The Joni Mitchell Classic Stevie Nicks Listens to Before Every Performance: “I Lived That Song So Many Times”

Athletes, actors, and musicians all have superstious rituals they perform before a big game, scene, or concert. A superstitious ritual they perform to ensure that they give the best possible performance in their respective scenarios. Most musicians do it, and that includes Stevie Nicks, though her ritual seemingly differs from a lot of her musical contemporaries.

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When one thinks of rituals, they might think of breathing techniques, vocal warm-ups, or some sort of unique practice particular to the musician. However, Stevie Nicks’ ritual doesn’t involve any of that. Rather, it involves just her and her favorite Joni Mitchell song, “Blonde in the Bleachers.”

How Stevie Nicks Personally Relates to “Blonde in the Bleachers”

Nicks doesn’t listen to Joni Mitchell to boost her adrenaline or focus. Instead, she seemingly listens to Mitchell to remind herself of why she decided to pursue a career in music. In essence, to Nicks the song is a reminder of who she is amidst the spotlight.

In a 2011 interview with The Guardian, Stevie Nicks divulged the importance of Mitchell’s song in her pre-performance ritual. She told the publication, “I listen to that song to this day. It’s on the playlist I have for when I’m preparing to go on stage.”

Regarding how the song applies to her, Nicks stated, “This is about a girl who ‘tapes her regrets to the microphone stand, she says you can’t hold the hand of a rock ‘n’ roll man for very long.’ I never saw myself as the girl in the song – I identified with the rock’n’roll star. I was never gonna be the groupie.” “I was the star, I was sure of that,” concluded Nicks.

Per her comments, it seems Nicks’ interpretation of the song offers her a sense of self-assurance, a blanket of confirmation, and a comfort that provides her character with the ability to go on stage time after time and do what she does best. To be more specific, Nicks takes Mitchell’s song and decides to place herself in the role of the leader, not the follower. Hence, the lyrics seemingly remind her that when she is on stage, she is in charge.

Mitchell aside, another part of Stevie Nicks’ pre-performance ritual is looking at a picture of her and George Harrison. It’s unclear what that exactly provides her, but regardless, both things work, as Nicks has been gracing the stage ever since the ’70s.

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