You Can't Fix This - Full Song

[WildHearted]

Originally Posted by bombaysaffires

Truth is, Stevie needs a strong editor, like all good writers. Lindsey was very good at it but B-R-U-T-A-L in the way he went about it a lot of the time. No wonder she's turned off by dealing with that again. Jimmy Iovine was also very good, IMHO, but again due to a personal falling out between them and too many drugs that ended.

I think she's too legendary and iconic now for any of these younger producers (and really, who's out there to produce her who is her age or older-- ok, besides Lindsey. I think Dave S. is a bit younger, but maybe close. And Iovine isn't producing anymore. Maybe Petty??) will dare tell her she's wrong.

I don't get the impression that Lindsey ever edited Stevie's writing in the sense that he was going through her lyrics with a red pen and fixing things.

I think Lindsey would say, "Look, this is too long. We have to cut some of it out so it can fit on a record." But I don't think that the words themselves were ever affected by him.

Her voice sounded better on this track than it did on a lot of things on IYD, in my opinion. It had more warmth and I was impressed with the wailing outro (which reminded me of a lot of her earlier solo work). Of course she doesn't sound like she did in 1978.... I wouldn't expect her too. Truth be told, she hasn't sounded like that in 30 years.

Stevie has said in the past that she would go through her journals and turn things into rhymes. The problem is she forgot to turn this into a rhyme.

I do think that at times, Stevie has 'edited' her writing. She'll go through and change maybe just a word or two, but I'm not sure it has anything to do with how it sounds as a song. For instance, we have a picture of Stevie's original 'Italian Summer' lyrics (which I can't find at the moment - maybe someone has them on hand).. and they're different from what ended up on the record. They're better than what ended up on the record, to me. Some of the things about the studio version that made me cringe didn't exist in it's first incarnation. I have to wonder why she felt the need to change it/add those things in.

[vivfox]

Originally Posted by sparky

I forgive her the clunks as a long time fan. I get her. But I also understand that from a more casual listener's view some of the words seem lazy and unsophisticated. Especially coming from someone with her pedigree. As an ancient fan, I love it. As a listener who can call criticism outside of my personal passions, I can clearly see where it falls short.It is great for us hopelessly enchanted people. Others can just say "meh, why does she say the word devil so damned many times?" And I can't argue with them.

So very well spoken and it totally makes sense. It's the Stevie fans that act like she farts rainbows that I will never understand.

[bombaysaffires]

Originally Posted by WildHearted

I don't get the impression that Lindsey ever edited Stevie's writing in the sense that he was going through her lyrics with a red pen and fixing things.

I think Lindsey would say, "Look, this is too long. We have to cut some of it out so it can fit on a record." But I don't think that the words themselves were ever affected by him.

Her voice sounded better on this track than it did on a lot of things on IYD, in my opinion. It had more warmth and I was impressed with the wailing outro (which reminded me of a lot of her earlier solo work). Of course she doesn't sound like she did in 1978.... I wouldn't expect her too. Truth be told, she hasn't sounded like that in 30 years.

Stevie has said in the past that she would go through her journals and turn things into rhymes. The problem is she forgot to turn this into a rhyme.

we have a picture of Stevie's original 'Italian Summer' lyrics (which I can't find at the moment - maybe someone has them on hand).. and they're different from what ended up on the record. They're better than what ended up on the record, to me.

Amen to this last bit about Italian Summer.

Regarding LB, I don't have the articles at hand, but he's been quoted numerous times saying how he's totally picked apart her songs..I think he said in one interview he did that from the first they met and he's been doing it ever since. I think one of his comments was "some things never change". I don't myself think that's been limited to the music. I think the DR "Bob Dylan" scene has been played out many times over during the course of all these years, just not always so civilized. Now, you're right, whether that has actually resulted in changed lyrics we don't know, but I tend to think *maybe* in the earlier days when she was more deferential to his ideas it did.

Someone on one of the threads mentioned the scene in the Tusk doc where he and Stevie are working on Angel and how touching it was. I'm not so sure anymore. If you really listen to what he's saying to her he's 1-changing her melody and 2- telling her to cut some of what's she's written (i don't recall what he says) They were being very civilized about it because the cameras were there. she says something to him like "it's too much?" and is being very upbeat (my opinion coz they were being filmed) and LB says "in a word, yes". And she sorta makes the best of it and laughs. (I contrast this to her reaction in the DR doc after many years of much solo success where clearly she's not going to change a thing). ymmv

[vivfox]

Originally Posted by bombaysaffires

Someone on one of the threads mentioned the scene in the Tusk doc where he and Stevie are working on Angel and how touching it was. I'm not so sure anymore. If you really listen to what he's saying to her he's 1-changing her melody and 2- telling her to cut some of what's she's written (i don't recall what he says) They were being very civilized about it because the cameras were there. she says something to him like "it's too much?" and is being very upbeat (my opinion coz they were being filmed) and LB says "in a word, yes". And she sorta makes the best of it and laughs.

