Everywhere

It's embarrassing that I have been away from Becky's World for so long.  I'm not sure why I took such a long hiatus, but I am back and ready to share more great music with you.

Can you hear me calling -- out your name...  I know that I'm (hum hum), and I don't know what to say...  

Well, that's pretty much how I hear the lyrics to Fleetwood Mac's "Everywhere," but it's okay.  You see, I've always been so entranced by the awesome bass guitar line that I simply didn't pay much attention to the lyrics.  I can remember when the song was released in 1988.  It was okay -- kind of catchy and upbeat, but it was that incredible bass line that always seemed to grab me.  I can't say that I remember the video, so I was a bit perplexed when I revisited it this evening.  It's a bit hard to follow, at least in terms of the song and lyrics.  "Everywhere" is a simple love song about a woman who is in love with a man and, well, she wants to be with him everywhere.  The video is kind of an odd story set in what appears to be the 18th century.  I'm not sure I follow the plot at all, but the video is supposed to follow the poem "The Highwayman" by Alfred Noyes.  Check out the poem if you haven't already.  I actually just took a look, and now it makes sense.  I still think (considering the tinkling of the chimes in the song's intro) that the video calls for more of the band and an air of mystical, magical something.  I can visualize glitter and translucent scarves -- maybe a man and woman in love, with the woman following him around.

Anyway, I found a video of the group performing this song live a few years ago.  Truly amazing!  Oddly enough, it isn't the video that held me in awe as much as the clarity of lines in the recording.  You can really hear Lindsey Buckingham's lead guitar, Steve Nicks harmonizing on back-up vocals, and even Christine McVie playing maracas.  When I watched this, I saw some "suggested videos," including a three part "Master Class" with Stevie on Oprah's Network.  I thought, "Cool!  A masterclass with Stevie Nicks!"  In the classical world, that means that several students play for an artist, and the artist coaches them through their pieces.  This was more of a video interview/retrospective, but boy was it amazing.  Check it out if you have time.  I'm still feeling moved by Stevie's experience.  Touching and incredible.  You can find the three-part video on YouTube.  It's a must-see in my opinion.

Gypsy

Took me a while to decide on a song this evening.  In fact,  I was watching all these videos and looking through Songfacts to see what I could find of interest.  Clock was ticking, and it was getting later, and later, and so I decided on something kind of mellow.  Plus, it's about time for another Fleetwood Mac tune.  They are one of my favorites, and I've always admired Stevie Nicks.  I hear this song more on the radio now than I did when it first came out in 1982.  I do remember seeing the video several times on MTV.  It didn't scare me, but it did make me feel a bit sad, mostly because Stevie is dancing in the rain -- just kind of spinning and twirling.  It seems o be in some kind of slow motion, too.  For some reason, I found it very saddening at the time, although now it doesn't seem so bad.  Seems kind of nostalgic, actually.

Anyway, I hadn't paid much attention to the lyrics until now.  Turns out the song is about Stevie's close friend who was dying of leukemia.  I think (after reading the lyrics) that you can almost feel the time pass through the woman's illness, death, and to the days afterward.  Still kind of sad, but the guitar, harmonies, and Stevie's vocal quality make the song feel very calming and peaceful.  I suppose that was the point.  I am glad that I've come to discover this song and that it is getting so much airplay even to this day.  It's just a nice, calming song -- and not too depressing if you don't pay attention to the lyrics ;)

Fleetwood Mac Tour - "Dreams" Can Come True

The other day I was driving home from work and heard this fabulous Fleetwood Mac tune on the radio.  I've probably heard it a million times, and you know, I never bothered to find out what the name was.  Sheesh.  After all these years, all I knew was "Thunder only happens when it's raining..."  Well, those are the lyrics in the chorus, but the title is actually "Dreams."  Yup.  I'm sure just about everyone in the world knew this except me  -- until now!  But, the nice thing about Fleetwood Mac is that their songs are so amazing lyrically that the title can escape you from time to time.  Certainly not like canned pop where the title can be very obvious and perhaps even the most prevalent line.  Anyway, I thought it would be perfect to post this since it was just announced that Fleetwood Mac will be touring in 2013.  YES!  I have to see them.  I think their first dates are in April, and they will begin rehearsals in February.

