Back on August 6, 2015, “Rolling Stone” made the
following curious comparison between two generations of musical performers: Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson of One Direction and Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac.
Harry and Louis are the Stevie and Lindsey of the
mermaid-tattoo-era stadium-rock eye-contact game. Louis' eyes are dark,
intense, controlling, with a surly "damn your love, damn your life" edge.
Harry's eyes say "I hear the darkness you're expressing and it's important
to me but my heart tells me to twirl right now," so he twirls and touches
his hair. The brooding look vs. the beatific twirl. When one of them gets
happy, the other gets wistful. When one of them gets bitchy, the other gets
sugary. I could watch them sing together for hours. I could probably watch them
do laundry for hours. (I doubt they do laundry.)
On Friday night, not quite one year later, no one was seen washing clothes, but one half of each pair did appear on stage to sing three duets together at the iconic Troubadour nightclub in West Hollywood. Harry's glistening eyes, as well as the reverence written all over his face while introducing one of his musical idols, foretold that it would be a memorable night. Moreover, given the pairing with one of classic rock's female legends, it was inevitable that an embarrassment of articles and impromptu videos were sure to follow.
As usual, the official narrative was easy to discern by the headlines, which predictably focused on only one of the songs
the two singers shared. No doubt to play up the subject of the lyrics, well known to be about Stevie's then lover Lindsey Buckingham. But, as so
happens when dealing with a closeted celebrity, all one has to do is dig a
little bit deeper to discover the true meaning of what was really being
communicated on Friday night and to whom the subject of that meaning was directed.
As pointed out, the official version of events attempted to elbow out any other message.
Harry Styles
and Stevie Nicks Sang a Gorgeous “Landslide” Duet - Vanity Fair
Stevie Nicks Brought Harry Styles to Tears During a Duet
of 'Landslide'
He was hit with a
landslide of feels - Esquire
Harry Styles & Stevie Nicks Team Up For Epic
'Landslide' Duet - Video - Just Jared
Watch Stevie Nicks Join Harry Styles On Stage to Perform
Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” - Pitchfork
Wow, looking at those captions one might think "Landslide" was the only song the two shared together on Friday? Except, of course, that conclusion would not be true. Like is often the case when dealing with the closet, the real story was never meant for public consumption. Hence the misleading headlines to distract and mislead. In truth, by raising her voice in unison with Harry's, Stevie Nicks provided some much needed mainstream cover for what really was a subversive and powerful expression of hanging on to a forever and lasting love, despite others not wanting you to make it.
That song selection happened to be another Fleetwood Mac classic, a Stevie Nicks composition: "Leather and Lace." In her own words a song about struggle, fighting for your love in the public eye, no matter the stumbling blocks along the way.
"I worked very hard trying to explain what it was like to be in love with someone in the same business, and how to approach dealing with each other. It’s probably the hardest thing in the world to do because it falls out of your hands and into the hands of the world, which tends to want you to not be able to handle it”
Additional interpretations from various websites:
“Stevie wants to point out that love is strong enough to
endure. The angry words they say to each other can’t shatter it.”
“Again, she expresses her feeling that they will be
together forever. They will be open and honest with one another and put their
all into the relationship. She wants him to be with her no matter what happens
or where they go individually, even if there is craziness in their lives or
obstacles they must overcome. Although she expressed her strength and
independence in earlier lines, she does admit that she needs him and needs his
love, each and every day.”
“Now they sing this together. They realized that they
both feel the same way. They will be together forever. They will take care of
each other. Whatever roadblocks come up, they will get through them because
they have one another. Stevie needs him and he needs her. Instead of saying she
needs him today, as she did earlier, Stevie looks into the future and says that
she needs him to stay. It’s not just the here and now, but a permanent thing.
She repeats for him to take her lace, she wants to reinforce that she is there
for him.”
Gee, I wonder why the touching sentiments conveyed in this composition would have such a special meaning for Harry. A young man who at only 16 years old is known to have fallen in love with his 18 year old band mate, both made to struggle through a brutal closeting that, to date, has gone on for seven years. An enforced closet that has included not only beards and stunts too numerous to count in a lifetime, but enforced separations, a homophobic image imposed on his boyfriend (along with a fake baby), and a less than desirable image designed to forge a wedge between them in the hopes of breaking them up. At one time earlier this year, Louis was perceived so gay that management had to give him the cover of three beards at one time! Now, that's what I call GAY!
