Edge of Seventeen

Background and inspiration

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.

Although Nicks had originally planned to use the title for a song about Tom and Jane Petty, 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. 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.

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…".

Composition and lyrics

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. 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.

Reception

Record World praised the song for its "powerful lyrics, a percolating rhythm section and Stevie's throaty vocal." Author Zoë Howe, who wrote the Stevie Nicks – Visions, Dreams and Rumours biography, has described the song as being about "transforming and elevating the feelings of grief and soaring above them with strength" and having "a perfect combination of tough rock 'n' roll grit, raw emotion and full-beam, strut-about-in-platform-boots rock queen glamour."

Chart performance

"Edge of Seventeen" peaked at No. 11 on the US Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks in April 1982. The live version on the B-side reached No. 26 on Billboards Mainstream Rock chart. The original album version of the song had previously made the top five of Billboards 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 entered the UK chart in 2021 following its use in a John Lewis commercial.

Personnel

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

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Covers and sampling

• The guitar riff from the song was sampled by the American girl group Destiny's Child in their 2001 hit single "Bootylicious".
• 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".
• In 2022, American DJ and record producer Wuki released a remixed version of the track. This version was certified gold in Australia in 2024.

Use in soundtracks

The song was used in the TV series The Crown.

References

References

1. "Edge of Seventeen (Just Like the White Winged Dove) Single".
2. "Stevie Nicks - Edge Of Seventeen (Just Like The White Winged Dove)".
3. (September 15, 2021). "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".
4. "Old Trivia Questions".
5. "Stevie Nicks on 'Edge of Seventeen'".
6. "Stevie Nicks On Her Favorite Songs: A Music Mix Exclusive".
7. "The Sun".
8. Spanos, Brittany. (April 7, 2020). "Stevie Nicks Meets Dove, Reveals 'Edge of Seventeen' Lyric Inspiration".
9. White, Timothy. (September 3, 1981). "Stevie Nicks' Magic Act: With Her New Solo Album, Fleetwood Mac's Good Fairy Tries to Balance Two Careers — and Two Personalities".
10. Simons, David. (April 1999). "Sidemen: Waddy Wachtel". Musician.
11. (February 20, 1982). "Hits of the Week".
12. Levine, Nick. (August 22, 2021). "Edge of Seventeen: An anthem that stuns each new generation".
13. "Stevie Nicks Edge Of Seventeen (Just Like The White Winged Dove) Chart History".
14. (October 14, 2021). "John Lewis advert praised by singer Stevie Nicks after row".
15. "Canadian peak".
16. (April 10, 1982). "Cashbox Top 100 Singles".
17. (December 25, 1982). "Talent in Action : Top Pop Singles".
18. Marks, Craig. (24 February 2010). "Producer Rob Fusari Dishes on Lady Gaga, Beyoncé".
19. (November 6, 2020). "Miley Cyrus and Stevie Nicks Team Up for 'Edge of Seventeen'/'Midnight Sky' Mashup". Billboard.
20. (November 29, 2022). "Wuki shares sample infused dancefloor anthem 'Edge Of Seventeen'".
21. {{Cite certification
22. (November 22, 2020). "Stevie Nicks Approved of Including "Edge of Seventeen" in 'The Crown'".