Cheaper than Free Video up (for free on Itunes)

[J.Miller]

I am trying to put into context on how I feel about Stevie's new music and music from her past. Watching 'Cheaper Than Free' brought me to tears because Stevie is very happy now without any doubt. To compare it to' Doing The Best I Can' is so striking. Back in those days I was in denial that Stevie was going through some very tough periods in her life. To let all that in would have broke my heart even more. Now, Stevie has found her way out of that and I am very happy for her. Ironically today I am having a few tough moments myself. To sum it up , if this music / album fails to reach many ears I will take solace in the fact that Stevie is in a happy place now and that makes me happy.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AreMVWFAQhY

[KarmaContestant]

So many interesting opinions this morning...

I'm loving the video, loving the song - it's been stuck in my head all morning. This is going to be such a great album, I think!

Cheaper Than Free is no TISL or I Can't Wait or Rooms On Fire, but I don't think every Stevie song needs to be a spawling, epic tale of lost romance and treacherous love with lyrics that take days to decipher. Some of her simplest tunes rank among my favorite - The Highwayman & Storms for example.

I'm not hearing the 'country' vibe that seems to bother some fans. I really don't hear it at all. There is no western twang, which for me is an essential part of country music. I hear more of a simple guitar/rock ballad like Landslide, with less clouds and more sunshine.

Based on what I had read over the past couple months...and having NOT heard any of the clips or snippets that were talked about, I was really expecting this song to be another Two Kinds of Love....another That Made Me Stronger....or another Desert Angel, you know - an actual dud.

[Richard B]

I love the song more than the video.
In fact, I was making the bed this morning, playing the video but not watching it, just listening to the song. Really love the simplicity of it all.
I don't find it lyrically trite...I mean honestly...the song Landslide has very simple lyrics and one could find it silly and trite.

[Jondalar]

Originally Posted by Richard B

I love the song more than the video.
In fact, I was making the bed this morning, playing the video but not watching it, just listening to the song. Really love the simplicity of it all.
I don't find it lyrically trite...I mean honestly...the song Landslide has very simple lyrics and one could find it silly and trite.

I don't find it lyrically trite either. It's a sentimental song with no repeating chorus and I think it's more effective than Secret Love. It's just really good.

[ryguy2010]

People who throw out lines like "newbies" is what I loathe about this board. For some reason as far as my eyes can see the ONLy people who I've seen bitc... are the very people who "love" the song and are so narcissistic as to think those who find it to be marginal should "shut up" and be Stepford Wives. We ALL belong on the board and some people act all cliquish and or threatened when someone "new" comes along. Get over it. More importantly get over yourself. As far as me personally I've been a fan since I was 10. Oh and when a new album comes out.. I personally can't think of a better platform or time for a fan to comment So please quit bellowing b/c people aren't cowering and are saying what they feel!!

[tbaker3]

Originally Posted by ryguy2010

People who throw out lines like "newbies" is what I loathe about this board. For some reason as far as my eyes can see the ONLy people who I've seen bitc... are the very people who "love" the song and are so narcissistic as to think those who find it to be marginal should "shut up" and be Stepford Wives. We ALL belong on the board and some people act all cliquish and or threatened when someone "new" comes along. Get over it. More importantly get over yourself. As far as me personally I've been a fan since I was 10. Oh and when a new album comes out.. I personally can't think of a better platform or time for a fan to comment So please quit bellowing b/c people aren't cowering and are saying what they feel!!

..."like"...

[Dodfather]

Originally Posted by TakenByTheSky23

And I find the "acting" between Dave and Stevie gimmicky. I therefore think that this track would have been better suited for just an album track without a video release.I'm keeping in mind, too, that this is clearly the next song that Stevie wanted released. That's the direction she wanted to go in after Secret Love, and that's her prerogative.

I was just really hoping that the next thing we'd be seeing would have more energy, especially after the relative lightness of Secret Love (though I do love it).

I agree with this. Fair enough, it's obviously up to her. I do love Secret Love! That's why I'm still confident about the album. Stevie has also said she never wanted to be an actress...

Originally Posted by KarmaContestant

I'm not hearing the 'country' vibe that seems to bother some fans. I really don't hear it at all. There is no western twang, which for me is an essential part of country music. I hear more of a simple guitar/rock ballad like Landslide, with less clouds and more sunshine.

I don't need Western twang for it to be country - Stevie would sound terrible doing such a thing! She doesn't have it in After The Glitter Fades and that's one of her most countryish tunes. For me it's more about the instrumentation which, with steel guitar and (I may be mistaken) dobro - always make me think country, which I love!

By the way, was I seeing things or is Reese Witherspoon in the video?!

[KarmaContestant]

Originally Posted by Dodfather

I don't need Western twang for it to be country - Stevie would sound terrible doing such a thing! She doesn't have it in After The Glitter Fades and that's one of her most countryish tunes. For me it's more about the instrumentation which, with steel guitar and (I may be mistaken) dobro - always make me think country, which I love!

