Stevie Nicks said songwriters who are “blessed” cannot write good songs

Stevie Nicks knows a thing or two about writing hit songs. She has been doing this for 60 years. So, she has a few guidelines in mind every time she writes her next No. 1 song. One of the most important things she always remembers is that it is never good to be “blissfully happy.” Trying to write a good tune. There must be some commotion.

Stevie Nicks said people who are “happily happy” cannot write great songs.

During a 1981 interview with BAM magazine, Nicks revealed what it takes to create a hit song. She had strict rules. The publication asked the Fleetwood Mac singer, “Some people think that writers – artists in general – work best when they have inner turmoil: that happiness is not inspiration, but pain.” ballast. Are you OK with that?”

Nicks said yes. “I think a little fuss probably helps. I’m not looking for it so I can write [laughs], but I never sit down to write a happy song, ”Nicks explained. “I think there is something in this theory, because the person who searches and never quite finds what they want, who is constantly challenged, is going to write better songs than someone who is perfectly happy.

“If you are perfectly happy, what else is there to say?” And how many people are happy enough that they can understand what you are writing? As close as I get to writing happy songs, there are some that aren’t. I’ve written my fair share of miserable songs, but haven’t recorded many.

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Nicks said people don’t mind “a little bit of misery, but they also love happy endings.”

Nicks went on to explain that people “don’t mind a little bit of misery, but they love happy endings too. It’s good to leave some hope at the end that things will work out. However, she said her former bandmate and Fleetwood Mac’s ex-boyfriend Lindsay Buckingham doesn’t.

“See, Lindsey won’t do that,” Nicks said. “He’ll say, ‘Go your way,’ I probably wouldn’t. “

“Lindsey hates writing lyrics, however,” she continued. “Maybe that’s why some of his songs are so negative. [Laughs] He’s going to have all these beautiful instrumental songs for months to come. They have wonderful melodies, layer after layer of guitars. I practice his bands, practice the ballet in them. Then he will write the lyrics to this beautiful song and it will have a different feeling than the music.

Nicks and Buckingham never agreed on the songs, however.

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Nicks said she didn’t think Buckingham ever liked his lyrics so they never wrote songs together

BAM magazine noted that Nicks and Buckingham “haven’t collaborated on songs since they’ve been on Fleetwood Mac. You love to write words and he loves melodies.

“I’m surprised too,” Nicks replied. ” I’ve always wanted. It’s strange. You would think he would ask me, but I think he really doesn’t like my words very much. They are too spacious for him. We think differently, I guess.

There’s another reason Nicks and Buckingham never wrote songs together. Generally speaking, Nicks is superstitious about changing her words. So, she was never able to write songs with Buckingham as he always suggested changes.

“I’m very superstitious,” Nicks said in an interview in 2011. “Once I write a line, it’s like every once in a while Lindsey will say,“ You know, well, you write. in third person, and then all of a sudden you’re back to first person. You can’t really do that. And I’m like, “So, would you say that to Bob Dylan?” I answer him, you know?

“And that’s why Lindsey and I don’t write songs together. He’ll say, “Well, no, I guess …” So that ends this conversation. “

To be fair, however, Nicks never wanted to write songs with anyone else. She said she was herself that way. Whatever Nicks does, she manages to write some of the best songs.