Boy, howdy, did I ever have the hots for Ann and Nancy Wilson back in the day. Ann and Nancy were, of course, in front of the great rock band “Heart,” which also included lead guitar Roger Fisher, bass guitarist Steve Fossen, Michael Derosier on drums, and Howard Leese on rhythm guitar, keyboards, and backup vocals. From their debut in 1975 (with this lineup), they went on to do some great rock & roll through the '70s, '80s, and '90s. They disbanded for a while, but Ann and Nancy have done some reunion tours and are still around today.
They have a pretty interesting style. Ann and Nancy made a great lead pair, with Nancy Wilson doing guitar and vocals to Ann’s vocals and flute; they were beauties back in the day (and still are, if you ask me) but, unlike some younger women in music today, didn’t rely on revealing clothing to draw an audience. No, for them, it was all about the music – and here are seven of my favorite Heart songs, in no particular order.
These Dreams (1985): This song was, according to the album liner, dedicated to a friend of Ann and Nancy Wilson who had died of leukemia not long before the recording of this song for the album “Heart.” The lyrics describe a mystical dream world that a young woman enters to escape the stresses of the real world. And boy howdy, that big '80s hair!
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Barracuda (1977): A hard-hitting rock & roll song, this one was written by the sisters after being approached by a creep from a Canadian studio, Mushroom Records, who concocted a publicity stunt implying that the sisters had an incestuous sexual relationship. In return, Ann and Nancy sat down and wrote out the lyrics and music for this hit.
Dreamboat Annie (1976): From the 1975 album of the same name (this song was released as a single in 1976) this short (2:42) tune showcases some beautiful acoustic guitar work by Ann Wilson, some beautiful, rather soft vocals from Nancy and Ann; it’s a beautiful, moving song.
Dog and Butterfly (1979): This one comes from the 1978 album, also called “Dog and Butterfly,” and was released as a single in 1979. I remember this one well, as I was a senior in high school when it came out; it's one of the signature tunes I remember from that year. Ann Wilson reportedly wrote the song after spending some time watching out a window as a dog chased a butterfly. She later said that it was an inspiration, that when things get tough, you should “keep after it.”Magic Man (1975): Back to some hard-hitting rock & roll. This song is also from the 1975 album “Dreamboat Annie.” The lyrics describe a young woman who is entranced and falls into a romance with an older man and how her mother objects to the match. Later, Ann Wilson revealed that it was based on her romance with band manager Michael Fisher.
What About Love? (1985): This one’s actually a cover, originally recorded by a Canadian band called “Toronto” in 1982. But Heart did it better; this song is one of the best examples of what the sisters could do with vocals with a well-written set of lyrics, and a great band. Ann and Nancy Wilson, I maintain, have two of the greatest female voices in rock & roll.
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Even It Up (1980): From the 1980 album “Bebe le Strange,” this is an upbeat, steamy tune about a woman demanding that her lover put as much into the relationship as she is. It’s a fun song. It hits hard, both musically and lyrically.
We should note that in 2024, Ann Wilson had surgery for what was later revealed to be cancer; we wish her all the best. Ann and Nancy are among the greatest.I feel certain you all have your own favorite Heart tunes. As always, the comments are all yours.
