Quote:
Originally posted by Johnny Stew
Even though she wrote a poem/song that reflected her feelings that day, I think she did an amazing job of capturing the fear and disorientation felt by those of us who watched helplessly as the day's events unfolded.
And even though the song's lyrics are specific to Stevie's particular reaction, we know that she was definitely thinking beyond herself that day... personally taking food down to the firemen working in and around Ground Zero, as well as lending financial assistance to the wife and newborn child of one of the Backstreet Boys' crew-members who died on Flight 11, as he was returning home for the birth of his daughter.
A very classy lady, who has shown on many occasions that she is generous and compassionate. 
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Like I said, I admire her effort. I was in Boston on 9/11, watching the news in my hotel room, and I think everyone felt a sense of shock and amazement at what happened. Stevie did a good job at expressing her feelings towards what happened, but it still leaves a bit of a bad taste in my mouth.
I will clearly state that I think a 9/11 song should not be done; it just shouldn't. No matter how true the song is, it cheapens the events. That's just how I feel about it.
Now, Johnny, no one is questioning whether she thought beyond herself that day. I don't see a point in the things you brought up about helping the firefighters and such; that is not the issue and helps no argument. The issue is the song and whether some feel that it is self-indulgent on Stevie's part, which I believe it is and I've stated my reasons. Her compassion is not at hand here, her song is.
Taking that quote on face value, my response would be to can the idea of recording Illume. Yes, Stevie, we know that you were affected by those events; we all were. But to release a song about
your personal experiences and emotions of those events is not necessarily the right thing to do. It will alienate people, especially some listeners who aren't die-hard fans, and even die-hards will feel a tad alienated (as proven in this thread). To focus those events on just one person kind of trivializes things. We all know, whether we would like to admit it or not (and I'm not directing this towards you, Johnny! LOL), that Stevie is a self-indulgent writer. Just listen to Ghosts, I Sing For the Things, Desert Angel, or After the Glitter Fades. Illume is one of those indulgences.
I don't think Stevie thought about how her song could be construed by some and I don't believe that she was doing anything out of ill-will; I thinks she's a genuine person whose heart was in the right place. I just think it backfired this time around, though.