After starting her career as a duo with her then-boyfriend Lindsey Buckingham, releasing the album Buckingham Nicks to little success, Nicks joined Fleetwood Mac in 1975, helping the band to become one of the best-selling music acts of all time with over 120 million records sold worldwide. Rumours, the band's second album with Nicks, became one of the best-selling albums worldwide, being certified 20× platinum in the US.[2]
In 1981, while remaining a member of Fleetwood Mac, Nicks began her solo career, releasing the studio album Bella Donna, which topped the Billboard 200 and has reached multiplatinum status.[3] She has released eight studio solo albums and seven studio albums with Fleetwood Mac, selling a certified total of 65 million copies in the US alone.[2]
After the release of her first solo album, Rolling Stone named her the "Reigning Queen of Rock and Roll".[4] Nicks was named one of the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time[5] and one of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time[6] by Rolling Stone. Her Fleetwood Mac songs "Landslide", "Rhiannon", and "Dreams", with the last being the band's only number one hit in the US, together with her solo hit "Edge of Seventeen", have all been included in Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[7] She is the first woman to have been inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: first as a member of Fleetwood Mac in 1998 and then as a solo artist in 2019.[8]
Nicks has garnered eight Grammy Award[9] nominations and two American Music Award nominations as a solo artist. She has won numerous awards with Fleetwood Mac, including a Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1978 for Rumours.
The albums Fleetwood Mac, Rumours, and Bella Donna have been included in the "Greatest of All Time Billboard 200 Albums" chart by Billboard.[10] Furthermore, Rumours was rated the seventh-greatest album of all time in Rolling Stone's list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time",[11] as well as the fourth-greatest album by female acts.[12]
Gold
Stevie Nicks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
People are in for the evening.
I jump into my car and I throw in my guitar,
My heart beatin' time with my breathin'.
Drivin'novicated, singin' to my soul,
There's people out there turnin' music into gold.
Well my buddy Jim Bass past he's a-workin' pumpin gas,
He's got rhythm in his hands as he's tappin' on the cans,
Sings rock and roll in the shower.
Drivin' novicated, singin' to my soul,
There's people out there turnin' music into gold.
Ah the California girls are the greatest in the world,
Each one's a song in the making.
Singin' back to me I can hear the melody,
The story is there for the takin'.
Drivin' novicated, singin' to my soul,
There's people out there turnin' music into gold.
Drivin' over Kanan, singin' to my soul,
There's people out there turnin' music into gold.
When the lights go down in the California town,
People are in for the evening.
I jump into my car and I throw in my guitar,
My heart beatin' time with my breathin'.
Drivin' over Kanan, singin' to my soul,
There's people out there turnin' music into gold.
The lyrics to Stevie Nicks's song "Gold" tell the story of a musician driving through a California town at night, feeling inspired by the people around him who are all turning music into something valuable and precious. The first verse starts with the line "When the lights go down in the California town", which creates a sense of intrigue and mystery. The singer then sets the scene by describing how he jumps into his car with his guitar, feeling alive and in sync with his surroundings. As he drives through the town, he can hear music everywhere, and it all seems to be transforming into something golden and magical.
The second verse introduces the character of Jim Bass, who works at a gas station and sings rock and roll in the shower. Despite his humble job and circumstances, he still has music in his heart and can make something beautiful out of it. This verse reinforces the idea that music is something that can make even the most ordinary experiences feel special and meaningful. The chorus emphasizes the importance of music in the singer's life, and suggests that there are many other people out there who feel the same way.
The final verse brings the story full circle, returning to the image of the singer driving through the night, singing to his soul. He reflects on the beauty of California girls, who each have their own unique song waiting to be heard. The line "There's people out there turnin' music into gold" serves as a metaphor for how music can elevate our experiences and make them more valuable and memorable.
Overall, "Gold" is a celebration of the power of music to transform our lives and the world around us. It recognizes the importance of creativity and imagination in our daily lives, and encourages us to embrace the magic that can be found in even the most ordinary moments.
Line by Line Meaning
When the lights go down in the California town,
People are in for the evening.
