Fleetwood Mac – Rhiannon

About the song

Released in 1975 on Fleetwood Mac’s self-titled album (Fleetwood Mac), “Rhiannon” quickly became one of the band’s most defining tracks — and a signature song for Stevie Nicks, who both wrote and performed it. The song marked a turning point for Fleetwood Mac, coinciding with the arrival of Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham, whose addition would propel the group into global superstardom.

Stevie Nicks based the song loosely on the Welsh mythological figure Rhiannon, a powerful woman associated with horses, birds, and the supernatural. But she didn’t originally know the myth — she was drawn to the name after reading the novel Triad by Mary Leader, and only later discovered how closely her lyrics aligned with the ancient Celtic figure. That coincidence only deepened the song’s mystique.

The story and style:

“Rhiannon” tells of a woman who seems otherworldly, elusive, and enchanting:

“She is like a cat in the dark / And then she is the darkness…”
“Would you stay if she promised you heaven?”

The song doesn’t offer a straightforward narrative — it’s poetic and impressionistic, evoking the feeling of being under a spell. Rhiannon is not just a person, but a symbol of feminine mystery and independence. There’s longing, awe, and a hint of fear in the way she’s described.

Stevie Nicks has said the song is about “a woman taken by the sky”, and in live performances, she would often introduce it as being “about a witch.” The imagery is lush and haunting, as if Rhiannon is both muse and ghost — someone you chase but never catch.

The sound and production:

Musically, “Rhiannon” is pure mid-’70s California rock with:

• A twinkling piano and guitar intro that feels delicate and foreboding

• Subtle but steady drums from Mick Fleetwood

• Lindsey Buckingham’s clean, rhythmic guitar

• And Stevie Nicks’s ethereal, raspy vocal, which starts soft and builds into a storm of emotion

The studio version is haunting and restrained — almost hypnotic — but the live performances took it to another level. Nicks often turned “Rhiannon” into a full-on vocal exorcism, stretching out the ending with wild, improvised howls and dramatic gestures. It became more than a song — it was a ritual.

Legacy and cultural impact:

“Rhiannon” became a Top 20 hit in the U.S. and helped solidify Fleetwood Mac’s reinvention as one of the defining bands of the 1970s. For Stevie Nicks, it was the track that established her persona — mystical, romantic, and powerful — and fans immediately responded to it.

The song has since been covered and referenced countless times, and remains a staple of classic rock radio. It’s also beloved for its embrace of feminine complexity — portraying a woman who is free, unknowable, and unapologetically herself.

“Rhiannon” is frequently cited as one of Fleetwood Mac’s greatest songs and has helped fuel the enduring fascination with Stevie Nicks as a cultural icon. Its mix of folk mysticism and rock attitude laid the foundation for Nicks’s solo work and her enduring image.

Final thoughts:

“Rhiannon” is not just a song — it’s a spell, a character study, and a mood. It helped birth one of rock’s most fascinating frontwomen and showed how myth and mystery could blend seamlessly into pop music.

With its shadowy poetry, haunting melody, and Nicks’s intense delivery, “Rhiannon” continues to entrance listeners — a timeless portrait of a woman too wild and wondrous to be pinned down.

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