Bella Donna 40th anniversary

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

Because Bella Donna is a perfect album(as is Rumours). The Wild Heart isn't.

I see why it’s widely regarded her best solo album. I’ve never been a huge fan of it as a sequence of songs but certain songs on it blow me away.

Still, I suppose my ambiguity about the record comes from my having bought it after Mirage and TWH. By around early 1984, I was pretty much over my Stevie obsession and had thrown myself into early Mac records—and anything featuring Christine.

My biggest complaint about BD is the decision to leave “Gold and Braid” off of it because it’s such a great song and vocal. Not a bad complaint to have!

Also, “How Still My Love” (along with “Trouble”) is the best non-Mac Fleetwood Mac song of the eighties.

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

I see why it’s widely regarded her best solo album. I’ve never been a huge fan of it as a sequence of songs but certain songs on it blow me away.

Still, I suppose my ambiguity about the record comes from my having bought it after Mirage and TWH. By around early 1984, I was pretty much over my Stevie obsession and had thrown myself into early Mac records—and anything featuring Christine.

My biggest complaint about BD is the decision to leave “Gold and Braid” off of it because it’s such a great song and vocal. Not a bad complaint to have!

Also, “How Still My Love” (along with “Trouble”) is the best non-Mac Fleetwood Mac song of the eighties.

And Got A Hold On Me is nothing to sneeze at!

[Macfan4life]

Interesting. There are only 2 songs from Bella Donna that were never played in concert.
Kind of Woman and The Highway Man.

Kind of Woman would make an excellent choice in any set esp with Stevie's limited vocal range these days. After the title track, it really kept the momentum going on the album. Very haunting song about worrying about Lindsey straying on the road. Epic. So very Stevie. I love how she almost whispers.....unless she matters to you
I think the Highwayman has a really good chorus and I always love a song that tells a story. Its a great closer. Another song that should have been played somewhere down the line on a tour.

I think Stevie has been kinda haunting Lindsey his whole life

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

I see why it’s widely regarded her best solo album. I’ve never been a huge fan of it as a sequence of songs but certain songs on it blow me away.

Okay, I'm dating myself(I still date myself daily!), but Bella Donna is literally the LAST 8 track I ever purchased. And, the sequencing was different than the album. It STILL throws me off when I listen to it, because it's not the song order I learned.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

Interesting. There are only 2 songs from Bella Donna that were never played in concert.
Kind of Woman and The Highway Man.


I think Stevie has been kinda haunting Lindsey his whole life

I could have sworn I've heard Kind Of Woman before live....

Almost any time I sit down at a piano, I play KOW. That riff sounds so ~classical~, and someone always axes me what it is.

I freaking LOVE The Highwayman!

Lindsey said he thought $tevie was just gassy, not actually haunting him.

[David]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

I freaking LOVE The Highwayman!

Yes, I love that one too, Dave. It’s a great sing-along song. It’s really quite moving. Pure romance.

In fact, I wish Stevie had sung it on the Wild Heart tour. Would have been one of the highlights.

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by jbrownsjr

And Got A Hold On Me is nothing to sneeze at!

I should have added “Smile I Live For,” which is a pretty amazing non-Mac Mac song.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

I should have added “Smile I Live For,” which is a pretty amazing non-Mac Mac song.

And it's easier to sing, at her age.

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

Okay, I'm dating myself(I still date myself daily!), but Bella Donna is literally the LAST 8 track I ever purchased. And, the sequencing was different than the album. It STILL throws me off when I listen to it, because it's not the song order I learned.

Interesting. Now I am curious. What was the song sequence?

If Stevie ever tours again and plays Kind of Woman, maybe you can be her piano player. How about a dueling piano tour. You on Kind of Woman and Stevie on Rhiannon and you guys battle away in front of the audience.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

Interesting. Now I am curious. What was the song sequence?

If Stevie ever tours again and plays Kind of Woman, maybe you can be her piano player. How about a dueling piano tour. You on Kind of Woman and Stevie on Rhiannon and you guys battle away in front of the audience.

I don't remember, other than Kind of Woman wasn't second. I think Stop Dragging was. As we don't miss dated technology the minute it's dated, we give sh*t away. I gave all my 8 tracks away a 100 years ago. And always regretted giving them away. As I'm sure you know, 8 tracks often had a different song order, as the songs had to fit into 4 "programs". In other words, you couldn't have more than one $tevie song per program.

I did manage to buy a Rumours 8 track in a thrift store a couple years ago. I don't have a way of playing it, but I like having it. I actually saw another one this past Saturday, but didn't buy it.

Now that might be the RUDEST thing anyone has ever said to me!!!!

