Charlie Brown and Suzy Q

 

I just got the devastating news that my brother Larry died.

Lawrence Scott Coutermarsh was born on 2/22/1961, on Washington's Birthday.  I can never forget that because he would always remind me.  He said to me, "MY birthday is on Washington's Birthday - father of our country, greatest president ever; we even live in a white house - while YOUR birthday is on the anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire and other disasters!"

The funny thing about his saying that is that it caused HIM to always remember MY birthday!  While a young adult (to make a long story short) he was in a horrible accident.  One of the effects was losing bits of his memory, like most birthdays...but mine stuck.  He called me almost every year.

We were 3-1/2 years apart; he was older.  He was the stereotypical big brother.  He would torment me & I'd run & tattle.  When I was dating he would intimidate my dates.  However, we also played together a lot.  There was a show we watched called "Pixanne" and we would pretend to be in her magic forest: I'd be Pixanne and he would be Pixandy.

He was the first roommate I clearly remember.  We had bunk beds: he had the top.  Yes, we did the "draw a line on the floor; this is YOUR side & this is MY side", which was a trip, considering the bunk beds.  We seemed to always go opposite of each other: I'd like red, he'd like blue; I liked Frankenstein, he liked Dracula; I watched Sesame Street, he watched Dark Shadows.  When we were little, agreeing on anything was not our strong suit.

Our Pepere called him "Charlie Brown" and me "Suzy Q".

At one time he started a Horror Movie Club with his friends in our cellar.  One day I was looking for my favorite doll.  She was really big - as big as me - with a ragdoll-style body.  Well...I found her.  He had used it as a prop for his club.  It wasn't pretty.

He had a task in elementary school when I was in 1st grade.  He would run down to the little store down the street to get the teachers' lunches.  My teacher would often send me to give him her order.  I thought it was so cool that he had this job, and I felt cool being the messenger.

When he was a teenager & I was in my "tweens" he didn't mind if his friends liked me.  He had this one female friend who, if she called him & he wasn't home, would talk to me.  She even invited me to a party that she was inviting Larry to (he wasn't home, and of course I didn't go). 

The older we got, the closer we got.  I was horribly bullied in school and he offered to teach me self-defense.  Mom forbid it, so he loaned me an album of guitar music.  That was what the album sleeve said; inside was a self-defense instruction record (It didn't work for me, tho).  Sometimes, when I would have a party he would up the attendance by letting me tell people that he would be there (he was very popular; I was not).

I remember many a Tuesday evening sitting on the living room floor watching "Happy Days" with him. 

His personality was unique.  He was one of those blessed people who, 5 minutes after meeting him, you loved him.  Everybody loved Larry.   He was fun and funny and boisterous and outgoing.  He was also very energetic.  He didn't go for sports per se, but in his lifetime he  skateboarded, studied martial arts, lifted weights, competed in bodybuilding competitions, was a boxer and a bullrider, and competed in the The Sadler's Ultra Challenge, which is a wheelchair and handcycle race that runs between Fairbanks and Anchorage, Alaska (this one was after his aforementioned accident).  He holds the record for the most times competing in it; they even named an award after him.

Since he lived in Alaska we didn't get together nearly as often as we would have liked in our adulthood, but every time we did, there would be lots of hugs.  One of my favorite visits was when he came down to NH to visit our parents ON my birthday, and he even had a gift for me.

I will miss him horribly; however, I know he'll always be with me, and I see him in my own daughter, who is so much like him.

 

ONJ

 

 

 

I was shocked and saddened - but not really surprised - to hear about the passing of Olivia Newton-John.  I was a fan pretty much from the beginning, singing along with her songs & enjoying her in movies (although the less said about "Two of a Kind", the better).  It's not unusual for me to fall down a nostalgia hole when someone I like passes, but this time I decided to indulge.  Here are a few of my favorite personal ONJ-centric stories:

• I particularly loved to sing "Have You Never Been Mellow".  The song was comfortable for my range & the lyrics were sweet.  When my oldest nephew was a baby I would sometimes babysit, and he really liked it when I sang it to him.
• It's a particularly stuck memory, the first time I heard "Sam".  I was at a friend's birthday party.  We were going to a pizza place, and I was one of the ones who got to sit in the back of the El Camino.  I could still hear the car radio.  I heard this song, recognized Olivia's voice right off, but didn't know the song.  It took some radio diligence afterwards to get the title.
• "I'll Bet You a Kangaroo" proved to me that the lady not only had talent & beauty, but a fun sense of humor.  That song always makes me smile...especially when she giggles & "Ye-Ha's" near the end.
• Who didn't love "Grease"?  I went to see it with some friends and fell in love.  I went out & bought the 45 for "Hopelessly Devoted To You" almost immediately, and sang to it a lot.  I DID eventually get the whole album.  (Side note: my daughters & I will be watching it in tribute tomorrow.)
  
