What an amazing performance. If you have never watched this video…stop reading and watch it in it’s entirety. Then come back here to finish reading. You won’t be sorry.
The music of Fleetwood Mac is something I have enjoyed as long as I can remember. But it was limited, for a very long time, to only what was being played on the radio. Not to mention, I was sever years old when the album, Rumours, was released. Later in life, when I found out that Silver Springs was left off of the 1977 album Rumours and used as a B-side to the song Go Your Own Way, I was shocked.
Fast forward a few years and eventually, MTV was created. Over time, shows featuring music became more popular. In 1997, the band Fleetwood Mac (the Rumours line-up) reunited for a 20th anniversary of the album. And they did it in a most amazing fashion. A new album, The Dance, was recorded. Not only did they record the audio of the live performances, but they filmed three performances at Warner Bros. Studios in June 1997. The result was pure magic.
Stevie Nicks states that the song Silver Springs was written about the ending of the romantic relationship that she had with bandmate Lindsey Buckingham. The song has been called tender, vengeful, and emotional. It is all of those things. Just watch the video above, if you haven’t already.
The video opens with a beautiful view of the late Christine McVie playing the piano. It then pans to Stevie Nicks, who looks stunning in her signature black, “witchy,” flowing dress. As she begins singing, you can already see the emotion behind the lyrics of this song…as if she is momentarily reliving a difficult time in her life. The pain she felt as a young woman in such a turbulent relationship is still very real.
She looks toward the subject of the song, Lindsey Buckingham, several times during the early part of the song, almost willing him to look in her direction. But he is resisting, or so it seems – until his guitar solo ends. They sing a couple more lines and she truly seems to cast her spell upon him. He can finally no longer resist looking in Stevie’s direction and she has him. Those looks. Those emotions. The love. The anger. She will not let him break their gaze. It’s fucking amazing. And I’m in tears again. It does it to me every single time.
Music should move us. Performances like this one, that are just so classic, do it. The musicianship of every member of this band is/was astonishing. They move us with their music and lyrics and take us to a place where we can feel the emotions of the stories they are telling us. That is what I love about music.
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Radio My Way 