Stevie Nicks – Bella Donna

Betcha didn’t see this one comin’, didja? Well, I didn’t really either. But there I was, drivin’ home from a gig tonight, and on the radio comes Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around, and the whole time it was on, I just kept thinkin’, Jesus, I’m such a fanboy for Mike Campbell’s guitar playing. And then I’m thinkin’, damn, her voice is just so damn cool when she sings over minor chords.

So here it is, Bella Donna, the debut solo album from Stevie Nicks.

The incessant repetitions of Edge of Seventeen on so-called classic rock stations have unfortunately obscured a number of important facts, the first of which is that Edge of Seventeen is actually a fucking badass song, and a total masterpiece.

What is also obscured is the extent to which this album is really a modern folk-rock album produced at a time when folk-rock really wasn’t a thing anymore.

And finally, what is obscured is that Stop Draggin’ My Heart around is a fuckin’ great song. These lyrics, man, are seriously beautiful:

There’s people running ’round loose in the world
Ain’t got nothing better to do
Than make a meal of some bright eyed kid
You need someone looking after you

I know you really want to tell me goodbye
I know you really want to be your own girl

Baby you could never look me in the eye
Yeah you buckle with the weight of the words

Did you know that the mighty Donald “Duck” Dunn played the bass on this track? So yeah, there’s that too …

And by the way, Stevie can write a hell of a country song too:

Even though the living
Is sometimes laced with lies
It’s alright
The feeling remains
Even after the glitter fades

It’s just a great record. It really is. Bella Donna indeed.