Behind Blue Denim...theories, proof?!

[Kelly]

Egads, that quote only reinforces my belief that this song is about Linds. For the umpteenth time, I do not think that all her lyrics are about him but for whatever reason some of them are. In 1994 they were not speaking. He came back into her life briefly to make the appearance at the BTM show and the Inaug.......Stevie has been dishonest when asked about song lyrics many times. Blatantly dishonest. Stand Back?!? At that time in their relationship, I would think the last thing she would want to admit publically is she wrote a song like that about Lindsey.
Could be about someone else completely but the whole eye thing....she uses certain words, feelings, phrases over and over when writing about him.

[seekerj]

Could the song be about Don?

There's an old film from the 50's called "Blue Denim". If you can find it, check it out. I know Stevie has written songs that were inspired by films before.

Just a possibility.

- Jim

[glitter_fades]

Originally Posted by Kelly

Egads, that quote only reinforces my belief that this song is about Linds. For the umpteenth time, I do not think that all her lyrics are about him but for whatever reason some of them are. In 1994 they were not speaking. He came back into her life briefly to make the appearance at the BTM show and the Inaug.......Stevie has been dishonest when asked about song lyrics many times. Blatantly dishonest. Stand Back?!? At that time in their relationship, I would think the last thing she would want to admit publically is she wrote a song like that about Lindsey.
Could be about someone else completely but the whole eye thing....she uses certain words, feelings, phrases over and over when writing about him.

I disagree about her openess on which songs are about Lindsey. After all these years of giving different stories about the first important composition of her career, Landslide, that tells me in the past she did not want to admit how many songs he's inspired. Maybe not every song is about him, entirely, but I think he's somewhere in almost everything she's ever written. Her unwillingness to admit until recently that Landslide was about him is significant.

She's blowing smoke by impling in that interview Blue Denim is about a stranger. She doesn't come out and say she didn't know the person. She implies the person just came and went. He had blue eyes. He could have been anyone. Yet, the line that really gives it away, imo, is... "understanding me and understanding you, is not an easy thing to do." Does anyone think she'd be saying that about a stranger, or anyone else besides LB?

[David]

Originally Posted by glitter_fades

I think in the past she did not want to admit how many songs he's inspired. I think he's somewhere in almost everything she's ever written. Her unwillingness to admit until recently that Landslide was about him is significant.

And I'm still puzzled as to why she won't admit that he figures prominently in "Jane" -- the "forgotten chimpanzee" etc.

[glitter_fades]

Originally Posted by David

And I'm still puzzled as to why she won't admit that he figures prominently in "Jane" -- the "forgotten chimpanzee" etc.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by David

And I'm still puzzled as to why she won't admit that he figures prominently in "Jane" -- the "forgotten chimpanzee" etc.

YOU ARE SO BAD

both a child of the world and a lower, hairy primate

[PenguinHead]

Originally Posted by David

And I'm still puzzled as to why she won't admit that he figures prominently in "Jane" -- the "forgotten chimpanzee" etc.

This made my day. Brilliant wit!

[EveryHour]

Originally Posted by Johnny Stew

Does Brett Michaels have blue eyes? I imagine he could be a possibility, as Stevie talked of him VERY fondly in the 'Timespace' liner notes, and he fits the bill, when it comes to a man who seems to have left her life as quickly as he came.
The timing would be right, too. Since "Love's A Hard Game To Play" was recorded in 1991, and "Blue Denim" was copyrighted in early 1992.

Good speculation, although it's the "I'll come back and get you" bit that keeps me coming back to LB. Perhaps there's someone else in her life she feels strongly enough about to say that about, but no one obvious to us, IMO.

[EveryHour]

Originally Posted by glitter_fades

Yet, the line that really gives it away, imo, is... "understanding me and understanding you, is not an easy thing to do." Does anyone think she'd be saying that about a stranger, or anyone else besides LB?

