You Can't Fix This - Full Song

[vivfox]

Originally Posted by WildHearted

just wanted to add that one of the things I love about the song is that it's a rocker without trying too hard to be one, I've found a lot of her recent more rocking songs unappealing (Ghosts are Gone, for example) because they just sound like generic radio rock that any artist could have put out. This breaks that trend. I really love it.

I agree with this and feel the same about GAG and about Fall From Grace. I really wanted to love both of those songs but they are lacking something for me and I could never figure out what that was/is. I was glad she performed GAG on the IYD Tour because she needs more rockers in her set but YCFT really rocks, and from the second I heard the music I knew I was gonna love this song.

[Ghost_Tracker]

Originally Posted by WildHearted

Aren't all of Stevie's songs?

The way I read into the song is that she's sort of directing it to her Godson's friend. She's telling them her/their (whoever "we" is) story as a warning and then in the chorus she's saying, but you guys took it too far, you can't fix this, etc...

I think she's saying - We took it to far, don't make the same mistakes we did.

By the way, all due credit to Stevie, but don't forget this song was co-written with Dave Grohl and one other person.

[Ghost_Tracker]

Originally Posted by Jondalar

Here is a bad review

STEVIE NICKS + SOUND CITY PLAYERS, ‘YOU CAN’T FIX THIS’ – SONG REVIEW
by Billy Dukes 8 hours ago

RCA/Roswell
Stevie Nicks leads Dave Grohl and the Sound City Players on ‘You Can’t Fix This,’ a song inspired by the death of ....
this dark quasi-anti-drug message. “We were careful in our own way / We walk through the darkness / We made a pact not to dance with the devil / Even when the devil seemed to have a heart,” she sings before the first chorus.

.....going to be one fans remember forever.

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/stevi...cant-fix-this/

"“You can’t fix this / You lost a friend / Hearts breaking / Right and left / Friendships break like glass / And the devil pours another glass,”

That sure as hell get's my attention! . . . .

[WildHearted]

Originally Posted by Ghost_Tracker

I think she's saying - We took it to far, don't make the same mistakes we did.

Per her introduction though, they did a lot of things but they never danced with the devil and unfortunately this boy did...

[Zanobbi]

Better than half the songs on IYD

[wheart]

It's a great song but I still have a problem with some of the lyrics...mainly "devil" is repeated too often for my liking. It doesn't flow...I also wish they had really loaded up the ending with more vocal overdubs. I like Lori and Sharon's bits but it would have been great to have Stevie in the mix, too, wailing and whatnot, maybe with a lyric that wasn't present in the song up until that point. Just a few minor things because I always look for what's not there...

But overall I love the song and I think Stevie's vocal is terrific! Maybe it's just a suggestion from the subject matter but the music reminds me of "Battle of the Dragon" in some way. I'm really excited to have this little unexpected treasure!!

[louielouie2000]

Originally Posted by wheart

It's a great song but I still have a problem with some of the lyrics...mainly "devil" is repeated too often for my liking. It doesn't flow

But overall I love the song

Agreed... she says "devil" *FOURTEEN TIMES*. That's just poor songwriting. I do love the music & feel of the song as well... but those lyrics are so damned clunky. I'm still a bit mixed on her vocal, too... it's so strong in the lower range, but her higher notes are just shrieky. I can't say I've ever had such a muddled reaction to a Stevie tune. I really dig the aura of the song... the subject matter, the sound, some of Stevie's vocals... but then the lyrics are just so bad in some places, as is her voice in certain spots. I *really* want to love You Can't Fix This, I really do...

[wheart]

Originally Posted by louielouie2000

Agreed... she says "devil" *FOURTEEN TIMES*. That's just poor songwriting. I do love the music & feel of the song as well... but those lyrics are so damned clunky. I'm still a bit mixed on her vocal, too... it's so strong in the lower range, but her higher notes are just shrieky. I can't say I've ever had such a muddled reaction to a Stevie tune. I really dig the aura of the song... the subject matter, the sound, some of Stevie's vocals... but then the lyrics are just so bad in some places, as is her voice in certain spots. I *really* want to love You Can't Fix This, I really do...

