Real Meanings Behind The Songs On Stevie Nicks The Other Side of The Mirror Album (2025)

Our article will take a look at The Real Meanings Behind Stevie Nicks The Other Side of the Mirror Album. The Other Side of the Mirror was released in May 1989. This is Stevie Nick’s fourth album. The album peaked at number 10 on the Billboard 200 charts. The critics praised the album when it dropped. The legend just finished touring with Fleetwood Mac when she began working on this album. Stevie Nicks was creatively inspired to record this album. She dealt with a lot over the years. She wanted to release music that meant something to her. The album sold over one million copies. The album features the singles “Rooms on Fire,” “Long Way to Go,” “Two Kinds of Love” and “Whole Lotta Trouble.” “Rooms on Fire” peaked at number 16 on the Hot 100 charts and number one on the Mainstream Rock charts. “Long Way to Go” peaked at number 11 on the Mainstream Rock charts.

The album is a tribute to the legendary singer’s grandmother. She based the theme of this album on Alice in Wonderland. She wanted the theme to be about fantasy. She didn’t forget about the theme that helped make her a household name. She talks about love and relationships throughout the album. The singer wanted her audience to interpret the songs on this album and that’s what we’re going to do with this article. We will break down the real meanings behind Stevie Nicks The Other Side of the Mirror album.

# 1 – Rooms on Fire

The first song on our list of The Real Meanings Behind Stevie Nicks The Other Side of the Mirror Album is “Rooms on Fire.” “Rooms on Fire” is about a woman who accepts her fate in life. She is a rock & roll star and that took over her life. She has come to the realization that she will never be married or have children. She wanted to be a wife and mother, but it never happened for her. She knew she would never have a deep love with a man because she chose her career over a family. She is in love, but she knows she will never have a happily ever after with a husband and children.

This song isn’t about Stevie Nicks directly. It is loosely based on her life because it mirrors her lifestyle. She never married for love, and she never had children of her own. She chose her career over a family. This song is inspired by the late producer Rupert Hines. She had feelings for the producer. Anytime he walked in a room, it would be on fire. People around them noticed the attraction that was building between them. The people respected their space and didn’t comment on the attraction building between them. She used lines from the Oscar Wilde book The Picture of Dorian Gray to compare her feelings for the man in the song. This was the first single from the album. The song was a hit. It peaked at number 16 on the Hot 100 charts, and it was number one on the Mainstream Rock charts.

# 2 – Long Way to Go

The next song on our list of The Real Meanings Behind Stevie Nicks The Other Side of the Mirror Album is “Long Way to Go.” “Long Way to Go” is based on advice she got from a friend about seeing one of her ex-lovers. As most of Stevie Nicks fans know, she maintained good relationships with her former lovers. She was in a bitter place when she wrote this song. She went through a bad experience with a former lover. They broke up for about a year. She finished her previous album Rock a Little. Her former lover called her out of the blue.

Her former lover wanted her to come see him. He lived far away from her, but he still wanted her to come see him. She was tired, but she debated on whether she should go see him. She needed advice on what to do. She went to a friend for advice on what to do. Her friend told her it was too far to go to get her heart broken again. Stevie Nicks thought about it and realized that she and her lover already broke up. She wasn’t sure what to do despite the advice from her friend. Her ex surprised her by sending a car to get her. She went to see him, and it didn’t turn out the way she wanted. She played a song for him, and he held on to it. She was upset about it and didn’t want to forgive him. This was an eye opener for the singer to never put herself through that again. This song may be about her relationship with Joe Walsh. This song is the second single from the album. It peaked at number 11 on the Mainstream Rock charts.

# 3 – Two Kinds of Love ft. Bruce Hornsby

“Two Kinds of Love” is about the two sides of love. She talks about being in love with someone. It is about the emotional way you feel about someone. It is about the way they make your heart feel whenever they are around. You can’t get the person out of your head. The person makes you feel special and loved. You miss the person all the time. You would do anything to be around the person. This person is basically the love of your life. This song isn’t just about the way the person makes you feel emotionally. There is another side of love.

The other side of love is the physical aspect of it. It is the lustful side of the relationship. She describes how his sexy walk makes her feel. She is very suggestive about the way he makes her feel. She explains how it feels to be physically attracted to someone. She isn’t just in love with him emotionally. She wants him physically as well. No matter what happens between them, the temptation will never die. The song is told from both points of view because she sings this duet with singer Bruce Hornsby. Fans wonder who the sing is in reference to. It may be about her relationship with Joe Walsh. Stevie Nicks hasn’t confirmed who the song is about so fans will have to keep their detective hats on for this one. This is the third single from the album.