I view this scene in a different way than you. First off, I don't think the cameras in the room had anything to do with how they acted. The film people were secondary to the situation. It is the producer's job to suggest changes to a song. Regarding her "ooh oos" she asked him if it was too much, knowing full well she had often used that in many of her songs and his opinion often was it wasn't needed as much. She was being upbeat because the two of them were getting along great at that moment which clearly translates while they are harmonizing at the piano. If she was angry or yelling at him for any reason that scene would have been edited out completely. They only showed us the good parts of recording with FM in the Tusk Doc.

[KarmaContestant]

I think Italian Summer is flawless. Completely flawless.

[bombaysaffires]

Originally Posted by vivfox

If she was angry or yelling at him for any reason that scene would have been edited out completely. They only showed us the good parts of recording with FM in the Tusk Doc.

I guess this is my point exactly. So we'll never really know.

And I tend to disagree that the band didn't alter any of their behavior in any way because they were being filmed. Everyone acts a little different when there are strangers, especially strangers with cameras, in the room. Suddenly you are more "onstage" than you are if it's just the two of you in a room.

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by redbird

Well to stay "on theme" Bob Dylan said pretty much the same about his songs from the 60's.

I wasn't aware that Stevie ever said she can't write the way she did in the seventies. Although, I have heard her discuss not liking what she wrote during the Klonopin years.

Michele

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by bombaysaffires

Amen to this last bit about Italian Summer.

Regarding LB, I don't have the articles at hand, but he's been quoted numerous times saying how he's totally picked apart her songs..I think he said in one interview he did that from the first they met and he's been doing it ever since. I think one of his comments was "some things never change".

He said she read him a poem when they met and he criticized it and he commented that some things never change. Just because he was critical, I don't think he rearranged her words. I don't think she would let him. Michele

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by bombaysaffires

Someone on one of the threads mentioned the scene in the Tusk doc where he and Stevie are working on Angel and how touching it was. I'm not so sure anymore. If you really listen to what he's saying to her he's 1-changing her melody and 2- telling her to cut some of what's she's written (i don't recall what he says) They were being very civilized about it because the cameras were there. she says something to him like "it's too much?" and is being very upbeat (my opinion coz they were being filmed) and LB says "in a word, yes".

Weren't they talking about something like "la la la" rather than actually lyrics. I think what they were talking about was more melody than words.

Michele

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by vivfox

If she was angry or yelling at him for any reason that scene would have been edited out completely. They only showed us the good parts of recording with FM in the Tusk Doc.

She was angry at him and yelling in one of the promos. Although, I think it was about song selection. She said something like, "I knew you wouldn't like that song, because I wrote it."

He said he just didn't like it -- it's not that he didn't like it because she wrote it. I was looking forward to seeing what had led up to this exchange, but it didn't make the final cut.

Michele

[wheart]

Originally Posted by KarmaContestant

I think Italian Summer is flawless. Completely flawless.

I'm with you. Probably my fav track on IYD. I never get tired of listening to it...

[vivfox]

Originally Posted by michelej1

She was angry at him and yelling in one of the promos. Although, I think it was about song selection. She said something like, "I knew you wouldn't like that song, because I wrote it."

He said he just didn't like it -- it's not that he didn't like it because she wrote it. I was looking forward to seeing what had led up to this exchange, but it didn't make the final cut.

That was in the SYW Doc, not the Tusk Doc.

[WildHearted]

Originally Posted by michelej1

I wasn't aware that Stevie ever said she can't write the way she did in the seventies. Although, I have heard her discuss not liking what she wrote during the Klonopin years.

Michele

She said it in one of the most recent interviews, but it wasn't exactly in the context we've thrown it into.

She was talking about Without You. She sang a little bit of it, and then said something along the lines of, "I can't write like that anymore. Honestly, I can't. Because I'm not in love with anyone like that. And you have to really be in that place.."

[Christopher]

Originally Posted by KarmaContestant

I think Italian Summer is flawless. Completely flawless.

No shrug about it, "Italian Summer" is exquisite!! I find it not only to be one of the many great treasures on IYD, but also such an interesting & unique rarity in Stevie's entire catalog.

And even though, I actually like "Cheaper Than Free" with all its simple & sweet earnestness, along with Stevie's divine harmony singing.
I really wish Stevie would've had the vision to leave well enough alone, keeping CTF only on Dave's "The Blackbird Diaries" and ended IYD with "Italian Summer" - what a magical way to end the stunning effort of dark elegance that is "In Your Dreams"!

[Jondalar]

Originally Posted by Christopher

No shrug about it, "Italian Summer" is exquisite!! I find it not only to be one of the many great treasures on IYD, but also such an interesting & unique rarity in Stevie's entire catalog.

And even though, I actually like "Cheaper Than Free" with all its simple & sweet earnestness, along with Stevie's divine harmony singing.
I really wish Stevie would've had the vision to leave well enough alone, keeping CTF only on Dave's "The Blackbird Diaries" and ended IYD with "Italian Summer" - what a magical way to end the stunning effort of dark elegance that is "In Your Dreams"!

I really like Italian Summer and it was something that was sort of a stretch for her. It's like show tune. Great vocal. My only complaint is one I have with many songs on IYD - it was a little too long.