Sorceror and its origins...

[Mad4stevie]

Originally posted by louielouie2000
Stevie says that Sorcerer was written when they moved to Hollywood... and it's just about the scariness of the place. I've heard somewhere that the "sorcerer" was a drug dealer... but I think the sorcerer was actually LA itself. There are early demo's of this song with Lindsey floating around.

I love the early version with Lindsey. The harmonies in that song are some of the best that they have ever done in my opinion. I actually prefer the early version to the version on TISL.

This song was one of the songs that Stevie took time to introduce on her TISL tour. I saw her twice, and each time she said the same thing about this song - that she wrote it when Lindsey and she moved to "scary" Hollywood. She said that before she moved there she was fairly naive about the world in general (a "lady from the mountain", so to speak).

Great song, but not about any type of wiccan, pagan or religious belief, in my opinion

[Pagan_RussZsa]

WOOOWWWWW! I just listened to that Demo now Rodeo....THANKYOU!

I have never heard ste/lind so raw and gelling so well. Its far superior to her Tisl version harmony wise and atmosphere wise. The harmony is so rigid, almost reminds me of the Renaissance period of music pre medieval! lol



Stevie can sure sing high back then! THough I prefer her deeper, more recent wraspy voice. I love her half scream on the last Mount of Mountain....CHeers

Russ

[markolas]

"Sorcerer" is one of my favorite Stevie songs, and I love the TISL version as much as I love the BN demo (although I think I would rather have heard Lindsey singing on the finished version).

I knew that the song had been around for awhile before she put in on TISL, and I heard somewhere that it was originally considered for the 1975 Fleetwood Mac album, but they decided to go with "Rhiannon" instead.

[SmthngOfADreamr]

Thanks for posting that Rodeo, I've never heard that version before.

There's another version of this song/demo that I have buried deep on some cd with Lindsey playing the banjo. The vocals are more prominent and slightly clearer on your version though, but the banjo is damn fun. I'll have to try to dig it up.

[jwd]

This song was one of the songs that Stevie took time to introduce on her TISL tour. I saw her twice, and each time she said the same thing about this song - that she wrote it when Lindsey and she moved to "scary" Hollywood. She said that before she moved there she was fairly naive about the world in general (a "lady from the mountain", so to speak).

.........and of course that would include drugs/snow dreams



Joe

[Sorceress]

Well, "Sorcerer" is my all-time favorite demo. Hence, my Ledge name, of course! I don't think Sheryl did a bad job with it on TISL, but Lindsey's harmonies make the song so much more special.
At any rate, I tend to believe Stevie when she says the song was about moving to big and scary Hollywood, but I also think it's one of her songs that is about many things and has different meanings for her at different times. I don't think she's trying to hide that it's about a dealer or drugs. In some ways it is, but I don't think it would have been about her dealer or drug use. Though I'm sure there was some experimentation going on, I think LA was so scary to her precisely because she wasn't into the rock and roll lifestyle and all its trappings--drugs, coke--yet. She must have been describing what she saw in others, because as Mad4Stevie said, in 1972 I think she was still pretty naive.
Or, maybe it's one of her premonition songs, like "Rose Garden!"
~Amy

[sparky]

This demo reminds me of the one from the "almanac" bootleg. But, it's better. It made my Cockatoo go nuts. He puffed his feathers up, made some strange croaking sound, then tapped his foot on his perch and squawked like crazy. I guess he liked it.

[strandinthewind]

I do not think drugs are very apparent in this song. I think "high life" means the fast paced, glamorous, and simultaneously empty, life of the L.A. music scene, which certainly included drugs, that they were suddenly thust into. It scared her. I think she was scared she would lose herself and would have to look for herself (Lady from the Mountain) in the "snow dream" while she and LB were on the star stream. I think the snow dream is not coke; it is an image she wanted to present of looking herself in a blinding blizzard. The whole tired, thirsty, wild eyed, misery thing was not really what she was acutally experiencing. Rather, I think she recognized these things were the price she saw she would have to pay for the finery as she saws others certainly had paid and were still paying. I think this imagery makes this one of her best written songs.

ANDS she plays guitar and wears that incredible white dress in the video

[louielouie2000]

Let's break it down and look closer.

"I'm tired
I'm thirsty
I'm wild eyed
In my misery
Timeless
In your finery
A high price
For your luxury"

This verse is about she and Lindsey struggling to become successful in Hollywood... and how rough it is. They have to pay a high price for the luxury of fame. Thus L.A. is the Sorcerer.

"Sorcerer
Who is the master
Man and woman on a star stream
In the middle of a snow dream
Sorcerer
Show me the high life
Come over
Let me put you on ice"

The man and woman on a star stream, in the middle of a snow dream are two people dreaming of success while being surrounded by famous people. The verse asking the sorcerer to show them the high life is Stevie pleading to be let into the scene. She's tired of waiting tables and cleaning houses!

"I'm tired
When I need you badly
Wild eyed
In the middle of your dream
Timeless
It's a mystery
All they way
Now it's never what you are

All around
Black ink darkness
Who found
The lady from the mountain"

This is again documenting Stevie and Lindseys struggles to be artists. The black ink darkness is her feeling lost and helpless. Which direction should she go? She's come too far to go back. Stevie's the lady from the mountain. Meaning, she's come from far away to this place to be found, and to become a star.



So that's my interpretation of the song .

[Pagan_RussZsa]

I think Stevie is such a diverse songstress and it really could mean NETHIN! LOL

I look at it differently each time i hear it.. when im in a "magical" stevie mood all it represents to me is earthy, raw, almost naturistic and earthy... then sometimes wen im in a literal mood Sorcerer documents not just her struggle and fear of what she's delved into.. a snow (totally lost...impaired vision) but its still a dream, and shes strong enough to follow it. thats why she is hear today wowing us lot! lol

The song is another one of her "pour it all out in one go" songs, which chronicles the goings on in her head at that time. Its great and the harmonies and melodies are perfect Stevie.

Russ

[darklinensuit]

Originally posted by Mad4stevie
I love the early version with Lindsey. The harmonies in that song are some of the best that they have ever done in my opinion. I actually prefer the early version to the version on TISL.

This song was one of the songs that Stevie took time to introduce on her TISL tour. I saw her twice, and each time she said the same thing about this song - that she wrote it when Lindsey and she moved to "scary" Hollywood. She said that before she moved there she was fairly naive about the world in general (a "lady from the mountain", so to speak).

Great song, but not about any type of wiccan, pagan or religious belief, in my opinion

The Lady from the Mountain is a theme in mythology, including among the Celts that Stevie expressed interest in. While she is no pagan, its not a stretch to imagine her drawing on the lore.

- Jake

[Pagan_RussZsa]

I find it cool that someone shares the same opinion as I do...I never thought or think now that Stevie is or has even been Pagan. However I do think it influences her in many ways...Its great! I love it.

Russ