# 4 – Ooh My Love

“Ooh My Love” is a mysterious ballad about a princess who hides behind the safety of her walls. She has dreams of what it is like to be out in the world, but she’s scared to bring the walls down. The princess feels trapped and wants to get out in the world. This heartbreaking song is about being trapped behind the walls you build up around yourself. She wants to break the ice and be free, but she can’t. She feels stuck in her castle. She wants someone to help her feel free. The song gave Stevie Nicks clarity. When you have fallen in love, there is nothing else that matters in the world.

The princess needs a prince to save her. The lyrics are similar to Stevie Nicks’ life. It was hard on her to watch the world pass her by. The metaphoric song describes Stevie Nicks’ love life and how she felt trapped and needed someone to save her. Stevie Nicks’ loneliness was the equivalent to being stuck in a castle. Here is a fun fact about the song. She accidentally took the song from Tom Petty. She picked up the wrong tape and the rest was history.

# 5 – Ghosts

The next song on our list of The Real Meanings Behind Stevie Nicks The Other Side of the Mirror Album is “Ghosts.” “Ghosts” is a haunting song about her past. In case you might be confused because of the title of the track, the song isn’t about ghosts and goblins. This song is about facing her past. She talks about the end of a relationship. She goes down memory lane and talks about a love that got away. She was in love with someone, but the love didn’t last. You find yourself in a position where you can’t stop thinking about the one who got away.

The idea of constantly thinking about your ex-lover makes you scared. You get scared because you feel like you can’t find another love like the one who got away from you. The legendary rock singer talks about being innocent before she met her former lover. Everything moved so fast for her. One minute they were a couple and the next minute they were friends. The love she felt for her former lover was all that was keeping her going at one point. She looked to the people in her life to help her get through the loss of her love. Some of the people she looked to for help are here with her while others are no longer here. She uses music to fill the void in her heart. She doesn’t feel it is worth falling in love again because she knows she’s going to be hurt.

# 6 – Whole Lotta Trouble

“Whole Lotta Trouble” is about taking a risk with a relationship. She wonders if things would be different if they were together. She questions whether he would change his mind about their relationship. The “Bella Donna” singer wants him to think about what could happen if they got together. She warns him that it could be trouble for him. There is a chance that they wouldn’t work out, so it is a risk getting together. He thinks she isn’t living in reality. She is living in a fantasy world. She lets him know that he is not a lover or a friend. They don’t talk about it, so she doesn’t know what they are.

The song has a lot of sass and attitude. In one part of the song, she feels a sense of confidence that she can get what she wants. She insists that he think about their relationship because she knows their relationship is going to be trouble. She warns him to go, and he agrees with her. She proves her confidence when she tells him to go. She believes she can get him back if she wants to. In her mind, she is convinced he will change his mind about leaving her. Fans may question who the song is about. Stevie Nicks hasn’t confirmed who she is talking about in the song. This is the fourth single from the album. The song didn’t chart in the U.S., but it was nominated for a Grammy.

# 7 – Fire Burning

“Fire Burning” is a metaphor about her soul crying. Stevie Nicks uses fire burning to describe how she feels about losing things in her life. She needs to make a choice on what to save and what to let “burn.” She is torn on what to do. Stevie Nicks needs to know what is important enough to help her survive and what she could leave behind. You can’t stop the pain of making the wrong decision in life. The narrator describes a fire that no one else sees, but her. People think she can’t see it either. She can see it because there is a window which allows her to see what is going on.

The fire is an illusion to everyone but her. She knows exactly what is going on. Fans may think she is talking about a fire, but she’s not talking about a fire. It much deeper than that. The fire represents the pain she has in her life. She needs to make important decisions on what matters the most to her in life. The decision is not as simple as people think. She wonders if she can live with her decision or not. If she makes the wrong choice, her pain will never go away.

# 8 – Cry Wolf

“Cry Wolf” is a bitter song about a relationship that has ended. Her former lover didn’t want to work things out with her. He couldn’t wait to walk away from her. His promises that they would be together forever didn’t mean anything. He didn’t stay long enough to make his promises come true. She refuses to try to make the relationship work. She doesn’t want to help him anymore if he gets in trouble. She warns him not to come to her for help. The legend lets her man know that people will stop running to you if you keep “crying wolf.” She refuses to help him when he needs it.

