"Touched By An Angel" appreciation thread

[takenbythesky]

..........

[lagringader&r]

Originally Posted by takenbythesky

I just listened to "Touched By An Angel" for the very first time about half an hour ago. The song moved me to tears, and I'm still feeling emotionally heavy.

I have not inspected the lyrics to this song; I only know they seemed to work wonders upon the first listen.

I thought of my Uncle Jim, who passed away from complications due to AIDS when I was eight...how my branch of the family supported him when others who shared his blood did not...

This song has so much beauty within it.

Yes it does! It's a very heavy song with a lot of meaning and if you listen to it very closely and inspect those lyrics, I think almost everyone can relate to it. It makes me cry and I always feel something new each time I listen to it. Thanks for posting this!

[amber]

Originally Posted by takenbythesky

I just listened to "Touched By An Angel" for the very first time about half an hour ago. The song moved me to tears, and I'm still feeling emotionally heavy.

I have not inspected the lyrics to this song; I only know they seemed to work wonders upon the first listen.

I thought of my Uncle Jim, who passed away from complications due to AIDS when I was eight...how my branch of the family supported him when others who shared his blood did not...

This song has so much beauty within it.

You don't have to ask me twice, I fricking love this song.
Those are beautiful words about your uncle. I'm glad you brought it up. I think anyone would love it...well, at least it does work wonders upon first listen. I had a non Mac friend who absolutely loved it. It's haunting. It's very visceral, sort of a form of pure emotion (IMO).

[desertangel]

Oh yes. I remember when this song and the album it was on first came out. I drove to Borders on my morning break to get it... played it on repeat the whole way back to work. It was the first brand new thing we'd gotten from Stevie in awhile.

An aside: Later that week I had my mother in the car and had her listen to it... you have to know my mother, she could ruin a wet dream in half a second... anyway, she said "what's wrong with her nose, she sounds really nasally." - urrrggg, sometimes I wanna throttle her -

Anyhow, ya.. my first listen of this song brought misty tears to my eyes. It sounded very much like a lullaby to me with those tinkling bells in the background. Love it!!! Put TBAA on the stereo, a cup of chamomille, some lavendar bath bubbles in a nice warm bath and some nag champa candles. Afterwards, a pint of Ben and Jerry's Choc Chip Cookie Dough. That's my recipe for any serious emotional upheaval.


Laura

[DrummerDeanna]

One of my favorite Stevie songs EVER!!! I? LOVE it...

The first time I heard it was heavy and emotional too - but it was near the end of a really intense relationship and I knew the end was near but also didn't - you know? And i Just remember holding this person while listening to the song.....*sigh*

Much love for TBAA.

---

on a side note I saw the thread title and I thought, "Touched by an Angel? Shouldn' this be in Chit Chat?" I thought you were talking about the TV show

[dissention]

It's one of my favorites. I listened to it a lot when I was taking care of my friend who died of AIDS and it helped me enormously. I don't listen to it so much anymore because it's too sad for me to hear it, but it's one of her best.

[strandinthewind]

I think this song shows how she can write like nonody else. Some think this song is all about the FM reunion in 97. I do not. I think it is 100% about her friend who died of AIDS. It is one of the most moving things she has ever written and the lullaby aspect of the music makes it even sweeter and jarring. Finally, this song was not written to be a hit and is a tiny bit in a style alternate from her usual, which I also love.

[dissention]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

I think this song shows how she can write like nonody else. Some think this song is all about the FM reunion in 97. I do not. I think it is 100% about her friend who died of AIDS. It is one of the most moving things she has ever written and the lullaby aspect of the music makes it even sweeter and jarring. Finally, this song was not written to be a hit and is a tiny bit in a style alternate from her usual, which I also love.

I agree, I don't think it has anything to do with Fleetwood Mac. It's easy to push aside the fact that it's about AIDS by looking at the lyrics of a reunion, but I think that sells Stevie short. There was one time when I was sitting by my friend in his bedroom and I put the song on for him to hear and it's still the closest I've ever felt to another human being in my life. Just looking at him in bed while I listened to that song was a surreal experience and even if I make off-color or critical remarks about Stevie sometimes, I'll always be grateful for that one moment in my life. Thinking about it still agonizes me today and I find it difficult to listen to the song. I don't even know where the CD is, actually. I suppose this proves I'm not so hardened after all.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by dissention

I agree, I don't think it has anything to do with Fleetwood Mac. It's easy to push aside the fact that it's about AIDS by looking at the lyrics of a reunion, but I think that sells Stevie short. There was one time when I was sitting by my friend in his bedroom and I put the song on for him to hear and it's still the closest I've ever felt to another human being in my life. Just looking at him in bed while I listened to that song was a surreal experience and even if I make off-color or critical remarks about Stevie sometimes, I'll always be grateful for that one moment in my life. Thinking about it still agonizes me today and I find it difficult to listen to the song. I don't even know where the CD is, actually. I suppose this proves I'm not so hardened after all.

