"Sometimes It's a Bitch" is a song by American singer Stevie Nicks, written by Billy Falcon and Jon Bon Jovi, who also produced the track alongside Danny Kortchmar. It was the first single released from Nicks' compilation album Timespace: The Best of Stevie Nicks (1991). The single peaked at number 56 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and reached the top 20 in Australia and Canada. A music video for the song was filmed, featuring clips of Nicks from 1981 to 1991.

The B-side "Desert Angel" was also taken from the compilation, while the song "Battle of the Dragons" had previously featured on the soundtrack for the film American Anthem.

Writing and recording In the liner notes for Timespace: The Best of Stevie Nicks, Nicks commented that she initially did not understand what Jon Bon Jovi, the song's primary writer, was trying to say with the track. However, over the following two weeks, she realized that, "Jon, without knowing it, had sort of taken a time machine back eighteen years and watched my life, the good parts...and the bad." She spoke that Bon Jovi "dreamed about what the notorious Stevie Nicks had been like...and what it had all done to her...the indulgences, the lifestyle."

Critical reception Billboard positively commented that although not written by Nicks, "this introspective rocker sounds as if it was penned by the rock poetess herself." Alex Henderson and Bryan Devaney of Cash Box described the track as "a slick yet edgy pop-rock single." Kent Zimmerman for Gavin Report responded favorably to "Sometimes It's a Bitch", writing that although Nicks did not co-write the track, "she gives the song an excellent reading."

Track listings 7-inch and cassette single "Sometimes It's a Bitch" – 4:37 "Desert Angel" – 5:21

12-inch and CD single "Sometimes It's a Bitch" – 4:36 "Desert Angel" – 5:20 "Battle of the Dragons" – 5:11

Personnel Personnel are taken from the Timespace liner notes. Benmont Tench – organ Robbie Buchanan – synthesizer programming Waddy Wachtel – electric guitar Danny Kortchmar – electric guitar Tico Torres – drums Randy Jackson – bass Jon Bon Jovi – acoustic guitar Sharon Celani – background vocals Lori Perry Nicks – background vocals

Charts

Weekly charts +Chart (1991)PeakpositionEuropean Hot 100 Singles (Music & Media) 93European Hit Radio (Music & Media) 36UK Airplay (Music Week) 12US Cash Box Top 100 43US Album Tracks (Gavin Report) 4US Top 40 (Gavin Report) 31US AOR Tracks (Radio & Records) 6

Year-end charts +Chart (1991)PositionUS AOR Tracks (Radio & Records) 90

Release history +RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)United KingdomAugust 12, 1991JapanSeptember 27, 1991Mini-albumEMIAustraliaSeptember 30, 1991CDOctober 21, 1991Cassette

References

Crystal Visions – The Very Best of Stevie Nicks, liner notes and commentary http://rockalittle.com/offtherecord.htm