The most underrated (or forgotten) song from each album...

[The Tower]

Bella Donna: "Kind of Woman" - Really great, dark song- almost all piano-driven- acid-bitter vocals

"She came to yoouuuuu when you were alone!!!!"

The Wild Heart: "Gate and Garden" - I just love this song, especially the "Do I love you" vamp at the end.

Rock A Little: "I Sing For the Things" - Some complain about her vocal style on this one, but I think it's just heartbreaking. It really lends to the entire vulnerability of this song.

The Other Side of the Mirror: "Ooh, My Love" - In my opinion one of the best and most underrated Stevie songs, ever. Though, this album is FULL of underrated gems- "Ghosts", "Juliet", "Doing the Best That I Can".

Timespace: "Desert Angel" - I really like this song a lot (even though Carne made fun of my support of this song some time ago ).

Street Angel: "Destiny" - Such a very, very sad and forlorn song. I think the Street Angel version is way better than the Wild Heart demo where her voice is so ragged she can barely hold a note.

"You were nothing like the others...."

Enchanted Disc 3: "Violet and Blue" - Why the hell wasn't this kick-ass song on any of her albums??? Must have been timing or something. It's hard for me to think of a Stevie song where her vocals are more ROCK-N-ROLL.

Trouble in Shangri-La: "I Miss You" - What can I say? This songs brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it...

"The invisible girl, that was my name...
She walks in and walks out-
And I'm sorry now.... I'm sorry now....."

So, so sad.

It really is incredible how many great songs Stevie had written and recorded (and in many cases NOT recorded). How lucky we are to have such a huge library of fantastic music.

[DrummerDeanna]

I actually agree with most of the above...EXCEPT Desert Angel...I think that song is SO cheesy....

Also I'm going with Juliet on The Other Side of the mirror..and on Enchanted 3 I'm going with Gold and Braid..that song rocks..I love it...

Other than that, good choices, I also really like "I sing for the things" though I know many other don't seem to...

[jwd]

"No Spoken Word" from RAL. It should have been a single. Still one of my favorite Stevie solo songs of all time.



Joe

[gypsysara]

Rumors ~ Silver Springs

Tusk ~ The Dealer

Bella Donna ~ Kind of Woman

Mirage ~ Straight Back

The Wild Heart ~ Sable on Blond

Rock a Little ~ No Spoken Word

Tango ~ Welcome to the Room… Sara

The Other Side of the Mirror ~ Ghosts

Timespace ~ none really… I don’t care for bitch or desert angel… the rest were hits

Street Angel ~ Destiny

Enchanted ~ Gold & Braid LIVE – love it love it love it! ~ also Free Fallin

Trouble in Shangri-La ~ Bombay Sapphires

Say You Will ~ Illume

[Sorcerer386]

Bella Donna - Think About It
Wild Heart - Sable on Blond
Rock a Little - (you might all shoot me for this) If I Were You
Other Side of the Mirror - Ooh My Love (without a doubt)
Street Angel - Love Is Like a River
Enchanted Disc 3 - Battle of the Dragon
Trouble in Shangri-La - I Miss You

[Johnny Stew]

Looking at Justin's list, it's pretty much what I would have picked too.
Except I would have chosen "Kind Of Woman," instead of "Think About It," and "Love Is," instead of "I Miss You."

Everything else is exactly the same... even "If I Were You!"

[darklinensuit]

BD - How Still My Love (seems like people here already appreciate The Highwayman, which SHE NEEDS TO DO IN CONCERT)

TWH - Nothing Ever Changes

RAL - Imperial Hotel

TOSOTM - Since I saw Ghosts mentioned already, I'll say Fire Burning (I never hear anything about this simple/catchy song, which is certainly a throwback to RAL on an otherwise somber album)

SA - Destiny (my favorite track - and BTW, the demo sounds later than TWH days to me, at least the demo that I have)

TISL - If the vocal to nomad weren't so much better, I'd say Candlebright, so I'm going to say It's Only Love - much better than Sheryl's version

- Jake

[TwoTricky]

Hmmmmmmmmmm.....Underrated!?!

Let's see:

Bella Donna: I'm going with Kind of Woman too, it's so dark and mysterious and haunting...epitimizes Stevie at that era.

The Wild Heart: I agree with Nothing Ever Changes..Rock 'n Roll Stevie all the way

Rock A Little: Imperial Hotel...again, strong vocal

Other Side Of The Mirror: Juliet

Street Angel: Listen to the Rain

Timespace: (I'm not crazy about the 3 picks to choose from, but...) I will go with Love is A Hard Game to Play...Stevie meets Poision

Enchanted: Battle of the Dragon (i don't know if it's considered underrated but I LOVE it)

Trouble In Shangri-La: I Miss You...especially when she sings "I nearly couldn't bear it"...it evokes such emotion.

[Bella Figura]

BD - Personally, I think no song is underated on this album, the critics and the fans both love this one. but I choose The Highwayman for it's traditional epic poem vibe and Don's understated vocals echoing the unavailability of all Highwaymen. and as a romantic teenager, Stevie's magic held me spellbound..."alas he was..."

TWH - Nothing Ever Changes - this song is rarely if ever referenced as a fav amoung fans but it was my favorite for a long, long time when I first bought this album in college... listening to this good ole rocker, venting out my learning frustrations, growing up and growing confident. and it also has a favorite lyric of mine "I can turn all your music on, I can make you feel alive" which in truth defines exactly how I feel about Stevie's music.

