Thoughts on ‘Sometimes It’s Bitch’

[greendaze5]

Oh, I’ve forgotten about this - looking at the credits for ‘Sometimes It’s A Bitch’, Randy Jackson (of ‘American Idol’) who used to play bass for Journey is listed as Stevie’s bass player too.

I wonder if during the recording session he thought ‘Stevie-Dawg’s’ singing was ‘too pitchy’?

[mikebise]

About Australia ~

I swear my Australian CD-single of "Sometimes It's A Bitch" is remixed, like Chris Lord-Alge did with "Love's A Hard Game To Play" (and several others in 1991, like "Violet and Blue", "Sleeping Angel", and "Battle of The Dragon" as well as many on TimeSpace).

Not a huge difference, but everything sounds crisper than the album version. Anyone else notice this? Or am I nuts?

"Now you tell me that I'm crazy ~
It's nothing that I didn't know!"

[fringed n fab]

I never really liked this song or LAHGTP.

[GODDESS6]

Originally Posted by greendaze5

Oh, I’ve forgotten about this - looking at the credits for ‘Sometimes It’s A Bitch’, Randy Jackson (of ‘American Idol’) who used to play bass for Journey is listed as Stevie’s bass player too.

I wonder if during the recording session he thought ‘Stevie-Dawg’s’ singing was ‘too pitchy’?

soooooooooooo funny~

[T8rBoi]

Originally Posted by fringed n fab

I never really liked this song or LAHGTP.

Get out of my head.

I agree with you FnF. It seems like a gimmicky song and not up to Stevie's caliber of writing.

[skuncles]

I have found few of the songs that Stevie has covered have been up to her standards. But I always liked "Sometimes It's A Bitch". The video was interesting because it was rarely shown on MTV or VH1. The only time I saw it on TV was when Jon Bon Jovi was the guest VJ and showed it because he'd "never seen it on MTV before". I like the song best of the three on "TimeSpace".
The clips in the video are great, I don't like that she basically shows this video during "Landslide" now though.

[Christopher]

I wanted to like this song when it came out. But it was really the 1st time I was truly disappointed by Stevie. Come to find out shortly thereafter, that Stevie wasn't crazy about it either. I liked "Desert Angel", and would have much preferred her own contributions of this time, such as "Mix Down (Love & War)" & "Listen To The Rain", or the re-releases of "Violet & Blue" & "Sleeping Angel" remixed.

Stevie was very candid in her interviews during the Timespace tour & press (which was billed the "Whole Lotta Trouble" tour in the summer of 91'), which came before "TimeSpace" was released in September, noting her disconnect w/ Bon Jovi in the studio & the curse word drama, but she did have warmer feelings toward Bret. Also, these songs were noticeably absent from her tour set while Stevie made no mention of them on stage. It was very apparent that Stevie was not at all thrilled to be covering these songs, she was coerced into it.

Stevie did both of these covers sadly misguided by her management & record label, with 2 artists (Bon Jovi & Bret Michaels) very soon to be wiped off the map of relevance, as Nirvana swept in a new era of music in fall of 91'.

[SapphireSister]

Originally Posted by Christopher

It was very apparent that Stevie was not at all thrilled to be covering these songs, she was coerced into it.

Bingo! Therefore, I could never truly have love for this song. I was very surprised reading these responses because I didn't think a lot of people liked SIAB but apparently I was wrong.
To me, this song is so "un-Stevie" both musically and lyrically not to mention she was very uncomfortable using the word bitch. Considering Time/Space was a "best of" album it makes no sense to me on an artistic level to include SIAB and Love's a Hard Game to Play when so many other beautiful Stevie-penned "hits" exist. However, I do understand the record label did this so they could release new singles and increase album sales but to me that's nothing more than a greedy-record label mindset instead of artistic integrity. I'm not dissing Stevie because I know she pretty much had to go along with this tactic but I wish things had been different and artists were given more creative control but at the end of the day it's always about making more $.

[RockAlot]

I too think this would of been a better song for Bon Jovi, I do like the song. I miss heard the lyric's the 1st few times's as "I've laid down with love and woke up with lice" !!!

Bass by Randy Jackson? Intresting....

[vivfox]

I LOVE this song. I still remember where I was and what I was doing when I first heard it on the radio.

