If I had a dime for every song that could have been a Stevie Nicks hit but went to somebody else, I’m not sure that I would be rich, but I would definitely have more dimes than usual.
Nicks has been considered for songs all over the board, whether that be as a collaborator or a primary vocalist. However, there’s one song in this pile of could’ve-beens that’s actually a little bit less surprising than the others. In fact, we can totally hear a Nicks version in our heads.
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If you’ve ever heard “Call Me” by Blondie, just know that the Fleetwood Mac frontwoman was actually considered for the song before lead singer Debbie Harry was.
“Call Me” was composed by disco producer Giorgio Moroder, who originally heard Nicks as the vocalist. Unfortunately, due to her contract with Modern Records, she was unable to make the song her own. Harry, who ended up contributing lyrics to the then-instrumental track, was the next choice.
The song was used in the 1980 film American Gigolo, which inspired Harry. She wrote the lyrics in just a few hours.
So, if we’re being honest, had Nicks had the chance to record the song, it probably would’ve turned out totally different. We might not have even gotten “Call Me” at all, and Blondie certainly wouldn’t have gotten one of their signature hits.
The Tom Petty Song That Almost Went On ‘Bella Donna’
If you’re familiar with Nicks’ history, you likely know that “Call Me” isn’t the only rock song that was written with her in mind. In fact, “Insider”, which appears on Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ album Hard Promises, was actually written first for the “Landslide” singer.
In 1978, Nicks came to Petty asking him to write a song for her. It was around that time that he introduced her to Jimmy Iovine, who would produce her Bella Donna album. For Nicks, Petty wrote “Insider”, which sings about struggles with vulnerability and trust in a relationship.
Ultimately, it was decided that she would not record the song for Bella Donna. The main reason being that Petty had grown rather fond of “Insider” himself. Instead, they put together a duet of the track for him to release.
“I was really attached to it,” he explained to American Songwriter. “And it really hurt me when I did the track and the vocals…”
In the end, it all worked out for the best. The Heartbreakers got “Insider”, and Bella Donna got “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around”.
Photo by: Fin Costello/Redferns/Getty Images
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