RAL - Sister Honey - hardcore fans are rarely fond of this song but I do love dance music and I was still in my party girl phase, my own job, my own money, my own life. So I was very happy to hear this one on the album when it first came out...it also shows a willingness by Stevie to take chances with a new musical genres, still a rarity for Stevie. I personally think the dance music of Sister Honey was a great mix with her lyrics..."can we still be friends, the answer's always yes"

TOSOTM - there are so many gems on TOSOTM but it did take me a long time to warm up to this album when I first purchased it. I was living with my soon-to-be hubby so I had little time to indulge in music even the beloved Stevie. I was busy being in love but now this album is my favorite. But to pick one song when the whole album is underrated is very tough...Doing the Best that I Can is my pick since it is so close to the end that it is probably not listened to as much as other songs on the cd...

SA - Kick It, another great song buried towards the back end of an album especially this little gem since SA is the least popular of all Stevie's albums...having the strength and love for yourself to overcome those things you do to yourself even tho you know it's not good for you whether it's an addiction, a relationship or some other horrible life hurdle. hell, I'm really growing up now, real life challenges and sorrows...The song uses traditional rock music but what makes it special is it's heavy lyrics..."what is this? what about me? I'm lonely...but I'm prepared to kick it"

TISL - time is still making a judgement about which song finally rises as her most underrated on this album. but Love Changes is a favorite of mine on this album but it seems low on the totem poll with fans...but it's a great mix of pop, rock and dance with classic Stevie lyrics whether you see them as hokey, simple or inspirational "when love changes, it's leaves people burning at the side of the road, you stand there, you have nothing to hold" and like Stevie, I've grown up, I've matured but I'm still intense...and this song reflects both who she is and who I am and the road we've traveled together, thanks Stevie...

an honorable mention goes to Desert Angel, I always love the mix of Mike Campbells music with Stevie's lyrics and vocals...the Heartbreakers bring out Stevie's inner Joplin...

[Pagan_RussZsa]

Another good thread,

Bella Donna...Kind Of Woman/Outside The Rain

Both are totally beautiful, especially the opening line of OTR.

The Wild Heart...Nightbird

A melancholic song, full of little musical corners and passages...A maze.

Rock A Little...Some Become Strangers

Another borderline melancholic song - Though most songs on the RAL werent touched upon very much.

TOSOTM - An album packed full of forgotten/undiscovered beauties..

OOh my love - full of emotion/stevies vocals are fantastic. Also Escape From Berlin is absolutely gorgeous. Stevie has never sounded better.

TISL - It's only love/Love Changes - it's only love envelopes me with shivers each time I listen to it... "I think I met my match again, passing round the candlelight" Beautiful!

Say You WIll - Everybody Finds Out - To me this song represents the "new" FM sound. Stronger harmonies between Lindsey/Stevie. Also a more daring harmonic/chord pattern + intro of full strings.

Russ - Signin out!

[dissention]

Bella Donna: How Still My Love

No one EVER talks about this song and it has some of her most amazing lyrics! And I was *amazed* when she left it off of Enchanted!

The Wild Heart: Sable On Blonde

Another one of her best songs, not only in lyrics but in vocals and harmonies. I never tire of this song at all.

Rock A Little: No Spoken Word

In my opinion, a sh*tty album with not many good songs, but this one should have been a single in place of HAEWAFY. Why Has Anyone was released as a single is beyond comprehension... No Spoken Word is the best track on the album.

OSOTM: Long Way To Go

This song isn't a lyrical gem, but it has so much passion and enthusiasm that it's infectious. Best vocal on the album and the only true rocker.

Timespace: Sometimes It's A Bitch

Has cheesy-as-hell lyrics, but they're better than the lyrics to the other "new" songs. Desert Angel is laughable, as is Love's A Hard Game. Plus, this has some good music and an impassioned vocal even though Stevie hated "swearing."

Street Angel: Greta

The only out-and-out GOOD song on a *terrible* and cringe-inducing album. She sings it well without overdoing it and I dig the lyrics a LOT. The only bright spot on an album filled with bad vocals, only a few Stevie songs, and middle-of-the-road schlock.

Enchanted Disc 3: Blue Lamp

Airy-fairy atmosphere and it should've been on Bella Donna!

Trouble In Shangri-La: Bombay Sapphires

Ambiguous lyrics, great music, and the mysticism Stevie is famous for. Stevie and Macy's voices blend so well and it was a really different kind of song for Stevie to do; I love it.

[Merf]

My picks are pretty much the same But my $.02.

Bella Donna- Kind of Woman

Wild Heart- Nothing Ever Changes

Rock a Little- The Nightmare- not popular, I know. It is repetitive, but I love how she weaves themes throughout her songs. It's what makes her such an outstanding writer and poet and it makes her songs fun to "dissect" to try to find meaning "Blinded by the light of day, Thrown down through the arms of sleep, She fell through the ivory morning, Deep into the waters of the one that she called love"

OSOTM- Ooh My Love. Definitely!

Street Angel- Destiny

Enchanted 3- Thousand Days

TISL- Bombay Sapphires. One of my fave Stevie songs ever. EVER. The imagery is amazing on this one, and my understanding of the lyrics (the story behind it, the time period it was written) make this an *extremely* personal song for her and even *more* visually powerful in my mind.

[darklinensuit]

Originally posted by Merf
Rock a Little- The Nightmare- not popular, I know. It is repetitive,.

I like The Nightmare, except for the last thirty-four minutes of it that sound repetitive.

- Jake

[Johnny Stew]

Hey Jake... have you ever had a chance to hear the "special remix" of "The Nightmare," from the "I Can't Wait" US 12" maxi-single?

A lot of people who strongly dislike the album version, find that they really love that "remix" (which is more of an alternate version, with some additional production).

[darklinensuit]

I have heard it, but didn't care for it. I do like the album version except for the last part. I don't think I've ever liked an extended Stevie re-mix. Maybe Planets. I thought the extended I Can't Wait & Seven Wonders versions destroyed the songs.

- Jake