Battle of the Dragon

[Meowi]

Really loving this song, but can I have some more info?
The more I think about it, why the heck didn't she use this song?

[sorcerer999]

This is in my TOP FIVE Stevie songs EVER!!!!! Love this song sooooo much! I'd also like to know some background info on it. All I know is that it was originally demoed with Tom Petty, and ended up on the "American Anthem" soundtrack.

But I don't know anything about the actual song (what it was written about, whether it was supposed to go on RAL, etc).

[David]

Originally Posted by Meowi

Really loving this song, but can I have some more info?
The more I think about it, why the heck didn't she use this song?

She wanted it on her third solo album at one point, but somebody got hold of it, & once that was known, I guess she was asked for a song for "American Anthem," so she turned it over for that.

This is another song built on the Far East pentatonic scale. That makes me wonder just who did what. Its musical basis might have been something Lindsey had put on tape.

[CreepingDeath]

My #1 solo Stevie song. I adore it. One of my favorite interpretations came from BuckinghamNick.net many moons ago.


ED speculates:

I have always found this lost gem to be one of the most haunting, harrowing, tortuous songs Stevie has ever written, so I was surprised to read the speculations posted about this song. I am not saying those speculations are invalid, but I've had such a fixed concept in my mind all of these years.

The "Dragon" is her addiction to drugs.

I do recall that the song was released on the "American Anthem" Soundtrack in the summer of 1986 during the drug-addled "Rock a Little" tour. So obviously she was still in the thick of her problem
when she wrote and recorded this song. But I suspect she must have had some kind of a shock or reality check that made her confront her "dragon" with brutal honesty on this song. She seems to have written this song in the future-tense, with the voice of someone who has found some degree of closure with the "dragon."

"No one walks away from this battle... the power... so strong... keep that fury deep inside and wish it to end... and when your friends start asking you why, you just say nothing." Here she paints drug addiction as an extremely difficult, extremely personal battle that, despite all the best intentions of friends (or so-called friends??), she must kick alone, even if it means plastering on a smile despite the turmoil beneath the surface.

In kicking (or hoping to kick) her drug addiction, she has taken on an angry, yet somber, but bitter tone against her musical idols. She makes veiled references to her predecessors- Jimi, Jim, Janis- who all succumbed to the "Dragon" in lines like "The beautiful and the sensitive and the oh so very young... We are adapting to your silence, I can live
here without you... but I cannot live without your songs." She is strong in her resolve to not become yet another rock-n-roll statistic in brazen lines like "I see myself remaining when all of you are gone." and "When this battle is over... I will survive."

At the emotional peak of the song she asks the rhetorical question "Have you been writing?" To which she answers "...it's harder now." Many songwriters have acknowledged that it is easier to write good songs when you are on drugs. Sadly enough, this is probably true for a lot of musicians. Here Stevie poses the question of whether one can write good songs without drugs, to which she gives the most chilling, unflinchingly honest answer: "Well, I got the message: stay among the living." She concludes that it may be more difficult to write songs without drugs, but at least she will be alive to do it.

But despite her bravado, she is only human. And the fundamental rule about recovery from drug addiction is that you are never really "cured." The state of being drug-free is a constant effort, a battle if you will:
"No one walks away from this battle... from the power, it's so strong... oh, you wish it to end."

It's almost tempting to assume that this is yet ANOTHER song about Lindsey, but the message here is so harrowing and painful- it just knocked the wind out of me when I finally realized what this song was about.

[starshine]

I love this song as well. Always one of my favorite songs period. LOVE it!!

[mikebise]

I recently found my original notes from my phone interview with Gordon Perry here in Dallas in the Summer of 1996 (for my old Stevie fanzine). He said that the version that he produced for the American Anthem soundtrack was recorded specifically for the soundtrack in January 1986, well after Rock A Little's release, and thus not a true Rock A Little outtake. He said a completely finished version of "Battle Of The Dragon" recorded with Tom Petty was actually intended for Rock A Little but was pulled from the album at the last minute.

I've only heard two rough versions of "Battle Of The Dragon" with Tom, so I assume the completed version (which Gordon verified exists) has never been circulated amongst Stevie Fans.

[Christopher]

Originally Posted by mikebise

I recently found my original notes from my phone interview with Gordon Perry here in Dallas in the Summer of 1996 (for my old Stevie fanzine). He said that the version that he produced for the American Anthem soundtrack was recorded specifically for the soundtrack in January 1986, well after Rock A Little's release, and thus not a true Rock A Little outtake. He said a completely finished version of "Battle Of The Dragon" recorded with Tom Petty was actually intended for Rock A Little but was pulled from the album at the last minute.