Leather and Lace
Is love so fragile
And the heart so hollow
Shatter with words
Impossible to follow
You're saying I'm fragile I try not to be
I search only for something I can't see
I have my own life and I am stronger
Than you know
But I carry this feeling
When you walked into my house
That you won't be walking out the door
Still I carry this feeling
When you walked into my house
That you won't be walking out the door
Lovers forever face to face
My city your mountains
Stay with me stay
I need you to love me
I need you today
Give to me your leather
Take from me my lace
You in the moonlight
With your sleepy eyes
Could you ever love a man like me
And you were right
When I walked into your house
I knew I'd never want to leave
Sometimes I'm a strong man
Sometimes cold and scared
And sometimes I cry
But that time I saw you
I knew with you to light my nights
Somehow I'd get by
Lovers forever face to face
My city your mountains
Stay with me stay
I need you to love me
I need you today
Give to me your leather
Take from me my lace
Lovers forever face to face
My city your mountains
Stay with me stay
I need you to love me
I need you today
Give to me your leather
Take from me my lace
But take from me my lace
Take from me my lace
And the heart so hollow
Shatter with words
Impossible to follow
You're saying I'm fragile I try not to be
I search only for something I can't see
I have my own life and I am stronger
Than you know
But I carry this feeling
When you walked into my house
That you won't be walking out the door
Still I carry this feeling
When you walked into my house
That you won't be walking out the door
Lovers forever face to face
My city your mountains
Stay with me stay
I need you to love me
I need you today
Give to me your leather
Take from me my lace
You in the moonlight
With your sleepy eyes
Could you ever love a man like me
And you were right
When I walked into your house
I knew I'd never want to leave
Sometimes I'm a strong man
Sometimes cold and scared
And sometimes I cry
But that time I saw you
I knew with you to light my nights
Somehow I'd get by
Lovers forever face to face
My city your mountains
Stay with me stay
I need you to love me
I need you today
Give to me your leather
Take from me my lace
Lovers forever face to face
My city your mountains
Stay with me stay
I need you to love me
I need you today
Give to me your leather
Take from me my lace
But take from me my lace
Take from me my lace
[Leather & Lace - composer Stevie Nicks]
The next song is an original composition by Harry. One he confesses he wrote in 2013 when the closeting of Harry and Louis became so painfully restrictive that they were not allowed to interact on stage. Forced to avoid each other as if neither existed. Within reach, but untouchable.
Two Ghosts (2013):
Same lips red, same eyes blue
Same white shirt, couple more tattoos
But it's not you and it's not me
Tastes so sweet, looks so real
Sounds like something that I used to feel
But I can't touch what I see
We're not who we used to be
We're not who we used to be
We're just two ghosts standing in the place of you and me
Trying to remember how it feels to have a heartbeat
The fridge light washes this room white
Moon dances over your good side
This was all we used to need
Tongue-tied like we've never known
Telling those stories we already told
'Cause we don't say what we really mean
We're not who we used to be
We're not who we used to be
We're just two ghosts standing in the place of you and me
We're not who we used to be
We're not who we used to be
We're just two ghosts swimming in a glass half empty
Trying to remember how it feels to have a heartbeat
We're not who we used to be
We're not who we used to be
We're just two ghosts standing in the place of you and me
We're not who we used to be
We don't see what we used to see
We're just two ghosts swimming in a glass half empty
Trying to remember how it feels to have a heartbeat
Trying to remember how it feels to have a heartbeat
I'm just trying to remember how it feels to have a heartbeat
Same white shirt, couple more tattoos
But it's not you and it's not me
Tastes so sweet, looks so real
Sounds like something that I used to feel
But I can't touch what I see
We're not who we used to be
We're not who we used to be
We're just two ghosts standing in the place of you and me
Trying to remember how it feels to have a heartbeat
The fridge light washes this room white
Moon dances over your good side
This was all we used to need
Tongue-tied like we've never known
Telling those stories we already told
'Cause we don't say what we really mean
We're not who we used to be
We're not who we used to be
