For What it's Worth

[louielouie2000]

I like quite a few aspects of the song: it's a very literal, folk, chronological recounting/storytelling type song which Stevie really hasn't written before. It's just so raw, unguarded, and honest. Some many of Stevie's songs are buried in heavy handed production & veiled lyrics. For What It's Worth is refreshingly blunt.

The thing I really don't care for about the song are the baritone, double harmonies implemented in the chorus. It reminds me of the bad aspects of the Street Angel album. Everyone knows I'm a huge fan of Street Angel, but it certainly has it's very unfortunate moments for which it rightly earns it's lackluster reputation (it also oddly contains some of Stevie's best rock songs all lumped into one work).

To me, For What It's Worth is a very telling & fascinating album track. But it was an absolutely disastrous choice for a single.

[Mmonta4]

Originally Posted by CADreaming

No. As far as we know, Stevie was referring to Dallas Taylor, a drug interventionist and who was her drug counselor at Daniel Freeman Hospital. He was the drummer for Crosby, Stills and Nash and hence the title.

We had a pretty heavy debate about this song last year.

I believe it was written about Russ Kunkel. Stevie said so in some interview.

[CADreaming]

Originally Posted by Mmonta4

I believe it was written about Russ Kunkel. Stevie said so in some interview.

Nope. She said drummer and everyone pounced on it being Kunkel. Not him.

Originally Posted by Fireflies

lindsey buckingham.

[Nathan]

Originally Posted by mikephxaz

IMO it's one of the most beautiful songs she has done in 15 years. Love it!

Love it!

tear jerker at the end. Love the video, very traveling wilburys.

[mikephxaz]

Originally Posted by Nathan

Love it!

tear jerker at the end. Love the video, very traveling wilburys.

Can imagine if Stevie could have been on the Traveling Wilburys first cd. Wow I would have loved that!

[darklinensuit]

Originally Posted by louielouie2000

The thing I really don't care for about the song are the baritone, double harmonies implemented in the chorus.

To me, For What It's Worth is a very telling & fascinating album track. But it was an absolutely disastrous choice for a single.

I agree about the flat, droning vocals on the chorus. Otherwise the song is fine. It works better than Secret Love as opening track.
I think it would have made a pretty decent single if the vocal were better. As it is, it's less disastrous than Every Day or Two Kinds of Love.

- Jake

[APerfectLie]

Originally Posted by loubird98

I think it was written after Street Angel, when she came out of rehab for Klonopin. I think it was written in 1995?

It was written about coming out of rehab and going on the SA tour, but I believe the song was actually written pretty recently. She talked about the track being on a CD Mike Campbell gave her and her niece Jessica being there when she wrote it.

[Macfanforever]

Thats why I love Stevie's songwriting.She's a storyteller.I love music with a story behind it.Thats one reason I enjoy country music so much.Tired of the ole rock and roll repetitive lyrics.

[Jondalar]

Originally Posted by mitzo

Whoever it was written for, it is to my ears probably the worst thing she has ever recorded.

I understand how you feel. It takes getting used to. The song is almost too simple, however, I like it. It's just a little slice of life song. However, I don't understand why this was single or put up front on the album. It's stops momentum. It's not a song that would make people run out and buy an album. They are more likely to just say to themselves "I could of written that," and move on.

I love the video to this song. It's one of the best videos she has ever done. The imagery of her in the desert is great.

[mitzo]

Originally Posted by Jondalar

I understand how you feel. It takes getting used to. The song is almost too simple, however, I like it. It's just a little slice of life song. However, I don't understand why this was single or put up front on the album. It's stops momentum. It's not a song that would make people run out and buy an album. They are more likely to just say to themselves "I could of written that," and move on.

I love the video to this song. It's one of the best videos she has ever done. The imagery of her in the desert is great.

It's the totally bass monotone bagpipe-drone vocals and melody, and the sleepy draggy arrangement that just kill it for me. It is deadly - sounds like she is back on klonopin or has fallen down a well head-first.

There is not one redeeming aspect of this song. Not one.

[poetinmyheart]

Great song and a beautiful video. I much prefer it to Secret Love.

[Jondalar]

Originally Posted by mitzo

It's the totally bass monotone bagpipe-drone vocals and melody, and the sleepy draggy arrangement that just kill it for me. It is deadly - sounds like she is back on klonopin or has fallen down a well head-first.

There is not one redeeming aspect of this song. Not one.

It does sound like she is not trying, she just sorta sings it and the lyrics are not completely worked out, but you can tell its about something

I think this song needed some type of change up. Its just too straightforward, not very sophisticated

[CADreaming]

Originally Posted by APerfectLie

It was written about coming out of rehab and going on the SA tour, but I believe the song was actually written pretty recently. She talked about the track being on a CD Mike Campbell gave her and her niece Jessica being there when she wrote it.

Don't remember Jessica being there.

She wrote it in Hawaii in 2010 when they were working on IYD. Dave had gone to London and was stuck there due to the planes being grounded because of an ashcloud from the volcano eruption in Iceland. So, she had a break and decided to go to Hawaii. She said she watched a documentary on hobos riding the rails and how it reminded her of her grandfather. She was inspired, but they had sent back all the recording equipment the day before so they used a camera.

[AliceLover]

Originally Posted by CADreaming

Don't remember Jessica being there.

She wrote it in Hawaii in 2010 when they were working on IYD. Dave had gone to London and was stuck there due to the planes being grounded because of an ashcloud from the volcano eruption in Iceland. So, she had a break and decided to go to Hawaii. She said she watched a documentary on hobos riding the rails and how it reminded her of her grandfather. She was inspired, but they had sent back all the recording equipment the day before so they used a camera.

Right, he's referring to the tape with all instrumentals that Mike gave to Stevie. It had the instrumental of FWIW, aka, just the music.

[CADreaming]

Originally Posted by AliceLover

Right, he's referring to the tape with all instrumentals that Mike gave to Stevie. It had the instrumental of FWIW, aka, just the music.

Yeah, I understand that. Just never read/heard anything about Jessica being there when she wrote it.