Since her man broke her heart, she gives him some heated advice. The narrator puts him on notice about what to do when he falls. She will not be there to pick up the pieces. Once he starts to change his mind, she doesn’t want him to come to her. She refuses to let him back into her life. She doesn’t care if he changes his mind about leaving. She is very angry and won’t listen to him if he begs to take him back. She tells him to find someone else to do what he expects her to do. This angry song is a cover of Laura Branigan’s single. Stevie Nicks may not have written this song, but it mirrors her life.

# 9 – Alice

“Alice” is a reflective song about one side of her personality. Stevie Nicks wrote this album based on fairytales. This is one of the songs that have a fairytale theme. She feels like a stranger to herself. She doesn’t know who she is anymore. People call out to her, but she doesn’t answer because she doesn’t recognize who she is anymore. Stevie Nicks is torn between different aspects of her life. It is a challenge for her to balance her work life with her personal life. She goes back and forth between the two. It is like looking through the mirror. She has the chance to run or stick with it.

Stevie Nicks was juggling life in Fleetwood Mac as well as her solo career. She was also trying to balance being a celebrity with her private life. Stevie Nicks was battling personal demons, so she couldn’t recognize herself anymore. Everything was happening at once, so she felt like she was looking through the “Looking Glass” like Alice from the famous fairytale. Stevie Nicks was torn between fantasy and reality like Alice from the fairytale. The “Stand Back” singer used Alice from Alice in Wonderland as way for listeners to get an inside look of the battle she faced because of fame.

# 10 – Juliet

The next song on our list of The Real Meanings Behind Stevie Nicks The Other Side of the Mirror Album is “Juliet.” Like “Alice,” the song is about Stevie Nicks’ personality. She is dealing with heartache, and she has to move on from it. She struggles to tell her story because it is not an easy one to discuss. She has to find it inside of herself to talk about what she has been through in life. Every time her tears fall, she has to try and dry them. This is a difficult task because she is on her own. She has to go back on the road for different reasons so she can move on with her life. She wants to try to mend her broken heart, so she goes back on the road.

The ”Edge of Seventeen” singer considers herself a queen without the luxury of having her king by her side. Everyone loved her, but she was still unhappy. People tell the narrator that she is like Juliet. She needs to look at herself even though the mirror never lies. She sees more than just her reflection in the mirror. She sees the need to pick up the pieces and move on with her life. She needs to let the problem she is dealing with help her get through another day. The narrator needs to let go of the pain, so it won’t consume her.

# 11 – Doing the Best I Can (Escape from Berlin)

“Doing the Best I Can (Escape from Berlin)” is about the singer wanting people to give her a break. She wants people to understand that she is “doing the best that she can.” She has suffered in her life, but she refuses to let the pain get her down. She doesn’t want to forget about the good things in her life. She wants to get rid of the bad things and change. People always try to make excuses for the things she does. She wants to own up to her mistakes and take responsibility for her actions. She wants someone to blame her when she does something wrong.

Stevie Nicks also talks about her loneliness in the song. She had it all, but she wasn’t happy. All she could count on was bad things happening to her. She wanted people to leave her alone and stop judging her for what she has done. People tended to be in her business and made judgments about her life. People were advising her on what she should do with her life when she felt she was doing the best she could to get through it. She didn’t want them to tell her what she should do. She wanted to prove that she could do it on her own. It was her problem so she wanted to deal with it the best way she knew how.

# 12 – I Still Miss Someone (Blue Eyes)

The last song on our list of The Real Meanings Behind Stevie Nicks The Other Side of the Mirror Album is “I Still Miss Someone (Blue Eyes).” “I Still Miss Someone (Blue Eyes)” is about her missing someone in her life. As Stevie Nicks fans know, she was in a relationship with singer Lindsey Buckingham. They were having problems while they were in the band Fleetwood Mac. She dedicated this song to his departure from the band. She talks about missing the one that is gone. The singer says she will never get over his blue eyes. She sees his eyes everywhere she goes. She misses how he used to hold her when they were together.

The “Beauty and the Beast” singer talks about the good times she had with her former lover. She wonders if he feels bad for ending their relationship. She knows there is someone out there for her, but she still misses him. The new guy would never replace the one she lost. She expresses how she feels about never getting over his “blue eyes.” Stevie Nicks covered Johnny Cash’s song of the same name. She changed some of the lyrics while keeping the theme the same. She wanted the song to suit her life.

Real Meanings Behind The Songs On Stevie Nicks The Other Side of The Mirror Album article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2022

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