I agree that, if the song is about LB, the chances of her admitting it at the time are slim. True, Stevie is honest about the content of her songs in that she never flat out lies about their inspiration, but she can most definitely be vague...as she's allowed to be . And as with Landslide, I'm sure sometimes time dissolves one's need to be guarded about a song's subject matter. Why haven't I gone to the Nicks Fix and added this burning question to the zillions of others?! I'll do that now and hope she gets to it someday!

Hmm...Don Henley was mentioned. He does have blue eyes but through some analyzing and gut feeling, I don't feel it's about him. Ugh! Joe Walsh has blue eyes too. Anyone have any theories as to why it might be about either of these two?

[seekerj]

Originally Posted by EveryHour

I agree that, if the song is about LB, the chances of her admitting it at the time are slim. True, Stevie is honest about the content of her songs in that she never flat out lies about their inspiration, but she can most definitely be vague...as she's allowed to be . And as with Landslide, I'm sure sometimes time dissolves one's need to be guarded about a song's subject matter. Why haven't I gone to the Nicks Fix and added this burning question to the zillions of others?! I'll do that now and hope she gets to it someday!

Hmm...Don Henley was mentioned. He does have blue eyes but through some analyzing and gut feeling, I don't feel it's about him. Ugh! Joe Walsh has blue eyes too. Anyone have any theories as to why it might be about either of these two?

This is just pure speculation, totally just a possibility, that's all, but I mentioned Don Henley because of the film "Blue Denim". It's an old black-and-white about two kids that have definite paths set for their lives and expectations from others, committments, etc., and they fall in love and the girl gets pregnant. It goes through all the craziness they each experience in their minds because of the situation. And what to do about it.

I'm just wondering if the song could be related.

- Jim

[catinthedark]

Originally Posted by David

And I'm still puzzled as to why she won't admit that he figures prominently in "Jane" -- the "forgotten chimpanzee" etc.

Bwahahahaha!!!

That was hi-LAR-ious!!! I'm still giggling.

[EveryHour]

Originally Posted by seekerj

This is just pure speculation, totally just a possibility, that's all, but I mentioned Don Henley because of the film "Blue Denim". It's an old black-and-white about two kids that have definite paths set for their lives and expectations from others, committments, etc., and they fall in love and the girl gets pregnant. It goes through all the craziness they each experience in their minds because of the situation. And what to do about it.

I'm just wondering if the song could be related.

- Jim

Interesting. I'm not familiar with the film, so thanks. This pulls DH up to be a much stronger contender for me. Especially because Stevie likes old movies, and comparing someone's eyes to blue denim is a pretty random thing to come up with without a trigger point. If it is about him, apparently Stevie had a much more subtle way of telling their story than he did . Of course, we don't know either that Stevie was never pregnant by Lindsey (it's none of our business, obviously, but we just happen to have the DH pregnancy confirmed).....

[Kelly]

Actually I agree with everything you are saying. In my above post I was saying she has been vague or purposely misleading about the meaning of her lyrics in the past so this BD quote could be smoke. She often changes the meaning of songs in interviews even when they are in part about Lindsey. I agree with you that he is often intertwined in much of her writing..although I know many people around here strongly disagree. Personally, I think she does not want to admit how often or how much she writes about him, hence the misleading or vague responses. There is no way I can see this song being about a stranger. Why would she come back and get a stranger or someone insignficant? She is talking about how this man is now seeing her differently and that hurts her..he obviously knows her from the past!

BTW..you mentioned Landslide above, Glitter. Why in your opinion did it take so long for Stevie to talk about the real inspiration for that song? It was always pretty obvious to me that "I've built my life around you" was referring to Lindsey but there were those who believed she was referring to her musical dreams or her Dad. The emotion that flowed from her during Landslide on the MTV Dance taping was way more powerful and much deeper than Silver Springs. (for me) It was very genuine and there was so much vulnerability and love in her eyes.... the way she turned her body towards him when she started to choke up.... the complete spontaneaty (spe?) of the embrace and the "thank you's" at the end. I think it is my most favorite part of the concert.