• At one time I worked in the Sight & Sound department at Bradlees.  Every week I would have an argument with the record distributor.  He insisted that Olivia's albums be filed under "J".  I kept telling him that her last name is "NEWTON-John"...with the hyphen.  He said that no one would think to look under "N" for her.  He'd leave, and I'd immediately put her back under "N".  For the record, absolutely no one asked where she was listed.
• Here's an "I'm Not Proud" moment.  When my husband & I got married, it was thrown together rather quickly.  3 days, to be precise.  I knew we couldn't do a lot of traditions that are at most weddings, but I definitely wanted a First Dance.  Unfortunately, I didn't bring any of my music to the house where our "reception" was, and the woman who owned the house had drastically different music taste from mine.  I DID see that she had an ONJ album, so I queued up "I Honestly Love You" for us to dance to.  Now, I'd listened to the song probably hundreds of times at that point...but never REALLY listened (it wasn't one of my favorite "sing-alongs").  Wanting to capture this precious moment in my memory forever, I tried to fasten on everything, and I listened to the words.  Carefully.  Have you ever listened to it...I mean REALLY listen to it?  If not, do so.  Listen to the last verse.  Yeah, as I said...I'm not proud.  It obviously didn't hurt, tho; we're celebrating our 37th anniversary next month.
  
• While dating, and early in our marriage, my husband & I would often talk about music.  He told me that his favorite John Denver song was "Fly Away", a duet he did with Olivia, but he could never find a copy.  There was a record store not far from our first apartment, so I did some digging...and surprised him with "John Denver's Greatest Hits, Vol. II", with the song on it.  It made him SO happy.
• My husband and I also have a soft spot in our hearts for the movie "Xanadu".  We absolutely love it (He actually likes it better than "Grease").  Yes, I sang the title track...and yes, I could hit the note at the end.  (Don't know if I still can, tho.  Covid kind of messed with my upper range...but that's neither here nor there.)  My daughters & I just watched "Xanadu" together last week.
  

Thank you, Olivia...for the music, for the "Magic", for the memories.

Kids' Shows - My Children's Childhoods

 

When our girls were little, I liked to watch TV with them.  Even as a grownup I still loved children's shows, and the girls gave me an excuse to see the newer ones.  I have to admit that a lot of the children's shows we watched were a lot better than when I was a child.  Those shows from my childhood were all great, but children's educational programming has really grown since then.

One night we were talking about the shows that they enjoyed as small children, and I got to thinking of some of my favorites of their shows.  While they loved a lot of the more popular shows of the time - including Blues Clues, the Wiggles, and the ever-present Sesame Street - there were a few that weren't as well known, but still extremely entertaining...even for me:

 

Oobi

To me, this is THE best show for very young children.  It's soft, sweet, not too silly (if you can get past the fact that the characters are literally just hands), with a clean humor that even parents can appreciate.  Each show had 2 episodes: first there was a story, with a couple of bits with the characters talking to actual children, followed by a simple game for the viewers to play as well.  Oobi, Uma, Kako and Grampu were so loved in our home that they still love them now.

Backyardigans

This show allows children to realize that they can visit anyplace in the world, right in their own back yards, with just a little imagination.  Tyrone, Pablo, Tasha, Austin & Uniqua bring children into their adventures, but the best part is the music.  Each episode is an understated lesson in different genres of music, from Disco to Surf Rock to Irish Folk to Raï (which I had never even HEARD of 'til I heard it here).

 

Jack's Big Music Show

Again, this one teaches the importance of music in a child's life, but it's more overt.  Jack, his best friend Mary, and his dog Mal, play together in Jack's musical clubhouse, have a little band, play games, and meet all kinds of interesting characters...and let's not forget the Schwartsman Quartet!

