Stevie Nicks, ‘Soldier’s Angel’ – Song Review
Stevie Nicks has a special message for our armed forces in the form of her new single ‘Soldier’s Angel,’ which appears on her current ‘In Your Dreams’ album and has just been released on the edge of Memorial Day Weekend.
Nicks found inspiration for the song from her many visits with returning veterans at Walter Reed and Bethesda Naval Hospital, writing the track as way to honor those men and women who have served our country.
“I am a soldier’s angel / Through the eyes of a soldier / Through the eyes of a soldier / I am a soldier’s mother / Through the eyes of an angel / I am a soldier myself / And no one walks away from this battle.” Against the backdrop of a singular electric guitar, an unvarnished vocal from Nicks, naked and void of any polish or effect, considers the unique position of each person and how they’re affected by the effects of war and the absence of their loved ones.
Singing of angels, widows and “ghostly shadows,” the character that Nicks is vocalizing walks closely behind all definitions of the affected, attempting to “push them gently back into the light.”
“I am a soldier’s angel / Four years later / In a war of words between worlds / About what is wrong / About what is righteous / I am a soldier’s girl.” After the loved ones are gone, those who are left behind struggle to process all of the events that have occurred and explain to themselves why it is still happening.
With ‘Soldier’s Angel,” Nicks captures the many emotions triggered by the absence of loved ones and how one attempts to deal with moving on in the face of tragedy. How do you share the story of what they did with the future generations in a way that assures that their efforts were not a wasted tale that will remain unknown by the majority?
‘Soldier’s Angel’ is a moving and eye-opening listen that will stimulate the thoughts of many as we head into the holiday weekend. It's been a busy week for Nicks, who showed up twice on our Top 10 Duets list and also had her birthday commemorated right here with a story called 10 Things You Didn't Know About Stevie Nicks.
Listen to Stevie Nicks' 'Soldier's Angel'