Bella Donna vs. The Wild Heart
 

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.

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.

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

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.

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."

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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