 

The Upside-Down Show

This Australian gem is nothing but pure, unadulterated silliness.  Shane and David, and their friend Puppet - and the "schmuzzies" - encourage audience participation with their wondrous Remote that they "pass" to the child & encourage them to hit the buttons they suggest...often having them hit the "wrong" button, to hilarious results.

 

Wonder Pets!

Linny the Guinea Pig, Tuck the Turtle, and Ming-Ming the duckling were class pets, quietly living their lives in their cages.  However, once class was out and..."The phone...the phone is ringing..." gets sung, they become the Wonder Pets, rescuing various animals from unfortunate situations.  While they teach about animals and their habitats, they also teach about teamwork.

 

Max & Ruby/Charlie & Lola

I'm putting these two together because they're somewhat similar.  Both concern an older sibling with a younger sibling and their sibling situations.  Max & Ruby are rabbits where the sister is older; Charlie & Lola are British humans where the brother is older.  Sometimes the older sibling has to show great patience with their annoying younger one, and sometimes the older one will get a little patronizing (especially Ruby), but in the end, the love is there.

 

Bear In the Big Blue House

Bear is large and exceedingly gentle, and takes care of his friends in his Big Blue House: Ojo, a little bear; Tutter the mouse; Pip & Pop the otters, and Treelo the lemur.  Every episode had Shadow perform a shadow-puppet skit, and every episode ended with Bear sharing the ending song with Luna the moon.  The girls loved it when, near the beginning of every episode, Bear would "sniff" for them.

Some Honorable Mentions:  Lazytown; Tweenies; Brum; Koala Brothers; Pingu; Dragontales.

Kids' Shows - My Childhood

 

 As one who was born in the '60s and lived most of her childhood in the '70s, television was huge to me.  Children's television was just coming into popularity, and I was the perfect age for it.  I remember so many of the shows with great fondness.  Now, I'm not talking about your Saturday Morning cartoons; that's something completely different.  These were shows that were made not only to entertain, but to educate and help the kids of the day be aware of their world.  Following are a few of my favorites.

Sesame Street

Who doesn't know Sesame Street?  However, my memory always defaults to the original run, pre-Elmo and Grover, and with the original Gordon.  I can still remember a lot of the bits, from the pinball game counting to 12, the other counting show with the guy always falling down at the end, the Ladybug Picnic, One Of These Things Is Not Like The Others...etc.  "Being Green".  "I Love Trash".  "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ" (pronounced "Abcadefgueejeckelminopquerstuvwitz" by Big Bird)...and, of course, "Rubber Duckie".  I even had the album!

 

Mr. Rogers Neighborhood

As a child with an excellent imagination, I loved riding on Trolley to the Land of Make Believe. Lady Aberlin and Henrietta Kittycat were my friends, and I adored the odd Lady Elaine and her Museum-Go-Round.  And overseeing all of this, the trolleymaster himself, Mr. Rogers was there with gentleness and grace talking TO us (not AT us) and singing his lovely songs.  I also loved waiting to see how Picture Picture was going to greet me every day!

The Electric Company

Set aside the unbelievable cast, including Bill Cosby, Morgan Freeman and Rita Moreno.  This show was hip for those too young to know what "hip" was, and mostly focused on reading.  With recurring characters like Easy Reader; Fargo North, Decoder; Jennifer of the Jungle; Letterman; and the original live action Spiderman!  "HEY, YOU GUYYYYYYYYYS!!!"

Zoom

Tracy. Nina. Tommy. Nancy. Kenny. Jon. Joe.  Seven regular kids dancing barefoot across an almost empty stage...then they start to sing: Come on and Zoom, Zoom, Zoom-a-Zoom!  They acted out skits, sang songs, taught us crafts and Ubbi-Dubbi.  They encouraged you to write to them at Zoom, Z-double-O-M, box 350, Boston, Mass...Oh Two One Three Four!  One of my favorite segments was when they sang "The Cat Came Back".  When they came out with an album, I got it...and I still have it (the song "Always Friends" is my favorite).

Captain Kangaroo

The Captain & his friends (including Mr. Green Jeans and Moose) seem to ride on the ragged edge of my memory.  For some reason, I remember Mr. Green Jeans the most...and the ping-pong balls.  But I remember the Captain being big, gentle, and kind...and I loved that.