I've only heard two rough versions of "Battle Of The Dragon" with Tom, so I assume the completed version (which Gordon verified exists) has never been circulated amongst Stevie Fans.

Now thats all kinds of interesting! I've heard the "rough" and rogue boots with TP and they are quite unique . And I just love this song too, it's one of my all time favorites. Her vocal on this is so dreamy and hypnotic as goes the music.

This just reminds us that there is likely a bounty of complete & mixed outtakes that we have never heard! Just like when Stevie pulled out Reconsider Me (which nobody heard before) from the RAL era vault, and just added subtle remixing and production compliment of Andrew Slater for the Enchanted release. This just makes me want deluxe remastered re-releases of Bella Donna, Wild Heart & Rock A Little EVEN MORE!

[ejof17]

I positively adore this song! Such great lyrics and such a fabulous vocal from Ms. Nicks! So lush and full.

[starshine]

Originally Posted by mikebise

I recently found my original notes from my phone interview with Gordon Perry here in Dallas in the Summer of 1996 (for my old Stevie fanzine). He said that the version that he produced for the American Anthem soundtrack was recorded specifically for the soundtrack in January 1986, well after Rock A Little's release, and thus not a true Rock A Little outtake. He said a completely finished version of "Battle Of The Dragon" recorded with Tom Petty was actually intended for Rock A Little but was pulled from the album at the last minute.

I've only heard two rough versions of "Battle Of The Dragon" with Tom, so I assume the completed version (which Gordon verified exists) has never been circulated amongst Stevie Fans.

Yeah, I've still got all your fanzines which I love still. And you have the printed words to her poem plus I think the song lyrics too. I've always thought her voice sounded more early RAL/like MM kinda because to me her voice sounds so different than on the RAL lp cuts and it doesn't quite sound like it does on Tango at all. So thats interesting. I think I've got those verisons with TP but there not very good either/or clear. I still love this song always one of my all time favorite songs. If you don't have the Japan ep(cd--6 songs I think) that was release for Timespace get it cause it has a nice copy of it which isn't it the remix Mike?? Its great. I wish she'd release those deluxe cds too but I guess thats wishful thinking as well.

[sorcerer999]

Originally Posted by starshine

. If you don't have the Japan ep(cd--6 songs I think) that was release for Timespace get it cause it has a nice copy of it which isn't it the remix Mike?? :

Wait. I'm confused. There was an EP for Timespace that was only released in Japan? It's got a remix of BOTD? Please clarify.

[mikebise]

A Hard Game To Play, released only in Japan, is where the 1991 Chris Lord-Alge remix of "Battle Of The Dragon" first appeared. Same mix as on Enchanted, although Enchanted doesn't label it as remixed.

In that EP-CD, Stevie quotes herself from the unreleased song, "The Dance" ~

"These are the moments that I live for..." in her own handwriting.

There's also:
"Love's A Hard Game To Play" ~ Single Remix Edit
"I Can't Wait" ~ Rock Remix and Dance Dub
"Sleeping Angel" ~ CLA Remix

What else? I think 6 songs in all. Cover is the same as UK "Whole Lotta Trouble".

[sorcerer999]

So it's the same version from the Enchanted boxed set. Gotcha. Does it sound different on the actual soundtrack of American Anthem then?

[mikebise]

Oh, Very!!!!!

The sound on the remix is much crisper, although the drums are not as accented, which Chris Lord-Alge is famous for enhancing. I'd say Mike Campbell's guitar shines more, but my favourite part of the remix is the ending, with all those Stevie ovedubs!!! You can hear them in the remix much clearer.

The soundtrack mix is fine, but not as crisp and shiny, I'd have to say. But it's not like, say, "Sleeping Angel", "Blue Denim", "Violet And Blue" or "Say You Will", where Chris amps up the DRUMS significantly. The keyboards at the beginning and ending are also enhanced sonically, but subtly. It really fits the song.

[Artemis]

I freaking love Battle Of The Dragon, I love her vocals on it. I thought it was recorded around Bella Donna time, because of how great the vocal is.

I have an alternative mix labeled in my itunes, not sure what it is exactly, but I'm fairly sure it's different to the one I have from Enchanted;

http://www.mediafire.com/?4l5uf2vs45ja5py

[johnb84]

This is a perfect example of Stevie at her absolute best.