Fleetwood Mac Songs that tell a story
From the dancey, fairy-like music that leaves you feeling opalescent to heart-broken with their tear provoking melodies that reflect on our love for Stevie and Lindsey. Fleetwood Mac’s music tells stories of many, their life experiences and narratives that multiple can relate to. Their songs are meaningful and full of symbolism. Nature plays a major role in their music, the nature of the human’s reaction to love and the surrounding world around them.
“Landslide”
One of the most popular and favourite songs from the hit 1977 album, Rumours, “Landslide” is a slow ballad with stripped-down instrumental that allows you to focus on its lyrics. In 1974 Nicks opens up about how she was at a point in her life where she was struggling financially and mentally with how her life was at this point, as she was working all the time from either waitressing or working on a record. The song questions if things are worth working hard for. The lyrics “climbed a mountain and I turned around” represent working tremendously for something where you are almost at the pinnacle of your success, only to give up.
Stevie Nicks spoke on Oprah Winfrey about the difficulties she and Lindsay had faced and how they refused to allow it affect the band. “Really, the band meant everything and the band was way more important than each person’s separate problems.” With that, this truly reveals that Fleetwood Mac was true to them, despite the issues they had to face, the band evidently was so special to Nicks. “Never ever let love affairs break Fleetwood Mac up”. I found this so interesting as it shows that they did not want to bring their complications into the workplace or cause a drama that regarded their own personal issues. In a sense, Stevie did her best to protect the band from experiencing any discomfort and tension between anyone. However, further into the interview Nicks about Lindsay’s theory that they would have worked out perfectly fine if it wasn’t for joining Fleetwood Mac.
“Silver Springs”
This beautiful, strong tune represents the power of someone’s will that highlights their strength rather than their weakness. “Silver Springs” is a breakup song through one individual’s eyes, a perspective who has had enough. The song indeed represents the eternal flame of Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham, the song came out separately from Rumours, the 1977 album notorious for its breakup anthems.
There is something so heartbreaking about this specific tune. The lyrics are an acceptance of a love that did not work out, however, there is blame. The lines “Time cast a spell on you but you won’t forget me / I know I could have loved you but you would not let me” embellishes a narrative of a love that was unfair to one. Ultimately, the tired acceptance that one gave all that they could but the other would not appreciate what they had, only to be haunted later by that person now being missing from their life.
In an interview in 2018, former guitarist and songwriter, Lindsey Buckingham, had described his relationship with lead singer, Stevie Nicks, as ‘fragmented’. To compare 2018 from 1997, the songs are the vault of the past love and complications this pair faced as a couple. Lindsey discusses how the lack of ‘closure’ and constantly being around each other was how their relationship turned out to be fragmented.
“Seven Wonders”
From the 1987 album, Tango in The Night, “Seven Wonders” is a powerful song by Fleetwood Mac that had always stuck out to me as a song that was on a spiritual level. The seven Wonders of the World being the title of the song and questioning of the seeing of its existence represents something that is so rare. The lyrics, “If I live to see the seven wonders, I’ll make a path to the rainbow’s end, I’ll never live to match the beauty again. The rainbow’s edge.” In particular, these lines are compelling; the mention of making a path to a rainbow’s end signifies never wanting for something to end, the rainbow is a symbol of an end you cannot reach. As the song highlights the beauty of something significant, it also pinpoints a moment’s importance as each is unique; “The song is about a moment that is so special, nothing will ever approach its beauty. Stevie Nicks sings that even if she gets to see the seven wonders of the world, it won’t match this moment.”
With the beauty of the moment comes its uniqueness. One fan comments, “I think it’s about realizing that you’ll never find that same beauty that someone is ever again, because there is only one of them, and that’s why they’re so precious.” “Seven Wonders” bring forth a message that illustrates how something rare should be cherished; you never know when it will be gone or even, taken from you.
“Rhiannon”
Featured on their 1975 album, Eponymous, “Rhiannon” amplifies the majestic life of a young woman of power. Rhiannon, a Welsh name that means a “great queen or goddess,” identifies the woman in the song. In one of their earlier performances, Stevie Nicks opens the song saying, “This is a song about a witch” before proceeding with the shimmering performance of a song that has such magical elements to it.
Although Nicks claims she is not a witch herself, the media has always shared the perspective that she is fascinated by Witchcraft, Wikka and spirituality. She had even featured in American Horror Story’s season, Coven, where she appeared and performed “Rhiannon” in the show’s coven household.
It was much to fans’ surprise that Stevie Nicks featured in AHS’s, Coven. Nicks has faced many questions since the beginning of her music career regarding witchcraft and if she identifies as a witch. Nicks had always denied this, and before her appearance on AHS, she had stopped associating with the “witchy” theme. Yvonne Villareal writes, “An ongoing thread in the third installment of the series has been the unbridled infatuation swamp-dweller Misty Day (Lily Rabe) has for rock heroine Stevie Nicks, whom Day firmly believes is a “White Witch.” After repeated listenings to “Rhiannon,” the backwoods fangirl won’t have to twirl in vain much longer.”
The song features the lyrics, “She is like a cat in the dark / And then she is to darkness / She rules her life like a fine skylark / And when the sky is starless.” The theme of nature illustrated in these lyrics are paramount and can be comprehended as Rhiannon’s enchanting endearment. The mentioning of the stars, the dark and the sky; it is almost as if it is suggesting the world is surrounding her.
