Question re: Nightbird

[johnnystorms]

Does anyone have an idea as to why Nightbird was the third single from WH? It's a terrible single choice. I assume the record company wanted a Fleetwood Mac-ish sound.? What sprung to mine for me was Nothing Ever Changes. I suspect Stevie didn't like the choice either as there was no video.
Anyone have inside info or opinions?

[SisterNightroad]

Originally Posted by johnnystorms

Does anyone have an idea as to why Nightbird was the third single from WH? It's a terrible single choice. I assume the record company wanted a Fleetwood Mac-ish sound.? What sprung to mine for me was Nothing Ever Changes. I suspect Stevie didn't like the choice either as there was no video.
Anyone have inside info or opinions?

My opinion is that, after a mid-tempo song like If Anyone Falls and a dance upbeat song like Stand Back, they wanted to choose a ballad for a third single.
Also since it's about Robin, Stevie wanted it out as a single for personal reasons, she wanted the song to be heard the most she could as a tribute to her friend.

"I spent about 3 hours the other, a couple of days ago, in my bathroom with the [Wild Heart] album, just reading it, you know, in the middle of the night by myself, just reading every little word, going, 'it's real.' And, I thought, you know, the dedication to Robin... her strength, you know. Uh, maybe, maybe Nightbird, you know, will inspire somebody. Maybe it will, maybe it will inspire somebody else to go and do some research. Maybe it will make somebody be a doctor. You know, maybe some kid will go I'm gonna do cancer research and I'm gonna beat leukemia. That's what I hope that maybe Sandy [Stewart] and I did with Nightbird."
~Stevie Nicks, Jim Ladd Innerview, 1983

However it's interesting to note that on the report of the Wild heart sessions that was on Ivory Keys was written:

In October 1983, four months after the release of The Wild Heart, Bobbye Hall was paid for a week in the studio adding percussion overdubs to "All The Beautiful Worlds." Was "All The Beautiful Worlds" being prepped as a b-side for the upcoming "Nightbird" single? Did Stevie decide to keep the song her her next album, Rock A Little? Those questions remain unanswered

So there's a chance that initially All the beautiful worlds was to be the single, while at the last moment it's been left out of the album and it's been replaced by Nightbird.

[johnnystorms]

Originally Posted by SisterNightroad

My opinion is that, after a mid-tempo song like If Anyone Falls and a dance upbeat song like Stand Back, they wanted to choose a ballad for a third single.
I also think that since it's about Robin, Stevie wanted it out as a single for personal reasons; probably she wanted the song to be heard the most she could as a tribute to her friend.

However it's interesting to note that on the report of the Wild heart sessions that was on Ivory Keys was written:

In October 1983, four months after the release of The Wild Heart, Bobbye Hall was paid for a week in the studio adding percussion overdubs to "All The Beautiful Worlds." Was "All The Beautiful Worlds" being prepped as a b-side for the upcoming "Nightbird" single? Did Stevie decide to keep the song her her next album, Rock A Little? Those questions remain unanswered

So there's a chance that initially All the beautiful worlds was to be the single, while at the last moment it's been left out of the album and it's been replaced by Nightbird.

Not disputing your suggestion re- a ballad, but she already had a "robin song" with Gypsy. And the record company chooses singles. Maybe i'm just thinking that with the success of the rockers from Bella Donna, it would have been better to hit that with the third single. Nightbird just seems so clunky and non-radio friendly to me.

[Macfan4life]

You are preaching to the choir. I was almost suicidal in 1983 fretting over this same thing. IMHO Nightbird killed the Wild Heart. Stevie was on tour and did not have time for videos. But Enchanted or Nothing Ever Changes would have been a solid single especially if there was a video.
Nightbird did chart at 32 I believe.
Nightbird is definitely not a radio single. I hate the dreaded keyboard part at the beginning and that horrible drum machine. Its so basic like someone playing a casio keyboard they just got for Christmas. The lyrics are ok but its my least favorite song off Wild Heart. The live versions on Saturday Night Live and Solid Gold are so much better than the studio version. The live versions have real drums and percussion and some piano. Those add some depth to the song.

All the beautiful worlds is one of my favorite Stevie songs ever. I wish it made it to the Wild Heart.

[SisterNightroad]

Originally Posted by johnnystorms

Not disputing your suggestion re- a ballad, but she already had a "robin song" with Gypsy. And the record company chooses singles. Maybe i'm just thinking that with the success of the rockers from Bella Donna, it would have been better to hit that with the third single. Nightbird just seems so clunky and non-radio friendly to me.

Yes, she already had a Robin song but I don't think that's a limit, see how many Lindsay's songs she's put out. If anything probably that would have been an incentive for her.
And yeah, the record company chooses the single but I doubt that they do it without any involvement from the artist.
However Gypsy wasn't really a song for Robin, not initially. The song was first written when she broke up with Lindsy, so it was another Lindsay song, and then in 1981 after Robin's death for Stevie the song "took another meaning" and she recorded it as a tribute to Robin. I think she may even have said that she added some lyrics to it, I'm sure the line "I can't see your bright eyes/I can't find you" was added at this time.