Meanwhile, this song was written in 1977, so I cheat once again here, but hey, Fleetwood Mac is a legendary group that spans the decades.  They haven't had a dull moment in over 30 years, so it seems perfectly fine to include them here.  I have to say that I hadn't really listened to the lyrics carefully until this evening, but as I thought about it, I figured it would be something heavy.  "Thunder only happens when it's raining..."  Yeah, I should have known it was about heartbreak.  Amazing how they can mask that in this amazingly soothing tune that seems perfectly slotted musically.  Kind of like trumpet players when they talk about how a trumpet "slots."  Kind of hard to explain, but in a nutshell, it means everything falls into place.  I am mesmerized at how Stevie Nicks sings this in such a calming, soothing tone -- almost like a lullaby.  Hmmm...  maybe that was her remedy for a broken heart.  Anyway, this video of their live performance is more perfect than ever.  I hadn't realized Mick Fleetwood could tear up the drums like that.  Wow.  Amazing as always.  Hope I get to see them!

I Can't Wait - Nu Shooz

Well, it's getting pretty late, and I wanted to write about something this evening.  I guess I got distracted chatting on the phone with friends, but that is always a nice distraction in my opinion!  I thought about a couple of songs but still had the Stevie Nicks "I Can't Wait" on my mind, so I thought I would take a look at the Nu Shooz version.  Somehow, I thought the group was international (from Sweden or something) but in actuality, they are from Portland, Oregon.  I read that they were picked up by a Dutch record label, who did a re-mix and then helped them top the charts in the U.S. and around the world.

This song was released in 1986 -- when I was in middle school.  I was probably in 6th grade, and I loved this tune.  Listening to it always makes me smile and think of school dances.  Watching the video today was a bit sad though, because I found myself becoming bored about two-thirds of the way through.  The dog with goggles in the beginning of the video is neat, but that's about it.  The rest of the video is a bit odd and disjunct, with magnets floating around and so forth.  The lead singer did have some amazing shoulder pads in her jacket, though.  I guess all in all this song is best on the radio.  It's the kind of tune you have to enjoy without a video.  It has some very interesting sonic elements -- chimes, bells, all kinds of synthesizers, interjections of an awesome brass and sax section, and a pretty groovy guitar ostimato (with a nice little bass guitar bit thrown in the mix).  Not much else I can say other than I think it must have been fun to mix this all up in the studio!

I Can't Wait - Stevie Nicks

I had to make sure to put "Stevie Nicks" after the title of this song, because there is another song with the same title which was released around the same time by the group Nu Shooz.  Stevie's song was released in 1985 just four weeks before the Nu Shooz tune (in 1986).  In fact, I hate to say it, but the Nu Shooz song comes to mind when I hear the title.  I happened to find the Stevie Nicks song on YouTube courtesy of YouTube's shuffle o' suggested videos based on my browsing.  I couldn't believe that I had forgotten about this song.  I think I may have heard it once before in 1985 -- maybe twice.  It was definitely familiar, although I don't recall it being in heavy rotation on MTV.

So, if you do not know this song -- check it out.  It is electrifying.  In fact, I would consider it "Stevie Nicks plugged in" -- as opposed to "unplugged."  It is pretty heavy on the synthesizers and drum machines, but it still seems to work for her.  I wonder how it would sound in an acoustic performance with lots of percussion and just a guitar and keyboard.  I know that's not really truly acoustic, but it would be interesting.  Stevie has such a powerful voice, and it doesn't get lost here, but I think it would be great to hear it leading the instrumentals.  In this version, her voice is truly electric -- powerful and exciting, as if it was amplified by some magic electricity.  The synthesizers added to her vocals make the song burst with energy.  Meanwhile, the lyrics are very classic for Ms. Nicks.  She sings about a man she can't wait to see.  She's sitting there thinking about him -- talking to him in her dreams.  The tempo of the song coupled with the lyrics makes the listener feel just as full of anticipation as the singer.  I think my favorite part is when she sings, "she wonders how many more hours her heart will feel broken."  It's interesting, because the song is so upbeat -- that lyric just kind of sneaks in.  Anyway, check out this tune -- not much more I can say other than WOW.  If you like "Stand Back," this video is like that times 10.  In fact, I think she may have on the same dress that she wore in the "Stand Back" video.  So, stand back and get ready to be blown away by the electrical fire of Stevie Nicks in this tune!

