Sorcerer question

[Phoenixgypsy]

I've always been curious - why didn't Stevie's version of Sorcerer appear on the Streets of Fire soundtrack? Does anyone know? Don't get me wrong, I totally love Marilyn's version but at the time she hadn't even recorded with Phil Collins yet.

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by Phoenixgypsy

I've always been curious - why didn't Stevie's version of Sorcerer appear on the Streets of Fire soundtrack? Does anyone know? Don't get me wrong, I totally love Marilyn's version but at the time she hadn't even recorded with Phil Collins yet.

It seems that both Doug Morris and Stevie were trying to get her a recording contract. Stevie gave her Sorcerer for the soundtrack and was awarded a 2 year contract. She really needs to thank Joe Walsh for her career. She only performed in clubs but then was hired to do backing vocals for Joe on the tour he opened for Stevie. Stevie was in love with Joe and would watch him and her on stage and they developed a friendship that lasts to this day. No doubt she can sing but her vocals are not my cup of tea. I found her Joe Walsh stint rather annoying and her over singing to be a distraction in Joe's set.


Martin became a protégée of Doug Morris, the then-head of Atlantic, who had heard her backing vocals on Nicks' album, Rock a Little, and was impressed enough to ask for a demo. She recorded the Nicks' song "Sorcerer" (on which Nicks sang backing vocals) for the Jim Steinman soundtrack of the 1984 film Streets of Fire. Morris signed Martin to a two-album recording contract and connected her with Phil Collins for "Separate Lives," part of the soundtrack for the 1985 film White Nights. The song was a number one hit in the U.S. and a Top 5 hit in the United Kingdom.[2]

Martin's self-titled debut album was released in January 1986, reaching number 72 on the Billboard 200, with the single "Night Moves" reaching number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100.[3] Two other singles were also released from the album, "Body and the Beat" and "Move Closer," but neither charted. Her second album, This Is Serious, was released in 1988, with its lead single "Possessive Love" written and produced by Madonna and Patrick Leonard. The single "Love Takes No Prisoners" was released as well, with the ballad "Quiet Desperation" as the B-side. The same year, Martin recorded the duet "And When She Danced", used in the movie Stealing Home.

[Phoenixgypsy]

Thank you Macfan4life! I appreciate the info!

[bombaysaffires]

Also this was the time early in Stevie's success with Fleetwood Mac that she really leaned more into talking about herself as a writer rather than as a performer. For those who did not live through it it is hard to describe just how popular she was and how in-demand she was. Everyone wanted her to sing with them and everyone wanted a song from her. In addition to giving Sorcerer to Marilyn she also gave If You Ever Did Believe to Louise Goffin (daughter of Carole King no less) and of course there was the request to her from Waylon Jennings to write a song for him and call it Leather and Lace.... She sang on hit songs with Warren Zevon, Walter Egan, Kenny Loggins, John Stewart... She was absolutely EVERYWHERE and was THE 'it' girl for a few years.

It's funny to think of the path her career could have taken. For instance she was a producer on Walter Egan's album (with Lindsey). There was that brief moment where she wanted to be seen also as having some credibility as a musician, and was going to play acoustic guitar onstage with FM, and there was an interview with Chris where she said that she thought Stevie should play piano onstage with FM to be seen as a musician and not just a singer. All of that just came and went in favor of singing and partying.

And then somehow it all just went really sideways -- mostly after BD -- where the drugs and the partying and going off and being a groupie on other people's tours and all that just took over and her reputation went from her being talented to her being propped up by other people to the point where in the 90s the record company and such brought in other (male) writers who produced mediocre songs because they didn't trust her to be able to write stuff.

The long view of her career is just full of so many wasted opportunities and wasted talent.

[UnwindedDreams]

Originally Posted by bombaysaffires

Also this was the time early in Stevie's success with Fleetwood Mac that she really leaned more into talking about herself as a writer rather than as a performer. For those who did not live through it it is hard to describe just how popular she was and how in-demand she was. Everyone wanted her to sing with them and everyone wanted a song from her. In addition to giving Sorcerer to Marilyn she also gave If You Ever Did Believe to Louise Goffin (daughter of Carole King no less) and of course there was the request to her from Waylon Jennings to write a song for him and call it Leather and Lace.... She sang on hit songs with Warren Zevon, Walter Egan, Kenny Loggins, John Stewart... She was absolutely EVERYWHERE and was THE 'it' girl for a few years.

It's funny to think of the path her career could have taken. For instance she was a producer on Walter Egan's album (with Lindsey). There was that brief moment where she wanted to be seen also as having some credibility as a musician, and was going to play acoustic guitar onstage with FM, and there was an interview with Chris where she said that she thought Stevie should play piano onstage with FM to be seen as a musician and not just a singer. All of that just came and went in favor of singing and partying.

And then somehow it all just went really sideways -- mostly after BD -- where the drugs and the partying and going off and being a groupie on other people's tours and all that just took over and her reputation went from her being talented to her being propped up by other people to the point where in the 90s the record company and such brought in other (male) writers who produced mediocre songs because they didn't trust her to be able to write stuff.

The long view of her career is just full of so many wasted opportunities and wasted talent.

I think in HBO’s The Defiant Ones, Jimmy Iovine said he had heard it was hard to produce Stevie’s songs, or that she was “good for a few songs”

Of course Tom Moncrieff, Waddy, Mick and John solely were the ones who brought her songs into the great pieces they are

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by bombaysaffires

Also this was the time early in Stevie's success with Fleetwood Mac that she really leaned more into talking about herself as a writer rather than as a performer. For those who did not live through it it is hard to describe just how popular she was and how in-demand she was. Everyone wanted her to sing with them and everyone wanted a song from her. In addition to giving Sorcerer to Marilyn she also gave If You Ever Did Believe to Louise Goffin (daughter of Carole King no less) and of course there was the request to her from Waylon Jennings to write a song for him and call it Leather and Lace.... She sang on hit songs with Warren Zevon, Walter Egan, Kenny Loggins, John Stewart... She was absolutely EVERYWHERE and was THE 'it' girl for a few years.

It's funny to think of the path her career could have taken. For instance she was a producer on Walter Egan's album (with Lindsey). There was that brief moment where she wanted to be seen also as having some credibility as a musician, and was going to play acoustic guitar onstage with FM, and there was an interview with Chris where she said that she thought Stevie should play piano onstage with FM to be seen as a musician and not just a singer. All of that just came and went in favor of singing and partying.

And then somehow it all just went really sideways -- mostly after BD -- where the drugs and the partying and going off and being a groupie on other people's tours and all that just took over and her reputation went from her being talented to her being propped up by other people to the point where in the 90s the record company and such brought in other (male) writers who produced mediocre songs because they didn't trust her to be able to write stuff.

The long view of her career is just full of so many wasted opportunities and wasted talent.

Stevie has really went out of her way for women singers she has met during her career. Stevie was huge when she met Sharon singing in a club in Hawaii. She invited her to do her solo album and tour. Talk about a huge opportunity and being in the right place at the right time. She met Sara Recor on one of the first Mac tours and she remained best friends with her and kept her in her inner circle. She met Marilyn when she was in Joe's band on the Wild Heart tour. She then was bringing her out on her stage on the Wild Heart tour and remained loyal and brought her to sing back up on her next album.
When Stevie was on tour in Australia with Tom and Bob she met Elisecia Wright in Bob Dylan's band. Then Stevie hired her for her RAL tour.
She is very loyal to the female singers she meets along the way. When Lynn Mabry was doing back up for the BTM tour, Stevie brought her on her Whole Lotta Trouble tour the following year.