As the day draws to a close in the California town and the night unfolds, it signals a time for people to relax and settle in for the evening.
I jump into my car and I throw in my guitar,
My heart beatin' time with my breathin'.
Eager to venture out into the world and express herself through music, the singer hops into her car with her guitar in tow and feels the rhythm of life within her, pulsing with her every breath.
Drivin'novicated, singin' to my soul,
There's people out there turnin' music into gold.
As she drives, completely immersed in the experience, the singer is singing with passion to her soul. Inspired by the countless others out there who are transforming music into something precious and priceless, she too feels the magic within her own music.
Well my buddy Jim Bass past he's a-workin' pumpin gas,
And he makes two fifty for an hour.
The singer's friend Jim Bass works an ordinary job pumping gasoline, earning a meager paycheck of $2.50 an hour.
He's got rhythm in his hands as he's tappin' on the cans,
Sings rock and roll in the shower.
Despite his ordinary job, Jim has an innate talent for music and has a natural rhythm in his movements. Even when he is just tapping on cans, he emits a sense of musicality that shines through. He enjoys singing rock and roll while he showers.
Ah the California girls are the greatest in the world,
Each one's a song in the making.
The singer believes that California girls are some of the best in the world, and she believes that each girl has their own song just waiting to be expressed and shared with the world.
Singin' back to me I can hear the melody,
The story is there for the takin'.
As she sings to the world around her, the singer can hear the melody of the California girls singing back to her. She believes that each person has their own unique story, just waiting for someone to take notice and appreciate it.
Drivin' over Kanan, singin' to my soul,
There's people out there turnin' music into gold.
Still driving and singing, the singer reaches Kanan road. She reflects on the fact that there are countless people out there using their passion for music to create something beautiful and precious - turning it into gold.
When the lights go down in the California town,
People are in for the evening.
The song cycles back to the opening lines as a reminder of the night's arrival and the resulting shift in energy.
I jump into my car and I throw in my guitar,
My heart beatin' time with my breathin'.
The singer prepares to depart with her guitar once again, feeling the same eagerness and connection to the rhythm of life within her.
Drivin' over Kanan, singin' to my soul,
There's people out there turnin' music into gold.
The song ends with a final testament to the transformative nature of music and the powerful impact it has on people's lives.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN C. STEWART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@imoldgreggboosh3467
Oh there's a story told on the coastline
'Bout a star eyed girl and her man of the sea
He was a sailor Assassin on the sea wind
She told him Oh let the whale go free
. . .
And then one dark day in February say on the twenty eight maybe the nine
You know the ship sailed in with nary a man on the deck there to hold the line
And then lashed to the mast like a ghost from the past
Was the man who had christened the crime
He said the battle is done and the whale has won
It's the last time I'm taking the line
Odin Odin Spirit of the water
Odin Odin God of the sea
Odin Odin Spirit of the water
Odin Odin OH LET THE WHALE GO FREE . . ."
This recording always gives me chills . . .
@lisaannbarriner9633
Loved this when it came out. I think their voices complement each other very well. It’s a shame that they didn’t collaborate more.
@rondohunter8966
Stevie could harmonize with anyone she's just that talented. But yeah it would have been nice to hear more from these two.
@wendydavis622
There is Don Henley and Tom Petty of course...I agree this song is so well done.
@mikemcbride5107
Had this in my head for 2 days running now. GAWD I MISS THE GOOD OLD DAYS when music had SOUL!!!!!!!
@jamesb2871
Back when there WAS music ay ? Oooof they think hitting play and rewind makes an artist these days I see.......lol
@markmcallan973
Hell yeah that's where it's at brother!🤟
@autumnmist3905
It has been in my head 7 days now~ glad not to be alone on this.
@dabrasl3956
It is so true !!!! And this is such a great song!!!
@rokinrandy
Yea and that was just one of the run of the mill pop songs that we took for granted back then. Like they were going to keep coming and getting better. By the late 70s analogue was sounding so damn good.
@jf8315
And then Stevie comes in...... adore this 40 year old gem 💎