The Wild Heart @ 30: 'Wild...in the darkest places of your mind'

Earlier this year, Stevie Nicks’ second solo album The Wild Heart turned 30. To celebrate this milestone, Stevie Nicks INFO looks back on each unique track that inspired the recording and captivated listeners around the world.

By 1983, Stevie had established a formidable presence in rock music as a solo artist. Pressure to repeat the massive commercial success of her debut album Bella Donna was high. For her sophomoric work, Stevie balanced the pop rock sensibilities of Bella Donna but took on a harder edge, the darker melodies and instrumentation found on Side 2 of The Wild Heart. Straightforward pop rock songs like “Stand Back,” “If Anyone Falls,” and “Enchanted” maintained her core audience, while deeper cuts like “Sable on Blond” and “Beauty and the Beast” explored Stevie’ interest in mystics and fairy tales.

While not as cohesive a work as her debut piece, The Wild Heart thrives in unconventional ways. Listeners experience a fascinating mystery of sorts, left to decipher the meaning of Stevie’ cryptic, but engaging prose that reveals just enough personal details to hook the listener. These are unrestrained creative moments that reflect Stevie’ willingness to gamble for the sake of her craft and entice listeners to read between her lines.

Wild Heart

The Wild Heart begins with the standout title track, Stevie’ six-minute opus that explores the “darkest places of your mind.” The music from the original demo may have been inspired by the music from Lindsey Buckingham’s 1982 demo “Can’t Go Back,” which was later recorded for Fleetwood Mac album Mirage. Stevie can be heard singing lines from “Wild Heart” to the music of “Can’t Go Back” in the clip below.

“It was born in New York, and it’s just intense,” says Stevie of the opening title track. “There are some wild words in it that just sort of popped up. I think that people are gonna love ‘Wild Heart.’ It’s the one song that I go back to time to time again and listen to. There’s something about the vocal that just gives me shivers because it’s just so real. People will understand that, probably more than a lot of other things, because it definitely takes you through your nervous breakdown and through your recovery, and it takes you through your survival. And everybody’s heart is wild, so it’s not like I’ve got any kind of hold on it, ’cause this entire album was written for everybody and their wild heart. This was very much meant to be shared and given to people to have them just love the idea that they have wild hearts ’cause I love that — I love that.”

Musicians

Guitar: David Monday
Guitar: Dean Parks
Drums & percussion: Brad Smith
Synthesizer: Sandy Stewart
Bass: Roger Tausz
Background vocals: Sharon Celani & Lori Perry

Produced by Jimmy Iovine. Recorded at Goodnight Dallas

Lyrics

Something in my heart died last night
Just one more chip off an already broken heart
I think the heart broke long ago
That’s when I needed you
When I needed you most
That’s when I needed you
When I needed you most

Well, I run around like a spirit in flight
Fearlessness is fearlessness
I will not forget this night
Dare my wild heart
Dare my wild heart

Where is the reason
Don’t blame it on me
Blame it on my wild heart
As to the seasons
You fought from the beginning
Long before I knew it
There was a danger
And the danger was
To fall in love

In dark sorrow
They gaze down into the darkest heart
If I leave you
You say not even you can tear us apart, whoa
Say you’re leaving
You say, you don’t even know
How to start
How to start
How to start
Well, believe it then
And don’t blame it on my soul
Blame it on my wild heart
Ooh, on my wild heart
Ooh…

Fire on fire
Rain on my face
Fever goes higher
What can you do
Wild in the darkest places of your mind
That’s where I needed you
Where I needed you most
That’s where I needed you
Where I needed you most
Where is the reason
Well, don’t blame it on me
Blame it on my wild heart
There is a reason
Why even the angels
Don’t give it up at all
(Blame it on me
Blame it on me)
Where are the children
Well, are they hopelessly enchanted
Blame it on the angels
(Blame it on me)
(Blame it on me)
Where are the reasons
Don’t blame it on us
Blame it on our
Wild heart
Wild heart
Wild heart
Wild heart

On my wild heart
On my wild heart

Well, even in the darkest places of your mind
(Even in the darkest places of your mind)
Whoa, are the children are they hopelessly enchanted
(Are the children like hopelessly enchanted)
Wild in the darkest places of your mind
(Darkest places of your mind)
No, don’t blame it on me, baby

Blame it on my wild heart
(Blame it on my, blame it on my, blame it on my)
(Blame it on my, blame it on my, blame it on my)
Ooh… Ooh… ooh…

Blame it on my wild heart
Blame it on my wild heart
(Baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby)
Blame it on my wild heart
Blame it on my wild, wild, wild
(Don’t blame it on my, don’t blame it on my)

Wild heart
Blame it on my wild heart
Baby, even in the darkest places of your mind
(Don’t blame it my)

Impromptu performance of Wild Heart (1982)