Stevie and Rehab Writing

jannieC · #1 08-01-2006, 09:10 AM

I know that Welcome to the Room...Sara is based on Stevie's experience in rehab. I think it's interesting that a lot more songs weren't written about that experience. It's such a powerful and life changing thing. My husband wrote volumes while he was in rehab for 6 months. I wonder how much is out there that we won't ever see.

JazmenFlowers · #2 08-01-2006, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jannieC

I know that Welcome to the Room...Sara is based on Stevie's experience in rehab. I think it's interesting that a lot more songs weren't written about that experience. It's such a powerful and life changing thing. My husband wrote volumes while he was in rehab for 6 months. I wonder how much is out there that we won't ever see.

very interesting. I'm sure there are. I think she has slipped bits and pieces in songs that have been released. I have my own guesses.

gldstwmn · #3 08-01-2006, 11:07 AM

I always wondered about Escape From Berlin being a rehab song.

Livia · #4 08-01-2006, 11:10 AM

I've always thought Affairs of the Heart had a rehab reference...

One set of doors was the color of honey
One set of doors was pink and gray
Well, I wonder which set is mine, said she
As she walked down the long hallway
Well, I wonder which set of rooms are mine
For in these rooms she would live and die

BlackWidow · #5 08-01-2006, 11:11 AM

Well there's:
Welcome To The Room...Sara
Fire Burning
Escape From Berlin
Long Way To Go
Gold Dust Woman
Trouble In Shangri - La
Ghosts
Alice
They all deal with being in the grip of addiction..the repercusions..and the aftermath on some level.

BlackWidow · #6 08-01-2006, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

I always wondered about Escape From Berlin being a rehab song.

Disaster was the only thing I could depend on..come on..

BlackWidow · #7 08-01-2006, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Livia

I've always thought Affairs of the Heart had a rehab reference...

One set of doors was the color of honey
One set of doors was pink and gray
Well, I wonder which set is mine, said she
As she walked down the long hallway
Well, I wonder which set of rooms are mine
For in these rooms she would live and die

I thought so too...

Livia · #8 08-01-2006, 11:15 AM

^^^ And the end of her relationship with Jimmy Iovine.

David · #9 08-01-2006, 12:05 PM

Some of Stevie's songs that seem outwardly to be about crop circles are, I feel, actually about rehab.

strandinthewind · #10 08-01-2006, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David

Some of Stevie's songs that seem outwardly to be about crop circles are, I feel, actually about rehab.

Well, her hair certainly looked like one then

SapphireSister · #11 08-01-2006, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jannieC

I know that Welcome to the Room...Sara is based on Stevie's experience in rehab. I think it's interesting that a lot more songs weren't written about that experience. It's such a powerful and life changing thing. My husband wrote volumes while he was in rehab for 6 months. I wonder how much is out there that we won't ever see.

A couple of points - First of all, for all we know Stevie could have written volumes and volumes in her journal about her rehab experience but chose not to make them into songs and share them with the public. It took her a while to talk about the experience and I don't think it's something she's exactly proud of. Nowadays Stevie is very open about her experience but back in the day (and I'm thinking of a 1989 press conference in particular) she did not want to discuss the experience at all when questioned about it.

I agree with you that rehab can be a powerful and life changing event but it's not necessarily something she wants to share with the world. Stevie always says she wants us to be able to make her songs personal to us and writing about a stint in rehab is not something everybody can relate to. Some things are just too personal and I think this might be one of them for Stevie and I totally respect that. Remember, Stevie is in the public eye unlike your husband. It's a totally different situation.

I also think there are a lot more hidden metaphors in reference to it in her songs that we are unaware of and that is her way around being too specific so we can all still relate to her lyrics.

Good point though, maybe she should have had a song called "Welcome to Betty Ford, Stevie" lol.

Also, we really don't know to what extent being in rehab affected her emotionally. There were many other profound events in her life that may or may not have made a greater impact and which she chose to write songs about. I'm sure it affected her emotionally but to what extent only Stevie knows.

KarmaContestant · #12 08-01-2006, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SapphireSister

Good point though, maybe she should have had a song called "Welcome to Betty Ford, Stevie" lol.

Oh no...this is going to be stuck in my head forever.

Johnny Stew · #13 08-01-2006, 05:01 PM

In my opinion, there are direct rehab references in....

Welcome To The Room... Sara
Two Kinds Of Love
Doing The Best That I Can (Escape From Berlin)
Affairs Of The Heart

I don't pick up on any in other songs, but they could be there.

SpyNote · #14 08-01-2006, 06:19 PM

There are lines in When I See You Again that could be about her stay at Betty Ford, the part about walking slowly down the (rehab?) hall, staring at the walls and having "many things to stare at these days."

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackWidow

Well there's:
Fire Burning
Long Way To Go
Ghosts
They all deal with being in the grip of addiction..the repercusions..and the aftermath on some level.

I never thought about these songs being about physical addictions because she has said they are about other things, but they could certainly be interpreted that way.

RockALittle250 · #15 08-01-2006, 07:57 PM

Kick It comes to mind also...but i always thought Doing The Best I Can (Escape From Berlin) was about the Holocaust?