We're just two ghosts standing in the place of you and me
We're not who we used to be
We're not who we used to be
We're just two ghosts swimming in a glass half empty
Trying to remember how it feels to have a heartbeat
We're not who we used to be
We're not who we used to be
We're just two ghosts standing in the place of you and me
We're not who we used to be
We don't see what we used to see
We're just two ghosts swimming in a glass half empty
Trying to remember how it feels to have a heartbeat
Trying to remember how it feels to have a heartbeat
I'm just trying to remember how it feels to have a heartbeat
I need you to love me
I need you today
Give to me your leather
Take from me my lace
Lovers forever face to face
My city your mountains
Stay with me stay
I need you to love me
I need you today
Give to me your leather
Take from me my lace
But take from me my lace
Take from me my lace
I need you today
Give to me your leather
Take from me my lace
Lovers forever face to face
My city your mountains
Stay with me stay
I need you to love me
I need you today
Give to me your leather
Take from me my lace
But take from me my lace
Take from me my lace
Sounds like Stevie Nicks is more than aware of just who that blue-eyed "ghost" with a couple more tattoos and the same white shirt is. And, millions who have followed these young men's love story over many years, the mini bars, expensive cars, hotel rooms and new tattoos are still aware as well. A certain someone about whom Harry wrote an ethereal song of devotion right after he turned 22 last year, with lyrics that continue to capture their private struggles and longstanding commitment to one another despite all odds and all the forces united against them.
pic sources: unknown on Louis pic
our playlist: Freedom! '90 - George Michael
Grenade - Bruno Mars
Sleeping Angel - Stevie Nicks
Sara (Live from 2008) - Stevie Nicks
Leather and Lace (studio) - Stevie Nicks & Don
Henley
4 comments:
If you were able to ask M&M what my reaction was to Harry singing with Stevie Nicks, she would tell you that I really had gone off. LOL. I did, I was pissed. I was like, who is Harry Styles that he gets to sing with rock legend and icon, Stevie Nicks?
But now, after much discussion, after calming down and listening....lol. I now see and appreciate what happened. When you look at the songs Stevie came to the Troubadour to help Harry sing and finding out that Stevie is managed by the Azoffs, it all makes such wonderful sense.
The lyrics, what the songs are about...the songs that were chosen...somehow these guys find ways to get in their message. There is so much mud plowing through to do, but when you get these kinds of clues, they cannot be ignored.
And I love Stevie for coming to the Troubadour and helping Harry. May Harry and Louis survive this incredibly intense and awful time period, during what should really only be celebratory and exciting for them.
My heart continues to break for all of these boys. The HW closet is a cancer and it's captivity and it's emotional and mental abuse. I can't express my distaste enough.
And then you have Jake and Austin.
And what they continue to proactively do is so enabling and abetting to the existence and power leaders of the HW closet.
And it hurts the younger ones like these One Direction young men who do not deserve what they're being put through.
It's a very frustrating day, very helpless feeling.
But at least there's one way to try and educate or even spur on other alternative ideas or discussion, raise awareness of. And that is that we have Narnia Dispatches and we will remain committed to using this forum now, more vigilantly than ever.
What a day.
Wheel are falling off the cart everywhere. I'm so thankful to go into my job tomorrow, lol.
Much to discuss, but it'll need to wait another day, this gal needs to start winding down for the night.
I'm just going to reiterate that the closet is so unhealthy for some of these guys, in particular several couples whom Narnia follows, including Jake & Austin, Jared and Jensen.
I have not seen the likes of this day for quite awhile.
Drake looks like he is being rewarded big time tonight at the Billboard Awards for all those recent bearding stunts with Rhianna and J-Lo. Another reason why the closet is so insidious. All his peers are seeing how they can be recognized if they just cooperate with the powers that be. I think by the end of the evening he had won 13 honors and surpassed Adele's mark as the artist with the most BBMA wins in one night. I wonder how many he would have won if he had not played the game?
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