[glitter_fades]

Originally Posted by Kelly

Actually I agree with everything you are saying. In my above post I was saying she has been vague or purposely misleading about the meaning of her lyrics in the past so this BD quote could be smoke. She often changes the meaning of songs in interviews even when they are in part about Lindsey. I agree with you that he is often intertwined in much of her writing..although I know many people around here strongly disagree. Personally, I think she does not want to admit how often or how much she writes about him, hence the misleading or vague responses. There is no way I can see this song being about a stranger. Why would she come back and get a stranger or someone insignficant? She is talking about how this man is now seeing her differently and that hurts her..he obviously knows her from the past!

BTW..you mentioned Landslide above, Glitter. Why in your opinion did it take so long for Stevie to talk about the real inspiration for that song? It was always pretty obvious to me that "I've built my life around you" was referring to Lindsey but there were those who believed she was referring to her musical dreams or her Dad. The emotion that flowed from her during Landslide on the MTV Dance taping was way more powerful and much deeper than Silver Springs. (for me) It was very genuine and there was so much vulnerability and love in her eyes.... the way she turned her body towards him when she started to choke up.... the complete spontaneaty (spe?) of the embrace and the "thank you's" at the end. I think it is my most favorite part of the concert.

All discussions of forgotten chimps aside...

My opinion of Landslide has not changed in 30 years. I always thought that song was about her relationship with Lindsey. Prior to the dedication in Boston I often posted about it whenever I wanted to point out how Stevie is not honest with herself about her lyrics, not necessarily that she is purposely dishonest in interviews when asked about her songs. I've always thought Stevie never wanted to admit to herself what that song was about because it says a lot about how conflicted and perhaps uncommitted she was to that relationship long before rocknroll excess became the default explanation why it didn't work out between them. I think she was always conflicted within herself about that song and what it said about her motives in being in a realtionship with Lindsey. I think she sees the whole thing differently now. Maybe that's what you're seeing with your observations on The Dance? Perhaps she's not as conflicted about it anymore because she sees herself differently and their relationship differently?

Now, don't get me started on Edge of 17 or Stand Back. John Lennon? Puhleeez! Welfare lines? Nice try, dear.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by glitter_fades

All discussions of forgotten chimps aside...

My opinion of Landslide has not changed in 30 years. I always thought that song was about her relationship with Lindsey. Prior to the dedication in Boston I often posted about it whenever I wanted to point out how Stevie is not honest with herself about her lyrics, not necessarily that she is purposely dishonest in interviews when asked about her songs. I've always thought Stevie never wanted to admit to herself what that song was about because it says a lot about how conflicted and perhaps uncommitted she was to that relationship long before rocknroll excess became the default explanation why it didn't work out between them. I think she was always conflicted within herself about that song and what it said about her motives in being in a realtionship with Lindsey. I think she sees the whole thing differently now. Maybe that's what you're seeing with your observations on The Dance? Perhaps she's not as conflicted about it anymore because she sees herself differently and their relationship differently?

Now, don't get me started on Edge of 17 or Stand Back. John Lennon? Puhleeez! Welfare lines? Nice try, dear.

Although I see what you are saying, I think what she says is not necessarily untrue or conflicting. For example, she said Landlside essentially was about her Dad in the sense that the changing she was thinking about was leaving the music business, where she had had maybe marginal success and taking her dad's offer. But, she chose to stay in the business. So, her father is in there somewhere and she correctly states Landslide is about her dad as well as LB who taught her to play it, was her music business then, etc. Interestingly, she never said it was just about her father though Same thing for the welfare line in SB in that although the song itself is about a larger topic, that line could be about being forced to stand in some kind of line. Thus, I conclude in general her songs have a general theme that she often does not say and many supporting themes which she says. They all exist if you will in those songs

Edit: I reread that and thought it came across as I am right and everyone else is wrong. Though that may be the case (levity) - I most certainly am not saying anyone is wrong or anything like that - I am just saying my view