Release Party Interpretation - THAT MADE ME STRONGER

[Stewy]

Hi all - I'm going to have to go to Orlando for the week for work - i know...Oh Darn...

Anyway, I'm going to post up the last 2 songs that will be part of the Release Party now, so keep on cranking on all those interps!!!

Stewy



That Made Me Stronger
- words by Stevie Nicks
- music by Scott F. Crago and Timothy Drury


Dreams reoccur in my solitude
Breaking my heart
Injuring my mood
With all of the things that I thought I knew
It was you

Chorus:
Well the conversation rings in my head
Well you know me better than I know myself
Will you write this for me
He says no, you write your songs yourself
That made me stronger
It made me hold on to me

Well, I remember
You caught my eye
It was late September
It was no surprise
He made me better
His songs were soft and tender sometimes

Well the conversations ring in my head
I remember everything that we said
All those tears that we shed

(Chorus)

The conversations ring in my head
I remember everything that we said
All those tears that we shed
Don't call me when you're lonely

(Chorus)

Well once more I tell the shadows of my soul
To stay back
Everything has changed now
And I don't want to go back
And nothing you can say can change my mind

Well once more I tell the shadows of my soul
To stay back
Everything has changed now
And I don't want to go back
And nothing you can say can change my mind

[walrus]

I think it is all to obvious what this song is about, as it is one of the most talked about songs from recent interviews.

Nick.

[gypsymoon81]

I have a question about this one though. The majority of the song sounds like its about Tom Petty refusing to write for her, and how that gave her a much needed push to start working again....but I get lost on this part:

"Don't call me when you're lonely"

She sounds so grateful to have such a good friend like Tom, but then what does this line mean? Why wouldn't she want him to give her a call if he was lonely....am I missing something?

*~*Heather*~*

[BBALLGYPSY17]

Hey Heather,
That's not from Stevie to Tom, I think she's speaking as Tom in that line.Tom and Stevie's friendship has always been kind of weird-especially when she admits in interviews that he called her "a plane without any radar" BUT that's besides the point The POINT IS she's saying that HE doesn't want her to feel sorry for herself so "don't call me when your lonely"

LOL
~alex~*

[gypsymoon81]

Ok, I thought of it that way too....reversing the roles of my original thought. But it still sounds weird.

Thanks

*~*Heather*~*

[HolidayRoadGirl]

I'm nodding my head reading gypsymoon's post. In fact, that line was what made me click on this interpretation link, because it's the only one that doesn't seem to make sense in the context of the song. When I listen, I can't help thinking, is this Stevie showing a little temper, thinly veiling it as if it's part of the original conversation? Surely her response to Tom turning down her request couldn't have been as purely accepting and positive as she makes it sound in interviews. After all, she was putting herself out there, asking for his help - she was vulnerable to him and he turned her down. And while yes, "that made [her] stronger," I wonder if part of her doesn't think, well, Tom, don't call ME when YOU'RE lonely! It's an entertaining thought anyway! One of the things I love about Stevie's writing is that her songs aren't one-dimensional; they deal with complex relationships and feelings, and that's what I think this line might be about.

HRG

[gypsymoon81]

yeah, I agree HolidayRoadGirl, that's kind of what I was thinking....that the line was maybe meant in a sassy, sarcastic tone, in response to Tom turning her down.

*~*Heather*~*

[maclvr]

Well, I remember
You caught my eye
It was late September
It was no surprise
He made me better
His songs were soft and tender sometimes
Well, I remember

What about this verse though? i agree the chorus seems like a verbatim account of her conversation with tom- but what does this mean? that she met tom in september?- i doubt it- i know belladonna came out in july, right? so i think they may have met a few months before that when they were doing "sdmha" or insider for tom's album
and if he's refusing to help her- why does she say he made me better?? i think this recurring theme of him making her and her songs better is about linds. but that's just me. i just don't really see where the verses fit in with her friendship with tom/

[gypsymoon81]

- why does she say he made me better??

I think that he made her better by making her realize that she was an awesome songwriter, and she didn't necessarily need his help to write great songs! I really have to wonder what Tom's thoughts were of her releasing Every Day, a song she didn't even write, as her first single.

*~*Heather*~*

[Bella Figura]

Great thoughts, Everyone!!! I know my thoughts may be jumbled but bear with me...


HolidayRoadGirl ... - thanks for that idea, I was also wondering what that line meant. Your thoughts cleared that right up, you are right on the money One of the reasons I thought it was a little strange is that the "don't call me" line comes up again in Love Is and it's ''do not call or come around here, do not tell" lyric...but both Stevie & Tom have said repeatedly that they were never involved, just friends. but it makes you wonder

maclvr ... , the conversation Stevie refers to in her interview was not held during the BellaDonna era but not too long after Street Angel tour and Stevie's Klonopin drug rehab stay. Apparently Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were playing in Phoenix and Stevie had dinner w/Tom. She was just starting to think about recording a new album and asked Tom to help her write a song. you just need to reread some of her recent interviews

But I wonder if this was an intimate dinner with just the two of them or a large group dinner with the Heartbreakers, Stevie's group(Sharon, Lori, Chris etc.) and perhaps other record people. It kinda changes the meaning/aspect of the song either way. If it was a large group of people, Tom could make these type comments from the song and Stevie's interview in a more lighthearted teasing type of manner with lots of buffers around to cushion things but if it was a more intimate dinner, these remarks take on a crueler aspect...

I, for one, remember an MTV interview in the early 90's by Tom where he was making comments in a sarcastic tone about the Heartbreakers first hit record being a "Stevie Nicks song", he then rolled his eyes. Also in another interview with Tom Petty, he talks about his friendship with Stevie as kind of being forced upon him in the beginning with her hanging around the other Heartbreakers all the time just being/acting like the typical fan, the interview has got a "Stevie is pushy" vibe to it...

His songs were soft and tender sometimes My opinion is that these lyrics seem to be a reflection of Tom's true personality and not just his songwriting style..I do often wonder what Tom & Stevie's relationship was and is...I know Stevie admires & respects him but I don't really know if & how Tom reciprocates...I think at times he may be embarassed with the public's association of him with Stevie & their now classic video "Stop Draggin My Heart Around".
But now it seems he's still a friend after all these years so he and Stevie must get something positive out of the relationship...

Well once more I tell the shadows of my soul
To stay back Everything has changed now And I don't want to go back And nothing you can say can change my mind
I love the end lyrics, they just really show how Stevie has grown up from a selfish girl with a wild need for love devotion and even drugs to an introspective, intelligent, vibrant mature woman. I'm also using these lyrics as my Ledge tag line because I've too have grown since her last album...

[BBALLGYPSY17]

BELLA FIGURA

I have ALWAYS thought that he was embarrassed by her At least their friends BUT it's obvious he's gotton uncomfortable about their whole friendship in the public eye I have a clip of the recording sessions of "Stop Dragging..." and he's speaking with an interviewer about it from MTV...Now ASIDE from his voice being soft and him plainly just looking "un at ease" he even pulls at his collar a few times during the interview

"Tom has told me I'm an airplane without any radar"~S.N.

LOL
~alex~*