Pixanne

This one is an even earlier memory, but I remember my brother & I always watched it.  Pixanne was another one that resonated with my imagination: a pixie in a magical forest.  Afterwards, my brother & I would play: I would be Pixanne, he would be Pixandy (a creation of our own minds).

The New Zoo Revue

Henrietta Hippo, Freddie Frog and Charlie Owl lived in a lovely little town with a gazebo in the center, and were helped in learning life lessons through stories and songs with the help of their human friends Doug and Emmy-Jo.  The costumed characters were a little on the odd side (with huge, googly eyes), but they were sweet: Henrietta was oh-so feminine, Freddie naive and adventurous (and a little clumsy), and Charlie, of course, intelligent...to a point.  It's the New Zoo Revue, coming right at you!

Villa Allegre

I'm kind of cheating with this one.  I didn't watch it regularly, but only when I stayed home sick.  I would search the PBS channels to find it and would be so glad when I did!  It was mostly in Spanish - often 2 characters would converse, one in English & one in Spanish - so I didn't understand a lot, but I got the basics down...and one of the main characters (pictured) was always so kind and comforting...like a hug.

A few Honorable Mentions:  Jabberwocky; Romper Room; Boomtown; Major Mudd

Hey, Hey...we're the Monkees!

 

 

Micky Dolenz.  Peter Tork.  Michael Nesmith.  Davy Jones.  Four young men brought together by circumstances to make a TV show, became a band, then became legends.

 

People underestimate them.  "Pre-Fab Four" they're called.  Their talent was constantly called into question.  I don't understand how.  Micky has one of the most incredible, distinctive voices and a comedic genius.  Nez is no slouch in the vocal department and is a wonderful songwriter (and eventually started the gears turning for the inevitability of the original MTV).  Peter could play so many different instruments and was smart enough to "play dumb".  Davy had old-school performing razzmatazz.  

I was very young - just a toddler - when they first hit the radio airwaves, then the TV screens.  I was hooked right away...as my baby book can prove.

I never lost my love for them.  I remember being in gym class in the mid '70s...long after the show ended but before any of their reunions.  My gym teacher would sometimes play albums during class.  Whenever she played the Monkees, my classmates didn't have a clue, but not only did I sing along, I knew which song was going to play next.  I was so glad when MTV started to play the show in the '80s; I even recorded my favorite episode.  My husband eventually got me the entire series on DVD, and I got several albums on CD (although I still have my original vinyl).  I was saddened when Davy died; devastated when Peter died (he was my favorite).  I never got to see them all in concert, but DID have the opportunity to take my daughter to see Micky live for her 15th birthday, as she had become a fan by watching my DVDs with me.

Sadly, Micky and Mike decided that it was time to retire the Monkees; their final tour came to an end recently.  It had been over 50 years, and they could still pull in an audience.

All that said, I've got a couple of Top 10s here: my favorite songs, and favorite episodes.

Top 10 Songs

10. The Girl I Knew Somewhere - Written by Michael Nesmith, sung by Micky Dolenz, off of the album Headquarters (Side note: Nez's version, which I have on the "Infinite Tuesday" CD, is also very good.)

9. Love is Only Sleeping - Written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, sung by Michael Nesmith, off of the album Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd. (Side note: this is the song that caused my daughter to fall in love with the Monkees' music)

8. Zor and Zam - Written by Bill and John Chadwick, sung by Micky Dolenz, off of the album The Birds, the Bees & the Monkees (Side note: this is the last Monkees song to play on the series, and the last song to play on the group's original 5 albums)

7. For Pete's Sake - Written by Peter Tork, sung by Micky Dolenz, off of the album Headquarters (Side note: it became the closing theme in season 2)

6. Goin' Down - Written by Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork, Davy Jones & Diane Hildebrand, sung by Micky Dolenz, b-side to the single "Daydream Believer" (Side note: who hasn't tried to sing along?)

5. Circle Sky - Written & sung by Michael Nesmith, from the Head movie soundtrack (Side note: I actually prefer the live version from the movie itself, which is unusual for me.)

4. Birth of an Accidental Hipster - Written by Noel Gallagher & Paul Weller, sung by Michael Nesmith & Micky Dolenz, off of the album Good Times!

3. Sometime In the Morning - Written by Gerry Goffin & Carole King, sung by Micky Dolenz, off of the album More of the Monkees

2. Randy Scouse Git - Written & sung by Micky Dolenz, off of the album Headquarters (Side note: released in England as "Alternate Title" because the title means something rude in British slang)

1. Words - Written by Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart, sung by Micky Dolenz & Peter Tork, off of the album Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd.

