Desert Angel - Page 2

Johnny Stew · #16 10-13-2004, 04:07 PM

I like "Desert Angel."
I don't love it, but I definitely like it.

I think the sparse instrumentation and Stevie's somber vocal fit the theme perfectly, and are very effective. I also like most of the lyrics (ok, maybe not "this is the first thing that I've written since I wrote about freedom," as much).

The bridge slays me... "Where is my father? Where has he gone? Where is my husband and where is my son?"
Great moment there.
But I've always cringed at the bellowing "Operation Desert Shield! Operation Desert Storm!" part.

I've actually made my own edit that omits those two lines, and that's the way I prefer to listen to "D.A." now.

Johnny Stew · #17 10-13-2004, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dissention

And just think, she excluded How Still My Love in favor of stuff like Desert Angel.

IMHO, 'Enchanted' was already way too heavy on material from 'Bella Donna'... but I would have happily traded "The Highwayman" for "How Still My Love."

The biggest kick in the pants, for me, was that "Mirror, Mirror" and "Real Tears" weren't included.
I was also bummed that the "special remix" of "The Nightmare" was left off (and, while I'm at it, I would have preferred she used the unedited alternate version of "Rock A Little (Go Ahead Lily)," instead of the album version. I realize some people don't care for that song at all though... but, then, I don't really care.

).

dissention · #18 10-13-2004, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny Stew

IMHO, 'Enchanted' was already way too heavy on material from 'Bella Donna'... but I would have happily traded "The Highwayman" for "How Still My Love."

Agreed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny Stew

The biggest kick in the pants, for me, was that "Mirror, Mirror" and "Real Tears" weren't included.

Disagreed.

I like Mirror Mirror, no matter how incomprehensible, but I can't stand Real Tears. That's one of her biggest dogs, thank god it wasn't on the Mirror album.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny Stew

I was also bummed that the "special remix" of "The Nightmare" was left off

Agreed.

Nixxxed · #19 10-13-2004, 05:06 PM

I'm glad "Desert Angel" was on Timespace. I remember being very upset when I first heard about the war at work (in a music store, coincidentally). It was a rush job, just as she wrote in the Timespace booklet, and I always looked behind the flaws at her intentions -- to let the soldiers know that she was praying for them and send them good wishes.

My favorite part of the song (musically and lyrically):

"Well I live below a great red mountain
In the shape of a great, huge beast
In a place the Indians call Paradise Valley
Well, this has always been my sanctuary
I send that to you too
You're on the other side of the world
In the desert..."

I agree the "Operation Desert Shield..." lines at the end are grating, but they're bursting with the emotion that everyone now complains that she's lost.

So, not one of my favorite songs, but I like it, I respect it, and overall I'm glad she released it. I've met a couple of Stevie fans who were in the Middle East at the time, and they all have said it was exactly what they needed to hear from their favorite artist and inspiration.

And I just have to wonder if she hadn't released it, and it had come to some of you fifteenth-generation on a demo compilation tape, what would you have said then? "Why didn't she release "Desert Angel" instead of XXX? Don't you think the soldiers in Iraq would have liked to hear it?!?!?!"

Johnny Stew · #20 10-13-2004, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dissention

I like Mirror Mirror, no matter how incomprehensible, but I can't stand Real Tears. That's one of her biggest dogs, thank god it wasn't on the Mirror album.

I love "Real Tears"... I think it's so beautiful. Great lyrics questioning her inability to face the present and stop living in the past (shades of "Ghosts")... with just the right doses of pragmatism and cryptic intrigue.

Plus, Stevie's vocal is very moving.

Oddly enough, my mother, the Lindsey fan, thinks "Real Tears" is one of Stevie's best songs (that, and "Illume," also oddly enough).

amber · #21 10-13-2004, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dissention

The music is very cheesy and I don't like her voice on it or the lyrics. Nice sentiment, but she loses me almost immediately. I reach for the earplugs when she starts screaming "Operation Desert Shield...Operation Desert Storm...Operation Desert Angel!" Blech. Give me LAHGTP anytime.

I second. I never listen to it. I think it's kinda terrible, terribly cheesy.

MacMan · #22 10-13-2004, 06:43 PM

I love Desert Angel... and I like Sometimes It's a Bitch just a little less. The one I don't really care for and haven't since the beginning is Love's A Hard Game To Play... Vocally, I think she's using a way to low register in her voice.. and it sounds like it was hard to sing it.

Desert Angel to me is pretty dramatic and pretty sad - almost epic like and I love that constant beat running through out. Great ending too!!

Serrart · #23 10-13-2004, 07:06 PM

The only one i can't stand on Timespace is Sometimes it's a Bitch (even if I like the video). Jon Bon Jovi shoud have put his dangerous pen down and opt for a new haircut THAT day, instead of thinking out tribute songs...

Romy

jadegypsy · #24 10-13-2004, 07:30 PM

I've always liked the beginning of this song, but OMG it is sooooo cheesy at the Operation....whatever...
I actually bought Timespace for SIAB, I really do love the lyrics on that song (yes I know Stevie didn't write them) and quite frankly sometimes it IS a B*tch, actually today was a B*tch since I went job hunting and I HATE just dropping in on ppl...hmmm...must go play song...

amber · #25 10-13-2004, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Serrart

The only one i can't stand on Timespace is Sometimes it's a Bitch (even if I like the video). Jon Bon Jovi shoud have put his dangerous pen down and opt for a new haircut THAT day, instead of thinking out tribute songs...

Romy

Hmmn, I really like Sometimes It's A Bitch. And before I knew JBJ wrote it, I thought it fit stevie well. And sometimes it IS a bitch. And she has run through rainbows and castles of candy, and haven't we all cried a river of tears from the pain?

Hawkeye · #26 10-13-2004, 08:03 PM

I LOVE Desert Angel but never ever listen to it because I never ever lsiten to Timespace. I also love SIAB, but mainly because I love hearing Stevie swear

and yes all 3 Timespace songs blow away her BTM songs.

Hawkeye · #27 10-13-2004, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny Stew

IMHO, 'Enchanted' was already way too heavy on material from 'Bella Donna'... but I would have happily traded "The Highwayman" for "How Still My Love."

.

i agree too.

Serrart · #28 10-13-2004, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Hmmn, I really like Sometimes It's A Bitch. And before I knew JBJ wrote it, I thought it fit stevie well. And sometimes it IS a bitch. And she has run through rainbows and castles of candy, and haven't we all cried a river of tears from the pain?

What surprises me more it's the insane quantity of clichés he's been able to stuff in a single song. He could have gone for the world record... JMHO

Romy

amber · #29 10-13-2004, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Serrart

What surprises me more it's the insane quantity of clichés he's been able to stuff in a single song. He could have gone for the world record... JMHO

Romy

I don't think it's tooo cliched, comparatively. At least she used different words in this song. She managed to avoid 'Angels', 'Destiny', 'Dreams' and several other words she usually repeats constantly. I dunno, a lot of people don't like that song, so...

paleshadow · #30 10-13-2004, 08:38 PM

Desert Angel is OK. Like several people have said, I also like the "Where is my father..." part. I don't like the screaming "Operation Desert Sheild.....etc." part, but the part that I really disklike is the last "Just the faces of YOoouUUuu" part. Whoever was in the studio when she sang that "you" part should have said, "Oh no, we have to do that over".