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The Real Meanings Behind The Songs On Stevie Nicks’ In Your Dreams Lp looks at Stevie Nicks’ seventh solo studio album. The album came out in May 2011. The album peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 charts. The album sold over 50,000 copies in its first week. This is the legendary singer’s fifth Top 10 album. In Your Dreams was on the charts for 16 weeks. The album dropped 10 years after her previous album Trouble in Shangri-La. It also came out 30 years after her hit album Bella Donna. The singles from this album are “Secret Love” and “For What It’s Worth.”
In Your Dreams is mostly about fantasy. Stevie Nicks talks about realistic things as well. She talks about what happened during Hurricane Katrina on the album. Stevie Nicks talks about relationships the way she does on her other projects. The singer had a lot of fun recording this album. She worked with her former flame and legendary singer Lindsey Buckingham on this album. She also worked with her former flame and legendary musician Mick Fleetwood, songwriter David A. Stewart, producer Waddy Watchel, musician Mike Campbell and musician Michael Bradford. Our article breaks down the meanings behind the songs on Stevie Nicks’ In Your Dreams album.
# 1 – Secret Love
The first song on our list of The Real Meanings Behind The Songs On Stevie Nicks’ In Your Dreams Album is “Secret Love.” “Secret Love” is about a secret relationship. Stevie Nicks penned this song in the 1970s. She wrote the track while she was in Fleetwood Mac. The singer talks about looking at the world with rose colored glasses. She had a sense of optimism about her and didn’t realize that anything was wrong with having an affair. She was involved in a relationship that she knew she shouldn’t have been involved in or talked about. It was a relationship that she knew couldn’t last and it didn’t.
She was seeing a man who was involved with someone else so she knew the relationship was doomed for failure. Fans were curious about who she was singing about because she liked to write about her personal relationships. The singer couldn’t remember who the song was about so she didn’t want to confirm the identity of the man she was seeing. He wasn’t free to be with her at the time so she didn’t want to reveal his identity. The legend didn’t want to ruin his life by staying with him so she knew the relationship would end. The song was supposed to be on Fleetwood Mac’s album Rumours, but it didn’t make the cut. This was the first single from the In Your Dreams album. “Secret Love” peaked at number 20 on the Adult Contemporary charts.
# 2 – For What It’s Worth
The next song on our list of The Real Meanings Behind The Songs On Stevie Nicks’ In Your Dreams Album is “For What It’s Worth.” “For What It’s Worth” is about her being in a dark place in life. She was battling an addiction to Klonopin and was recovering from her stint in rehab. She was scared to come back to the world without the assistance of the drug. She knew she had to pick up the pieces and move on with her life. She didn’t have to do it alone. She had help from a dear friend. She was thankful to her friend for helping her get through a dark time in her life.
Stevie Nicks considered the friend an angel because he saved her spirit. He kept her from drowning. The track made her realize that when you’re in pain and need help there’s always someone who will help guide you on your journey to recovery. The tearjerker is for anyone battling demons and has someone who doesn’t give up on you. Stevie Nicks fans thought the sentimental song was about Mick Fleetwood. She insisted the song isn’t about him. There are hints the song could be a dedication to Tom Petty because he was there for her when she needed help. This track was the second single from the album, and it peaked at number 20 on the Adult Contemporary charts.
# 3 – In Your Dreams
“In Your Dreams” is the title track of the album. “In Your Dreams” is about the singer’s need to please someone. She feels like she’s not capable of handling the pressure of either her personal life or her professional life. She was given an inspirational pep talk that she would be able to handle anything. The talk gave her the confidence she needed to do what had to be done. The song is universal because it could describe a relationship with a lover or a relationship with her fans. Stevie Nickss was having a tough time when she wrote this track. She was touring and found herself thinking that she couldn’t go through with it.
A sound engineer told her that she could do it and she listened. This song is a mystery because she’s not clear about who she refers to in the song. Stevie Nicks talks about being a dreamer and that things were all about someone. She wants to please someone in her life. Fans wondered who she was talking about in the song, but she wouldn’t say who she talks about in the track.
# 4 – Wide Sargasso Sea
“Wide Sargasso Sea” is a fictional story based on the book and the movie of the same name. Stevie Nicks wrote about a relationship that ended. She had her heart broken so she wanted to do something to get revenge for what happened. She wanted to torch the house and burn up inside of it. She wants to make her ex-lover regret leaving her. She wants him to remember her for what she was willing to do. She warned him that he might forget her, but he wouldn’t forget what she did. She wants him to see what she did in his head.