Top 10 Episodes

10. The Spy Who Came In from the Cool (S1/E5) - The group ends up involved in a spy ring after Davy buys a pair of red maracas.

9. The Monkees in Manhattan (S1/E30) - The group tries to help produce a Broadway musical.

8. The Case of the Missing Monkee (S1/E17) - Peter and a professor mysteriously disappear!

7. Art, for Monkee's Sake (S2/E5) - Two art thieves try to use Peter & his painting hobby to steal a priceless painting.

6. I Was a Teenage Monster (S1/E18) - A mad scientist tries to steal the group's musical talent & implant it into his created monster.

5. One Man Shy (S1/E13) - Peter falls in love with a debutante, but is too shy to approach her.

4. The Card-Carrying Red Shoes (S2/E9) - A ballerina falls for Peter, as her manager tries to use her to steal a priceless microfilm.

3. Fairy Tale (S2/E16) - It's a fairy tale...one you have to see to believe!

2. Mijacogeo aka The Frodis Caper (S2/E26) - The Evil Wizard Glick is trying to take over the world through television.

1. The Devil & Peter Tork (S2/E20) - Peter unknowingly buys a harp from the Devil; the price...his soul.

 

Happy Halloween

 

I'll admit that Halloween is not my favorite holiday, but I do like scary movies.  Not so much "slasher" movies: of the Big 3 ("Halloween", "Friday the 13th" & "Nightmare on Elm Street"), I've only ever seen "Halloween 3: Season of the Witch" and "New Nightmare".  I prefer my scares more subtle, and one can't go wrong with horror comedy!  Scares and laughs at the same time?  I'm in!

Anyway, in the "spirit" of the season (pun very much intended), I've decided to list a few of my favorites, in 3 categories: General Horror/Thriller, Zombies, and Comedy.  Since (with one exception) it's hard to pick favorites, I'll not rank them, but list them in good old-fashioned alphabetical order.  Also, there are a few repeats, because I couldn't decide which they fit in better, so why not both?

General Horror/Thriller

• The Babadook - I'll admit that the kid in this movie drove me crazy, The movie itself is a good scare-fest.  Both slow burn frights and jump-scares a-plenty, it's a twist on grief and recovery.
• Bram Stoker's Dracula - Both a straight-up fright and an erotic thriller, if you can get past Keanu Reeves' accent, it's a thrill.  Two words: Gary Oldman.
• Carrie - Quite possibly my all-time favorite movie of any and all genres!  Underneath the blood and jumps, it's actually a great anti-bullying story.  While, yes, I'm talking about the original, I also enjoyed the remake.
• Les Diaboliques - The movie that made me enjoy watching movies with subtitles.  Unfortunately, I must honor the disclaimer on the movie that says not to give anything away. (You've got to love a movie with that kind of disclaimer!)
• Dracula (1979) - I was about 14 when I first saw this, and Frank Langella made one very beans of a sexy vampire to me.  The ending still sticks to me, even after all these years.
• The Invisible Man (2020) - I was surprised how much I liked this movie!  I didn't know what to expect.  It had to many twists and turns, and you wonder through the whole thing how it's going to resolve itself...or if it even does.
• It Follows - The Little Movie That Could.  A not-very-well-hidden lesson in "safe sex", but it moves and has characters you get to like.
• Tourist Trap - Probably my biggest "guilty pleasure".  It's not a great movie - I'm not even sure if it's a GOOD movie - but for some reason I really like it.  When I was a teen, I probably watched it every time it came on The Movie Channel.  Oh, and yes, I've watched it recently.
• Us - People can be as "hipper-than-thou" and say they saw the twist coming a mile away, but I sure couldn't.  This one kept me glued to the edge of my seat...and that voice...*shudder*
• Wait Until Dark - Probably the movie that made me fall in love with psychological thrillers.  This and "Carrie" have my favorite movie endings of all time.

Zombies

• 28 Days Later/28 Weeks Later - I'm lumping these two together because it's my list and I can! I won't get into arguments about how these aren't "real" Zombie movies.  I just enjoy the scares.
  