Yup...I just wanna get in there and Fix "You Can't Fix This". She was probably trying to "make a point" with the devil reference in the original poem and it may have worked very well in that context but the translation to song needed some changes. In places it just doesn't work.

[PenguinHead]

Originally Posted by michelej1

Only when one knows the context in which he penned the review is it effective.

Michele

very clever!

[PenguinHead]

Originally Posted by louielouie2000

Agreed... she says "devil" *FOURTEEN TIMES*. That's just poor songwriting. I do love the music & feel of the song as well... but those lyrics are so damned clunky. I'm still a bit mixed on her vocal, too... it's so strong in the lower range, but her higher notes are just shrieky. I can't say I've ever had such a muddled reaction to a Stevie tune. I really dig the aura of the song... the subject matter, the sound, some of Stevie's vocals... but then the lyrics are just so bad in some places, as is her voice in certain spots. I *really* want to love You Can't Fix This, I really do...

The lyrics are a bit clunky -- that was one of my first impressions upon first hearing the song. The words meander about, without any cohesiveness, and yes, the "dance with the devil" line is overdone. Unfortunately it reveals Stevie's limitations as a writer. Any time she delves into deep subject matters and attempts to turn them into songs, things get a little dicey. Take for instance, Desert Angel, Jane...and for some, Soldiers Angel.

I think she will never again write a song that achieves the universal appeal of Landslide. And even that song has some slight lyrical clunk to it.

[BombaySapphire3]

Originally Posted by PenguinHead

Any time she delves into deep subject matters and attempts to turn them into songs, things get a little dicey.
.

Overall I tend to agree but there is at least one notale exception.Edge of Seventeen inspired by the murder of John Lennon and the death of her uncle remains the crowning glory of her solo career IMHO.

[Christopher]

Never before has a Stevie Nicks song thrown me in such a quandary. Usually I know within seconds, minutes, or the very least after 3 or 4 solid listens, whether I love, like, or detest a song, e.g., loved "Moonlight" at first sight, but loathed and scorned "That Made Me Stronger" for ever being allowed to drag TISL down a peg or 2. I, like many others expressed, initially had difficulty with the muddled lyrical cadence and repetitiveness of certain words (DEVIL) and phrases. So as I listened a few more times, clearly unable to get beyond what I perceived as horrendous blemishes - I put the song away, and hoped I would forget all about it.

Funny thing is the song crept up on me, haunted me, stayed in my head, despite my reluctance. That refrain, the uneasy catchiness of it. The tug and pull -- NEVER DANCE WITH THE DEVIL (You Can't Fix This - You Lost A Friend) -- HE WILL BURN YOU DOWN!! (Hearts breaking - Right and Left). Ever so slowly came down my pretension, the holier than thou "Stevie is capable of better" which i.e., since when does a pop/rock song (an art form) necessarily aim to be always as high-minded as some art forms. For instance, I know we all wish Stevie would constantly crank out the likes of "Sara", "Gold Dust Woman", "Gypsy", "Edge Of 17" , "Bella Donna" & "Trouble In Shangri-La"-- pseudo mystical & philosophical aural landscapes as easily as she could wave a golden wand, click her platform heels and make it so. Thing is, Stevie's song-writing has changed. "In Your Dreams" is representative of this fact. And IYD is chock-full of straight forward great songs, keeping just enough mysticism not to be embarrassing for a woman of 64 years of age.

Which brings me (Straight) back to "You Can't Fix This" - this song is solid, not high-minded, just solid. We all know its backstory of inspiration - which could have been Stevie's story - she was lucky, we were lucky - we still have her songs to critique. And the sober musical foundation the Foo's & Butch Vig provide is familiar and assessable. Heavy guitars riffs, pumping drum fills, Hammond B3, the cascading guitar riff lifting the chorus - what's not to love! Once I got over myself, I realized this is solid song. Straight forward and honest. Real music, with real soul & it builds to a satisfying climax in the end, that stays humming in your head, like a heartbeat drives you mad - yeah, I just wrote that, I'm tired, get over it.

