“Love Is” is Track 13 and the last song on Trouble in Shangri-La, Stevie Nicks’ sixth solo album. It follows “Fall from Grace” in the track order.
About the Song
“Love Is” was the first song that Stevie Nicks wrote for the Trouble in Shangri-La album. (An early demo of the song appears below.) Stevie was wrote the song after receiving a pep talk from Tom Petty, who helped pull her out of songwriter’s block.
Stevie recorded the track with singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan, an “accidental” collaboration. “What happened between me and Sarah [McLachlan] happened totally accidentally,” Stevie explains. “I called her producer, Pierre Marchand, to do ‘Love Is,’ and something happened with his green card and he could not come here. So I went to Vancouver, and Sarah lives in Vancouver [British Columbia]. We were there for a week, and she did piano and guitar, and her [then] husband [Ash Sood] played percussion and drums, and it was really fun and it was a wonderful experience. And I got to go to Sarah’s house. We don’t get to do that very much. We don’t get to go over to your rock star friends’ houses. It just never happens. So this was a really nice thing. In a week, we really got to know each other.”
Lyrics
Do you know what this is
No, I don’t
But whatever it is
It’s very powerful
Have you felt this way before
Oh, I thought I knew
Do you know that I love you now
Oh yes, I do
Love is…
You’ve got the softest lips
You know that I cannot stay
Yes, I know
It has nothing to do
With you or with love
Oh, yes it does
Do not call or come around here
Do not tell
You know that I loved you then
Oh well…
Love is…
You’ve got the softest lips
Love is…
The touch of your fingertips
Love is…
Knowing you won’t let go
She awakens things
That he said he thought were dead
He says, are you happy now
Oh yes, I am
But when it’s over
How then will you feel
Will you miss those arms that used to go
Around you
So she stood there in the hallway frozen
In the dark
And her heart broke down
She cried
She fell to the floor
One tear slid across her lips
To the corner of her mouth
Love is…
And dropped to the floor
Love is…
You’ve got the softest lips
Love is…
The touch of your fingertips
Ooh, she says love is
Knowing you wont let go
Love is…
Watching you go
You’re so very powerful
Love is…
Am I happy
Yes I am
Do I know you love me now
Yes I do
Do I know you cannot stay
I know
All about love
All about love
You’re so very powerful
(Stevie Nicks) © 1995 ℗ Welsh Witch Music (BMI)
Credits
| Writer | Stevie Nicks |
| Producer | Pierre Marchand |
| Engineer | Mike Plotnikoff |
| Additional Engineers | Dominique Grand and Pierre Marchand |
| Piano and Guitar | Sarah McLachlan |
| Drums | Ash Sood |
| Guitar and Keyboards | Pierre Marchand |
| Guitar | Mike Pepin |
| Keyboards | Sylvain Grand |
| Bass | Brian Minato |
| Background vocals | Sarah McLachlan, Sharon Celani, and Lori Nicks |
Love Is (demo)
References
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
