The song that Stevie Nicks wrote for Dolly Parton

(Source: Far Out / YouTube still image)

Tuesday, September 3, 2024, 7:30 p.m., United Kingdom

Dolly Parton probably knows more about Hollywood than Stevie Nicks. Still, it’s hard to ignore the Fleetwood Mac star’s hardships and the parallels between her experiences and the glitzy film industry. Hollywood, like the music world, can be as brutal as it is rewarding – and someone like Nicks understands all too well how difficult it is to succeed in such an unforgiving environment.

Before they caught Fleetwood Mac’s big break, Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham spent endless nights coming to terms with the harsh reality that not everything was as easy as it once seemed. During this time, Buckingham worked hard while Nicks stayed home, writing and twisting in a web of what-ifs. It was also during this time that she wrote some of her best songs, including “Landslide” and “Rhiannon.”

These two tracks would go on to become the band’s most career-defining hits. The first is an unparalleled demonstration of Nicks’ skill as a storyteller and songwriter, and the second proves the extent to which she devoted herself to otherworldly literary sources. In addition, “Rhiannon” showcased a singer who would appeal to different generations, and the mysticism she wove into her songs captured the imagination with a timeless appeal.

Around the same time, she also wrote “After the Glitter Fades,” a revealing song about the isolation one experiences when pursuing the Hollywood dream and the disillusionment that comes when you realize it’s not as great as it’s touted to be. “Well, I never thought I’d make it here in Hollywood,” Nicks sings ethereally after a dreamy piano intro that speaks of both disillusionment and lost hope. While she laments that this is the only “life I’ve ever known,” she claims that love, which is “just a beautiful star away,” ensures it never all bad.

Initially, Nicks envisioned the song being sung by Dolly Parton, and listening to the title, it’s easy to imagine the country legend’s voice in place of Nicks. The melody is straightforward, reminiscent of Parton’s more stripped-down songs like “Coat of Many Colors,” with a simple structure that sets the scene before the chorus drives the message home. One might also expect Parton to identify with the message, as Nicks explores the vulnerability that comes with having a platform.

As she watched the metaphorical shine of her life fade through various setbacks and toxic relationships, Parton seemed to be the perfect singer for the job. To her surprise, however, she didn’t seem all that interested in taking the job. “I wanted [Parton] “I decided to do ‘After the Glitter Fades’ because I really thought it would be perfect for her,” Nicks explained. “And it was sent to her, and I don’t think Dolly ever really understood it. I think if she ever got the song, she would have wanted to do it.”

Maybe it was too obvious for the country wordsmith, but in some ways its simplicity makes it more impactful. Some of Nicks’ better compositions are those that use poetry lightly, and this is a song that strikes a natural balance between raw emotion and universal feeling. “We’re all chasing something, and maybe this is a dream,” Nicks sings, “The timeless face of a rock ‘n’ roll woman as her heart breaks, you know the dream keeps on coming even when you forget to feel.”