They didn’t have a deep relationship. The couple didn’t know or trust each other. They only had a physical relationship in the beginning. She fell in love with him, and he was in love with her. They fell in love, but they still didn’t know each other well. Something went wrong and he wanted out of the relationship. She wasn’t happy about it so she wanted to make him regret leaving her. She was determined to make sure he never forgot who she was. The couple was never found after the fire. The dramatic song is about what happens when you take love too far.
# 5 – New Orleans
The next song on our list of The Real Meanings Behind The Songs On Stevie Nicks’ In Your Dreams Album is “New Orleans.” “New Orleans” is about her love for “New Orleans.” Stevie Nicks loves “New Orleans.” She had good times there. She was devastated when she saw what Hurricane Katrina did to “New Orleans.” She couldn’t believe what happened. A boy spoke about what happened and he asked people to help the city after the devastating storm. The singer became emotional and wanted to do something about it. She couldn’t ignore what they were going through in “New Orleans.” After he spoke about the city, she wrote a poem about it. She turned the poem into a song.
The track is about what Hurricane Katrina did to the city. The storm ravaged the areas and she wanted to write a track about it. She wanted the people of “New Orleans” to know that she was there for them. She wanted to city to live on from the madness. She was there for the people in the town. She was angry about the way the government handled what happened in the city during the hurricane. She felt the government should have done more to help the people of “New Orleans.”
# 6 – Moonlight (A Vampire’s Dreams)
“Moonlight (A Vampire’s Dreams)” is a stirring track about a couple from two different worlds who fall in love. She is a loner and an outcast while he is a pretty boy. They fall in love with each other despite being different from each other. Stevie Nicks was watching the Twilight saga because she’s a fan of it. She was so moved by their story that she wanted to write a song about it. She wrote the song from her point of view instead of from the characters’ points of view. She put herself in the role of Bella and her man in the role of Edward. She thought about all the Edwards in her life, and she wanted to create a track about it.
Fans believe the song is about Edward from New Moon, but the song isn’t about him. The song is about the Edward in her life. This Edward is legendary artist Lindsey Buckingham. She talks about how their relationship was fiery. They used to argue all the time. They rarely agreed on anything. Despite their problems, they were there for each other. It’s a story about a love that never dies. Stevie Nicks describes her love of Lindsey Buckingham in this way.
# 7 – Annabel Lee
“Annabel Lee” is a gothic tale about a good marriage that has dark moments. The relationship is proof that everything isn’t always perfect. The couple love each other, but their relationship is far from perfect. If the theme sounds familiar to you, it should sound like something you have read before. Stevie Nicks based the song on Edgar Allan Poe’s poem of the same name. She used the same theme for her song. The singer changed some of the poem by adding some of her lyrics to it. She was moved by the story behind the poem so she wanted to incorporate it into her song.
Stevie Nicks‘ gothic-like style was a match made in heaven for the haunting poem. The dark message resonated with the legendary singer and songwriter. The song is about everlasting long. Stevie Nicks was 17 when she wrote this track. She was overwhelmed by the meaning of the poem. She believed it would make a great song. Stevie Nicks fans wondered if the song is about Lindsey Buckingham. It’s possible the song is about him because she knew him when she wrote the track.
# 8 – Soldier’s Angel ft. Lindsey Buckingham
“Soldier’s Angel” is a heartfelt song about the soldiers who were injured in the line of duty. The song is a tribute to the soldiers. Stevie Nicks wanted to honor the men and women who serve our country. She talks about the soldiers being alone because they don’t have their loved ones with them. She wanted to praise the men and women who died to save our country. She wanted the next generation to know what the soldiers went through while they were battling in wars. Stevie Nicks was so moved by the soldiers that she started doing charity work for them.
The rock star visited the soldiers at Walter Reed and Bethesda Naval Hospital. She wanted to honor the soldiers by writing a song about what they sacrificed for their country. She wanted to capture what the soldiers felt while they were in the war. They had to fight without their loved ones being around. The families left behind are worrying the soldiers won’t return home. She wanted her fans to be aware of what the soldiers go through while they are fighting for the country. Lindsey Buckingham was along for the ride on the heartwarming track.
