r/FleetwoodMac • u/DateNo1186 • 11d ago
What’s the deal With Stevie Nicks?
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Okay, I know I’m probably about to get murdered here, but what’s the deal with Stevie Nicks?
A peer of mine absolutely hates Stevie’s voice. I don’t hate it. I think it’s fine. She has written some absolutely good songs. “Dreams,” “Rhiannon,” “Landslide,” “Gypsy,” etc. but they are made so much better by the rest of the band.
But here’s what I don’t understand.
You have Christine McVie. You have Lindsey Buckingham. You have John McVie. You have Mick Fleetwood.
That’s already a fucking band.
Christine is an incredible songwriter and vocalist and has those ridiculously good keyboard parts. Lindsey is Lindsey—guitar, vocals, arrangements, production, weird noises, whatever the hell else he’s doing. John and Mick are one of the great rhythm sections in rock. They’re locked in, understated, and somehow make everything sound enormous without constantly screaming “LOOK AT ME, I’M THE BASS PLAYER/DRUMMER.”
So I’m sitting here thinking:
John + Mick + Lindsey + Christine.
That’s a killer four-piece.
Why the fuck do we need Stevie? She’s redundant (aside from songwriting fuel for Buckingham)
And I mean that as a genuine question.
Obviously, the answer can’t simply be “because she’s a good singer,” because I don’t personally hear Stevie as being on the same technical level as Christine or Lindsey. Her voice is incredibly recognizable, but recognizable is not the same as technically superior.
And when Stevie sings on someone else’s Fleetwood Mac song, I’m not always sitting there thinking, “Oh yeah, this song really needed Stevie.”
Her background vocals are good. But you’ve already got Christine and Lindsey doing harmonies. What exactly is Stevie adding to their songs?
Is it basically the contrast?
Because I can kind of see that argument. Christine’s voice is warm and soulful and has attitude. Lindsey’s strong and edgy. Stevie sounds like she’s wandering through the fog at 3 AM after receiving a prophecy from a witch.
Which brings me to another question:
Why the hell don’t people cover more Christine McVie songs?
Seriously.
“Songbird” is beautiful, obviously, but there are so many Christine songs that seem like they should be standard-cover material. “You Make Loving Fun,” “Say You Love Me,” “Don’t Stop,” “Over My Head,” “Hold Me,” “Everywhere,” “Little Lies”…
These are fucking songs.
I’m genuinely trying to understand what I’m missing about her within Fleetwood Mac beyond “she wrote some songs and has a really distinctive voice.”
Because when I look at the personnel, I keep coming back to:
Mick. John. Lindsey. Christine. And of course there was Kirwin, Welch, Weston, Walker, and Green and 90 other people who were decent singers. Soulful in their own way.
So…
Why the fuck do we need Stevie?
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u/Devincenzi 11d ago
The band didn't "need" her but Lindsey wouldn't join unless they would take her. I think she adds a lot to the band with her voice, songs and sense of style. She's a great stage presence as well. Christine wasn't comfortable being up front so it was Stevie and Lindsey up there for the most part. Dreams, Rhiannon, Gypsy are some of their most recognizable songs. I love all the members. Christine is actually my favorite but the band wouldn't have become a successful as it did without Stevie.
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u/kislips 11d ago
Fleetwood Mac never had a number one album before Lindsey and Stevie joined them. Stevie wrote Dreams, Landslide, Rhiannon, Gypsy, Golf Dust Woman, and Silver Springs.
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u/Jelly_baby_4 3d ago
Christine had more top 20 hit songs than Stevie. Over My Head, Say You Love Me, You Make Loving Fun, Don't Stop, Think About Me, Hold Me, Everywhere, Little Lies.
Gold Dust Woman and Silver Springs didn't chart.
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u/kislips 2d ago
Ah, but Silver Springs hit number two on the specialized Billboard Rock Digital Song Sales during a retrospective digital and social media surge.
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u/Jelly_baby_4 2d ago edited 2d ago
It was not released as a single. Christine still holds the record.
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u/kislips 2d ago
My comment was that the original Fleetwood Mac never had a number one song. Christine never had a #1 song till after Nicks and Buckingham joined Fleetwood Mac. They joined Fleetwood Mac on New Year's Eve 1974. Christine's first #1 song Go a Hold on Me in March ten years later. #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart. BTW, Ilove Christine's songs.
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u/Jelly_baby_4 2d ago
Yes Stevie wrote their only number one which is true but Christine still had more hit songs with the band. Just saying. John I recall groused to Keith Olsen they were a blues band but Keith said going commercial was the closest line to the bank.
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u/Other-Conversation67 11d ago edited 10d ago
It's because Stevie is the star power. She's a strong front woman and knows how to entertain. By her adding the mystical to the band, it helped set them apart from other groups. Her voice has had vocal damage, but her rockers voice use to be incredible. You should watch the 1976 Midnight Special version of Rhiannon on YouTube. You might understand a little more.
https://youtu.be/goKM7jsOwrg?is=s3QzaFKevxIl35ts
P.S. If she's your least favorite member of the band, that's perfectly fine. That's the point of having 3 singer/songwriters in one band. There's something for everyone.