I was living in Phoenix and it was in the evening when a DJ announced they would soon be playing a new single by Stevie Nicks. I waited and waited and when the song finally came on my phone rang. It was a long distance call from a good friend named Sandy. I was recording it to cassette while we talked and wanted to rush her off the phone so I could listen to it.

[Richard B]

I think it's completely trite and amateurish.
"Rainbows and castles of candy"...gurgle, gurgle, gurgle...wretch.

But then this is my thinking now. Of course I liked it when it first came out, as Stevie could fart in the microphone and I'd like it. Back then, I could not see the forest through the trees.
Same goes for that other dreadful "new" Time Space track.

[BombaySapphire3]

Originally Posted by Richard B

I think it's completely trite and amateurish.
"Rainbows and castles of candy"...gurgle, gurgle, gurgle...wretch.

But then this is my thinking now. Of course I liked it when it first came out, as Stevie could fart in the microphone and I'd like it. Back then, I could not see the forest through the trees.
Same goes for that other dreadful "new" Time Space track.

I concur..even at the time I thought could she be any more Norma Desmondesque?

[Jondalar]

It was totally overproduced and her added lyrics didn't help. The song just wouldn't quit. I hated the added songs on Timespace. What a waste of space. Especially when two of her hits, after the glitter and nightbird didn't even make the album.

[greendaze5]

Originally Posted by mikebise

(I think "Paper Doll" is one of Stevie best songs of the 1990s!)

My vote goes to 'Twisted'.

My first reaction to it was that Stevie got her mojo back! Second was – OMG! She and Lindsey are on speaking (and singing) terms again! Prior to recording the song together, Stevie was bashing LB for years in interviews.

[Travis]

Originally Posted by Christopher

I wanted to like this song when it came out. But it was really the 1st time I was truly disappointed by Stevie. Come to find out shortly thereafter, that Stevie wasn't crazy about it either. I liked "Desert Angel", and would have much preferred her own contributions of this time, such as "Mix Down (Love & War)" & "Listen To The Rain", or the re-releases of "Violet & Blue" & "Sleeping Angel" remixed.

Stevie was very candid in her interviews during the Timespace tour & press (which was billed the "Whole Lotta Trouble" tour in the summer of 91'), which came before "TimeSpace" was released in September, noting her disconnect w/ Bon Jovi in the studio & the curse word drama, but she did have warmer feelings toward Bret. Also, these songs were noticeably absent from her tour set while Stevie made no mention of them on stage. It was very apparent that Stevie was not at all thrilled to be covering these songs, she was coerced into it.

Stevie did both of these covers sadly misguided by her management & record label, with 2 artists (Bon Jovi & Bret Michaels) very soon to be wiped off the map of relevance, as Nirvana swept in a new era of music in fall of 91'.

I agree with this entire post.

For the most part I think “Timespace” is a solid best of package and I actually prefer it over “Crystal Visions.” I think the running order on TS if flawless; it all flows together so well. With that said, though I don’t hate SIAB and LAHGTP, I too would have preferred Stevie’s own contributions, such as Listen to the Rain. I recall liking the 91 demo of this much much better than what ended up on Street Angel. Gosh, I still can’t stand Stevie’s vocals on the “SA” version, she sounds constipated.

My running order would have been:

01-Listen to the Rain (new)
02-Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around
03-Whole Lotta Trouble (edited remix)
04-Talk To Me
05-Stand Back *
06-After The Glitter Fades
07-Long Way To Go (edited remix)
08-Love’s A Hard Game To Play (new)
09-If Anyone Falls
10-Rooms on Fire +
11-Edge of Seventeen (Just Like the White Winged Dove) *
12-Nightbird *
13-Leather and Lace *
14-I Can’t Wait *
15-Has Anyone Ever Written Anything for You
16-Desert Angel (CD Only)

Official single edit version *
Radio promo edit +

1st single
Listen To the Rain b/w Sleeping Angel (remix)

2nd single
Love’s A Hard Game To Play (edited remix) b/w Violet and Blue (remix)

Since we already have album versions available on the album (duh), as a fan, I want the official single edits (which most are not on CD). I also would like to have seen an edited version of the fabulous remix of “Long Way To Go”, though not a single release, it was a radio release and did very well.