Rock A Little - the song

[mikebise]

Yes, ballet slippers, but it could also refer to the pale pink bodice of one of Stevie's Tusk tour outfits. She never eeally hit the touring stage in ballet slippers, so the 1979-80 "Rhiannon" outift screamed to me with this line.

[Jondalar]

I am not a fan of the album, but there was something about this song that just caught my attention. It's gothic and dark and when she said rumours in the song at the end, I thought she was talking about the apolcolpyse

[Silylily]

Originally Posted by Spoinny

Can anyone give me a breakdown on the meaning of this song?

It will be my pleasure! I was named after this song (well, okay, Lilyana) which was my mother's favorite from Rock a Little. I'll give my best interpretation here:

Sometimes it rages... rock a little (Addressing her newfound romanticism with Jimmy Iovine and the rock & roll lifestyle in general)
Even when it's calm... still rock a little (Same as above)
Just like the sea... I rock a little
Say it was just like me
Still rock a little

Then you knew her...funny little dancer
And you watched her all night long (In the studio, Jimmy was mesmerized and constantly trying to figure her out)
You were trying to learn from her teachers (Stevie knew Jimmy recognized she had a special special talent as he pondered the source of that talent and inspiration)
One thing that she wanted
She would not be tangled up...in it (Stevie's reflection of the irony she WAS "tangled up in it", the typical rock & roll lifestyle and relationships)

Hit it, (Stevie's subliminal reference to the connection between a live show and cocaine)
It's about time, Lily (Her ironic refence of both of the above)
Oh, I know Lily ("Yeah, but what can I do about it now?")
Rock a little
Hit the stage...Hit the stage
Hit it,
Rock a little

Then he says, Go ahead, lily
Hit it,
Hit the stage, dancin'...go on
Hit it...Well, I know lily
It's about time, lily
Hit it

Well, I know lily
It's about time, lily
Hit it
Hit the stage
Hit it

She's home now; (Stevie is on a visit with her parents, noting the many changes in her life)
She says I've gone far beyond that song (Barbara Nicks intuitively reading her daughter and how "far she's gone")
She says rock and roll ballerina (Stevie's way of saying, but look at me now mom, all those ballet lessons finally paid off! I'm the bona fide rock and roll ballerina!")
Where else would she go? (Regarding her lessons in ballet and her general personality)
He knows his daughter, says
Where does she live? (Inside joke regarding her parents constantly asking her to update her residence, for them to get in touch with her)
He says, Oh, up there somewhere (Jess Nicks knows his ungrounded, "flaky" daughter too well!)

Lots of them
And all one of a kind (the many shows, fans, and lovers of her lifetime)
But the most important thing was
What was on her mind
Pale pink satin...worn out in a week (Irony of the worn out satin that touched her skin onstage and the satin sheets she slept upon)
But you loved you the most and you said...

Go ahead Lily, hit it
It's about time, lily
Well I know, lily
It's about time, lily
Hit the stage
Hit it

Go ahead, lily
Hit it (stage/sheets/cocaine)
No explanations and I tell you no (Stevie's typical response to "the prying'' when asked personal questions)
You say...Nothing
That is how songs are written
Stories are told, rumours are started

That is how songs are written
Stories are told, rumours are started

Go ahead, lily
Hit it
It's about time lily
Hit the stage, dancin'
I know, lily
Hit it
Hit the stage

Go ahead, lily
Hit it
It's about time lily
Hit the stage, dancin'
I know, lily
Hit it
Hit the stage

Go ahead, lily
Hit it
It's about time lily
Hit the stage, dancin'
I know, lily
Hit it
Hit the stage

[Christopher]

Originally Posted by fumidesigns

yeah it is fun when you don't know what she's talkin about. i totally agree with you. i'm kinda disappointed to know that "pale pink satin worn out in a week" is about her ballet slippers.

