Edge of Seventeen

According to Nicks, the title came from a conversation she had with Tom Petty's first wife, Jane, about the couple's first meeting. Jane said they met "at the age of seventeen", but Jane's strong Southern accent made it sound like "edge of seventeen" to Nicks. She liked the sound of the phrase so much that she told Jane she would write a song for it and give her credit for the inspiration.{{cite web|title=Old Trivia Questions |url=http://www.nicksfix.com/oldtrivi.htm |access-date=September 11, 2007 |quote=She was telling me about Tom, about when she met him, and she has an incredible Southern accent ... and she said that she met him at the age of seventeen, but I thought she said 'edge,' and she said 'no ... age' and I said, 'Jane, forget it, it's got to be "edge." The "Edge of Seventeen" is perfect. I'm gonna write a song, ok? And I'm gonna give you credit.' She didn't believe me, you know? She couldn't believe it when it came out on the album.}}

Although Nicks had originally planned to use the title for a song about Tom and Jane Petty,{{cite web |title=Stevie Nicks on 'Edge of Seventeen' |url=http://www.inherownwords.com/edge.htm |quote=So it started out about Tom and Jane basically, who I have no idea what they were at 17, but I made it up. And, uh it went into being written about [her Uncle Jonathan and John Lennon]. }} the death of her uncle Jonathan and the murder of John Lennon during the same week of December 1980 inspired a new song for which Nicks used the title.{{Cite web|url=https://ew.com/article/2009/03/31/stevie-nicks-in/|title=Stevie Nicks On Her Favorite Songs: A Music Mix Exclusive|website=EW.com}} Nicks' producer and lover Jimmy Iovine was a close friend of Lennon, and Nicks felt helpless to comfort him. Soon after, Nicks flew home to Phoenix, Arizona, to be with her uncle Jonathan, who was dying of cancer. She remained with her uncle and his family until his death.{{cite web |title=The Sun |url=http://www.nicksfix.com/sun7-17-1991.htm |quote=Jimmy was absolutely best friends with John Lennon," she says. "So when that happened, a hush came over the house that was so overwhelming that there was nothing that I could do to help. There was nothing I could say, there was no way I could comfort him." Unable to help, Nicks flew home to Phoenix. "I went straight over to my uncle's house, and my uncle died that day. He died right there with me holding his hand, just me and my cousin, who's a little younger than me, sitting there on the bed and on the floor next to him. }}

Nicks had never actually heard a dove's call before, as she revealed in 2020 when she had only just heard it recently. The opening lyrics were inspired by a menu she was reading at a Phoenix restaurant in 1980, which said, "The white wing dove sings a song that sounds like she’s singing ooh, ooh, ooh. She makes her home here in the great Saguaro cactus that provides shelter and protection for her…".{{Cite magazine |last=Spanos |first=Brittany |date=April 7, 2020 |title=Stevie Nicks Meets Dove, Reveals 'Edge of Seventeen' Lyric Inspiration |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/stevie-nicks-dove-edge-of-seventeen-979521/ |access-date=December 3, 2020 |magazine=Rolling Stone}}

As is typical of Nicks' songs, the lyrics are highly symbolic. Nicks has said that the white-winged dove represents the spirit leaving the body on death, and some of the verses capture her experience of the days leading up to her uncle Jonathan's death.{{cite magazine |title=Stevie Nicks' Magic Act: With Her New Solo Album, Fleetwood Mac's Good Fairy Tries to Balance Two Careers — and Two Personalities |first=Timothy |last=White |author-link=Timothy White (writer) |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=September 3, 1981 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/stevie-nicks-magic-act-242776/ |quote=The line 'And the days go by like a strand in the wind' – that's how fast those days were going by during my uncle's illness, and it was so upsetting to me. The part that says 'I went today ... maybe I will go again ... tomorrow' refers to seeing him the day before he died. He was home, and my aunt had some music softly playing, and it was a perfect place for the spirit to go away. The 'white-winged dove' in the song is a spirit that is leaving a body, and I felt a great loss at how both Johns were taken. 'I hear the call of the nightbird singing come away ... come away ...' |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401064902/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/stevie-nicks-magic-act-242776/ |archive-date=April 1, 2019}} During the recording session for "Edge of Seventeen", someone from Nicks' backing band recommended that they emulate the guitar riff The Police's "Bring On the Night", although guitarist Waddy Wachtel was unfamiliar with the song.{{cite magazine |last=Simons |first=David |date=April 1999 |title=Sidemen: Waddy Wachtel |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Musician/1990/1999/Musician-1999-04.pdf |work=Musician |access-date=March 22, 2025 |page=14 |via=World Radio History}}

"I had never heard "Bring On the Night," and at that session they told me they were going to do this song based on this feel. I had heard something about the Police, but I didn't know what they were talking about. Then about two years ago, I had the radio on, and on comes what sounds like "Edge of Seventeen" – and all of a sudden, there's Sting's voice! I thought, 'We ripped them off completely!' I called Stevie that night and said, 'Listen to me, don't ever do that again!'"