• Anna and the Apocalypse - A Zombie Horror Christmas Comedy Musical?  Yes, Please!!!  Definitely one of the most original concepts I've come across.  Also, the music is really, really good!
• Day Of the Dead - The third Romero Zombie flick has a sympathetic character in Bub the Zombie.  Now, while George Romero IS the Godfather of the modern Zombie movie, Bub is the REAL reason this is on my list.
• The Dead Don't Die - One of the best casts in a Zombie movie.  It's almost unbearably meta, but in the best way possible.  I'll admit that, at first viewing I didn't like how it ended; it took a second viewing for me to "get" it...then it shot up in my estimation.
• Life After Beth - This one also has an original plot, where a boy discovers that the girl he likes has become a Zombie.  It's cute, sweet, funny, and scary.
• Little Monsters - A teacher and a slacker take a bunch of children to a theme park/zoo, only to find themselves in the middle of a Zombie Apocalypse.  This movie is hilarious!  You'll never hear Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off" the same way again.
• Night of the Living Dead - One simply can not have a list of Zombie movies and not include the Granddaddy of the Modern Zombies!  They're still coming to get you, Barbara!
• Shaun of the Dead - If you can't tell by now, I tend to like my Zombies on the lighter side.  I wasn't sure I'd like this...but I do.  I really do.
• Train to Busan - OK, THIS one is more of a traditional Zombie horror, but it's a non-stop ride, if you'll forgive the train metaphor.  It will keep you riveted; there's not a single slow moment.
• Warm Bodies - R is a Zombie.  Jules is a living girl.  They fall in love.  Their "families" try to keep them apart.  Yes, it's a modern Zombie Romeo & Juliet...and it's a wonderful, fun movie.

 Horror Comedies

• Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein -This classic comedy by one of the greatest comedy duos of all time is never-ending fun.  Frankenstein's Monster, Dracula, and the Wolfman all come to the party.
• Abbott & Costello Meet the Invisible Man -The duo returns, trying to help a framed boxer reclaim his innocence.  I'll admit that the ending freaked me out as a small child, but now I love it.
• Anna and the Apocalypse
• Beetlejuice - Don't say his name 3 times!  Tim Burton and Michael Keaton tell a wild, wonderful tale of a couple who end up haunting their own home, when they make the mistake of seeking the assistance of the titular boogie.
• The Dead Don't Die
• The Final Girls - This tongue-firmly-set-in-cheek movie plays on so many horror tropes, putting them in the forefront, when a group of teenagers end up sucked into a classic B-movie horror which starred the late mother of one of the girls.  The effects are wonderful, but it's really the humor that carries the whole movie.
• Ghostbusters - What else can I say, but...Who Ya Gonna Call?
• Little Monsters
• Shaun of the Dead 
• Tremors - While I don't know if I'd call it a true comedy, it's certainly funny, and is a loving homage to B-movie creature features.  Reba McEntire and Michael Gross are an absolute riot as a survivalist couple.
  
  

Stevie Nicks...The Albums

Stevie Nicks, as I mentioned in a previous blog, is my all-time favorite singer.  While talking about my previous Stevie post, I was asked to put her albums in my order of preference.  This was a daunting task, as I usually just jump and buy whenever she releases a new album and don't think about whether I like it more or less than any of its predecessors. I'm just glad for the music!  However, I'm not one to shirk from a challenge.

I've buckled down and listened to all of her albums back to back (well, over the course of time), and below is my ranking, and why.  I'm also putting my top 2 favorite songs, and, for a twist, my least favorite of each album.  I am not including Greatest Hits packages (I have 4), any of her Fleetwood Mac releases, nor (after a lot of thought) Buckingham Nicks.  I just wanted to focus on her solo work.

Here we go:

8. Street Angel (1994)

This is an album which, for all intents and purposes, should not have been made.  She had some health issues & was not at the top of her game here.  While there are a few good songs on here, there are a few misfires.  Some songs suffer from repetition, odd vocal choices, and...a Bob Dylan cover?  Cool fact: Dylan himself plays on that track!  David Crosby also sings on the title track.  Favorite songs:  Street Angel & Blue Denim; Least favorite: Just Like a Woman.

7. 24 Karat Gold: Songs From the Vault (2014)

This is subtitled "Songs From the Vault" because that is what it is.  Every song on this album was written years ago, during the making of previous albums.  It's a fun album - there's some really sweet nuggets in here - but they're definitely "second tier" compared to the ones that actually made the albums.  Lady A sings along on one track.  Side note: I can't help but wonder if Taylor Swift got her idea for calling the songs she's adding to her redo's of her albums "From the Vault" from this.  Who knows?  Favorite songs:  Cathouse Blues & Lady; Least favorite: Belle Fleur.