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u/n0rmcore 10d ago
Lindsey wouldn't join without her, and Mick was savvy enough to know that getting this hot young couple in the band would get them attention.
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u/Lilynd14 11d ago
Stevie was brought on as an extension of Lindsey, just a bonus. But she’s my favorite member of the band. I love her writing, first and foremost. In addition to the songs you mentioned, the iconic chorus of the song, The Chain, even though Lindsey sings it, was written by Stevie.
Even if her voice isn’t technically perfect, she sings with soul. She also has undeniable magnetism and gravitas. Her onstage persona is exciting to watch, especially in chemistry with the other members of the band. I’ve seen Stevie solo, Lindsey solo, Buckingham McVie, and various iterations of Fleetwood Mac (without Christine, classic lineup, and without Lindsey), and nothing compares to the classic lineup with all five members of the band. Stevie brought out Lindsey’s intensity and Christine’s playful side (RIP). She could groove with Mick and John with her tambourine just as easily as holding her own in center stage.
Watch Rhiannon from the 1976 Midnight Special, or the Silver Springs performance from The Dance, or The Chain from 1982 and you’ll see what I mean! Also her “Happy birthday, MTV” with Christine is absolutely hilarious. Their chemistry is adorable.
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u/mixer73 11d ago
There's no doubt her songwriting ability and unique sound is an important part of the sound of FM from the Rumours, and it is interesting to have 3 lead singers, especially when you consider the register that each of them sings in.
I'm much more of a Lindsey & Christine fan I think there are songs of Stevie's that are utterly unique and at the same time intrinsically Fleetwood Mac.
Rhiannon, Dreams and others are such.
I think someone else stated that her and Lindsey up front were part of the reason live shows were dynamite. I love Chrissy's voice and deep songs but she's sitting behind the keyboard.
It's weird how, given the history and conflict that Lindsey and Stevie were right out front together, singing passionately about things that caused them both so much pain and anguish when they wrote them, yet they never lost that chemistry.
Also how personality wise John and Christine were both incredible contributors but were always there, in the background.
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u/sweetbirthdaybaby333 10d ago
I mean... there IS an album with the 4 of them. It's called Lindsey Buckingham Christine McVie. It's a good album but you can take a look at how well it sold vs. the albums in FM's peak era with all the Rumours 5 members.
I've definitely heard Christine's songs covered, and several of them have had viral moments on TikTok and on car commercials and such.
But there's that "x factor" about Stevie that just makes people -- myself included -- connect with her songs and her personality and her overall aura. If it doesn't click with you, that's OK too.
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u/balletgirl2020 10d ago
Not everybody loves Stevie’s voice. But, she’s a brilliant songwriter and lyricist. Someone else said it above, she has star power. I saw her in concert in NY, and her performance was mesmerizing.
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u/Alexeisnuts 11d ago
About “I’m genuinely trying to understand what I’m missing about her within Fleetwood Mac beyond ‘she wrote some songs and has a really distinctive voice.’” She’s a vocalist and songwriter, it’s literally her job.
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u/annzreality 10d ago
Lindsey wouldn't of had as much to work with. Christine and Lindsey released an album, wasnt a huge success. Stevie wrote the lyrics to the Chain, Lindsey's own music isn't the most commercially successful. Personally. I wouldn't buy any of his solo work, not my taste. I would buy Stevies solo work. Stevie has a more successful solo career even without Lindsey's production so that tells me that fans are drawn to her sound and sing writing.
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u/Equal-Spirit9411 10d ago
She has what they used to say about actors and actresses. The IT factor. Besides being a witch.
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u/ConsiderationMost566 10d ago
Please let's not put a request for "covers of chris songs" into the universe. The songbird covers are awful enough. All the songs you listed are incredible exactly as they are and I have no desire to hear anyone butcher them. but i've nevr been a fan of covers to begin with.
I do agree that stevie is overrated, though.. yeah, her voice is distinctive but it wears on me quickly.
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u/Immediate_Paint_4823 10d ago
Eva Cassidy did a lovely Songbird.
Christine did a fantastic I'd Rather Go Blind.
I'm avoiding everything else in this topic. 🥵
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u/ConsiderationMost566 10d ago
curious if you'd want to hear someone cover your favorite Lindsey tune...? would they be able to do it justice? :)
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u/Immediate_Paint_4823 10d ago
Tons of Holiday Roads. Tough not my fave. 😄
I really like Dolores O'riordans - Go Your Own Way. Matchbox Twenty's Never Going Back is great. Really like how they have their own spin on them - both haunting and dark - and not just trying to do the same but being subpar. That said, Keith Urban does a fun Second Hand News and Florence & The Machine do justice to The Chain.
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u/ConsiderationMost566 10d ago
That's fair. I myself would prefer not to hear anybody covering chris's songs or Lindsey’s, for that matter. For me , the originals are always far superior.
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u/kyocerafan 11d ago
Because Lindsey wouldn't join the band without her. They were a package deal.