For What It's Worth

[Jondalar]

Originally Posted by mitzo

People seem to love this song.

I do not.

It sounds deadly, droning, droopy, dull, sleepy, charmless, and monotonous to me. In the vein of Street Angel and Rose Garden, to my ears (sorry, I can't stand either of those).

Can anybody help me to see why it is so lovable?

Does anyone else out there share my opinion?

I don't love this song, but sometimes I like it. It's soo simple and seems like it was pulled right out of the pages of her diary that it feels like anyone could of written it. It is not as sophisticated as other songs on the album. There are no change ups that take the song in a different direction and keep it interesting and there is no special ending. There is however, an honesty and truthfulness that reminds me of After of Glitter Fades.

I think people who love this song are really into the lyrics, not the the tune itself. However, songs can work because of the music (Ghosts are Gone) or rest on heartfealt lyrics like this one does. I think the edited version is punchier and much better than the album version. I'm glad it is on the album. It provides a folksy twist. However, I don't believe it should be up front on the album. It was definitely sequenced wrong. This album should start with In Your Dreams.

[chiffon head]

Originally Posted by mitzo

People seem to love this song.

I do not.

It sounds deadly, droning, droopy, dull, sleepy, charmless, and monotonous to me. In the vein of Street Angel and Rose Garden, to my ears (sorry, I can't stand either of those).

Can anybody help me to see why it is so lovable?

Does anyone else out there share my opinion?

Deadly, droning,droopy...? Wow, bummer for you. What do you think of the other tracks?

[chiffon head]

Originally Posted by FM77

This is a cool Stevie song but not a hit on countryradio or anywhere else. Hits are hooky with a melody or lyric and this is neither. I like the song alot too...but this will not make it on radio today.

I tend to difer on this~I listen to cr everday...if Kid Rock could do it, then so could she.

[jellyman10]

Originally Posted by Jondalar;1012482 It's soo simple and seems like it was pulled right out of the pages of her diary that it feels like anyone could of written it.

[...

I think people who love this song are really into the lyrics, not the the tune itself.

I agree. Some of the most indelible songs ever written have that 'anyone could've written this' quality to them. Listen to the Beatles much, and it's easy to forget that there was a time when 'Yesterday' or 'Can't Buy Me Love' didn't exist. Someone had to sit down and hum that melody whilst noodling on a guitar or at the keys. And there's sometimes a sense that what is plucked out of the air was actually waiting there to be plucked, somehow already in the collective unconscious, hence the word 'zeitgeist' and the lawsuits that sometimes follow when two or more people pluck the same thing (*cough* 'Sara' *cough*).

Anyway, that's by way to coming to your second point. I don't think anyone can generalise that much about why other people are drawn to something. It's a bit like saying you know why someone chose to marry their partner: you don't. You only know what you find attractive or repellent in that person. Personally, I love the music in FWIW. I enjoy its rolling cadence; as others have said, it's sense of movement. I do like the lyric, and I do think it's SN's vocal quality that stirs my emotions when I listen to it, but the music is underpinning all of that.

Glad this thread was bumped!

Loz

[mitzo]

Originally Posted by chiffon head

Deadly, droning,droopy...? Wow, bummer for you. What do you think of the other tracks?

Well, to me, FWIW is the worst track on the album. I understand people's favourable comments on FWIW, but I think it ranks among the worst things she has ever recorded.

It's the melody, the arrangement, the vocal - all are so dreary and flat. The melody is monotonous and goes nowhere, the arrangement takes the tedious melody and accentuates its draggy, heavy aspect, and the vocal seems an octave too deep and lifeless, the whole thing sounds like it is playing on the wrong speed.

All together, this makes it sound like a klonopin hymn, an old woman grumbling to herself, an engine dying slowly.

[Janis_no1]

like the video, a bit different i guess. Though, in saying that, don't like the fake strumming of the guitar. tisk tisk

I like the song, simple.

[mikephxaz]

Best song on In Your Dreams. Effortless, sincere, sweet and simple. Even when she sings it live it appears she can enjoy herself. Like landslide, FWIW is Stevie at her best and simplest

[Thrown_Down]

I really love this song, including the lyrics AND the music. There is something tender and very sincere about it that really pulls me in.

[GoldDustWoman22]

I really really love this song! Like people have said it's simple, sweet and a story I think everyone of us can relate to...even if it's only one line of the song. This song mentions being in a bus and going on tour and because of all the guitar work, you can really feel that in the song. I agree that this was a really good choice to be released as a single. And as much as Stevie's "mimes" annoy people, I actually love this song performed live and to me it has beaten the album version every time.

[Richard B]

Not sure if this has been posted (haven't seen it) and even where to post...
but..
You can buy the music video of For What It's Worth on iTunes (USA) now.
For What It's Worth - Music Video

[flickersticked]

The way her voice sounds when she says " what you did was you saved my life. I won't forget it" Best moment on the whole album for me. Brings tears to my eyes every single time. I don't really care for it live though, it loses that something for me, especially with the hand motions.

[J.Miller]

Originally Posted by Richard B

Not sure if this has been posted (haven't seen it) and even where to post...
but..
You can buy the music video of For What It's Worth on iTunes (USA) now.
For What It's Worth - Music Video

I was looking for it on itunes almost daily. Before I downloaded an Adele song I decided to give FWIW one more try last night and there it was!!

[KarmaContestant]

Originally Posted by Richard B

Not sure if this has been posted (haven't seen it) and even where to post...
but..
You can buy the music video of For What It's Worth on iTunes (USA) now.
For What It's Worth - Music Video

Woot! Buying as soon as I get home!

I wish ALL of Stevie's videos were on there to buy.

[CADreaming]

Originally Posted by Richard B

Not sure if this has been posted (haven't seen it) and even where to post...
but..
You can buy the music video of For What It's Worth on iTunes (USA) now.
For What It's Worth - Music Video

Thanks for the info!

At one of her most recent shows she said she wanted to film the video on the PCH but Dave insisted on El Mirage. I wonder how Stevie's vision would have been different.

[Christopher]

Originally Posted by flickersticked

. The way her voice sounds when she says " what you did was you saved my life. I won't forget it" Best moment on the whole album for meBrings tears to my eyes every single time.

I've had the same reaction to this song on occasion. Most memorably when I heard the song for the first time!! That line & her inflection on the final "you saved my life...I wont forget it" slapped me hard!! Every synapse in my brain was firing that morning. I knew at that moment ("here I am dramatic") of listening to IYD in its entirety, that this was going to be the BEST Stevie Nicks record to come along in a long long time! The sweet sentiment, story, musical arrangement (YES, the arrangement is perfect for this song.) & delivery is perfection! (shut up darklinen)

Stevie hasn't recorded a song so sincerely sweet and wise since..."Leather And Lace", "After The Glitter Fades", "Beauty & The Beast", "I Sing For The Things" and "Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You". It's been a long time since Stevie delivered a song in this vein successfully!! Had "Love Is" been recorded as close to the demo was, that would have qualified imo, but the Pierre Marchand/Sarah McLachlan gloss distracts from the core of the song a speck.

And Yea!!! about the Vid...Its one of her best...that is for certain!