The song Stevie Nicks’ father always misunderstood
When exploring the diverse discography of Fleetwood Mac, you’re bound to discover an array of captivating rock tracks. However, within their repertoire, you’ll also uncover a multitude of love songs, all inspired by well-known breakups, fresh beginnings, or the spaces in between.
The band’s illustrious career spans decades, marked by hits that have resonated through generations. Stevie Nicks joining the group in 1975 marked a significant milestone, shaping the celebrated and distinctive sonic landscape of the group and contributing significantly to its enduring legacy. Among their treasure trove of songs, ‘Landslide’ stands out as an enduring anthem that continues to captivate listeners with its poignant storytelling and emotional depth.
Penned by Nicks, the song found its place on the band’s self-titled 1975 album. What began as a simple acoustic piece became a timeless ballad that speaks to the universal themes of change, introspection, and resilience. This beautifully opulent and lush track is a cornerstone of their success, among the most frequently performed Fleetwood Mac songs and a pivotal highlight of their live performances.
The chorus, with its poignant declaration, “And I saw my reflection in the snow-covered hills / ‘Til the landslide brought me down,” captures the vulnerability of realising your own fragility in the face of life’s unpredictability. It’s a moment of clarity, recognising that even the most confident paths can unexpectedly shift.
In the track, Nicks also alludes to a father-daughter relationship. With her guitar in Aspen, Colorado, Nicks wrote the song within about five minutes while enveloped by the grandeur of mountains and contemplating the looming presence of snow. During moments of inspiration, Nicks often retreats to a room and allows her thoughts to flow onto paper.
Although Nicks found inspiration for the song from her father, this isn’t its sole meaning. As she explained: “My dad did have something to do with it, but he absolutely thinks that he was the whole, complete reason it was ever written. I guess it was about September 1974, I was home at my dad and Mom’s house in Phoenix, and my father said, ‘You know, you really put a lot of time into this [her singing career]; maybe you should give this six more months, and if you want to go back to school, we’ll pay for it. Basically you can do whatever you want, and we’ll pay for it – I have wonderful parents, and I went, ‘Cool, I can do that.'”
She continued: “Lindsey and I went up to Aspen, and we went to somebody’s incredible house, and they had a piano, and I had my guitar with me, and I went into their living room, looking out over the incredible Aspen skyway, and I wrote ‘Landslide’. Three months later, Mick Fleetwood called. On New Year’s Eve, 1974, called and asked us to join Fleetwood Mac. So it was three months, I still had three more months to go to beat my six-month goal that my dad gave me.”
Nicks’ evocative and subtly emotive vocals have become synonymous with the track, seeming inseparable from her and her romantic history. This strong association often categorises it too readily within love songs; however, the reality may be that its essence defies such simplistic evaluations.