By the way, was I seeing things or is Reese Witherspoon in the video?!

I see what you're saying, but the 'twang' is definitely there in After The Glitter Fades - it's just an instrumental twang rather than vocal.

And yes - that is Reese! Lucky girl.

[PenguinHead]

What I find, both funny and perplexing, are the expectations people have -- which in turn turns fans against each other with such intensity!

I have been a die-hard fan of Stevie since 1976 (and many other artists as well). Given the forum we have in the age of the internet, I've seen how radically our relationships with artists have changed. We used to just buy the album, examine artwork, and read the liner notes. Then intently listen to every note. Some songs may hit you right away. Other songs may take repeated listens to fully appreciate -- sometimes even years!

Now we are questioning and debating the viability and integrityof marketing plans, their PR, their singles, their producers etc... Judgements are delivered and established quickly - even before we have the full product. It's not about being open to change or progress, or being challenged by an artist's work --- it's only about your own expectations about what you want it to be! Me! Me! Me! ImMEdiately!

I learned that my favorite artists don't always fulfill my ME expectations. True artists challenge their fans. Stevie is a far cry from those artists...at least on an extreme level. She stays mostly in her own comfort zone. After Bella Donna and Wild Heart, I was so dissappointed with Rock A Little. It was a harsh departure (in my under-developed mindset) from the previous albums. Why couldn't she just stay in the same vein as before?

All these years later, I appreciate the album more for what it wasn't -- the same as before! Is Stevie rock and roll? Is she country? I really don't care. Just being Stevie with some new music is good enough for me. I'm not getting my panties in a twist over this or that. Nor am I criticising every little snippet and piece of media we are getting leading up the release date. My only expectation is that I will have a new Stevie album. And like a bastard child, I will eventually accept, if not love, whatever she delivers.

[Jondalar]

Ok, so we have the video. Where is the song? I mean when is it going to be released to radio and is it going to pop and country?

[KarmaContestant]

Originally Posted by Jondalar

Ok, so we have the video. Where is the song? I mean when is it going to be released to radio and is it going to pop and country?

I personally don't think it's going to be a single.

iTunes releases free songs and videos every week; I think this is more about promotion than airtime. Free promotion!

[TakenByTheSky23]

I think it should also be noted here that when the sizzle reel came out, we were all blown away and, by and large, it went beyond our expectations. Someone finally threw us a bone, and that bone was incredibly delicious! And we loved our lives!

Then this video arrives on the scene. The track is strong, but the video is a very subdued affair (though it's GREAT to see casual Stevie - anyone else in love with 2:38 - where she's fanning herself breezily beside Lori on the couch? Sensual Mama! She turns me out!!!). All of the videos we got tastes of in the sizzle reel are majestic and grand in scope - save for maybe Annabel Lee (kill the horse's whinny, would you please?) - and some of us are bound to be a bit let down by this video. But let's just enjoy it...it's another tasty bone!!!

Also of interest:

When Dave throttles her with his love at 1:56. It looks like she'd rather be in hell!
When the Hallowe'en dinner party is in full swing at 2:07 and everyone raises up their chalices of red grapes, Stevie hoists up a sad tumbler of juice, or something similar. The look on her face is priceless: "Bastards..."

[ontheEdgeof17]

Originally Posted by TakenByTheSky23

- and some of us are bound to be a bit let down by this video. But let's just enjoy it...it's another tasty bone!!!

We all know Stevie was never a Video Vixen. Even her best videos are less than desirable. With that being said, I kinda like the doc. style that is going on. Will I be tired of it after a couple of videos? Probably, but it looks like most, if not all of the videos from this era have been shot this way.

[ontheEdgeof17]

Originally Posted by KarmaContestant

I personally don't think it's going to be a single.

iTunes releases free songs and videos every week; I think this is more about promotion than airtime. Free promotion!

Agreed. Looks like a promo to me, too....for both of them. Killing two birds with one stone.

[KarmaContestant]

Originally Posted by PenguinHead

What I find, both funny and perplexing, are the expectations people have -- which in turn turns fans against each other with such intensity!

It's not about being open to change or progress, or being challenged by an artist's work --- it's only about your own expectations about what you want it to be! Me!
Me! Me!

I learned that my favorite artists don't always fulfill my ME expectations. True artists challenge their fans. Stevie is a far cry from those artists...at least on an extreme level. She stays mostly in her own comfort zone. After Bella Donna and Wild Heart, I was so dissappointed with Rock A Little. It was a harsh departure (in my under-developed mindset) from the previous albums. Why couldn't she just stay in the same vein as before?

All these years later, I appreciate the album more for what it wasn't -- the same as before! Is Stevie rock and roll? Is she country? I really don't care. Just being Stevie with some new music is good enough for me. I'm not getting my panties in a twist over this or that. My only expectation is that I will have a new Stevie album. And like a bastard child, I will eventually accept, if not love, whatever she delivers.

Well said! A tip of the hat to you.