It’s Only Love

“It’s Only Love” is Track 8 on Trouble in Shangri-La. Stevie Nicks’ sixth solo album. It follows “That Made Me Stronger” and precedes “Love Changes” in the track order. Sheryl Crow sings on the track.

About the Song

Sheryl Crow wrote “It’s Only Love” for Stevie after hearing the many stories about Stevie’s life and relationships that Stevie had shared with Sheryl during their recording sessions.

“[Sheryl Crow] came up the stairs carrying her guitar and she just sat down and played it for me. And she told me, ‘I went home and I just was really thinking about all your stories and all the stuff you’ve been through’ — because now that we’ve been friends for four years I’ve just about told her all the great stories, she knows them all — and that’s really what she wrote the song about, all my different relationships and the men that I was with and the men that I’m still good friends with and really care about. They’re all still out there and around me, and she finds that pretty amazing. I think that’s what inspired her to write the song – you know, ‘sometimes lonely is not only a face that I have known.’ And she sees my life: I am not married, I don’t have children, and I made that choice. I knew if I had children I would have to take care of them and I couldn’t hand them over to a bunch of nannies. So I knew if I had a baby I would stop making music and I would start being a mom. And I decided in my life, that my mission was to make people happy. It was more important. I only just got a dog two years ago, and trained her myself. And that’s the motherliest thing I’ve ever done” (Nicks, 2001).

Stevie Nicks and Sheryl Crow debuted “It’s Only Love” at the Shine Club in New York on April 30, 2001.

In 2001, Sheryl Crow recorded her own version of “It’s Only Love” for her fourth solo album C’mon, C’mon (2002).

Lyrics

I think I met my match again
Passing ’round the candlelight
In the center of this blizzard
You stood and melted all the ice

Ah, it’s only love
Ah, it’s only love
Ah, if only love comes around again
It will have been
Worth the ride

You were master of so many
But savior to none
I waged all of my hopes so plenty
On you, now look what I’ve become

Ah, it’s only love
Ah, it’s only love
Ah, if only love comes around again
It will have been
Worth the ride

What a ride

Someday’s lonely is not only a word
But faces I have known
And if you see me
Could you free me with a smile
So I can let go

Ah, it’s only love
Ah, it’s only love
Ah, if only love comes around again
It will have been
Worth the ride

(Sheryl Crow) © 2001 ℗  Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI)/Old Crow Music (BMI)

It’s Only Love (Live at Shine Club, NYC)

Credits

References

Nicks, S. (2001, April 1). Stevie Nicks: Gold Dust Woman returns. VH1.com.

TROUBLE IN SHANGRI-LA: Trouble in Shangri-La | Candlebright | Sorcerer | Planets of the Universe | Every Day | Too Far From Texas | That Made Me Stronger | It’s Only Love | Love Changes | I Miss You | Bombay Sapphires | Fall From Grace | Love Is