Most musicians attempt to approach each song they write as a small personal challenge. Even though attempting to make lightning strike twice in the same spot can be entertaining, it takes a lot of creative integrity to start from scratch and produce something that you will be happy with years later. Even though Stevie Nicks had a number of hits when she first started out on her own, she acknowledged that one of the most memorable experiences of her solo career was receiving “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” as a gift from Tom Petty.
For when you stop to think about it, Nicks’ choice to leave Fleetwood Mac was already a very audacious one. Numerous musicians have attempted and failed to gain traction as solo performers. Half of the time, they become musical parodies or return to the familiarity of their former group.
However, Nicks was no longer enjoying himself much in Fleetwood Mac. Despite her efforts, she often faced pressure from band members and struggled to gain recognition for her songs. They wrote songs about her, including some that Lindsey Buckingham covered.
There was a middle ground to be found. And Nicks believed that with the right people by her side, she could go it alone. Nicks decided to work with Jimmy Iovine to produce her record because she had always loved the Heartbreakers‘ sound. However, she was informed that despite all of her great songs, there were no hits on the album.
Saying that about an album that features a song like “The Edge of Seventeen” seems absurd. However, Iovine asked Petty to find a song from his vault to make it work. Nicks’ ethereal vocals perfectly complement Petty’s song “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around“. This is far more representative of the musician despite the fact that Petty wrote a good number of love songs.
Though she later claimed that Petty saved her career, the music icon had some reservations about not placing one of her own compositions there. She told MusicCares, “Tom’s willing to give you this song that is an amazing single and sing it with you.” And I thought, “Well, that’s a huge favour that I will never forget or get over because Bella Donna might not have succeeded if he hadn’t given it to me.”
Granted, without the song, Nicks wouldn’t have been able to survive. Petty was merely the one to help her break through as a solo artist before she went even bigger on songs like “Stand Back.” She already had fantastic songs in her backlogue, like “Beauty and the Beast” and “Edge of Seventeen,” which came to life on the album.
Even after she achieved success, Nicks’s devotion to the Heartbreakers did not waver. She occasionally contributed background vocals to songs like “Don’t Come Around Here No More“. She even reunited with Petty for the song “I Will Run To You” on the band’s subsequent album. Nicks’ one true musical love may have been Fleetwood Mac. However, you can never let go of a level of soulmate when someone helps you reach rock stardom.
