“The Nightmare” is Track 8 on Rock a Little (1985), Stevie Nicks‘ third solo album. It follows “Talk to Me” and precedes “If I Were You” in the running order. A remix of “The Nightmare” appears on the b-side of the North American “I Can’t Wait” vinyl single, which reached No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100.
About ‘The Nightmare’
Stevie Nicks co-wrote “The Nightmare” with her brother Christopher. She has never publicly spoken about “The Nightmare,” but the song borrows lyrics from “Sara” and “Storms,” which are both connected to Fleetwood Mac drummer Mick Fleetwood. She and Mick had a brief affair in 1978, which resulted in Mick’s divorce from his then-wife Jenny Boyd. The “nightmare” may possibly refer to the aftermath of their breakup. Interestingly, engineer Hernan Rojas, whom Stevie dated after Mick, mixed “The Nightmare” for Rock a Little.
‘The Nightmare’ Lyrics
Thrown down through the arms of sleep
She fell through the ivory morning
Deep into the waters
Of the one she called love
She paled in the wake
Of what some call a dream
But you cannot know a dream
Till you’ve known the nightmare
When I stood with you against the storm
And I tried once again
Well, I said, “I’d like to leave you
With something warm”
How many times
Drowning in the sea
Drowning
That was when the dream took her prisoner
And she knew the dream was over
But the nightmare was not over
Still some call that a dream
The nightmare… The nightmare
Well, you cannot know a dream
When you turn away
You don’t know
You’ll never care
The night is not your friend
And you have not had her
And when the nightmare ends
But you never understand
When you’re gone
She wakes up calling out
Oh, calling out
As children may cry as she will
Anytime… Oh, anywhere
Blinded by the light of the day
She has known the nightmare
So about the moon and her sisters
How dare he take them prisoner
Well, if she had flung out her heart against him
Then in all of her wisdom
Oh, well that was a mystery
That was when the dream took her prisoner
And she knew the dream was over
But the nightmare was not over
Somewhere in her ancient ways
She walks through the night
And then she tries to get through the day
Some will never know
Or share any kind of dream
The nightmare
This is not the world
This is not the world
This is not the world
The nightmare
She wants him to fight… Anytime, anywhere
She wants him to stand up
She wants him to win
This is not the world
This is not the world
This is not the real world
Blinded by the light of the day
Blinded by the light
She was blinded by the light of the day
Blinded by the day
(Stevie Nicks/Christopher Nicks) ©1985 Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Musicians
| George Black | Synth bass, background vocals |
| Sharon Celani | Background vocals |
| Charles Judge | Synthesizer |
| Michael Landau | Guitar |
| Marilyn Martin | Background vocals |
| Andy Newmark | Drums |
| Lori Perry | Background vocals |
| Stevie Nicks | Lead vocals, synthesizer |
| Rick Nowels | Background vocals |
| Maria Vidal | Background vocals |
Production Credits
| John Kovarek and Gabe Veltri | Recording Engineers, Sunset Sound |
| Rick Nowels | Producer |
| Hernan Rojas | Mixer |
Release History
- Rock a Little (1985)
- “I Can’t Wait”/”The Nightmare” (Remix) – North American 12″ vinyl single (1985)
References
Nicks, S. (1985). [Liner notes]. In Rock a Little [CD]. Los Angeles: Modern Records.
< Talk to Me | The Nightmare | If I Were You >