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

I don't remember, other than Kind of Woman wasn't second. I think Stop Dragging was. As we don't miss dated technology the minute it's dated, we give sh*t away. I gave all my 8 tracks away a 100 years ago. And always regretted giving them away. As I'm sure you know, 8 tracks often had a different song order, as the songs had to fit into 4 "programs". In other words, you couldn't have more than one $tevie song per program.

I did manage to buy a Rumours 8 track in a thrift store a couple years ago. I don't have a way of playing it, but I like having it. I actually saw another one this past Saturday, but didn't buy it.

Now that might be the RUDEST thing anyone has ever said to me!!!!

Going back to Kind of Woman. I remember listening to Bella Donna (album) the first time. The title track is such a strong song but then you never know what to expect second track. Kind of Woman kept the momentum going. Its a fantastic musical track but very bewitching and a classic Stevie song. Then SDMHA, Think About It...... the great songs just kept coming.
Edge of 17 has been played the most in concert. But SDMHA and How Still My Love could be tied for second.
Have you ever heard the How Still My Love outtake. Its incredible and I'm sure it was a tough decision to decide which version to put on the album. Similar situation with Sable On Blonde. So powerful. They probably made the right decision but I love this version.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSlTlHhWP30

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

Going back to Kind of Woman. I remember listening to Bella Donna (album) the first time. The title track is such a strong song but then you never know what to expect second track. Kind of Woman kept the momentum going. Its a fantastic musical track but very bewitching and a classic Stevie song. Then SDMHA, Think About It...... the great songs just kept coming.
Edge of 17 has been played the most in concert. But SDMHA and How Still My Love could be tied for second.
Have you ever heard the How Still My Love outtake. Its incredible and I'm sure it was a tough decision to decide which version to put on the album. Similar situation with Sable On Blonde. So powerful. They probably made the right decision but I love this version.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSlTlHhWP30

I have never heard that outtake. I like it! So funky!
I can picture Bob Glaub's head jerking around like a chicken during the entire thing. Sorry, he almost ruins watching the White Winged Dove tour DVD for me, with his constant head movement. He looks ridiculous.

[BigAl84]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

I see why it’s widely regarded her best solo album. I’ve never been a huge fan of it as a sequence of songs but certain songs on it blow me away.

Still, I suppose my ambiguity about the record comes from my having bought it after Mirage and TWH. By around early 1984, I was pretty much over my Stevie obsession and had thrown myself into early Mac records—and anything featuring Christine.

My biggest complaint about BD is the decision to leave “Gold and Braid” off of it because it’s such a great song and vocal. Not a bad complaint to have!

Also, “How Still My Love” (along with “Trouble”) is the best non-Mac Fleetwood Mac song of the eighties.

You're not alone. Even in my Stevie Nicks fandom heyday, I always thought the hype around Bella Donna was a little overblown. The second half of that record drags a$$ IMO. Kind of Woman, Think About It, and The Highwayman are all run-of-the-mill, not standout tracks IMO. Sleeping Angel and Golden Braid would have improved the album immensely. Even the studio version of Outside The Rain seems really lacking compared to what it became live.

The fact that she had such immense help from the heartbreakers, jimmy, and Don Henley is what really elevated the material on that record. The lack of their involvement is really evident when listening to Wild Heart.

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by BigAl84

You're not alone. Even in my Stevie Nicks fandom heyday, I always thought the hype around Bella Donna was a little overblown. The second half of that record drags a$$ IMO. Kind of Woman, Think About It, and The Highwayman are all run-of-the-mill, not standout tracks IMO. Sleeping Angel and Golden Braid would have improved the album immensely. Even the studio version of Outside The Rain seems really lacking compared to what it became live.

The fact that she had such immense help from the heartbreakers, jimmy, and Don Henley is what really elevated the material on that record. The lack of their involvement is really evident when listening to Wild Heart.

YOU KNOCK IT OFF!! I'll defend STEVIE NICKS til the day I die!!!
(As you may have learned, I'm not really good at it)

But I do love Think About It, Kind Of Woman. Would have loved Golden Braid. I think Jimmy Iovine felt it was a bit boring, too. That's why he added some of the Heartbreakers stuff.

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by jbrownsjr

YOU KNOCK IT OFF!! I'll defend STEVIE NICKS til the day I die!!!
(As you may have learned, I'm not really good at it)

But I do love Think About It, Kind Of Woman. Would have loved Golden Braid. I think Jimmy Iovine felt it was a bit boring, too. That's why he added some of the Heartbreakers stuff.

Never been a huge “Think About It” fan. Though I dig the vibe of the run-through of it on the RUMOURS DELUXE reissue. And the line “Heartbreak of the moment is not endless” is so silly I love to quote it.