I've always loved Straight Back. I can still remember vividly the first time I heard it. I was on a plane bound for Las Vegas in July '01, and was listening to the two albums I had just received for my birthday: Tango and Mirage. Straight Back came on as we were flying over the Grand Canyon and Lake Mead... it was almost a spiritual thing. It was such a beautiful way to be introduced to such a beautiful song. I've had a soft spot for Straight Back ever since.
I agree it's no Gold Dust Woman or Sisters Of The Moon, but Straight Back is still a classic textbook Stevie Nicks song. I love the spooky, haunting sound it oozes. The backing vocals are sheer perfection. The production may come across as a bit busy with John's thumping bass, the lush vocals, and Lindsey's keyboard-mocking guitarwork... but I think Stevie's very out-in-front vocal helps balance it out. The way the song slowly winds up to an instrumental crescendo at the end is very cool.
This song marks the last time she recorded anything great within the confines of the Mac until Illume and Destiny Rules... a 21 year span. I've always kind of found it odd, yet fitting the song was about how her solo career revived her musical passion... yet the song was recorded for a Mac album. Kinda a foreshadowing of trouble to come.
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