[UndoingTheLaces]

Originally Posted by SisterNightroad

I think she may even have said that she added some lyrics to it, I'm sure the line "I can't see your bright eyes/I can't find you" was added at this time.

If you listen to the early demos she cut with Tom Petty she repeats the first after the bridge because the third verse hadn't been written yet. It was originally a song about herself, getting away from all the craziness of being famous and going back to her roots in San Franciso with her bed on the floor and whatnot. She's speaking about her being a gypsy, wandering the world alone, not needing anyone else. Lady Gagy does an update on this idea in her song Gypsy where she meets a man who sees himself in that same way and she contemplates what her life would be like if she lived like that. The lyrics about Robin came later and they pull the whole song together as if Stevie is talking about herself being the Gypsy who is now alone after having her best friend along side her, two Gypsies perhaps, but is now the lone Gypsy that remains.

[SisterNightroad]

Originally Posted by UndoingTheLaces

If you listen to the early demos she cut with Tom Petty she repeats the first after the bridge because the third verse hadn't been written yet. It was originally a song about herself, getting away from all the craziness of being famous and going back to her roots in San Franciso with her bed on the floor and whatnot. She's speaking about her being a gypsy, wandering the world alone, not needing anyone else. Lady Gagy does an update on this idea in her song Gypsy where she meets a man who sees himself in that same way and she contemplates what her life would be like if she lived like that. The lyrics about Robin came later and they pull the whole song together as if Stevie is talking about herself being the Gypsy who is now alone after having her best friend along side her, two Gypsies perhaps, but is now the lone Gypsy that remains.

True, it's also about that. I think that like many of her songs since they've been written in different years there are many meanings that blend with each other.

[iamnotafraid]

I never thought about it being a radio hit.

But I do love the song.

[ahafan02]

Originally Posted by johnnystorms

Not disputing your suggestion re- a ballad, but she already had a "robin song" with Gypsy. And the record company chooses singles. Maybe i'm just thinking that with the success of the rockers from Bella Donna, it would have been better to hit that with the third single. Nightbird just seems so clunky and non-radio friendly to me.

IMO Wild Heart has about 5 good songs and 5 easily forgettable ones....Nightbird, while decent, was probably the best choice of single. Enchanted would have made a good single. Their was no video for Nightbird because Stevie was on tour and didn't have the time. Never liked Nothing Ever Changes, I can't see that it would have been a hit.

[ahafan02]

Originally Posted by johnnystorms

Not disputing your suggestion re- a ballad, but she already had a "robin song" with Gypsy. And the record company chooses singles. Maybe i'm just thinking that with the success of the rockers from Bella Donna, it would have been better to hit that with the third single. Nightbird just seems so clunky and non-radio friendly to me.

Depends on the artist and their contract. Some people, like Prince, had a say in what was going to be released. Some artists don't care and let the record company do it but the smart ones make sure they get their say in the matter.

[snroxman]

It's funny about this thread being about Nightbird.

I remember around the time that this song was released, my local radio station in IN had been playing "Nothing Ever Changes" , fully expecting that to be the next single. When "Nightbird" was released, the dj had the same reaction as everyone else, "WTH?" The on air reaction to "Cry for the Nightbird... Tonight" was "Yeah, Right!" And off the song went... Not sure it was played much again. But at least it was played.

With respect to a video, it would have been nice to have had one for it. In my dreams as a 16 year old, there was one - a full video in B&W. If only!

[WatchChain]

The opening/intro drumbeat to "Nightbird" sounds to me like a slowed down intro to "Stand Back". I LOVED the song "Nightbird", but I too thought it was an odd choice for a 3rd single. It's not very "radio friendly", which could explain why the single stalled at number 33 on the charts. The 3rd single from "The Wild Heart" may have charted higher if Modern Records had released "Nothing Ever Changes", or "I Will Run To You" (to capitalize on another Stevie/Tom duet). Not that I'm all that crazy about either of those two songs, I'm just thinking about radio airplay there.

[snroxman]

WatchChain - I agree. "I Will Run to You" would have made a much better third single. It played well live - the one time she did it with TP. It would probably be well-received now in the set list.

[StevieNicksfann]

Count me in as well. Although I like the song because I'm an ardent fan, I think it was a poor choice for a single. I agree that Enchanted would have been a better choice as it continued the country theme from Bella Donna in singles like After The Glitter Fades but it even straddles more of a pop vibe so I think it would have been an even more solid hit. Or Nothing Ever Changes since they were supposedly trying to market her as a rocker, this would have it with the Edge of Seventeen vibe as the third single parallel from BD. Regardless, I totally agree Nightbird killed The Wild Heart and will go even further that it triggered the beginning of the decline of her solo career. All of a sudden, her streak and power stopped with that song. I understand Talk To Me would still be a hit but the overall picture was that the momentum was in a downward trend.

[pryderi]

I think it was a sign of the times. If you look at Billboard at the time when Nightbird was released, there is about to become a female explosion with Tina Turner (Let's Stay Together) and Madonna (Holiday) among others. Stevie had the reigns from 81- 83.