'Battle of The Dragon' mood

petep9000 · #1 03-05-2010, 10:12 AM

For the past few days I am very interested in listening to this fine old track.
Who's got the details about it, other than it was on the soundtrack to 'American Anthem'?
I am curious what year it was recorded, who produced it, and who played on the track. Also, besides that one demo I've heard with Tom Petty, are there any other versions floating around, in particular are there reels where they are laying down the actual track and vocals? I think the vocals are very good, especially towards the end when the ladies and Stevie all come together almost like a choir at the end of the final verse, the "Whoahhh! NO ONE walks away, from this battle..." part.

vivfox · #2 03-05-2010, 10:52 AM

I love this song a lot! I think there are two or three demos floating around. To my knowledge it is written about Fleetwood Mac and Tom Petty and Bob Dylan from her trip to Australia with these two men in 1986.

HejiraNYC · #3 03-05-2010, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vivfox

I love this song a lot! I think there are two or three demos floating around. To my knowledge it is written about Fleetwood Mac and Tom Petty and Bob Dylan from her trip to Australia with these two men in 1986.

Where did you hear/read that?

This song is about drugs, hon'!

holidayroad · #4 03-05-2010, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petep9000

For the past few days I am very interested in listening to this fine old track.
Who's got the details about it, other than it was on the soundtrack to 'American Anthem'?
I am curious what year it was recorded, who produced it, and who played on the track. Also, besides that one demo I've heard with Tom Petty, are there any other versions floating around, in particular are there reels where they are laying down the actual track and vocals? I think the vocals are very good, especially towards the end when the ladies and Stevie all come together almost like a choir at the end of the final verse, the "Whoahhh! NO ONE walks away, from this battle..." part.

I often get in a mood where I have to listen to this over and over. It was produced by Gordon Perry.

nailatixela · #5 03-05-2010, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

Where did you hear/read that?

This song is about drugs, hon'!

Well, same thing.

Artemis · #6 03-05-2010, 11:31 AM

I was really surprised when I found out it was recorded in 1986/7, I honestly thought it was a demo from the Bella Donna / Wild Heart era when I first heard it, it's a brilliant song and the vocals are pretty incredible.

David · #7 03-05-2010, 12:20 PM

I don't know when the American Anthem track was recorded, but the song was intended originally for her third solo album. Rob played me some old demos of it -- I think the recordings with Petty & the Heartbreakers -- from 1984 or possibly 1985. Lori Perry called Rob when she learned that he had recordings of it, & that may have been the reason it was pulled from the solo album.

ButterCookie · #8 03-05-2010, 12:22 PM

Would anyone be able to post it? I've not heard

vivfox · #9 03-05-2010, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

Where did you hear/read that?

This song is about drugs, hon'!

Why do you think it's about drugs?

Christopher · #10 03-05-2010, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David

I don't know when the American Anthem track was recorded, but the song was intended originally for her third solo album. Rob played me some old demos of it -- I think the recordings with Petty & the Heartbreakers -- from 1984 or possibly 1985. Lori Perry called Rob when she learned that he had recordings of it, & that may have been the reason it was pulled from the solo album.

David is correct, BOTD was recorded for possible inclusion on RAL, the original demos were recorded with what sounds like a wasted Tom Petty & Stevie barely mumbling through the melody during an impromptu session. I don't think this was ever meant to be a duet, but was just them messing around with an 8 track near by. The final recording happened sometime after Jimmy aborted his producing duties, which places this recording between late 1984 to 1985 when Stevie was working w/ several different producers, including Lori's ex-husband Gordon Perry, who ran a studio in Dallas where they ended up recording the track with him as the producer.

The song ended up on the cutting floor as a finished outtake, just as Sleeping Angel did from Bella Donna, and Violet & Blue from the Wild Heart , only to eventually see the light as soundtrack attractions.

Danny Goldberg (who had a long standing business partnership w Stevie and was one of the principle people to form Modern Records for Stevie's solo career) was the executive soundtrack producer for the American Anthem record which was released June 1986 on Atlantic. He no doubt tapped Stevie's vault of leftovers to add to this soundtrack which fit the movie's theme of doubt/struggle's to come out a victor in the end. Several FM AOR radio stations played this track (same w/ Violet & Blue). I remember hearing it on the radio early summer of 86' in Denver before it's release and being blown away!!!!

