:shrug:
Stand Back (Tracy Takes You Home Radio Edit)

Planets of the Universe
Everyday (yes—I like this tune)

Throw Down
Everybody Finds Out
Say You Will
Illume
Destiny Rules (She kicked butt on SYW)

Moonlight
Annabelle Lee

Lady (IMO: the best performance and song of her later career)
......

Largely, I stuck to the hits. Her solo albums are spotty. SYW Stevie really came through....

I agree with almost everything you said. I agree that SYW is probably Stevie's best contributions to any album since Tusk/Mirage - Bella Donna era. I am constantly amazed at the trashing SYW gets in this forum. Not only are they well written songs but arranged perfectly musically and production wise.

Could not agree with you on Everyday though. OMG that song is nails down a chalkboard for me. Its probably my least favorite song of hers. Even if someone else sang the song, it still is a bad song.

Otherwise, we are almost twins separated at birth with your list. ;) I would just add Bombay Sapphires and Trouble in Shangri-la in the place of the other songs not from SYW.

re Everyday
 

They chose a TOTAL milquetoast adult contemporary track written by someone else to reintroduce solo Stevie to the public. Great video but the song had NONE of the Stevie magic nor persona... bleeech, and yes to SYW.. i think it's a great song.

I agree on Thrown Down (Wall of Sound)- a terrific song that would have made a huge difference for TISL- written by Stevie, powerhouse performance and production- instead, Everyday, landed like a thud. Not written by Stevie, bad production and uninspired vocals.

So, top 10 modern songs, I'm going to stay away from older songs brought back to life.

1. Call on Me for Magic- One of the most beautiful, inspired vocals in a very long time.
2. Fall from Grace- A driving beat, great vocals and good songwriting make this one a winner.
3. Love Changes- Nice vocals and a keeper for TISL
4. Italian Summer- On the Mitzo track here that her slower songs are wonderful and showcase her powerful vocals when she wants to sing.
5. In Your Dreams- I like this song and it has a bit of a I Don't Want to Know vibe for me- would've made a great Mac song IMO.
6. Everybody Finds Out- Why oh Why wasn't this heavily promoted, it's great!
7. Illume- despite some lyrical missteps, has a nice vibe and production value.
8. For What it's Worth- Drones on a bit, but a nice melody and a feel good song.
9. Trouble in Shangri La- Great writing and killer chorus if slightly weak vocally in spots.
10. Destiny Rules- her best post dance song and the best song on Say You Will to my ears- again- some weak spots but still a great song.

and ironically has Lindsey's fingerprints all over it. Watch the DR doc where he's working on it in the studio when Mick comes in (on that metal guitar- is it a dobro?) and then later you see Stevie come in and work on singing it to the new, upbeat arrangement he's come up with. I'm guessing her original was her usual plonking piano two-finger thing. The arrangement of the backing vocals is clearly his design, mirroring what he's done for so many of her songs to give them more momentum (Sara is such a perfect example, and Gypsy).

1. Ghosts Are Gone
2. Fall From Grace
3. Destiny Rules
4. It's Only Love
5. I Don't Care
6. Mable Normand
7. Not Make Believe
8. Everybody Finds Out
9. In Your Dreams
10. Touched By An Angel

Honorable mention:
Your Hand (I Will Never Let It Go)
For What It's Worth
Wide Sargasso Sea