Stand Back

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1983 single by Stevie Nicks

title: "Stand Back" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1983-songs", "1983-singles", "2003-singles", "american-new-wave-songs", "electropop-songs", "synth-rock-songs", "stevie-nicks-songs", "songs-written-by-stevie-nicks", "song-recordings-produced-by-jimmy-iovine", "reprise-records-singles", "modern-records-(1980)-singles", "works-based-on-gone-with-the-wind"] description: "1983 single by Stevie Nicks" topic_path: "arts/music" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stand_Back" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary 1983 single by Stevie Nicks ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox song"]

FieldValue
nameStand Back
coverStand Back Stevie Nicks.jpg
typesingle
artistStevie Nicks
albumThe Wild Heart
B-sideGarbo
releasedMay 19, 1983
recordedFebruary 1983
studioStudio 55
(Los Angeles, California)
* New wave<ref name"RS 1983"
* synth-rock<ref name"RSguide"{{cite book
Stevie Nickseditor1-last
* electropop<ref name"Petridis 2024"
length4:48 (LP version)
4:18 (single edit)
labelModern
writerStevie Nicks
producerJimmy Iovine
prev_titleAfter the Glitter Fades
prev_year1982
next_titleIf Anyone Falls
next_year1983
::

::callout[type=note] the Stevie Nicks song ::

| name = Stand Back | cover = Stand Back Stevie Nicks.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Stevie Nicks | album = The Wild Heart | B-side = Garbo | released = May 19, 1983 | recorded = February 1983 | studio = Studio 55 (Los Angeles, California) | genre =

In the United Kingdom, the single was Nicks' first 12-inch release, featuring a different glossy picture sleeve and the inclusion of a third track, "Wild Heart". A 12-inch promotional single was also released to United States radio stations in 1983, featuring a full-colour sleeve, but playing the standard album version (in mono and stereo) on both sides.

Background and composition

Nicks has often told the story of how she wrote "Stand Back". She wrote it on the day of her marriage to Kim Anderson on January 29, 1983. The newlyweds were driving up to San Ysidro Ranch in Santa Barbara when Prince's song "Little Red Corvette" came on the radio. Nicks started humming along to the melody, especially inspired by the lush synthesizers on the song. The couple retrieved a tape recorder and Nicks recorded the demo in the honeymoon suite that night. Later, when Nicks went into the studio to record the song, she called Prince and told him the story of how she wrote the song to his melody. On the night of February 8, 1983, Prince came to the studio and played synthesizers on it, although his contribution is uncredited on the album. He and Nicks did agree however to split the publishing royalties on the song 50-50. Then, she says, "he just got up and left as if the whole thing happened in a dream."

Synth player Dave Bluefield, who also programmed the song's rhythm on a DMX drum machine, said that he played the main chords on the song using an Oberheim OB-Xa synthesizer and Prince did the "8th note up beats" in the upper octaves during the choruses (first heard at the 0:54 mark - supposedly played with just two fingers). It's possible that Prince played other synth parts that didn't make the final mix.

Prince, however, remarked a different story in regards to the song's drum programming and creation: "When I got there, her and Jimmy Iovine couldn't figure out how to work the drum machine...because people were using live drums at that point...so I went down there and programmed it for them and pretty much played most of the song there in about twenty or thirty minutes".

There were two mixes made of the song: the generally more well-known album version (4:48) and the edited single version (4:18). Differences between the two are somewhat subtle, but the single version tends to have more of a "collapsed" or "mono" sound to it and the electronic drum programs are mixed rather dry and flattened, especially in the song's intro bars; whereas the drum tracks on the album version are accentuated by a generous amount of reverb effect and harder compression. Acoustic drums were given a more backseat role on "Stand Back". There is a further "polished" version of the track, with crisper percussion and louder foreground synth, featured on Nicks' 1991 compilation album Timespace: The Best of Stevie Nicks, remixed by Chris Lord-Alge with a run time of 4:59.

“Stand Back” is performed in the key of B minor with a tempo of 116 beats per minute in common time. The song follows a chord progression of A/G – G – D/A – A – D/A – G/B – Bm – A/B – D/A – G/A – A, and Nicks’ vocals span from A3 to B4.

B-side

"Garbo", the B-side to "Stand Back", is a song referencing Greta Garbo. Another song, partially inspired by Garbo, called "Greta", appears on the 1994 album Street Angel.