Stevie has many art-pieces in her canyon of treasures. But I suddenly find myself loving this greased up guitar rock vibe. It reminds me of a time (in my early teens) when I wished Stevie's albums Rocked A Little bit harder, kind of more like Pat Benatar's "Crimes Of Passion" or "Precious Time". Actually, I've come to find this is a Stevie Nicks I wanna get to know more of. Going back in for another listen and cranking it way UP!!!

[wheart]

Originally Posted by Christopher

Never before has a Stevie Nicks song thrown me in such a quandary. Usually I know within seconds, minutes, or the very least after 3 or 4 solid listens, whether I love, like, or detest a song, e.g., loved "Moonlight" at first sight, but loathed and scorned "That Made Me Stronger" for ever being allowed to drag TISL down a peg or 2. I, like many others expressed, initially had difficulty with the muddled lyrical cadence and repetitiveness of certain words (DEVIL) and phrases. So as I listened a few more times, clearly unable to get beyond what I perceived as horrendous blemishes - I put the song away, and hoped I would forget all about it.

Funny thing is the song crept up on me, haunted me, stayed in my head, despite my reluctance. That refrain, the uneasy catchiness of it. The tug and pull -- NEVER DANCE WITH THE DEVIL (You Can't Fix This - You Lost A Friend) -- HE WILL BURN YOU DOWN!! (Hearts breaking - Right and Left). Ever so slowly came down my pretension, the holier than thou "Stevie is capable of better" which i.e., since when does a pop/rock song (an art form) necessarily aim to be always as high-minded as some art forms. For instance, I know we all wish Stevie would constantly crank out the likes of "Sara", "Gold Dust Woman", "Gypsy", "Edge Of 17" , "Bella Donna" & "Trouble In Shangri-La"-- pseudo mystical & philosophical aural landscapes as easily as she could wave a golden wand, click her platform heels and make it so. Thing is, Stevie's song-writing has changed. "In Your Dreams" is representative of this fact. And IYD is chock-full of straight forward great songs, keeping just enough mysticism not to be embarrassing for a woman of 64 years of age.

Which brings me (Straight) back to "You Can't Fix This" - this song is solid, not high-minded, just solid. We all know its backstory of inspiration - which could have been Stevie's story - she was lucky, we were lucky - we still have her songs to critique. And the sober musical foundation the Foo's & Butch Vig provide is familiar and assessable. Heavy guitars riffs, pumping drum fills, Hammond B3, the cascading guitar riff lifting the chorus - what's not to love! Once I got over myself, I realized this is solid song. Straight forward and honest. Real music, with real soul & it builds to a satisfying climax in the end, that stays humming in your head, like a heartbeat drives you mad - yeah, I just wrote that, I'm tired, get over it.

Stevie has many art-pieces in her canyon of treasures. But I suddenly find myself loving this greased up guitar rock vibe. It reminds me of a time (in my early teens) when I wished Stevie's albums Rocked A Little bit harder, kind of more like Pat Benatar's "Crimes Of Passion" or "Precious Time". Actually, I've come to find this is a Stevie Nicks I wanna get to know more of. Going back in for another listen and cranking it way UP!!!

Yes! I kinda wanted this song to go away, too but it refused to. It was stuck in my head from the first moment I heard it ...and that's only gotten stronger as I listen to it more and more.

[Blueletter18]

Originally Posted by Fireflies

love the song overall, hate the production of the backing vocals.

Yes, I completely agree! They seem too smooth.

[Blueletter18]

Originally Posted by shackin'up

I agree. To me, this is better than anything on IYD because of that. Except maybe Soldiers angel. The only thing that bugs me in Stevie's songs these days, is the fact that they exist of parts almost spoken poems. She sings fabulous on this, but in the verses I'm bugged about how little melody it has. Musically, this is great arrangement and production. It sounds warm and it rocks naturally. But it was expected; I don't like the forced popsheen of Dave Stewarts production.

Right on- although I admire Dave's ambition and his sense of fun, this sounded so warm (I think part of the problem is Dave's addiction to Protools) and it wasn't overreaching for its inherent qualities.