Gold Dust Woman

"Gold Dust Woman" is a song from the best-selling Fleetwood Mac album Rumours. It was written and sung by Stevie Nicks and released as a B-side to the "You Make Loving Fun" single. Along with "Rhiannon" and "Dreams", it is often regarded as a signature song of Stevie Nicks' of her recordings with Fleetwood Mac.

The take chosen for release on the 1977 Rumours album was reportedly recorded at 4 a.m., after a long night of attempts in the studio. Just before and during that final take, Stevie Nicks had wrapped her head (though not mouth) with a black scarf, veiling her senses and tapping genuine memories and emotions.^[1]

On the 2004 2-disc special edition release of Rumours, two demos of "Gold Dust Woman" are included, one of which features vocal melody and lyrics in its coda which would later be developed into the stand-alone single "If You Ever Did Believe" in 1997. Nicks recorded this with close friend Sheryl Crow as part of the early sessions for her 2001 Trouble in Shangri-La album, but the track was chosen as the theme song for the 1998 Warner Bros. Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock vehicle Practical Magic. To date, the track has only been available on the film soundtrack album.

Interpretations

When asked about the song in an interview with Courtney Love for Spin in October 1997, Nicks said:

Cover versions

• A cover version by American alternative rock band Hole was released as their ninth single in 1996 on CD by Geffen. It was also featured on the soundtrack to The Crow: City of Angels and was produced by former Cars leader Ric Ocasek.
• Sister Hazel recorded a cover of the song for the 1998 tribute album Legacy: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac's Rumours
• The Spill Canvas included a cover of the song on their 2007 EP Denial Feels So Good
• Country legend Waylon Jennings recorded a country/blues version of the song in 1978 on the LP Waylon & Willie.
• Sheryl Crow performed the song on her live album Sheryl Crow and Friends: Live from Central Park alongside Stevie Nicks.
• The song was covered live in 2009 by Grace Potter and The Nocturnals as they opened for Gov't Mule, with occasional performances on the same tour by Gov't Mule with Grace Potter guesting on lead vocals.
• Hard-rock band Hydrogyn covered the song on their 2010 album Judgement.
• Elle Jonas covered this song in 2009, and it can be found on her Myspace page.

Charts

Appearances in other media

• The original 1977 song appeared in 2011 as a downloadable track for the music video game Rock Band 3.

References

1. ^ "The Making of Rumours"

External links

• The Penguin: GDW Lyric Interpretations