The lyrics from the third verse of "Vogue", by Madonna, coincidentally mention the same first three people — Garbo, Marlene Dietrich and Marilyn Monroe (with the second and third names flipped) as that which is depicted in the lyrics of "Garbo".

Reception

Cash Box said it represents "both familiar and challenging listening," combining Nicks' traditional "vamp posture" with dance music.

Music videos

Two music videos were filmed for the single. The first, which was never aired and is referred to as the "Scarlett Version", was a lavish production directed by Brian Grant and features Nicks in a Gone with the Wind type scenario. Upon seeing the completed video, Nicks rejected it as, according to Grant, she felt she looked fat. This version can now be found (with Nicks' commentary) on the DVD supplement of her 2007 collection Crystal Visions – The Very Best of Stevie Nicks.

As an alternative, a second video was made on a much lower budget than the original. Directed by choreographer Jeffrey Hornaday, it features Nicks performing the song behind a microphone in a spotlight-filled room surrounded by glass walls and mirrors, interspersed with shots of choreographed dance sequences. This was the version aired on television and was also included on Nicks' 1986 video compilation I Can't Wait - The Video Collection as well as the aforementioned Crystal Visions compilation DVD.

Live performances

Nicks performed the song as the musical guest on the December 10, 1983 Saturday Night Live episode, with Liberty DeVitto of Billy Joel fame on drums and Marilyn Martin singing backup.

One live performance of the song in Nicks' solo shows is captured in the 2009 CD release The Soundstage Sessions, where Nicks chose the track as the opening number to her show, rather than placing it toward the climactic end of the setlist as per previous tours.

Nicks performed the song on January 30, 2025 at Kia Forum in Inglewood, California for FireAid to help with relief efforts for the January 2025 Southern California wildfires.

Performances with Fleetwood Mac

Nicks began performing "Stand Back" with Fleetwood Mac on the band's 1987 tour. It is included on the Fleetwood Mac live concert video Tango in the Night (recorded in December 1987) and a (slightly extended) audio version from the same show is included in the 4-disc boxed set 25 Years – The Chain. Since then, the song has been performed on every Fleetwood Mac tour (with the exception of the On with the Show Tour) Nicks has been a part of, including the Behind the Mask tour in 1990, The Dance reunion tour in 1997, the Say You Will tour in 2003 (it is featured in the 2004 CD/DVD set Fleetwood Mac: Live in Boston), the 2009 Unleashed Tour, as well as the band's 2013 world tour.

Legacy

Notable artists who performed cover versions of the song include Sky Ferreira and Rod Stewart. Additionally, the song was sampled in the song "No Way to Hide" by German techno band Scooter, which was featured on their 2012 album "Music for a Big Night Out".

Personnel

Charts

Weekly charts

::data[format=table title="Weekly chart performance for "Stand Back""] | Chart (1983–1984) | Peak position | Australia (Kent Music Report) | Canada (The Record) | Canada (RPM) | US Billboard Hot 100 | US Top Rock Tracks (Billboard) | US Dance Club Play (Billboard) | US Cash Box Top 100 | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | 20 | | | | | | | | | | 17 | | | | | | | | | | 10 | | | | | | | | | | 5 | | | | | | | | | | 2 | | | | | | | | | | 12 | | | | | | | | | | 9 | | | | | | | | | ::

Year-end charts

::data[format=table title="Year-end chart performance for "Stand Back""]

Chart (1983)PositionUS Top Pop Singles (Billboard)US Cash Box
44
55
::

Linus Loves version

In 2003, Scottish electronic music duo Linus Loves released a cover of "Stand Back" with vocals by Sam Obernik. This version reached No. 31 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 73 on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart.

''Crystal Visions'' version

| name = Stand Back – Remixes | cover = Stand Back (song).jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Stevie Nicks | album = Crystal Visions – The Very Best of Stevie Nicks | released = May 29, 2007 | recorded = | studio = | genre = | length = | label = Reprise | composer = | lyricist = | producer = Jimmy Iovine | prev_title = Planets of the Universe | prev_year = 2001 | next_title = Crash Into Me | next_year = 2009 The song was remixed and released again as a single on August 28, 2007, to promote Nicks' compilation album Crystal Visions – The Very Best of Stevie Nicks. This time the single went to number two on the US Dance Club Songs chart and number-one on the Hot Dance Single Sales chart.

