STREET ANGEL (1994)

Street Angel (1994) is Stevie Nicks‘ fifth solo album, her first since The Other Side of the Mirror in 1989. It contains 13 tracks, including the singles “Maybe Love Will Change Your Mind” and “Blue Denim.” Stevie dedicated the album her niece Jessica James Nicks, “the next generation.”

Background

Stevie Nicks began recording Street Angel with English producer Glyn Johns in the summer of 1992. The sessions were marred by Stevie’s addiction to the tranquilizer Klonopin, which according to Stevie, had affected the quality of her singing and songwriting. Stevie sought treatment for the addiction on December 12, 1993, staying in a Southern California rehabilitation program for 47 days.

Following treatment, Stevie listened to the completed Street Angel recording again but was disappointed with the production. Although producer Glyn Johns had completed the album, Stevie hired another producer, Thom Panunzio, to re-mix the tracks. (Johns’ production work was not credited in the Street Angel liner notes.) She asked guitarists Waddy Wachtel and Michael Campbell and percussionist Peter Michael to add parts that she felt were missing from the original tracks.

Overwhelmed by the production overhaul, Stevie chose not to re-record most of her vocals, though she later admitted that they were another glaring problem with the album. “I should have gone back in and really worked with the album, with the vocals,” she told Off the Record host Mary Turner in 1994. “I guess that was the last thing that I knew was wrong with it. And after being in two months trying to fix everything that I thought was wrong about the music and the mixes, it was almost like, you just need to let this go.”

Stevie ended up removing two songs that Glyn Johns’ son Ethan had written for the 1993 album, “Inspiration” and “God’s Garden.” “Inspiration” was later released as a bonus track on the US and (select) UK singles of “Maybe Love Will Change Your Mind” singles; and both “Inspiration” and “God’s Garden” were included on the Japanese edition of Street Angel.

Release

Modern Records planned to release the revamped Street Angel on Tuesday, May 3, 1994 but delayed it another month to Tuesday, June 7, 1994. A promotional postcard included a special message from Stevie, acknowledging the delay:

“Hope you enjoy my new album Street Angel in stores June 7. Until then listen for my new single ‘Maybe Love Will Change Your Mind’ on your favorite radio station.

“I am still inspired by you and the music. I put a lot of time and hard work into this record. Thank you for your patience. May 23.”

Street Angel debuted at No. 45 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart, with 27,000 units in first-week sales. It spawned the single “Maybe Love Will Change Your Mind,” which reached No. 57 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart. “Blue Denim,” intended to be the lead single, was released as the second single with a companion video clip.

For the proposed 1993 Street Angel release, Modern Records wanted “Unconditional Love” to be the lead single, and “Listen to the Rain” and “Blue Denim” to be subsequent singles (pictured right).

In the summer of 1994, Stevie launched a North American tour to support the release. For the first time in her solo touring career, Stevie traveled to concert venues in a tour bus.

In 1997, the RIAA certified Street Angel Gold for the shipment of 500,000 units to retailers.

The often-ethereal Stevie Nicks touches ground for the first time in ages, with pleasurable tunes and plain-speak lyrics focused in chugging anthem tone. —Philadelphia Daily News

Despite Stevie’s concerted efforts to improve Street Angel, the album remains her least favorite recording even though it received generally favorable reviews from music critics.

Street Angel (Feb 1993)

Produced by Glyn Johns

1. Docklands
2. Rose Garden
3. If You Were My Love
4. Jane
5. Listen to the Rain
6. Destiny
7. Blue Denim
8. Inspiration
9. God’s Garden
10. Maybe Love Will Change Your Mind
11. Just Like a Woman
12. Unconditional Love
13. Street Angel
14. Greta
15. Love Is Like a River

 Street Angel (Sep 1993)

Proposed Release

1. Blue Denim
2. Rose Garden
3. Street Angel
4. Just Like a Woman
5. Unconditional Love
6. Destiny
7. I Call You Missing*
8. Inspiration
9. Maybe Love Will Change Your Mind
10. Kick It
11. Listen to the Rain
12. Playing in God’s Garden

*Modern Records press release for Street Angel (pictured right) shows the unreleased track “I Call You Missing.”

The 1993 versions of “Blue Denim,” “Destiny,” and “Rose Garden” were later released on Enchanted: The Works of Stevie Nicks (1998).

Maybe Love Will Change Your Mind

 

 

Blue Denim

Promotional Video

Blue Denim

News & Coverage

• Stevie Nicks writes a special song for Jane Goodall October 5, 1991 - THE INSIDE TRACK: Stevie Nicks will pay her own personal tribute to celebrated environmentalist Jane Goodall at The International Tribute… More
• A song to help chimps October 16, 1991 - Chimpanzees and Stevie Nicks may seem an unlikely pairing. But it's no monkey business. Moved by naturalist Jane Goodall's commitment… More
• Street Angel Recording Sessions, 1992-1993 February 1, 1993 - Original Master Recording - February 1993 01. Docklands  09. God's Garden 02. Rose Garden  10. Maybe Love Will Change Your… More
• Retreat to desert came in nick of time for Nicks January 23, 1994 - Finding inner peace has taken years for Stevie Nicks. She didn’t find it in her longtime base of Los Angeles,… More
• Nicks returns with Street Angel March 26, 1994 - Modern set finds singer in classic form NEW YORK — Eyeing the May 3 release of her fifth solo album, Street… More
• Release of Nicks album delayed May 5, 1994 - The release of Stevie Nicks' fifth solo album, Street Angel, has been delayed. The album had been expected to arrive… More
• Single Review: Stevie Nicks – Maybe Love Will Change Your Mind May 28, 1994 - ★★★ (Three stars) STEVIE NICKS: Maybe Love Will Change Your Mind (4:12) PRODUCERS: Thom Panunzio, Roy Bittan WRITERS: S. Stewart,… More
• Stevie Nicks returns to top form in studio album June 10, 1994 - ★★★★ Street Angel (Modern/Atlantic) "Understanding me is not an easy thing to do," sings Stevie Nicks in "Blue Denim," the vibrant… More
• Stevie Nicks: ‘Angel’ on her own June 17, 1994 - Finding inner peace has taken years for Stevie Nicks. She didn't find it in her longtime base of Los Angeles,… More
• ALBUM REVIEW: Stevie Nicks – Street Angel June 18, 1994 - ★★ STEVIE NICKS Street Angel PRODUCERS: Thom Panunzio & Stevie Nicks Modern/Atlantic 92246 Like that cherub of the title track, Nicks'… More

References

Mayfield, G. (1994). Between the bullets. Billboard.
Modern Records (1993). Stevie Nicks: Street Angel [press release].
Westwood One Radio Network (1994). Stevie Nicks Off the Record with Mary Turner.

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