Bella Donna is Stevie Nicks‘ 1981 solo recording debut. It features the singles “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around,” “Leather and Lace,” “Edge of Seventeen,” and “After the Glitter Fades.”
Tracklist
2016 Reissue
On November 4, 2016, Rhino Records reissued Bella Donna as an expanded edition (CD, vinyl) with remastered sound. It includes the original remastered album with two additional discs of demos, early takes, and alternate versions and Stevie’s concert at Fox Wilshire Theatre on December 13, 1981.
Disc 1 – Original Remastered Album
Disc 2 – Demos, Early Takes, Alternate/Unreleased Versions
- Edge Of Seventeen (Early Take) 6:40
- Think About It (Alternate Version) 4:47
- How Still My Love (Alternate Version) 4:52
- Leather And Lace (Alternate Version) 4:18
- Bella Donna (Demo) 3:32
- Gold And Braid (Unreleased Version) 4:15
- Sleeping Angel (Alternate Version) 4:44
- If You Were My Love (Unreleased Version) 4:55
- The Dealer (Unreleased Version) 4:19
- Blue Lamp (from Heavy Metal motional picture soundtrack) 3:50
- Sleeping Angel (from Fast Times at Ridgemont High motion picture soundtrack) 4:40
Disc 3 – Live At Fox Wilshire Theatre, December 13, 1981
- Gold Dust Woman 6:40
- Gold And Braid 5:12
- I Need to Know 2:20
- Outside the Rain 3:59
- Dreams 5:10
- Angel 4:46
- After the Glitter Fades 4:05
- Leather and Lace 4:23
- Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around 4:42
- Bella Donna 5:56
- Sara 7:50
- How Still My Love 5:12
- Edge of Seventeen 9:06
- Rhiannon 8:44
Rhino Records also issued the following related releases on Record Store Day: Rarities: 1981-1983 (2017) and Bella Donna Live 1981 (2023).
Background
In the late 1970s, Stevie Nicks launched Modern Records with record executives Danny Goldberg and Paul Fishkin as a vehicle for the backlog of unrecorded material that Stevie had amassed over the years. With help of producer Jimmy Iovine and high-profile acts, such as Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and Eagles member Don Henley, Bella Donna became a critical and commercial success. Stevie later earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female Rock Performance for “Edge of Seventeen.”
Release
Modern Records released Bella Donna on Monday, July 27, 1981. It reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 200 Albums chart and produced the Top 40 singles “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around,” “Leather and Lace,” “Edge of Seventeen,” and “After the Glitter Fades.”
In 2004, the RIAA certified the album 5X platinum for the shipment of five million units to retailers. Bella Donna remains Stevie Nicks’ best selling album to date.
Charts
Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around (Duet with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers)
| Billboard Chart | Peak |
| Pop Singles | 3 |
| Album Rock Tracks | 2 |
Leather and Lace (Duet with Don Henley)
| Billboard Chart | Peak |
| Pop Singles | 5 |
| Adult Contemporary | 10 |
Edge of Seventeen (Just Like the White Winged Dove)
| Billboard Chart | Peak |
| Pop Singles | 11 |
| Album Rock Tracks | 4 |
After the Glitter Fades
| Billboard Chart | Peak |
| Pop Singles | 32 |
| Adult Contemporary | 36 |
| Country | 70 |
Promotional Videos
Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around
Leather and Lace
Edge of Seventeen
After the Glitter Fades
Production Credits
- Produced by: Jimmy Iovine
- Engineered by: Shelly Yakus
- Additional Engineering: Don Smith, Thom Panunzio
- Assistant Engineers: Dana Latham, James Ball, Niko Bolas, Tori Swenson
- Mixing Engineers: Don Smith, Shelly Yakus
- Mastered by: Stephen Marcussen
- Lacquer Cut by: SM
- Management: Front Line Management, Irving Azoff
- Design Concept: Christopher Nicks, Herbert Worthington III, Stevie Nicks
- Art Direction, Photography, and Design: Herbert W. Worthington III
- Layout, Design: M. Curtis
- Logo Design: Mike Manoogian
- Assistance Coordinator: Cathie Rice, Debbie Alsbury
- Production Coordinator: Janet Weber
- Back Cover and Inside Lighting: Michael Curtis
- Front Cover Lighting: Richard Hall
- Costume Designer: Margi Kent
- Front Cover Hair Design: Sabienne Poilievre
- Hair Design: Beverlee Vance, Danton Thompson, Richard Bremer
- Make-Up: Liza Gonzales
- Stylist: Kathryn Greenbalm
News & Coverage
- Mac’s Stevie Nicks first to be pacted by modern September 29, 1979 - This article is not available. D. Hall / Billboard (September 29, 1979, Vol. 91, p4) More
- Random Notes June 26, 1980 - This article is not available. Rolling Stone (Issue 320, p31-32. 2p) / June 26, 1980 More
- Stevie Nicks gets serious, down to business on Bella Donna March 1, 1981 - "Look, enough with these heavy interviews," the guys upstairs told us. "Szasz, Anton Wilson, Leary, Turner, Bukowski. Give ‘em a… More
- Bella Donna July 27, 1981 - "Bella Donna" is Track 1 on Bella Donna (1981), Stevie Nicks' first solo album. It precedes "Kind of Woman" in… More
- Outside the Rain July 27, 1981 - "Outside the Rain" is Track 9 on Bella Donna, Stevie Nicks' first solo album. It follows "Leather and Lace" and… More
- Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around July 27, 1981 - "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" is Track 3 on Bella Donna, Stevie Nicks' first solo album. It is a duet… More
- Edge of Seventeen July 27, 1981 - "Edge of Seventeen" is Track 6 on Bella Donna, Stevie Nicks' first solo album. Coupled with a live version of… More
- Kind of Woman July 27, 1981 - "Kind of Woman" is Track 2 on Bella Donna, Stevie Nicks' first solo album. It follows "Bella Donna" and precedes… More
- Think About It July 27, 1981 - "Think About It" is Track 4 on Bella Donna, Stevie Nicks' first solo album. It follows "Stop Draggin' My Heart… More
- The Highwayman July 27, 1981 - "The Highwayman" is Track 10 and the last track on Bella Donna (1981), Stevie Nicks' first solo album. It follows "Outside… More