Well, now that I am weepy - Seriously, I have said this many times before, but I think she walked into a hospital room to see her friend she may have been estranged from for years and they may even have been angry with each other. She was apprehensive to see his condition. Then, once those few moments passed, everything was the same in their relationship but everything was different because he was dying. In that healing process the floor was wet and slippery with the tracks of their tears. Then, I think either soon after or maybe even at home later, she fantasized that like she thinks she takes people away and makes them better when she performs, she wishes that spirit (Rhiannon perhaps - she sent this to the troops in 91 ) to her friend to help him pass and to make him comfortable.

I cannot thank her enough for this song and I just refuse to believe that something so deep could be merely about a FM reunion, as deep as that may be.

[catinthedark]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

I think this song shows how she can write like nonody else. Some think this song is all about the FM reunion in 97. I do not. I think it is 100% about her friend who died of AIDS. It is one of the most moving things she has ever written and the lullaby aspect of the music makes it even sweeter and jarring. Finally, this song was not written to be a hit and is a tiny bit in a style alternate from her usual, which I also love.

I so completely agree. First off, I love this song. Love. It. But I think this song is a perfect, perfect example of when Stevie says her songs mean different things to different people. I think it's also sort of an example of when she says a specific song is about one thing, and then a few years later, she says it's about something else. I think TBAA was absolutely inspired by people living and dying from AIDS - the whole angel coming to take you away, and watching from the side of the stage (watching from outside your life). Definitely. But I'm one who also sees in this the whole Dance reunion thing. I think both arguments, both sides, are equally strong, and neither is wrong. I think Stevie would love to know her fans get so much out of this song, but also get different things from it.

[dissention]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

Well, now that I am weepy - Seriously, I have said this many times before, but I think she walked into a hospital room to see her friend she may have been estranged from for years and they may even have been angry with each other. She was apprehensive to see his condition. Then, once those few moments passed, everything was the same in their relationship but everything was different because he was dying. In that healing process the floor was wet and slippery with the tracks of their tears. Then, I think either soon after or maybe even at home later, she fantasized that like she thinks she takes people away and makes them better when she performs, she wishes that spirit (Rhiannon perhaps - she sent this to the troops in 91 ) to her friend to help him pass and to make him comfortable.

I cannot thank her enough for this song and I just refuse to believe that something so deep could be merely about a FM reunion, as deep as that may be.

I agree somewhat. I always thought that the most powerful part of the song is the way she describes a reunion of sorts between estranged friends and family because of their loved one dying. I interpreted parts of the the song to mean that everyone has reunited to see their loved one before he or she passes and as they look around at each other and see the person dying, they see the faces of each other and realize how much time they've wasted by being estranged for so long and they're filled with regret knowing that there's not much time left. Now that everyone is together for the "first time in years," the one who's suffering can finally pass away in peace and the "angel" comes to take him or her away while they're surrounded by the ones that they love; they don't have to die alone, they can pass while being surrounded by the warmth and love that they were deprived of for so long. It's heartbreaking.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by dissention

I agree somewhat. I always thought that the most powerful part of the song is the way she describes a reunion of sorts between estranged friends and family because of their loved one dying. I interpreted parts of the the song to mean that everyone has reunited to see their loved one before he or she passes and as they look around at each other and see the person dying, they see the faces of each other and realize how much time they've wasted by being estranged for so long and they're filled with regret knowing that there's not much time left. Now that everyone is together for the "first time in years," the one who's suffering can finally pass away in peace and the "angel" comes to take him or her away while they're surrounded by the ones that they love; they don't have to die alone, they can pass while being surrounded by the warmth and love that they were deprived of for so long. It's heartbreaking.

I agree - guess I just never thought of the him dying while she was there. But, he may have. I also go the feeling that she went more than one day. But, that is spec. on my part

[Mad4stevie]

I love this song too!

Which friend did Stevie write this about? Do we know?

This was a song that I played for my mom when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She loved it. The song makes me think of her and her recovery.

But in my heart, I leave
Great expectations
That you will find the answers
To your questions
And that life will once more
Be a celebration . . .

[ontheEdgeof17]

Mad <333333.


I always forget about this song. It is one of my top ten favorites, but I never pull it out because it's on a soundtrack. It needs to be brought to the light. Like on a tour perhaps?

[CreepingDeath]

Originally Posted by DrummerDeanna

One of my favorite Stevie songs EVER!!! I? LOVE it...

It's steller.