Those "special" musical nuances in Stevie's music...

[sorcerer999]

I've been meaning to post about this for a long time. Part of what makes certain Stevie songs special to me are the musical nuances that other musicians or producers bring to the table. Things that have nothing to do with Stevie's original demos. Things that add an extra layer to the magic of the song and its story or the visualization/imagination within.

I've compiled a list of some of these examples...or at least the ones I can think of off the top of my head at the moment. I'm curious to hear everyone else's input as well. In my opinion, sometimes these "little things" can be just as important as the vocals or lyrical content of a song.

"Secret Love" - The basic single chord acoustic guitar part that comes in at 1:57 after she starts singing "I am not asking salvation from you..." It's been awhile since I've seen the documentary but I believe it is a Warner Brothers executive who stopped by to visit and decided to contribute this tiny part, which actually adds so much.

"Watch Chain" - The piano "chord plunks" in the second verse (1:04) after she sings "touching fingers thru the kitchen lace..." Like "Secret Love", more depth is added here with this simplistic move.

"All The Beautiful Worlds" - At 2:25 in the middle of the bridge, right after she sings the first "don't even say goodbye", the piano and synth team up for a descending "phrase" during that measure that you really have to listen for or you'll miss it. It contributes to the darkness of the moment/sentiment in my opinion.

"Sorcerer" - The magical repeating 2 note guitar part in every chorus (1:20) which is a great example of "less is more". I think this song wouldn't be nearly as interesting without it.

"Sister Honey" - Those high guitar licks starting at 2:53 after every time she sings the word "fast". I visualize lightning crashes every time I hear them.

"Rhiannon (Will You Ever Win)" - The single version of course. It is the background "Ooohs" at 0:44 as well as Lindsey's lead guitar overdubs at 1:17 that provide the spooky atmosphere which is sadly lacking in the album version.

"Enchanted" - The organ part that starts at the beginning of the second verse (0:48) and continues through to the end of the second chorus. It adds that little "spark of energy" to a song that one might consider "too plodding" if it weren't there.

"Dreams" - The faint vibraphone during the pre-choruses. The most obvious being the little flourish at 2:54 before the second chorus begins.

"24 Karat Gold" - The wind chimes, triangle, and vibro-synth that appear on every chorus (the first of which you can hear at 0:54) truly giving it that late 70's southern California Laurel Canyon/Venice Beach vibe. That is why this track sounds the most "timeless" out of all the other tracks on this album for me.

"Storms" - Just the opening of the song itself where it sounds like the band is tuning/warming up before diving right in. I also appreciate the randomness of the tambourine beginning a mere 2 beats before she starts singing. (0:11)

I really could go on and on here. There are so many phenomenal pieces that other people have shaded into her music - the mandolin part during musical interlude of "Sleeping Angel", the cyclone climax of "Everybody Finds Out" and its string synth, the breaking glass and various sound effects of "Gold Dust Woman", the unique drum pattern of the second verse of "Belle Fleur" (this is no ticket to dreamland) which deviates from the proceeding simpler pattern, Dave Stewart's "dumb ass guitar solo" (Stevie's words) of "Everybody Loves You" and of course the instantly recognizable ascending/descending guitar counter melody on "Gypsy".

Please share your thoughts! What are some of the musical subtleties in Stevie's music that are special to you?