Though it's possible Stevie may have been referencing "ballet slippers", I tend to believe and take that line less literally. It's a metaphor. Stevie was burnt & worn out coming off the year long worldwide TUSK tour. Everything was pretty on the outside, the fame, the gossamer chiffon in every color, she had everything money could buy, but on the inside Stevie was very tired, Worn down by the rock n' roll lifestyle that had engulfed her life. This is well documented in many interviews during this era. Stevie was entering her early 30's and feeling its effects and wanting to adopt a new way to "rock a little" without burning the candle at both ends."No speed limit, This is the FAST LANE!" It totally fascinating that she wrote this song before Bella Donna (which also parallels the same themes), and recorded it during the RAL era, when Lily did completely burn out.

[TheSorcerer]

I love this song. It's so haunting and atmospheric.

[Ghosty]

I remember hearing her talk about it once (or one of her friends talking of it), can't remember if it is in that book, Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Stevie Nicks, or someplace else....

She mentioned not feeling well one night, but she had a show, and her dad saying to her, go ahead, hit the stage, dancing.... He was supporting her and knowing the show must go on. Although I thought she mentioned it was during the BD or WH tour when that happened, so if she wrote it before then, guess she was not totally on track about the full meaning of the whole song. And I remember hearing her talk of how we rock all through our life, in the cradle, on our feet, and in a rocking chair, and how she'd be this old lady someday, but still rocking out in a rocking chair. It seems a very iconic song for her. Too bad she never did it live. I love the demo of it too. Well, one in particular that is my favorite, but it's on cassette and I haven't heard it in years.

I never heard it was about Jimmy. but if it was written back in the making of BD, I suppose it very well could have a bit to do with him too. I love the reference to the ocean and cliffs and her having to get used to that. She has such a way of taking something so literal, and it sounds good in a song, but also adding to it figuratively as well.

The pale, pink satin, I always pictured ballet shoes, but that she might be using it as symbolism. I like thinking of sexy satin or silk lingerie, but I figure most likely it could be about herself, beautiful and fragile....and about her life as a rock star, etc.

I always loved this song. But I never realized the RAL album was almost going to be Mirror Mirror! I always wished OSOTM had been Mirror Mirror, with different songs on it than what ended up on it. Mirror and Mirror, and of course, Alice. But other stuff too, like She Still Loves Him, and many of her other excellent demos from around then. Rupert screwed that up royally. : ( To think, what could have been!



edit: also in that book it talked about how one day when she was feeling down and someone gave her a few little rocks since she was working on RAL. She said how Robin would give her little things, like little hearts when she was thinking of the WH concept or song. And so it cheered her up, remembering Robin, and that her other friend thought to do that to cheer her up. Does that ring a bell with anyone, or am I remembering it incorrectly? I just thought it was cute. Don't know what she got when working on BD? I've never seen mini tambourines, except for the one that came with my Star doll when I was a kid, lol.

[Heartboy]

'Rock A Little' is my fave Stevie album and this song is kick ass!

I think it has the best bass line ever recorded in a song!

[jellyman10]

One of my favourite ever Stevie tracks. I love the way it uses such a great rock sounding guitar in almost a ballad tempo. And her voice is so wrecked and ragged, it just drips with all kinds of excess. Make me think 'hit it' is sexytime.

[louielouie2000]

Originally Posted by TheSorcerer

I love this song. It's so haunting and atmospheric.

Originally Posted by jellyman10

One of my favourite ever Stevie tracks. I love the way it uses such a great rock sounding guitar in almost a ballad tempo. And her voice is so wrecked and ragged, it just drips with all kinds of excess.

Agreed and agreed!!

I just adore the atmosphere of the song. It just sounds so completely drugged out. I mean, it totally sounds like she's singing the song after a 3 day long drug-fueled binge while sitting in her living room with coke lines on the mirror and candle light flickering. It's one of those tracks where Stevie just masterfully captures the moment, and the true desperate subject matter of the song. The only song I think which Stevie captures her emotions better is perhaps Storms... where she sang the song like she'd just finished a big crying session. I just love it when Stevie can really make her voice show the emotion of the intense subject matter. She really exceeded with that on Rock A Little. And the production fully captured the mood, too. This is just one of those perfect songs for me; and why I'm a Stevie fan.