6. The Other Side of the Mirror (1989)

I'm not sure what to say about this album.  It's just kind of...there.  I like the nods to Alice in Wonderland.  With one or two exceptions, she really doesn't get too experimental.  There is also another questionable remake.  I'm not against her doing remakes, but she really should choose better.  Her choices for guest artists were a little unusual as well:  Bruce Hornsby and Kenny G.  Favorite songs: Whole Lotta Trouble & Doing the Best I Can (Escape From Berlin); Least favorite: I Still Miss Someone (Blue Eyes).

5. Trouble in Shangri-La (2001)

It took seven years for her to get her mojo back after "Street Angel" (releasing the 3-disc "Enchanted", filled with greatest hits, b-sides & rarities, in between), and did she ever!  Shout out to Sheryl Crow for saving this project, both co-producing and adding vocals.  THIS is the Stevie we know and love.  Bold writing choices, and a nice balance between rockers, ballads, and in-betweens.  My only complaint - and why it's so low - is her choice of Natalie Maines as a duet partner, making that song the only "skip" (meaning I skip over it) in her entire discography.  I REALLY don't like her.  Other guests are Lindsey Buckingham, Macy Gray, and Sarah McLachlan.  Favorite songs: Fall From Grace & Planets Of the Universe; Least favorite: Too Far From Texas.

4. Bella Donna (1981)

Her first solo album, and what a way to start a new branch of her career!  Her songwriting is wonderful, there are some killer harmonies (a little overdone in my "least favorite"), and great guests, Tom Petty and Don Henley.  This one has my all-time favorite Stevie Nicks song on it.  Favorite songs: Edge of Seventeen & Bella Donna; Least favorite: Think About It.

3. The Wild Heart (1983)

Anyone who thought that "Bella Donna" was a fluke must have been greatly surprised to hear this one.  It took the promise of her first solo outing and cranked it up to 11.  What is amazing is that she released this while going through great emotional turmoil.  At least she had her old buddy Tom Petty returning, and Prince played on my favorite track, albeit uncredited.  Funny story: the day before the album was to be released my husband & I went shopping.  In the music department we saw a box that was open; in it was copies of this album.  We figured, it was on the floor & open, so why not?  When we got to the register the cashier told us that we couldn't buy it.  We said, "It was out on the floor, and the box was open.  that told us that it was available."  The manager agreed, so I actually got it the day before it was released! (Oh, and the clerk who took the box out early got a stern talking-to.)  Favorite songs:  Stand Back & If Anyone Falls; Least favorite: I Will Run To You.

2. Rock a Little (1985)

At this point she just kept getting better and better.  I have to admit that I was hard-pressed between #2 and #3...but this one has a better personal story, which I will get to.  She gets a little more experimental here, really rocking out, then pulling back to gentle ballads: the final track is so soft and sad, and trails off...and off...and you can still hear soft slight instruments, almost like in a dream.  Also, there are no major guest stars in this one...just a LOT of guest players!  Now for the story: I had had a really crummy day and was in a really rotten mood.  I got home from work.  My husband was home, and a dear friend of ours was visiting.  I heard "I Can't Wait" playing & thought that they had the radio on, but then I looked at their smiling faces, then down at the turntable, where the album was playing.  My husband had gone out & gotten it for me as a surprise...just because.  Favorite songs:  The Nightmare & I Can't Wait; Least favorite: Rock A Little (Go Ahead Lily).

1. In Your Dreams (2011)

It took 10 years, with the release of yet another Greatest Hits package AND a live album, before releasing what is easily her best album to date.  Dave Stewart took the reins (no pun intended, looking at the album picture) as co-producer, also adding guest vocals on a couple of songs; the only other guest is Lindsey Buckingham, in one of the starkest, simplest songs on the album.  She is truly up to form in this, proving herself that the label of legend is not misplaced.  There is not a single weak track on this album, making ranking the songs themselves a most difficult task for me.  Powerful, fun, and definitely worth the listen.  Favorite songs: Wide Sargasso Sea & Ghosts Are Gone; Least favorite: Everybody Loves You.