Stand Back

Wonder Woman: Amazon, not witch.

I heard "Stand Back" by Stevie Nicks this afternoon while driving and thought, "Hey, why haven't I written about this?"  You see, "The Wild Heart" was the very first album I purchased.  When I say album, I mean exactly that -- vinyl LP.  Anyone remember those?  Well, I was pretty young when this came out in 1983, but I had to have it.  I was truly mesmerized by Stevie Nicks -- especially in the video.  She had this amazingly perfect hair and the most stunning, flowing outfits.  She'd have these translucent shawls that she would drape around her shoulders and then lift her arms and spin around -- kind of in a mystical variation of Wonder Woman's transformation spin.  In the video, there must have been a huge wind machine blowing right at her, and I swear it looks like she is about to take off and soar -- which in my mind is a good thing.  Yeah, lots of people talk about her being (supposedly) a witch, but come on.  That is just nonsense.  Capes and shawls and gypsies and so forth mean you're a witch?  Of course.  Yeah.  What about capes on superheros?  Aha!  Philosophical question...

Anyway, back to the video and tune.  The video is simple, and we see Stevie singing right before our eyes, looking straight at us.  I think she also spins around in the "rain," too, which always made me sad as a child.  Now I think it's cool.  She has a group of perfectly choreographed dancers, which was very typical of the time.  They move together in synchronicity with the dance moves.  Today's videos can have much more complex dancing, but this sure was cool.  It was like a dance team.  As for the song, I think the first thing that struck me this afternoon was the awesome synthesizer in the beginning.  Later in the song, we hear this really cranking kind of electro-funk guitar line.  Between the synthesizers, guitar, and drums, I like to think of this tune as "Stevie Plugged In" or "Stevie Electrified."  It's kind of like plugging a giant power cable into her music.  Oh, and her voice sounds terrific on this, too.  My absolute favorite part is at the very end where she sings "why don't you taaaaaaaaaaaaaake me hoooooooome."  I swear she goes from chest voice to head voice -- just like an opera singer.  You can actually hear bits of this chest/head voice switch right before, when she sings, "well I need a little sympathy...STAND BACK...well I need to be standin' in...STAND BACK..."  It is just completely awesome.  When I was a little girl, I didn't even realize that it was her voice through this entire sequence.  Wow.  Still blows me away.  Supposedly, the tune was inspired by Prince's "Little Red Corvette."  I could almost see the similarity with the use of a synthesizer, but uh, not much more.  I definitely prefer "Stand Back."  No offense, Prince.

Talk to Me

I am in big, big trouble here...  Yeah, I know.  I had been blogging just about everyday, and then it seemed as though I fell into a black hole.  I apologize and agreeably put myself in the doghouse as my parents used to say.  Couple of things have happened since my last post -- including a nice, much-needed vacation.  In fact, as I was driving home for vacation, I heard "Talk to Me" by Stevie Nicks on the radio.  I hadn't heard this song in ages, and I really enjoyed listening to it again.  My favorite part is when she sings "you can set your secrets free, baby."  Yeah, how cool is that?  I can imagine someone holding a bird, maybe a dove, and just letting it go.  Or, perhaps opening a window and letting those pesky old secrets out.  Set them free, baby!  I just think that has to be another one of the absolute coolest lyrics ever in the history of pop/rock music.  I listened to the rest of the lyrics, and it's pretty clear what the song is about.  I like the angle of having Stevie sing to a man, because he is the one with the secrets for a change.  Seems like women are always the secret keepers.  Anyway, the song paints the picture of a couple, and they are having an awkward time because of his secrets.  Yeah, I think he's probably got another girlfriend that he's hiding, and it sounds like he may be doing this out of spite because he was hurt for some reason.