Record World praised the song for its "powerful lyrics, a percolating rhythm section and Stevie's throaty vocal."{{cite magazine|magazine=Record World|date=February 20, 1982|page=1|accessdate=2023-03-02|title=Hits of the Week|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/80s/82/Record-World-1982-02-20.pdf}} Author Zoë Howe{{Cite web|url=https://themuseuk.wordpress.com/2016/06/29/in-conversation-with-zoe-howe/|title=In Conversation With… Zoë Howe|first=Author Jen|last=Cooper|date=June 29, 2016}} has described the song as being about "transforming and elevating the feelings of grief and soaring above them with strength" and being "a perfect combination of tough rock 'n' roll grit, raw emotion and full-beam, strut-about-in-platform-boots rock queen glamour."{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20210820-edge-of-seventeen-an-anthem-that-stuns-each-new-generation|title=Edge of Seventeen: An anthem that stuns each new generation|website=www.bbc.com}}

The song is a favourite among Nicks' fanbase.

"Edge of Seventeen" peaked at No. 11 on the US Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks in April 1982.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/stevie-nicks|title=Stevie Nicks Edge Of Seventeen (Just Like The White Winged Dove) Chart History|magazine=Billboard}} The live version on the B-side reached No. 26 on Billboard{{'}}s Mainstream Rock chart. The original album version of the song had previously made the top five of Billboard{{'}}s Mainstream Rock chart in 1981, peaking at No. 4. "Edge of Seventeen" also peaked at No. 11 on the RPM Top 100 Singles chart in Canada.

The song was also covered on season 9 of The Voice by Amanda Ayala and Shelby Brown. Their cover entered the top 100 of the iTunes rock chart.

The song entered the UK chart in 2021 following its use in a John Lewis commercial.{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/john-lewis-advert-singer-stevie-nicks-row-b960470.html|title=John Lewis advert praised by singer Stevie Nicks after row|website=The Evening Standard|date=October 14, 2021|access-date=November 18, 2021}}

• US 7" vinyl single

1. "Edge of Seventeen (Just Like the White Winged Dove)"  – 4:28{{citation needed|date=January 2024}}
2. "Edge of Seventeen" (Previously unreleased live version)  – 5:57

Musicians

• Stevie Nicks – lead vocals, writer
• Waddy Wachtel – guitar
• Bob Glaub – bass guitar
• Russ Kunkel – drums
• Bobbye Hall – percussion
• Benmont Tench – organ
• Roy Bittan – piano
• Lori Perry – backing vocals
• Sharon Celani – backing vocals

Production

• Jimmy Iovine – producer

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=single|artist=Stevie Nicks|title=Edge of Seventeen|award=Platinum|number=3|relyear=1981|certyear=2023|access-date=January 26, 2025}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=single|artist=Stevie Nicks|title=Edge of Seventeen|award=Platinum|number=3|relyear=1981|certyear=2024|source=radioscope|access-date=January 26, 2025}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Stevie Nicks|title=Edge of Seventeen|award=Platinum|number=2|relyear=2005|certyear=2024|id=14982-911-1|access-date=July 12, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}

• Lindsay Lohan released a version of "Edge of Seventeen" on her second studio album A Little More Personal (Raw) (2005).
• In 2020, Miley Cyrus interpolated the song for her single "Midnight Sky", which was later remixed as a mashup featuring Nicks titled "Edge of Midnight".{{cite magazine |last1=Willman |first1=Chris |title=Miley Cyrus and Stevie Nicks Team Up for 'Edge of Seventeen'/'Midnight Sky' Mashup |url=https://variety.com/2020/music/news/miley-cyrus-and-stevie-nicks-team-up-for-edge-of-seventeen-midnight-sky-mashup-1234824250/ |magazine=Billboard |date=November 6, 2020 |publisher=Billboard |access-date=December 6, 2020}}
• In 2022, American DJ and record producer Wuki released a remixed version of the track.{{cite web|title=Wuki shares sample infused dancefloor anthem 'Edge Of Seventeen'|url=https://sportplaylists.com/wuki-edge-of-seventeen/|website=sportsplaylists.com|date=November 29, 2022 |accessdate=8 October 2023}} This version was certified gold in Australia in 2024.{{Cite certification|region=Australia|certyear=2024|type=single|access-date= May 16, 2024}}

• The guitar riff from the song was sampled by American girl group Destiny's Child in their 2001 hit single "Bootylicious", with Nicks making a cameo appearance in the accompanying music video.{{YouTube|IyYnnUcgeMc}}

The song was used in the TV series The Crown.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/art-books-music/a34739622/the-crown-edge-of-seventeen-significance/|title=Stevie Nicks Approved of Including "Edge of Seventeen" in 'The Crown'|date=November 22, 2020|magazine=Harper's BAZAAR}}

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.inherownwords.com/edge.htm Stevie Nicks on "Edge of Seventeen"] — Quotes by Nicks about the song, gathered from interviews throughout the years.

{{Stevie Nicks}}

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Category:1981 songs

Category:1982 singles

Category:Stevie Nicks songs

Category:Songs written by Stevie Nicks

Category:Song recordings produced by Jimmy Iovine

Category:Songs about John Lennon

Category:Commemoration songs

Category:Lindsay Lohan songs

Category:Modern Records (1980) singles