From Madonna:

"He reeks of lavender. It turned me on, actually".

Stand Back is a favorite because its a lot of fun, its a lot of fun and its a dancing song I mean its like even for me its like you know, hearing when it starts out, I almost feel like I 'm hearing it coming out of a club or something, so that's why its so much fun.
~Stevie Nicks, Radio Interview, WMGK Radio, July 1998

I got married the day I wrote this song. We were driving to Santa Barbara and a new song by Prince came on, so we pulled over somewhere and got the tape. It just gave me an incredible idea, so I spent many hours that night writing a song about some kind of crazy argument, and it was to become one of the most important of my songs. I've been doing this song for years, Fleetwood Mac does it also, and I never get tired of it. 'Stand Back' has always been my favorite song onstage, because...when it starts, it has an energy that comes from somewhere unknown...and it seems to have no timespace. I've never quite understood this sound....but I have NEVER questioned it.

I become a different person, and I like that, because usually I make up my OWN characters...but the lady in 'Stand Back' was not my idea. By the way, Prince did come into the studio the night I called him and told him about the song, and he played incredible synthesizer on it...and then he just walked out of my life, and I didn't see him for a long time.

It was extraordinary...
~Stevie Nicks, Timespace Liner Notes, 1991

I phoned Prince out of the blue, hummed a melody, and he listened," says Nicks of the latter hit's gestation. "I hung up, and he came over within the hour. He listened again, and I said, 'Do you hate it?' He said, 'No,' and walked over to the synthesizers that were set up, was absolutely brilliant for about twenty five minutes, and then left. He was so uncanny, so wild, he spoiled me for every band I've ever had because nobody can exactly re-create - not even with two piano players-what Prince did all by his little self.
~Stevie Nicks, Rock Lives, by Timothy White,1991

I can't even really tell you what Stand Back is about. Stand Back's kinda about more than one thing. There was a lot going on when Stand Back was written so it kinda pulled together all the things that were happening so it wasn't about one thing. It was written very quickly and I really did hum along to Little Red Corvette. ...and of course, now you can go home and do it too. If you search you will be able to find it. So, it was kinda more built around that whole thing, you know? Stand Back and Dreams are my two favorite songs to perform on stage.
~Stevie Nicks, Jim Ladd Interview, 1998

[On what the lyrics You'll be standing in a line mean] To be standing in a line…like a welfare line… to be standing in a line waiting to get money or something… to be standing in a line waiting… you'll be standing in a line. It was another angry song! (laughs)
~Stevie Nicks, Jim Ladd Interview, 1998




Standback comes from a place unknown even to me. A hush surrounded it from the very beginning~and a feeling that it had always been was there from the first. 'Standback' lives in it's own timespace. It never belonged to me, it has always belonged to the world~and to Prince, who inspired the entire song.
~Stevie Nicks, Timespace Tourbook, 1991

I can only assume the highest level of respect has been awarded to Prince from his artistic peers...as well as those of us professional listeners.