The video for this tune is also pretty neat.  Can't remember seeing it much back in 1985 when it was released, but I guess it was up against a lot of competition.  Cyndi Lauper, Madonna, etc...  You can see the fashion influence of the time, because Stevie is wearing red lace gloves at one point in the video.  I think it's terrific, and I love when she kind of "melts into a puddle."  I am thinking she did some of her own choreography, although other parts also seem very typical of the day (like when Stevie is joined by four other dancers in that "V" type figure).  And, alas, there is a saxophone solo in this tune.  I hadn't noticed it until I watched the video again.  No offense, saxes, but it was pretty nice when I was driving along and hadn't noticed that part...  However, a good ol' sax solo was also pretty standard for the '80s.  Come to find out the tune was written by Chas Sanford, who co-wrote John Waite's "Mising You."  Lots of similarities, but I think Stevie really makes this her own.  Kudos, Ms. Nicks!

Fleetwood Mac - Seven Wonders

So, yesterday I was in Office Max looking for some printer cartridges.  It was Friday night, and there I was--woo hoo!!!  Yeah, Becky's World is not always glamorous and overly exciting.  Sometimes, I'm just the only one shopping in Office Max on a Friday night.  Anyway, I heard Fleetwood Mac's "Seven Wonders" on the store's sound system.  I hadn't heard this song in ages.  It came out in 1987, and I absolutely loved it.  I remember putting it on one of my "mix tape" cassettes.  Remember those?  Ah, the good ol' days...  Anyway, there is something so nice and relaxed about this song.  It's a great diversion--nothing overtly sad, intense, heart-breaking, or anything like that.  It's just such a "nice" song, and Stevie's voice is clear, controlled, and just magical in that Stevie Nicks kind of way.  The timbre of her voice is unmistakably unique and really touching--and powerful.  I can listen to this song a million times and never tire of it.  When the song first came out, I paid attention to some of the lyrics, "If I live to see the seven wonders, I'll make a path to the rainbow's end, I'll never live to match the beauty again, the rainbow's end..."  I also remember hearing something about "you touched my hand," and everytime I hear that, it just strikes a chord (no pun intended) in me.  It's pure and touching.  The line about "you touched my hand" comes up in each verse--each time a little bit different.  My favorite, now that I read what the lyrics are, is "It's hard to find...someone with that kind of intensity...you touched my hand, I played it cool, and you reached out your hand to me..."  Ahh, that is raw feeling wrapped in poetry.  So beautiful, so simple, so touching.

And now on to the video...  It is pretty interesting to watch.  I had forgotten all about it, but it definitely says 1987.  No offense to Fleetwood Mac.  I am sure they had stylists on the set with outfits, make-up, etc.  You can tell the time period from the poofy crinoline skirt and tight bustier on Stevie.  The group definitely has the late-80s glam look, which kind of makes me chuckle when I think about Stevie Nicks.  She always really had her own very unique style.  She makes the late-80s thing work, though.  Kudos to her and the rest of the group.  They do look a bit uncomfortable, though, or maybe they are just laughing to themselves.  All I know is that if you watch the video carefully, you will see some interesting, tender looks between her and Lindsey.  Of course, we all know the history behind the two, and it is quite amazing.  You can even see a tear in Lindsey's eye if you watch super-closely.  Enjoy!

Stevie and Rod on Tour

Last night, I was watching some clips on YouTube and stumbled upon a couple with Stevie Nicks and Rod Stewart singing "Leather and Lace" on tour this past April.  I had no idea they were touring together!  I must say that I really enjoy their music--individually.  But, well...hmm....when they sing together on this, it's...uh, different.  Stevie really has great chemistry with Lindsey Buckingham and others (Don Henley on this particular song).  Not sure that Mr. Stewart works with her to perform this song to its highest potential.  Poor Stevie.  Take a look at the video with Rod Stewart, followed by a clip of just the song with Stevie and Don Henley.