Strange Things to Follow When You Love Someone/ the significance of Mabel Normand

[PenguinHead]

I have no agenda to change anyone's mind about the song; you either love it or hate it - fair enough. But the more I listen, the more intrigued and informed I am about the significance of it, in terms of Stevie's artistry.

The decision to add the middle "change sides" section was a smart decision because serves as a landing pad and gives the song some tangible structure. The second part of the song is essentially a recapitulation of the first part, but with some alternate phrases, and a few new lines/verses.

The lyrics have all the typical characteristics of Stevie's writing style. There is a story line, but the connections are somewhat loose and the references obscure. It's atypical because there is no traditional verse and chorus, just a barreling forward narrative. I think that is why some listeners are thrown off about it.

That approach reminded me of the bands like The Velvet Underground. They have a long winded spoken song , sans chorus, and verses called The Gift. (It's about a guy, geographically separated from by his girlfriend, who decides to mail himself in a box to surprise her. It ends tragically when she attempts to open the box with a knife).

My point is that the validity of a song is not bound to a set structure. It's a more challenging listen than a traditional form, and that's why it has a special distinction. Stevie rarely ventures into territory that more progressive, left of center artists pursue. That's why I'm so appreciative that she chose to take a less beaten path. It's a fresh, artistic change of pace; one that evokes very different reactions. She's making no apologies, challenging the listener. I love that!