STEVIE NICKS INFO

Category: Edge of Seventeen

Stevie Nicks reflects on shocking death of John Lennon, ‘Edge of Seventeen’

Stevie Nicks says John Lennon’s ‘unacceptable’ death 40 years ago today was ‘scary’ for the music biz

Tuesday marks the 40th anniversary of John Lennon’s murder by Mark David Chapman. His death inspired a number of songs, including Elton John’s “Empty Garden” and George Harrison’s “All Those Years Ago.” But one of Stevie Nicks’ best-known hits, 1981’s “Edge of Seventeen (Just Like the White-Winged Dove),” was also inspired by Lennon’s death…at least partially.

“It was like he was the white-winged dove and he left,” Stevie says of John. “You know…one of the really great singer-songwriters in the biggest band in the world had died, and how unexpected and unacceptable that was and also how scary that was.”

“That was frightening for all of us in this business,” she adds. “We all felt, if that can happen to him, it could sure as hell happen to any of us. So there was a fear thing that happened then and it scared everybody.”

“You know…why in the world does somebody do that?” she continues. “Jealousy, envy? Why would you want to take the life of somebody that we all cared about so much?”

Additionally, according to Stevie, the line in the song “the sea does not change” refers to the fact that she found out about Lennon’s death in Australia while looking out on the ocean, while the reference to “the night bird,” she says, “signified death, as opposed to the white-winged dove.”

But Stevie says the song was also about another famous rock star: Her friend Tom Petty. Specifically, she says, it was the lyric “He was no more than a baby then/Well he seemed broken-hearted/Something within him.”

“So that was really a song that kind of blended into two people for two different reasons,” Stevie says. “And I don’t really know or remember why.”

Andrea Dresdale / ABC Radio News / Tuesday, December 8, 2020

December 8, 2020
Stevie shares white winged dove story, inspired by special visitor

Stevie kept her promise to stay in touch during the pandemic, sharing a great story on her social media sites about the white winged dove that inspired her 1981 rock opus, “Edge of Seventeen.” Most surprising was her admission that she had never actually heard the dove sing until recently.

Read Stevie’s full post below.

In 1980 I was flying home from Phoenix Arizona and I was handed a menu that said, “The white wing dove sings a song that sounds like she’s singing ooh, ooh, ooh. She makes her home here in the great Saguaro cactus that provides shelter and protection for her…”

As you well know, I was very taken with that whole picture and went on to write “Edge of Seventeen.” But over the last 40 years I can honestly say, I have never heard a dove sing~ until now. Several days ago, outside my room, I started to hear the sound of a bird singing the same thing over and over. One little Ahhh~ and then three OOH’s~ over and over again. I thought it was an owl, but a friend said, “No, that’s a dove!” I started to cry. This dove had come here to watch over me.

So we filmed her singing her song and I am sending her out to you.

With love,
Stevie Nicks

p.s. She has been here for days. I think she’s here for good.

https://www.facebook.com/stevienicks/posts/3117031964973536

View this post on Instagram

In 1980 I was flying home from Phoenix Arizona and I was handed a menu that said, “The white wing dove sings a song that sounds like she’s singing ooh, ooh, ooh. She makes her home here in the great Saguaro cactus that provides shelter and protection for her…” As you well know, I was very taken with that whole picture and went on to write “Edge of Seventeen.” But over the last 40 years I can honestly say, I have never heard a dove sing~ until now. Several days ago, outside my room, I started to hear the sound of a bird singing the same thing over and over. One little Ahhh~ and then three OOH’s~ over and over again. I thought it was an owl, but a friend said, “No, that’s a dove!” I started to cry. This dove had come here to watch over me. So we filmed her singing her song and I am sending her out to you. With love, Stevie Nicks p.s. She has been here for days. I think she’s here for good.

A post shared by Stevie Nicks (@stevienicks) on Apr 7, 2020 at 8:25am PDT

In 1980 I was flying home from Phoenix Arizona and I was handed a menu that said, “The white wing dove sings a song that sounds like she’s singing ooh, ooh, ooh. She makes her home here in the great Saguaro cactus that provides shelter and protection for her…” pic.twitter.com/UzqvdnVv0p

— Stevie Nicks (@StevieNicks) April 7, 2020

April 7, 2020
VINTAGE VIDEO: ‘Edge of Seventeen’

This rarely-seen video for “Edge of Seventeen” has moments of pure telenovela, which just beg for Stevie’s retrospective commentary. For example, why was brother Christopher shaking Stevie so violently (at 3:38)? Did he want her magical doll? Why is Stevie walking on the beach in her beautiful black dress? Many unanswered questions! So it’s a surprise to see it missing from the Crystal Visions…The Very Best of Stevie Nicks DVD video compilation, when the equally-campy “Scarlett Version” of “Stand Back” was included. Like that video, “Edge” has everything that we love most about Stevie Nicks videos: drama, passion, and endless spinning! Stevie’s lip-syncing skills, still in their formative years, would probably get her voted off RuPaul’s Drag Race, but there is certainly no shortness of creativity, uniqueness, nerve, and talent in this raw, over-the-EDGE performance.

May 5, 2013
‘Heart,’ ‘Edge of Seventeen’ make Blender 500

Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around (#213) and Edge of Seventeen (#229) made the list of The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born! in the October 2005 special issue of Blender magazine. The list ranks 500 songs, culling “the best tunes of the ’80s, ’90s and the totally awesome aughts.”

September 20, 2005