DISCUSSION: Stevie's songs from Tusk

[louielouie2000]

Tusk represents Stevie's pinnacle as both a singer, and a songwriter in my book.

Take for instance, Storms. This is probably the best songwriting of Stevie's career. It's introspective, it's deep, it's dark, yet light. Stevie really learned how to portray emotion with her voice with this song, too... it sounds like she sang it immediately after a big cry. I just adore this song, and all the sentiments it contains. Recognizing your own faults. Wishing for better, even though you know things can't change.

Sara is Stevie's opus. I used to think this song was long, boring, and lacking in focus... but I understand it so much better with age. The song is about multiple big things going on in Stevie's life that collectively defined her psyche in this era. It's sort of her grand opera. To me, this is one of those textbook Mac songs.

Beautiful Child... definitely one of the most gorgeous songs Stevie AND the Mac ever recorded. It's a master work. So achingly sad, and heart breakingly gorgeous. To me, the song is about the innocence lost after your first big breakup. Like Storms, this is amongst the best lyrics Stevie ever wrote. This song also contains some of my favorite Mac harmonies. They're fairly subtle (ex: "I bite my lip, could you send me away?") in Mac terms, but masterful. I love how this song's volume ebbs and flows.

Sisters Of The Moon is probably the most rocking Mac song of all time... on the album, and ESPECIALLY live. I love how Stevie really played up her witchy persona mythology... and is coming to grips with how fame is surprisingly lonely, and is changing her beyond recognition. Like Camper Van Beethoven pointed out with their version of this song, the lyrics and subject matter tend to be a bit self involved, and perhaps Stevie was taking herself a bit too seriously when she wrote this one... but that's all part of the Stevie we know and love! Who's to say how any of us would react had we become world famous almost overnight, with the biggest selling album of all time?

Angel... blah. I just don't get this one. It's dull. It never goes anywhere musically. It doesn't really say a lot lyrically, either. I don't understand the mass adoration of this song... it's a snooze. Stevie said during the Tusk Documentary that she was really trying not to be herself, and to just write a fun, upbeat rock song... and that's just not who she is, or what she does best. This song is perfect evidence. Nice try, Stevie... but no cookie.

All things considered, Tusk contains the very best Stevie Nicks ever had to offer during her career. Like I said before, these songs contain her lyrical and vocal pinnacles. I don't care that per usual, Stevie didn't get an equal slice of the Mac pie... what matters is the material she did contribute is way, way above par. Lindsey had nearly twice the songs on Tusk that Stevie did, but you can't say his contributions as a whole are in the same league quality-wise as Stevie's or Christine's. He contributed a lot of experimental fluff... as well as some classics of his own. Stevie on the other hand knocked it out of the park with each and every song. To me quality trumps quantity.