“Battle of the Dragon” is Track 4 on the American Anthem motion picture soundtrack (1986).
About the Song
Stevie Nicks recorded “Battle of the Dragon” during the Rock a Little sessions (1984-1985), but didn’t use it for the completed album. Instead, the track ended up being part of the American Anthem motion picture soundtrack, which was released on June 13, 1986. The song played briefly at the 11:35 mark of the movie during the bonfire scene, where the characters Steve and Jake are talking about Steve’s future in gymnastics.
Stevie wrote the lyrics with music provided by John Barlow Jarvis and Gary Tolbert Nicholson, best known for their work with country and blues artists. Nicholson also composed the music for “Running Through the Garden” (with Ray Kennedy), a track Stevie demoed for Rock a Little and later recorded for Fleetwood Mac’s 17th album Say You Will (2003).
Stevie recorded a demo of the song with Tom Petty.
Interpretation
Stevie has never publicly shared the story behind “Battle of the Dragon.” In the song, the protagonist sees “a handsome soldier,” who becomes despondent from unknown circumstances. The protagonist struggles to communicate effectively with the person, repeating “you’re not listening to me” in frustration throughout the chorus. Interestingly, Stevie sings the song’s title only once in the completed track.
Chris Lord-Alge Remix
In 1990, producer Chris Lord-Alge bought second life to “Battle of the Dragon” by remixing the track for the Timespace: The Best of Stevie Nicks project. Although the remix didn’t make the cut for the retrospective, it appeared as a bonus track on the “Sometimes It’s a Bitch” European CD single (1991) and A Hard Game to Play Japanese EP (1992) instead. On both releases, the song title was misspelled and pluralized as “Battle of the Dragons.”
For the remix, Lord-Alge softened the drum and bass tracks and moved some of the keyboard elements into the background.
In 1998, “Battle of the Dragon,” the original soundtrack version, was included on The Enchanted Works of Stevie Nicks (Disc 3).
The “Battle of the Dragon” lyric “no one walks away from this battle” also appears in “A Soldier’s Angel,” a track from Stevie’s seventh solo album In Your Dreams (2011).
Lyrics
This was not pre-planned but after some calls
I decided to go to the other side of the world
I see something
I see a handsome soldier
I see myself remaining
When all of you are gone
And the reason that I paint you in my paintings
And the reason I record the sound of your voices
No one walks away from this battle
From the power
It’s so strong
It’s like a fury
(Like a fury…)
Like a fury
Keep that fury deep inside you
And wish it to end
(And wish it to end…)
And when your friends start asking you why
(You’re not listening to me…)
You just say nothing
The beautiful and the sensitive and the oh so very young
We are adapting to your silence
I can live here without you
At least I’m learning
But I cannot live without your songs
Well, I can and I will go on…
No…
Ooh, no…
Who have you been with
(I cannot live without…)
Have you been with friends
Or is there more
(You’re not listening to me…)
Have you been writing
Well, you say it’s harder now
Well, I got the message
Stay among the living
From what I can tell I need to be here
You say someone’s looking for you
Ooh, nothing is wrong
Well, I can and I will go on
No one walks away from this battle
From the power
It’s so strong
Well, like a fury
Keep the fury deep inside
And wish it to end
(And wish it to end…)
And when your friends start asking you why
(And when your friends…)
Ooh, you just pretend or say nothing
Stay among the living…
He said, no one walks away from this battle
Not from the power
Ooh, it’s so strong
(When this battle is over…)
It’s like a fury
Well, I feel I will be fine
(You’re not listening to me…)
Keep the fury deep inside
(You’re not listening to me…)
And wish it to end
(And wish it to end…)
And when your friends start asking you why
(And when your friends…)
You just say nothing
Oh, no one walks away from this battle
From the power
It’s so strong
(You’re not listening to me…)
(You’re not listening to me…)
It’s the battle…
(It’s like a fury…)
It’s the battle…
(You’re not listening to me…)
(You’re not listening to me…)
(Keep the fury deep inside…)
Oh, it’s the battle of the dragon
No one walks away
Oh, you wish it to end
Wish it to end
Wish it to end
(Stevie Nicks/John Barlow Jarvis/Gary Tolbert Nicholson) © 1985 Welsh Witch Music admin. by Sony/ATV/Tree Publishing/Sony/ATV Tunes LLC D/B/A Cross Keyes Pub. Co., Inc.
Musicians
Producer: Gordon Perry
Keyboards, bass synthesizer: John Jarvis
Guitars: Gary Nicholson
Guitars: Michael Campbell
Drum programming: Gary Nicholson, John Jarvis
Background vocals: Lori Perry
