Cheaper Than Free (Featuring Dave Stewart)

“Cheaper Than Free” is Track 13 on In Your Dreams (2011), Stevie Nicks’ seventh solo album. It follows “Italian Summer” in the track order.

Stevie Nicks - Cheaper Than Free (feat. Dave Stewart) (Official Music Video)

YouTube

About the Song

Stevie Nicks and Dave Stewart wrote “Cheaper Than Free” in Los Angeles and Nashville.

The promotional video for “Cheaper Than Free” features Stevie Nicks, Dave Stewart, members of Nicks’ recording band, and a cameo appearance by actress Reese Witherspoon, who inspired the title of the song. “Reese Witherspoon was in the studio watching me and Stevie record, and when I said I was coming to Nashville for the first time she said, ‘Oh, you can stay in my condo,’” Dave Stewart recalls. “Stevie said, ‘Yeah, that would be cheap,’ and Reese said, ‘What’s cheaper than free?’ I turned around and said, ‘Hey, that’s a great song,’ and Stevie and I wrote it.”

But writing the actual song would be much more involved, as the love song was co-written long-distance between Dave in Nashville and Stevie in L.A. “I’m sitting there in the control room, and Dave and Stevie are on the phone together writing the song,” Blackbird Studios owner John McBride recalls. “They’re writing the lyrics right there in front of us, and 10 minutes later, we’re recording [the band tracks]. The whole experience of being in Dave’s world was like that. It’s crazy, but it’s crazy in a great way.”

On April 13, 2011, Reprise Records released the video for “Cheaper Than Free,” three weeks prior to the release of In Your Dreams.

Lyrics

What’s cheaper than free
You and me
What’s better than alone
Going home
What does money not buy
You and I
What’s not to feel
When love is real

What’s faster than a fast car
A beating heart
What’s deeper than a deep well
The love into which I fell
More important than freedom
Being needed
More exciting than high fashion
High passion

What’s brighter than a smile
You child
You child

What’s brighter than a smile
You child
You child
You child
You child

What’s warmer than a sun-drenched land
Your hand
Your hand
Your hand

(Stevie Nicks/Dave Stewart) © 2011 Welsh Witch Music (BMI) Admin. by Sony/ATV Songs LLC (BMI) / Fab World Music (BMI). All administrated worldwide by songs of Kobalt Music Publishing.

Video produced and directed by Dave Stewart and Paul Boyd for Weapons of Mass Entertainment. Edited by Shane McClafferty.

References

Evans-Price, D. (2011, May 28). Dave Stewart finds inspiration in Nashville, Reese Witherspoon on Blackbird Diaries. Retrieved from www.billboard.com

Schultz, B. (2011, August). Dave Stewart: the blackbird diaries documents wild ride in Nashville
Electronic Musician. 27.8: p28.

Warner Music Group. (2011, April 13). Stevie Nicks: Cheaper Than Free. Retrieved from www.youtube.com

LIVE IN CONCERT (2023-2024)

Billy Joel and Stevie NicksStevie Nicks

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
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February 10, 2024
Atlantic City, NJ

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February 14, 2024
Belmont Park, NY

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February 21, 2024
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February 24, 2024
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February 28, 2024
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Smoothie King Center
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March 3, 2024
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March 9, 2024 – BILLY JOEL
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March 18, 2023
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May 12, 2023
Raleigh, NC
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May 16, 2023
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May 19, 2023 – BILLY JOEL
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Nissan Stadium

May 22, 2023
Atlanta, GA
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May 25, 2023
Orlando, FL
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June 16, 2023 – BILLY JOEL
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Lincoln Financial Field

June 20, 2023
Toronto, ON (Canada)
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June 23, 2023
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August 8, 2023
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Austin, TX
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September 23, 2023 – BILLY JOEL
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September 27, 2023
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New York, NY
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Buffalo, NY
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October 7, 2023 – BILLY JOEL
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October 28, 2023
Memphis, TN
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Savannah, GA
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November 4, 2023
Allentown, PA
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November 7, 2023
Detroit, MI
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November 10, 2023 – BILLY JOEL
Minneapolis, MN
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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


For What It’s Worth (2022)

Edge of Midnight (2020)

Beautiful People Beautiful Problems (2017)

New Release

Stevie Nicks, Stand Back 1981-2017, compilation

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