The Meaning Behind Stevie Nicks' Heartbreaking Fleetwood Mac Song 'Landslide'

Here's everything to know about the backstory behind the Fleetwood Mac song written by Stevie Nicks

Stevie Nicks' hit "Landslide" has resonated with listeners since its release in 1975.

The songstress has already established a legacy rooted in her captivating vocals and songwriting, both as a soloist and band member of Fleetwood Mac.

Among her many iconic songs, the 1975 hit "Landslide" — which was first featured on the band's self-titled album Fleetwood Mac that same year — is considered to be one of Nicks' most significant releases of all time.

Related: Stevie Nicks: Fleetwood Mac 'Can't Go Any Further' Without the Late Christine McVie

Nicks' 1975 version of "Landslide" topped numerous charts, including Billboard's Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary's Top 10. In 2021, it was listed at No. 163 on Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Songs of All Time."

Between the Smashing Pumpkins' cover of "Landslide" in 1994 and The Chicks' (then the Dixie Chicks) chart-topping country rendition in 2002, the song has touched a wide range of musicians in a diverse array of genres.

While Nicks joined Fleetwood Mac as a vocalist in the '70s, her impact on the music scene has impacted a generation of modern hit-makers. Miley Cyrus notably performed a cover of "Landslide" at the 2018 MusiCares Person of the Year benefit to honor Nicks and Fleetwood Mac, and several artists have expressed their admiration for the legendary singer in the years that followed, including Harry Styles, Haim and Taylor Swift.

Read on to learn about the behind-the-scenes stories and meaning behind "Landslide."

Who wrote Fleetwood Mac's song "Landslide"?

Though "Landslide" was originally released on Fleetwood Mac's self-titled album in 1975, Nicks is the only credited songwriter on the track.

Bandmate and Nicks' then-boyfriend Lindsey Buckingham, however, provided some overdubs and a solo on the studio version — but aside from that, the song is completely Nicks' own.

When was Fleetwood Mac's song "Landslide" written?

Prior to joining Fleetwood Mac — which only consisted of Mick Fleetwood, Christine McVie and John McVie at the time — in 1975, Nicks began her music career with Buckingham as a folk-rock duo.

In 1973, the pair signed a record deal with Polydor Records. They released their eponymous debut album, Buckingham Nicks, that same year. However, the project was not a commercial success and the two were dropped from the label.

Coming off a record that saw little sales, Nicks picked up several jobs but continued to make music and write songs. Meanwhile, Buckingham was invited to play guitar on tour with the Everly Brothers.

Related: Fleetwood Mac: Where Are They Now?

It wasn't until Fleetwood Mac's drummer and co-founder, Fleetwood, was searching for a vocalist-guitarist replacement that he approached Buckingham to join his rock band. Upon joining the band officially, Buckingham made it clear that he and Nicks were a package deal.

In 1975, Fleetwood Mac released Nicks' "Landslide," featured on their second self-titled album (the first with Nicks and Buckingham as part of the band), that in part contributed to Fleetwood Mac becoming one of the band's greatest albums of all time.

What is Fleetwood Mac's song "Landslide" about?

In 1973, Nicks traveled with Buckingham to Aspen, Colo., for a stop on the Everly Brothers' tour. Amid her feelings of frustration professionally and her slowly deteriorating relationship with Buckingham, "Landslide" was composed.

The song begins: "I took my love, I took it down / I climbed a mountain and I turned around."

Nicks told The New York Times that she wrote "Landslide" in 1973 when she was 27 years old. "I did already feel old in a lot of ways," Nicks told the outlet. "I'd been working as a waitress and a cleaning lady for years. I was tired."

Related: Stevie Nicks' Dating History: From Lindsey Buckingham to Joe Walsh

Nicks — who has said she wrote the song in approximately five minutes while looking out her snowy window at the Aspen mountains — wrote, "And I saw my reflection in the snow-covered hills / Til the landslide brought me down."

The lyrics continue to explore Nicks' thoughts during that uncertain time of her career, in addition to her relationship with Buckingham. She compared the risks of an avalanche in the mountains to her own image and her current challenges.

"And I saw my reflection in the snow-covered hills / 'Til the landslide brought me down," the lyrics in the song's chorus read.

Look back at Nicks' incredible career and celebrate her legacy with PEOPLE's May 2023 special edition, Stevie Nicks: The Timeless Goddess of Rock Turns 75 (on sale here), and see some of the music superstars who credit her as an influence.

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Read the original article on People.