Rhinestone collections all the time
I wonder what Greta would say

Another lady, another time 
Another heartbroken state of mind
Alone in her chambers she dreams of her home
Outside she's got a movie star view
Outcries well, where will the kings go 
Where will the kings go now?
She's got her eyes wide open 
And she's ready to stare you down
She says in words unspoken she's from out of town
Well, some cry, well, I really don't dance down
Stormy weather, it cuts like a knife

She's got her bags packed 
And she's off to the valley where the
Sun meets the sea
You understand that 
She wants to live by the ocean 
And no one is pleased
She gets a house in the mountains 
The next day, the next day she leaves the station

Do you really want to change her?
Or is it your right?

Ooh, alone in her chambers she dreams of her home
In a very real way she's the purist art form
I bet she said, "Just how many art lovers can one
Get to know?"
She doesn't have an hour 
She doesn't have five minutes 
She's got to go!

She's got her bags packed 
And she's off to the valley where the
Sun meets the sea
You understand that
She wants to live by the ocean 
And no one is pleased
She gets a house in the mountains 
The next day, the next day she leaves the station

I wonder what Greta would say
Well, I wonder what Greta would say
I wonder what Greta would say
Ooh, she's got a movie star view
Oh, well, where will the kings go 
Where will the kings go now?
Say Greta
They say Greta...

---

WEBMISTRESS speculates:

Like Stevie's earlier song Garbo, I believe the "Greta" in this song refers to Greta Garbo. Both songs deal with the less-than-ideal aspects of fame. I think Stevie is drawing a parallel between herself and Greta Garbo in that they were both very famous women, and perhaps she related to her. She seems to be seeing through Greta's eyes when she talks about Greta's "movie star view," but she doesn't seem happy. She's ready to escape - to get out of town. She's "got her bags packed," ready to go to the "valley where the sun meets the sea" (by the way, Stevie is from a valley in Arizona). A lot of people are unhappy with her decision because they have demands upon her, but she still "leaves the station." The line about the "art lovers" reminds me of One More Big Time Rock and Roll Star, and it also makes me think she's wondering if she can really meet anyone genuine who is a musician, or an "art lover," like her. Finally, she decides she's got to get home, and get there NOW!

 

SPARKTIVITIE speculates:

I agree this song is about Greta Garbo, but I also think while writing this song Stevie might have had fears of becoming the fabulous star who just gives up and leaves the spotlight.

 

MIKE speculates:

As Stevie said in several interviews between 1981-1985, NO ONE was pleased when she lived in her Marina Del Rey condo in 1981. That's where Stevie wanted to be, where she wrote many songs, but no one liked that she was there. So, she gets the big mansion, and suddenly she's back out on the road, and no time to "enjoy" the place where everyone was pressuring her to live. Once again, this song may be about the pressures that everyone in Stevie's life puts on her. And the one time she decided to do something for herself in that crazy Late Seventies/Early Eighties era, something to give herself peace, it ends up upsetting all the people with demands on her time.

I definitely think Stevie's going "Big whoop!" when she mentions the Movie Star view. She was just doing it to make everyone ELSE happy.