Landslide (song)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| "Landslide" | ||
|---|---|---|
| Song by Fleetwood Mac | ||
| From the album Fleetwood Mac | ||
| Album released | 1975 | |
| Genre | Rock | |
| Song Length | 3:05 | |
| Record label | Reprise | |
| Producers | Fleetwood Mac Keith Olsen |
|
| Track Number | Track 8 | |
"Landslide" is a song written by Stevie Nicks and performed by Fleetwood Mac. It was first featured on the band's 1975 album Fleetwood Mac. It is a favorite amongst both Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks fans, and has been successfully interpreted by artists in different musical genres. It was recorded with particularly fine fidelity, especially noticeable on the acoustic guitar drone notes, which unfortunately did not survive the transition from LP vinyl album to CD. [citation needed]
[edit] Meaning
The meaning of the song is ambiguous, which has likely added to its appeal.
Initially, it sounds like a tale of a woman whose children have grown, and who now questions whether to remain with her lover. However, given that Stevie Nicks has said that she wrote the song in Aspen, Colorado in 1974, when she was just 26, this interpretation seems implausible.
Stevie Nicks herself has said that when she wrote "Landslide", she was contemplating what to do with her life, and it was in response to her inability to become successful in the music industry.
[edit] Later versions
Alternative rockers The Smashing Pumpkins made a cover of the song that was featured on their B-side collection Pisces Iscariot in 1994. The cover was quite a hit and made it to the top three on the Modern Rock Tracks chart in the U.S. that year. It was later featured in the Alias episode "Page 47", as well as the Cold Case episode "Detention".
Singer-songwriter Tori Amos has covered the song countless times in concerts since 1994 during the Pink Tour. The album Y100 Sonic Sessions: volume 1, released in 1997, includes a live version recorded on January 1st, 1996.
The 1998 Fleetwood Mac reunion captured on their The Dance live album and DVD made "Landslide" a featured number, with only Nicks and former partner Lindsey Buckingham on acoustic guitar on stage. Nicks made some wry gestures regarding the (now past) youthfulness of the lyric, and hugged Buckingham at the end. Released as a single, this version became popular for airplay on adult contemporary radio stations. Many Fleetwood Mac fans consider this to be the definitive version of "Landslide" (rather than the original album version).
The country group Dixie Chicks then covered "Landslide" on their 2002 Home album. This rendition, featuring the group's trademark two- and three-part harmonies and country phrasings, was very popular, hitting the Top 10 of both the pop and country charts as well as several other charts. Chicks lead singer Natalie Maines said she was attracted in part to the song because she was then the same age that Nicks was when she wrote it. A deluxe edition of Home contained a remixed version of this "Landslide", done by Sheryl Crow. The Chicks then created yet another arrangement of the song, using inverted harmonies, for performance on their 2006 Accidents & Accusations Tour.
Red Hot Chili Peppers' guitarist John Frusciante has covered "Landslide" during his solo concerts.
Joey McIntyre has also covered "Landslide" in his live album, "One Too Many: Live From New York" released in 2003.