More geeky tidbits on the BOTD. Stevie wrote the lyrics, Music was written by John Jarvis & Gary Nicholson- who also wrote the music to Running Through the Garden, which was also a RAL outtake). The song was mixed by John Kovarek & Gordon Perry and engineered by John Kovarek, Tom "Gordo" Gondolf & Ray Kennedy. Stevie re-mixed the song w/ one of the Lord-Alge brothers in 1991 (as well as Violet & Blue & Sleeping Angel) for possible inclusion on Timespace, which ended up as a UK CD B-side to "Sometimes It's a Bitch".

petep9000 · #11 03-05-2010, 02:44 PM

That's awesome, thanks for the info. There is something so lovely about the music..

HejiraNYC · #12 03-05-2010, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vivfox

Why do you think it's about drugs?

Alternatively, how can it NOT be about drugs?

Quote:

This was not preplanned
But after some cause...
I decided to go to the other side of the world.

This may be a twist on the old adage "disappear from the face of the earth." She has decided to go to rehab.

Quote:

I see something.
I see a handsome soldier.
I see myself remaining... when all of you are gone.
And the reason that I paint you in my paintings,
And the reason I record the sound of your voices.

She is referring to someone specific (or multiple someones) who is actively abusing. Since she has notoriously equated being in a band like FM as being in the army, "soldier" may be a euphemism for a rocker in a band. She is basically saying "you can kill yourself with drugs, but I'm gonna sober up and I'm going to miss you when you die."

Quote:

No one walks away from this battle
From the power, it's so strong
Like a fury
Keep that fury deep inside you
And wish it to end
And when your friends start asking you why
You just say nothing

The dragon is her addiction to drugs- so powerful, so strong. But it's a private struggle- your friends can only help so much. And it never ends. You learn to live with addiction, but you're never cured of it.

Quote:

The beautiful and the sensitive and the oh so very young
We are adapting to your silence
I can live here without you
At least I'm learning
But I cannot live without your songs

This is her tribute to dead rock stars.

Quote:

Who have you been with?
Have you been with friends...or is there more?
(You're not listening to me)
Have you been writing, well you say it's harder now
Well I got the message, stay among the living

Stevie is confronting the abuser here. She knows he has been out partying up a storm. And the excuse that it's hard to write songs while sober is not enough of an excuse to keep using. Stevie had an epiphany and decided to get clean so she can "stay among the living."

Quote:

When this battle is over
I feel I will survive
In the battle of the dragon
No one walks away
Oh, you wish it to the end...wish it to the end

Given the timeframe this song was written in, I get the feeling that Stevie was considering rehab for at least a couple of years before she finally relented and went. And considering that she was still lit up like a Christmas tree when RAL was finally released, as well as on the subsequent tour, it probably didn't seem appropriate to include a song about getting clean when she really wasn't.

Just my own speculation.

BrokenHearted · #13 03-05-2010, 03:54 PM

http://www.buckinghamnicks.net/sn/so...thedragon.html

Bunch of opinions on the song.

petep9000 · #14 03-05-2010, 03:57 PM

HejiraNYC when she sings "you say someone's looking for you...", I guess she's saying someone's drug dealer is after them. Else, the police.

And when she sings "when your friends start asking you why...", that reminds me of 'Imperial Hotel' where 'he' says to 'her' "why do you do it?"

HejiraNYC · #15 03-05-2010, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petep9000

HejiraNYC when she sings "you say someone's looking for you...", I guess she's saying someone's drug dealer is after them. Else, the police.

And when she sings "when your friends start asking you why...", that reminds me of 'Imperial Hotel' where 'he' says to 'her' "why do you do it?"

I always thought the "you say someone's looking for you" line is a reference to the feeling of paranoia one gets once one comes crashing back down to earth after being euphoric on drugs. That's why she quickly adds "ooh... nothing is wrong."