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]
Rock And Roll
Stevie Nicks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's been a long time since I did the Stroll.
Ooh, let me get it back, let me get it back,
Let me get it back, baby, where I come from.
It's been a long time, been a long time,
Been a long lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time. Yes it has.
It's been a long time since the book of love,
Carry me back, carry me back,
Carry me back, baby, where I come from.
It's been a long time, been a long time,
Been a long lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time.
Seems so long since we walked in the moonlight,
Making vows that just can't work right.
Open your arms, opens your arms,
Open your arms, baby, let my love come running in.
It's been a long time, been a long time,
Been a long lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time.
In the song "Rock and Roll," Stevie Nicks reflects on her past experiences with love and music. The lyrics express her longing to return to a time when things were simpler, when she was in touch with her roots and the beauty of love. Nicks uses imagery to convey her message, such as "the book of love" to symbolize the time when romance was everything to her. She also reminisces about past pleasures, such as "walking in the moonlight" and "making vows that just can't work right." These lyrics are emotionally charged and demonstrate the singer's ability to infuse personal experience into her music.
The chorus, "It's been a long time, been a long time, been a long lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time," is not only a powerful statement on its own, but the repetition of the phrase reinforces the idea that Nicks has been disconnected from her former self for a long time. She longs to rediscover her passion for music and love again. The lines "Ooh, let me get it back, let me get it back, let me get it back, baby, where I come from" convey a sense of desperation and a desire to relive the past.
Line by Line Meaning
It's been a long time since I rock and rolled,
It has been a while since I have experienced the thrill of rock and roll music.
It's been a long time since I did the Stroll.
It has been a while since I partook in a dance, namely the Stroll.
Ooh, let me get it back, let me get it back,
The singer is eager to return to her previous state of enjoyment, and is asking for an opportunity to regain it.
Let me get it back, baby, where I come from.
She desires to return to a place that held relevance in her past, where she was able to engage in rock and roll and the Stroll.
It's been a long time, been a long time,
The singer repeats previous lines to emphasize the duration of time since she has had the experiences she desires.
Been a long lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time. Yes, it has.
The length of time has been painfully extended, and the singer is expressing a sense of isolation.
It's been a long time since the book of love,
It has been a long period since love and intimacy played a significant role in the singer's life.
I can't count the tears of a life with no love.
Her life without love has resulted in a significant amount of sadness and grief.
Carry me back, carry me back,
The singer wants to be taken back to a point in the past where she was happy and fulfilled.
Carry me back, baby, where I come from.
She desires to go back to the place she refers to earlier where she is able to experience the joys of rock and roll and love.
It's been a long time, been a long time,
The singer repeats the previous lines to indicate the length of time that has been painful.
Been a long lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time.
The duration of time has created a sense of solitude which has been compounded with every passing moment.
Seems so long since we walked in the moonlight,
the singer has not had a loving partner to walk with under the moonlight for so long.
Making vows that just can't work right.
The singer has been unable to keep the promises made to herself and her partner due to the circumstances.
Open your arms, open your arms,
She is calling for a warm loving embrace.
Open your arms, baby, let my love come running in.
She wants to share her love with someone special, and is explicitly requesting for that person to open up to her.
It's been a long time, been a long time,
The length of time has been painful and has left her feeling isolated.
Been a long lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time.
The duration of time has created an overwhelming sense of loneliness, which is constantly present.
Writer(s): Robert Plant, John Bonham, John Paul Jones, James Patrick Copyright: Flames Of Albion Music Inc.
Contributed by Cameron A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@user-fb6xi8nj6d
It's been a long time since I rock and rolled
It's been a long time since I did the Stroll
Oh let me get it back let me get it back
Let me get it back baby where I come from
It's been a long time been a long time
Been a long lonely lonely lonely lonely lonely time
Yes it has
It's been a long time since the book of love
I can't count the tears of a life with no love
Carry me back carry me back
Carry me back, baby, where I come from
It's been a long time, been a long time
Been a long lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time
Seems so long since we walked in the moonlight
Making vows that just can't work right
Open your arms, opens your arms
Open your arms, baby, let my love come running in
It's been a long time, been a long time
Been a long lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time
Ooh yeah, ooh yeah
Ooh yeah, ooh yeah
It's been a long time, been a long time
Been a long lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely time
@summermcpherson8209
Great vocals from Stevie, great dance moves and vocals from the backup singers, a great guitar solo from Waddy, and great tambourine playing from Lenny! What a spectacular performance!
@andrewwilks2147
Love this Stevie Nicks version of song Rock n Roll. AWESOME!! Always have loved Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac from the start when I first heard them.
@7lamb
Yikes
@dfolt
Stevie Nicks performing a number from my favourite band, it can't get any better.
@billymorgan7717
Always the best. I have this concert on Blu-ray. It's AWESOME !!!!!!
@MrJohn49g
Finally got to see her in concert in Sacramento on the 12th of December 2023, 75 years old and still did a 2-hour kick ass show!
@bbmeow2740
Great job, Stevie! Love to see her rock and roll, especially to other people's music, I don't know why, it's just so inspiring.
@xhusseygamingx4987
When you tell your friends about Stevie nicks and they are confused so you show them her and they start to love her like she is apart of a friend group family
@annlikesmusic1216
THE QUEEN OF ROCK AND ROLL 🎸
@ekayaniperforms
Tina Turner Stevie is the faery godmother of rock 🧚🏽♀️