Five songs we wish Stevie Nicks would cover
For some, barriers in music stop momentum; for others, they barely even resonate as speed bumps. Stevie Nicks falls into the latter category. It would be easy for us to sit here and talk about her musical talent as if it’s the only thing that defines her, but she has also had to overcome a great deal to cement herself as the rock ‘n’ roll icon that she is.
When it comes to singing, her voice is unlike anybody else’s, as she manages to dance on the fine line between sweet-sounding and gritty, as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. Whether it was during her time at Fleetwood Mac or on some of the beautiful songs she’s released as a solo artist, there is no escaping the fact that Nicks is one of the most exciting artists that has taken to the stage in recent decades.
When you have a talent as good as hers, it’s no longer just that you can play your own songs but also take other people’s tracks and elevate them. Nicks isn’t a stranger to a cover, as she has played plenty in the past, but there are songs out there by artists new and old that she would undoubtedly make her own.
While it will likely never happen, these are some of the best songs that it would be amazing to hear Stevie Nicks cover.
Five songs that Stevie Nicks should cover:
‘Mirror’ – The Last Dinner Party
On their debut album, Prelude To Ecstasy, The Last Dinner Party managed to bundle up various points in time and present it in a modern fashion. While the sound is inexplicably their own, the band also wears influences on their sleeve, and it’s evident that Stevie Nicks is likely one of them.
As a result, it would be great to hear Nicks take on one of the band’s tracks, as they’re played in a way that would suit her vocal style wonderfully. ‘Mirror’ would be a great choice, as the drawn-out style of the chorus, mixed with the killer guitar solo at the end, has Nicks classic written all over it.
‘Because The Night’ – Patti Smith
‘Because The Night’ is an incredibly unique song, as both Bruce Springsteen and Patti Smith wrote it, and you can hear both their influences come through on the track perfectly. Springsteen’s vocals boom in the chorus, and Smith’s wonderful poetry protrudes in the verse.
Because of their joint contributions, the song can be interpreted in a number of ways and, therefore, is open to covers. Stevie Nicks would be a great person to cover this track as she could deliver a slightly grittier rendition of Smith’s, which is almost like a perfect middle ground between her and Springsteen.
‘Thunder Road’ – Bruce Springsteen
While discussing Bruce Springsteen, it would be difficult to think of songs associated with him that Smith could cover without bringing up ‘Thunder Road’. Everything about this song screams Stevie Nicks; from the beautiful and stripped-back piano intro to the song’s eventual magnitude, this feels like a track written for her.
Not to mention, Stevie Nicks eventually making music as a solo artist certainly lines up with the song’s overall theme. “There’s nothing like that moment in your life of being young and leaving some place,” said Springsteen when talking about ‘Thunder Road’, “All that youthful freedom, you finally feel untethered from everything you’ve ever known.”
‘Two Ghosts’ – Harry Styles
When Stevie Nicks performed at BST in Hyde Park, she stunned the audience as she welcomed Harry Styles onto the stage. It seems that even one of the biggest pop stars in the world isn’t immune to the allure of Stevie, one of the greatest vocalists and writers of all time. The two performed together, leaving a wide open space where Nicks could cover one of Styles’ songs.
After releasing a range of great records, choosing which Styles song would work best for the former Fleetwood Mac vocalist is difficult. The emotion and poetic nature of his 2017 song, ‘Two Ghosts’, lend themselves to Nick’s tone incredibly well, and it’s hard to imagine a world where she doesn’t absolutely nail a rendition of this song.
‘Bold As Love’ – Jimi Hendrix
There is something inherently infectious about Jimi Hendrix’s music. He doesn’t get the credit he deserves as a whole artist. Many think of him as just a guitarist, but he was also a great vocalist and poet. As such, his music is hard to cover, but those who get it right can show off the different dimensions of Hendrix.
Nicks would be excellent at showing off these different parts of Jimi Hendrix, highlighting how layered he was as an artist rather than just being a guitarist. Her sweet-sounding but punchy voice on a track like ‘Bold As Love’ would well and truly be a sight to behold.
