The Three Ballads Poll

[Christopher]

Originally Posted by Jondalar

Why is Love Is in that group? GAG!!!!!!!

Highway Man or Beautiful Child

There is no middle ground to this song, this is one of those Stevie songs I suspect that fans either love or hate, but I think the majority of fan's really love it. I'm in the love it category, I think it's just so honest and unpretentiously beautiful. And I love both versions, the demo for the tender rawness and the recorded version for the airy ethereal feel Pierre Marchand arranged to it, esp the ending which just builds and builds to pure joy.

[tilthefirefades]

BATB for sure, just an incredible song. However, if The Highwayman was included, it would win for me hands down. One of Stevie's best songs ever. I guess Beautiful Child would be considered a Fleetwood Mac ballad, but I still think that her doing it on the SYW tour beats her now doing Love Is.

[Travis]

Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You

The ending is "cosmic", which I love.

[sorcerer999]

B&TB just takes me there...every time I hear it! It is one of the songs that encompasses every single thing I love about Stevie!

I do, however, LOVE all three ballads!

[darklinensuit]

Originally Posted by tilthefirefades

However, if The Highwayman was included, it would win for me hands down. One of Stevie's best songs ever.

Agreed. Lyrically it's miles better than the others, & I prefer it musically as well.

I have never been a huge fan of any of these three songs, but I voted for BATB because it's the most interesting. And I was surprised/impressed by how good the vocal sounds on the Live in Chicago album.


- Jake

[Ghost_Tracker]

Originally Posted by TrueFaith77

What is your favorite of Stevie's self-described "three ballads"?

For discussion purposes, wouldn't "Goodbye Baby" and "When I See You Again" also qualify as ballads? ... If so, I guess she means solo ballads. If you counted those, I think "Goodbye Baby" would be my favorite.

I think she means solo only.

As for your great question - I've never seen a poll about Stevie's songs that I can't answer, before now. This is literally unanswerable for me; all three i.m.o. are just stunningly beautiful and pretty much perfect. If I *had* to pick one I'd probably go with Beauty and the Beast but that's a tough sell since I just saw the video of Stevie performing Love is at Lake Tahoe!

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by TrueFaith77

OMG, of course! And Beautiful Child EASILY conquers THEM ALL

YEP! I mean, i know its not in the poll, bt BEAUTIFUL CHILD FOR THE WIN! lol

[jellyman10]

..... because I know the other two from way back, but I only recently got TISL and have been consistently impressed with it (could say the same about The Ledge fan forum too )

[SapphireSister]

To me, BATB is the most beautiful ballad of all time not to mention Stevie's top. Although Love Is is certainly another top for her and has gained some momentum with the fact that she's doing it live now nothing can possibly compare to the epic that is and will always be BATB. Also, we've had BATB for 17 years and who can forget those timeless WH performances of it and all the others over the years? The song still moves me like no other and brings me to tears after all these years and is both lyrically and musically the definition of music at it's highest level of greatness that could ever possibly exist!

Edit: Oh I forgot to mention HAEWAFY: Also a timeless classic with a moving story behind it and unbelievable live but just doesn't encompass the same power that BATB does but it is a truly magical song not to mention it was inspired by the love of her life...

And of course Storms deserves to be here without an argument.

[Sahara]

Originally Posted by daniellaaarisen

No competition. "Love Is" live was simply the best moment of my Stevie Nicks lifetime.

Maybe your entire lifetime?

Today, Love Is gets my vote because I've really 'rediscovered' it in the last few days, like so many others on the board, I imagine. Before, it would have been BATB, though Beautiful Child would beat that if it were included.

Speakinawhich, I've been thinking today about how Love Is sounds, to me, like a lyrical sequel of sorts to Beautiful Child, insofar as they both deal to some extent with learning about love and how it works. Thoughts?

[SandyMac]

I voted for B&TB because it is a great story and Stevie sings it with so much passion. Plus I just remember being totally blown away by this song when I first heard it off the Wild Heart album. I would listen to that song over and over again and be so into the song and the whole story of it all.

However, watching the Lake Tahoe Love Is performance actually made me cry and tears rolled down my face. I teared up a little watching B&TB in concert but was more blown away than crying. So, Love Is takes a very close second place.

[louielouie2000]

Of those three, Love Is. The others have always seemed overly sappy to the point of being disingenuous to me.

[Villavic]

Where's LEather and Lace???

[RockAlot]

Originally Posted by SandyMac

I voted for B&TB because it is a great story and Stevie sings it with so much passion. Plus I just remember being totally blown away by this song when I first heard it off the Wild Heart album. I would listen to that song over and over again and be so into the song and the whole story of it all.

However, watching the Lake Tahoe Love Is performance actually made me cry and tears rolled down my face. I teared up a little watching B&TB in concert but was more blown away than crying. So, Love Is takes a very close second place.

Has anyone seen the Santa Barbara Love Is? I dont recall seeing it yet. I thought the SB one was much better then the Tahoe one, if thats possible. I was at both shows.