Home » The Wild Heart @ 30: ‘Wild…in the darkest places of your mind’

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.

The Wild Heart 1983Wild 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)

© 1982 Welsh Witch Music (BMI) / Admin. by Sony/ATV Songs LLC (BMI)

Impromptu performance of Wild Heart (1982)

NEXT: If Anyone Falls ~ It will be one of us >

Reference
Modern Records. (1983). Stevie Stevie: The Wild Heart [Press release].

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LIVE IN CONCERT (2024)

Stevie Nicks

MAY 3, 2024 – MAY 5, 2024
Lovin’ Life Fest
Charlotte, NC
TICKETS

MAY 7, 2024
Enterprise Center
St Louis, MO
TICKETS

MAY 10, 2024
WinStar World Casino & Resort
Thackerville, OK
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MAY 14, 2024
Bridgestone Arena
Nashville, TN
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MAY 18, 2024
Frost Bank Center
San Antonio, TX
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MAY 21, 2024
Yaamava’ Resort & Casino – Yaamava’ Theater
Highland, CA
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MAY 24, 2024
BottleRock Napa Valley
Napa, CA
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MAY 27, 2024
Delta Center
Salt Lake City, UT
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MAY 30, 2024
Ball Arena
Denver, CO
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JUN 4
Gainbridge Fieldhouse
Indianapolis, IN
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JUN 9 
Mohegan Sun Casino
Uncasville, CT
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JUN 12
MVP Arena
Albany, NY
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JUN 15
Hersheypark Stadium
Hershey, PA
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JUN 18
Van Andel Arena
Grand Rapids, MI
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JUN 21, 2024 (with Billy Joel)
Soldier Field
Chicago, IL
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JUL 12, 2024
BST Hyde Park
London, England
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^ Non-Live Nation show


Previous 2023 dates

March 10, 2023 – BILLY JOEL
Los Angeles, CA
SoFi Stadium

March 15, 2023
Seattle, WA
Climate Pledge Arena

March 18, 2023
Las Vegas, NV
T-Mobile Arena

May 12, 2023
Raleigh, NC
PNC Arena

May 16, 2023
Knoxville, TN
Thompson-Boling Arena

May 19, 2023 – BILLY JOEL
Nashville, TN
Nissan Stadium

May 22, 2023
Atlanta, GA
State Farm Arena

May 25, 2023
Orlando, FL
Amway Center

June 16, 2023 – BILLY JOEL
Philadelphia, PA
Lincoln Financial Field

June 20, 2023
Toronto, ON (Canada)
Scotiabank Arena

June 23, 2023
Chicago, IL
United Center

June 27, 2023
Louisville, KY
KFC Yum! Center

August 5, 2023 – BILLY JOEL
Columbus, OH
Ohio Stadium

August 8, 2023
Milwaukee, WI
Fiserv Forum

August 12, 2023
Houston, TX
Toyota Center

August 15, 2023
Austin, TX
Moody Center

August 19, 2023 – BILLY JOEL
Kansas City, MO
Arrowhead Stadium

September 23, 2023 – BILLY JOEL
Foxborough, MA
Gillette Stadium

September 27, 2023
Pittsburgh, PA
PPG Paints Arena

October 1, 2023
New York, NY
Madison Square Garden

October 4, 2023
Buffalo, NY
KeyBank Center

October 7, 2023 – BILLY JOEL
Baltimore, MD 
M&T Bank Stadium

October 28, 2023
Memphis, TN
FedEx Forum

November 1, 2023
Savannah, GA
Enmarket Arena

November 4, 2023
Allentown, PA
PPL Center

November 7, 2023
Detroit, MI
Little Caesars Arena

November 10, 2023 – BILLY JOEL
Minneapolis, MN
U.S. Bank Stadium

November 29, 2023
San Diego, CA
Viejas Arena

December 2, 2023
Inglewood, CA
The Kia Forum

December 5, 2023
Palm Desert, CA
Acisure Arena

December  8, 2023 – BILLY JOEL
Phoenix, AZ
Chase Field

December 12, 2023
Sacramento, CA
Golden 1 Center

December 15, 2023
San Francisco, CA
Chase Center

FEB 10, 2024
Mark G Etess Arena
Atlantic City, NJ

FEB 14, 2024
UBS Arena
Belmont Park, NY

FEB 17, 2024
CFG Bank Arena
Baltimore, MD

FEB 21, 2024
Bon Secours Wellness Arena
Greenville, SC

FEB 24, 2024
Hard Rock Live
Hollywood, FL

FEB 28, 2024
Smoothie King Center
New Orleans, LA

MAR 3, 2024
CHI Health Center
Omaha, NE

MAR 6, 2024
Simmons Bank Arena
North Little Rock, AR

MAR 9, 2024
AT&T Stadium
Arlington, TX
Billy Joel

 



2022 Tour

Stevie Nicks

Jazz Aspen Snowmass
Snowmass, CO
Labor Day 2022

Ravinia Festival
Highland Park, IL
September 8, 2022
September 10, 2022

Pine Knob Music Theatre
Clarkston, MI
September 13, 2022
w/ Vanessa Carlton

Sea Hear Now Festival
Asbury, NJ
September 17, 2022

Xfinity Center
Mansfield, MA
September 19, 2022
w/ Vanessa Carlton

Maine Savings Amphitheatre
Bangor, ME
September 22, 2022
w/ Vanessa Carlton

Sound on Sound Festival
Bridgeport, CT
September 24-25, 2022

Ohana Festival
Dana Point, CA
September 30, 2022

Hollywood Bowl
Los Angeles, CA
October 3, 2022
w/ Vanessa Carlton

POSTPONED
Ak-Chin Pavilion

Phoenix, AZ
October 6, 2022
w/ Vanessa Carlton

POSTPONED
Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

The Woodlands, TX
October 9, 2022
w/ Vanessa Carlton

Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
Alpharetta, GA
October 12, 2022
w/ Vanessa Carlton

Ascend Amphitheater
Nashville, TN
October 16, 2022
w/ Vanessa Carlton

Credit One Stadium
Charleston, SC
October 19, 2022
w/ Vanessa Carlton

PNC Music Pavilion
Charlotte, NC
October 22, 2022
w/ Vanessa Carlton

MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
Tampa, FL
October 25, 2022
w/ Vanessa Carlton

iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
West Palm Beach, FL
October 28, 2022
w/ Vanessa Carlton

Orion Amphitheatre
Huntsville, AL
October 31, 2022

RESCHEDULED SHOWS

Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
The Woodlands, TX
November 2, 2022
w/ Vanessa Carlton

Ak-Chin Pavilion
Phoenix, AZ
November 5, 2022
w/ Vanessa Carlton