| headline = Track listing and formats | title1 = Stand Back | note1 = Tracy Takes You Home Mix | length1 = 11:26 | title2 = Stand Back | note2 = Tracy Takes You Home Dub | length2 = 11:34 | title3 = Stand Back | note3 = Tracy Takes You Home Mixshow | length3 = 6:53 | title4 = Stand Back | note4 = Ralphi's Beefy Retro Mix | length4 = 11:12 | title5 = Stand Back | note5 = Ralphi's Beefy Retro Edit | length5 = 7:30 | title6 = Stand Back | note6 = Morgan Page Vox | length6 = 7:02 | title7 = Stand Back | note7 = Morgan Page Dub | length7 = 7:01

Charts

::data[format=table title="Weekly chart performance for "Stand Back" (''Crystal Visions'' version)"] | Chart (2007) | Peak position | US Dance Club Songs (Billboard) | |---|---|---| | 2 | | | ::

Year-end charts

::data[format=table title="Year-end chart performance for "Stand Back" (''Crystal Visions'' version)"]

Chart (2007)PositionUS Dance Club Songs (Billboard)
35
::

References

  1. (2017). "Prince and the Purple Rain Era Studio Sessions: 1983 and 1984". Rowman & Littlefield.
  2. Sheffield, Rob. (February 24, 2023). "The 100 Best Songs of 1983, the Year Pop Went Crazy".
  3. Petridis, Alexis. (July 4, 2024). "Wild-hearted hits: Stevie Nicks' 20 best songs – ranked!".
  4. [https://mobile.ascap.com/aceclient/AceClient/#ace/search/iswc/T0701452483 ACE Title Search for Stand Back by Stevie Nicks]
  5. "Stand Back".
  6. Backer, Rya. (April 2, 2009). "Stevie Nicks Wants To Work With Timbaland, Opens Up About Collaborating With Prince".
  7. (February 2022). "YouTube".
  8. "David Bluefield: Credits".
  9. "Spot on Track - the Spotify & Apple Music tracker".
  10. (15 March 2010). "Stand Back".
  11. (6 June 2021). "Garbo".
  12. "Greta".
  13. (June 4, 1983). "Reviews".
  14. Marks, Craig. (2011). "I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution". Dutton.
  15. (28 March 2019). "How Prince Inspired a Hit for Stevie Nicks".
  16. "Stevie Nicks 'Saturday Night Live' 1983".
  17. (30 January 2025). "At FireAid Benefit, Stars Sing a Love Song to Los Angeles". The New York Times.
  18. (31 January 2025). "FireAid: Inside the Star-Studded Benefit Show for Los Angeles".
  19. (8 June 2010). "Sky Ferreira - "Stand Back" (Stevie Nicks Cover)".
  20. "Overview: Rod Stewart — Lead Vocalist". RhythmOne.
  21. "No Way to Hide by Scooter".
  22. Tudahl, Duane. (2018). "Prince and the Purple Rain Era Studio Sessions: 1983 and 1984". Rowman & Littlefield.
  23. Morrison, Simon. (2022). "Mirror in the Sky: The Life and Music of Stevie Nicks". University of California Press.
  24. Davis, Stephen. (2017). "Gold Dust Woman: The Biography of Stevie Nicks". St. Martin's Publishing Group.
  25. Kent, David. (1993). "Australian Chart Book 1970–1992". Australian Chart Book.
  26. Nanda Lwin. (1999). "Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide". Music Data Canada.
  27. [http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.4162&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=47fc2o2mdt1mqo46jm7sad2se2 Canadian peak]
  28. "Stevie Nicks Chart History: ''Billboard'' Hot 100".
  29. "Stevie Nicks Chart History: Mainstream Rock".
  30. "Stevie Nicks Chart History: Dance Club Songs".
  31. "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending August 27, 1983".
  32. (December 24, 1983). "Talent Almanac 1984: Top Pop Singles".
  33. (December 31, 1983). "Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles".
  34. "Linus Loves feat. Sam Obernik". [[Official Charts Company]].
  35. (January 19, 2004). "The ARIA Report – ARIA Top 100 Singles – Week Commencing 19th January 2004". [[Australian Recording Industry Association.
  36. "Dance Club Songs – Year-End 2007".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

1983-songs1983-singles2003-singlesamerican-new-wave-songselectropop-songssynth-rock-songsstevie-nicks-songssongs-written-by-stevie-nickssong-recordings-produced-by-jimmy-iovinereprise-records-singlesmodern-records-(1980)-singlesworks-based-on-gone-with-the-wind