# 9 – Everybody Loves You ft. David A. Stewart
“Everybody Loves You” is about being in a relationship. The song is about two people who are in a group together. They knew each other before they joined their bands. The song goes into detail about a pair who become famous. One half of the pair feels alone, but the other half reminds the person that they aren’t alone. The lyrics are about reaching out to the one who feels alone. The other half of the couple has the connection with the person because they are in the same boat. They are connected because they know how it feels to be part of a band and being in love.
Stevie Nicks and David A Stewart wrote the song about Lindsey Buckingham and Annie Lennox. They felt like they were in the room when they created this track. Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham had their ups and downs while they were in Fleetwood Mac. David A. Stewart and Annie Lennox had their problems while they worked together in the Eurythmics. Both pairs were together and working together so they dealt with a lot over the years. They worked with their exes after their relationships were done. Stevie Nicks admits the song is about Lindsey Buckingham and their time together in Fleetwood Mac.
# 10 – Ghosts Are Gone
The next song on our list of The Real Meanings Behind The Songs On Stevie Nicks’ In Your Dreams Album is “Ghosts Are Gone.” “Ghosts Are Gone” is about the end of a relationship. The relationship ends badly. It ends so badly that she doesn’t want to be around him. She will cross the street if he’s on the same side as her. She never wants to see him again. He hurt her and she’s done with him. She doesn’t want to be involved in his life in any way anymore. The “ghosts” are symbols of what she wants to leave behind. She needs to move on with her life and wants the “ghosts” to be gone.
Stevie Nicks doesn’t want anything from him. She won’t accept any gifts if he decides to give them to her. She tells this story from both sides. She wants the listeners to know how the other half of the pair feels. She talks about how he feels about the end of the relationship. He’s not happy about her either. He doesn’t want to be in the relationship anymore either. Stevie Nicks knew someone with the last name of ghost, and she was inspired to use the name for her song.
# 11 – You May Be the One
“You May Be the One” is about a man who broke her heart. She thought he was going to be the one, but he wasn’t. She thought he would understand her, but he didn’t. She used to think the sun rose and set on him, but that didn’t last. She found out the hard way that he wasn’t the person she thought he would be. She believes there was goodness in him, but he would never let her see that side of him. He was supposed to her angel, but that wasn’t the case. He cried, but she knew he wasn’t crying about her. She believed he was lying to her when he said he didn’t forget her.
They argued a lot and she couldn’t believe he was supposed to be the man of her dreams. The reflective song gives the singer a chance to look back on the good and the bad things in the relationship. She has to bring herself to realize they aren’t going to be together anymore. She loves him, but the relationship isn’t what she thought it would be. She thought he was her angel, but she found out that he wasn’t. The song was a poem and she turned it into a song. She wrote the song with David A. Stewart.
# 12 – Italian Summer
“Italian Summer” is a love song, but it’s not like her other tracks. She wrote this love song about the way she feels about Italy in the summer. She loves the country and enjoys being there. She traveled to the country and fell in love with it. She wanted to write about how beautiful the country is to her. She thinks the country is so romantic. The singer believes the country is soulful. She was in Italy for one month and she was inspired by the country. People thought the song was about someone she loved, but that wasn’t the case. She wanted to express how she felt about the country.
Stevie Nicks fell in love with the country the same way she would have fallen in love with a person. The country was so beautiful that she was inspired to write poetry about it. People thought the song was about a relationship, but it wasn’t. It was to show her appreciation for Italy.
# 13 – Cheaper Than Free ft. David A. Stewart
The last song on our list of The Real Meanings Behind The Songs On Stevie Nicks’ In Your Dreams Album is “Cheaper Than Free.” Is a love song. She basically talks about money not being able to buy love. You can’t put a price on love. Love can be exciting and freeing. The duo makes comparisons about love to several things. They believe that love is the most important thing in the world. Nothing can beat being in love. They talk about how it feels to have real love in your life. Actress Reese Witherspoon visited the studio while Stevie Nicks and David A. Stewart were working on the track.
David A. Stewart needed a place to stay so Reese Witherspoon suggested he stay with her. Stevie Nicks said that it would be a cheap option for him. Reese Witherspoon wanted to know what was “cheaper than free.” The singers had an epiphany. They realized they had a great song on their hands. They wanted to write about love and not putting a price tag on it. Stevie Nicks thought the song wouldn’t be good. She thought it was going to be a novelty song, but it turned into something deeper.
Real Meanings Behind The Songs On Stevie Nicks In Your Dreams LP article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2022
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