[fumidesigns]

Originally Posted by Ghosty

I remember hearing her talk about it once (or one of her friends talking of it), can't remember if it is in that book, Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Stevie Nicks, or someplace else....

She mentioned not feeling well one night, but she had a show, and her dad saying to her, go ahead, hit the stage, dancing.... He was supporting her and knowing the show must go on. Although I thought she mentioned it was during the BD or WH tour when that happened, so if she wrote it before then, guess she was not totally on track about the full meaning of the whole song. And I remember hearing her talk of how we rock all through our life, in the cradle, on our feet, and in a rocking chair, and how she'd be this old lady someday, but still rocking out in a rocking chair. It seems a very iconic song for her. Too bad she never did it live. I love the demo of it too. Well, one in particular that is my favorite, but it's on cassette and I haven't heard it in years.

I never heard it was about Jimmy. but if it was written back in the making of BD, I suppose it very well could have a bit to do with him too. I love the reference to the ocean and cliffs and her having to get used to that. She has such a way of taking something so literal, and it sounds good in a song, but also adding to it figuratively as well.

The pale, pink satin, I always pictured ballet shoes, but that she might be using it as symbolism. I like thinking of sexy satin or silk lingerie, but I figure most likely it could be about herself, beautiful and fragile....and about her life as a rock star, etc.

I always loved this song. But I never realized the RAL album was almost going to be Mirror Mirror! I always wished OSOTM had been Mirror Mirror, with different songs on it than what ended up on it. Mirror and Mirror, and of course, Alice. But other stuff too, like She Still Loves Him, and many of her other excellent demos from around then. Rupert screwed that up royally. : ( To think, what could have been!



edit: also in that book it talked about how one day when she was feeling down and someone gave her a few little rocks since she was working on RAL. She said how Robin would give her little things, like little hearts when she was thinking of the WH concept or song. And so it cheered her up, remembering Robin, and that her other friend thought to do that to cheer her up. Does that ring a bell with anyone, or am I remembering it incorrectly? I just thought it was cute. Don't know what she got when working on BD? I've never seen mini tambourines, except for the one that came with my Star doll when I was a kid, lol.

see and THIS is y i love being back on the ledge! WHAT BOOK!? OMG! i knew so much more when i had my phx connects!

[Ghosty]

It's a book about her that came out in the mid 80's. I remember getting it at the drugstore in the paperback book section near the magazines when I was a kid. It was awesome. I still have it somewhere. Back then the pictures were so exciting to see because there was no internet. And all the info was great. I am pretty sure all the pics have been seen now. I even posted them online many years ago on a Stevie fan site or something. The pics on the front and back of the book are nice too, and in color. Then a few b& w pics inside. And the biography of Stevie, from her childhood, singing with her grandfather, all the way up to after the WH album, if I remember correctly. Even mentions her marriage. I am not sure how much it costs these days on like ebay and collectors websites. For a while it was rather pricey to get a used copy.

[mikebise]

I still have my copy. It came out in early 1985, with the front cover being one of those "If Anyone Falls" video shoot pics with the microphone, and the back cover is Stevie screaming "Outside The Rain" from the 1983 Us Festival. By Ed Ochs and Ethlie Van Aire. She writes sci-fi movies nowadays...

[Silylily]

Originally Posted by fumidesigns

see and THIS is y i love being back on the ledge! WHAT BOOK!? OMG! i knew so much more when i had my phx connects!

I've speculated on this song so much through the years with my mom and you know what? Your take on the song is the most convincing to me and all of the pieces of the puzzle finally fit together!

With loving thanks ~ Lilyana ( lily-AH-na)