Stevie Inspiration

UndoingTheLaces · #1 03-12-2008, 08:51 PM

There's another thread where we're talking about our favorite words and phrases that Stevie has used and it made me think of a particular bit of inspiration that I wanted to share. I didn't want to hijack that thread so I figured I'd tell it here.

I so loved the line in Storms, "and not all the prayers in the world could save us" that it inspired a line in a song I once wrote myself. The song was called Blue Calm and it was about losing a friend to AIDS. I wish I could say it was about one specific friend but it was really about a lot of people, but using one close friend as the embodiment of that pain and experience. This was back in the early 90's when things were much worse (not that they're a whole hell of a lot better now), and we didn't know much about the disease. Anyway, there's a part where I flash back to being in the hospital, yelling at the doctor to do something and the verse goes...

save him, I cried, save him
and not all the symbols and words in the world
could save him

The idea came from the fact that everywhere you looked people were wearing red ribbons on their lapels in support of AIDS research and there were many people speaking out about it, but when you were there looking at it, face to face, watching someone go through it... well, the "symbols and words" didn't seem to help much.

That band didn't go very far and I only performed the song a few times. Looking back, the song as whole is very wordy and I guess, by now, a bit dated. But there were some really good lines in it. I may take a page from Stevie's book and use some parts of it in another song.

Okay, that's my tale of Stevie inspiration. Anyone else?

petep9000 · #2 03-12-2008, 09:47 PM

In fall of 1987, my senior year of high school. I was taking a 'creative writing' elective and we had to write a one-page story using the word 'silver', 'ghost' and 'swan'. My story was very Stevie inspired, well actually it was inspired by the 'Gypsy' video. In particular, the roaring 20's sequence in the nightclub with the beautiful dresses and tuxes, and the wonderful Rolls Royces, and the potted palms etc.

Anyway, the story was about a lady who lived that roaring 20's nightclub life and had a silver Rolls Royce, and whose long arms were like the neck of a graceful swan, and the jilted lover. I left out the word 'ghost' on purpose, because the whole point of my story was that she WAS a ghost but I wasn't actually saying it in so many words. It turns out I don't have an original thought in my head. Ever. Not only did I cop the 'Gypsy' nightclub imagery but it appears I also copped Miss Havisham from Great Expectations in the whole spooky frozen-in-time-waiting-for-her-lover theme.

But I did get an 'A'. And Mr. Miller read my story to the class and they liked it.

baboles · #3 03-13-2008, 10:16 PM

Stevie just recently inspired me to write someting.

My best friend and I haven't spoken in a few weeks due to some major high school drama. So I was sitting in the kitchen listening to "Sister Honey" and when I heard her sing "And a fool never knows what he's leaving behind." So I pulled out a piece of paper and wrote a two page note about how my friend didn't know how good I was to her.

So Stevie inspired me to write that note.

UndoingTheLaces · #4 03-16-2008, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petep9000

In fall of 1987, my senior year of high school. I was taking a 'creative writing' elective and we had to write a one-page story using the word 'silver', 'ghost' and 'swan'. My story was very Stevie inspired, well actually it was inspired by the 'Gypsy' video. In particular, the roaring 20's sequence in the nightclub with the beautiful dresses and tuxes, and the wonderful Rolls Royces, and the potted palms etc.

Anyway, the story was about a lady who lived that roaring 20's nightclub life and had a silver Rolls Royce, and whose long arms were like the neck of a graceful swan, and the jilted lover. I left out the word 'ghost' on purpose, because the whole point of my story was that she WAS a ghost but I wasn't actually saying it in so many words. It turns out I don't have an original thought in my head. Ever. Not only did I cop the 'Gypsy' nightclub imagery but it appears I also copped Miss Havisham from Great Expectations in the whole spooky frozen-in-time-waiting-for-her-lover theme.

But I did get an 'A'. And Mr. Miller read my story to the class and they liked it.

And if you've seen the "Everyday" music video you'll see that Stevie had the same inspiration, also playing her own version of Miss Havisham.