Packing up, shacking up is all you wanna do
 

I know this has been discussed, but I want to know sure about the meaning of Packing up, shacking up is all you wanna do

Stevie was upset with this quote. Dreams was positive but GYOW no, she said, and this quote offended her. Though she did sing it anyway, during the gigs.

But what does it mean? (remember I'm spanish speaking). I heard it means like she only wanted to have fun and didn't take seriously the relationship, is that correct?

I always thought that it meant all Stevie wanted to do was sleep around :shrug:

not sure how the "packing up" part fits in, but "shacking up" pretty much means living together and having intimate relations, but not married

maybe it's supposed to lead everyone to believe that Stevie didn't want to commit to Lindsey in some way

I remember her saying that every time she had to sing that line she just wanted to leg it across the stage and throttle him.

Ah, love. :angel:

I always took it to mean that he was 'packing up' and leaving because all she wanted to do was live together and not get serious/get married. ??

-Lis

I think the "packin' up" is directed at Stevie as well as "shackin' up" because of the meaning someone else mentioned above - she doesn't want to commit. She always wants to "pack up" when things get bad and when they're good, all she wants to do is "shack up" without real commitment. Makes you wonder if Lindsey proposed and got turned down. Stevie did say once that he was upset because she didn't want to be his wife.

Wasn't the original line 'crackin' up, shackin' ups all you wanna do?

I've seen an interview in which Stevie says the whole sentiment of the song was 'mean' because he was telling her to go away. She went on to say "And I never shacked up with anyone while I was with him" which suggests she took it as a reference to sleeping around.

Yeah! I rembember reading 'crackin' up once! But the lyrics I found on web says packing up

I believe Stevie is re-characterizing his words as accusations of infidelity so she can come out as the sweet innocent falsely-maligned victim, when he never actually intended it that way. Otherwise, she would have to say "Well, yeah, I did only want to shack up because Stevie Nicks is a free spirit and no man can possess Rhiannon! She must be able to take to the sky at will!" Doesn't come off as sympathetic that way.

anyone ever heard the expression "pack your nose?"

A very interesting question, & one that fans don't ask often. Deep down in my bones & from my great distance, I believe he did ask her to marry him & she said nope.


another question: how does everyone read the chorus? As a plain imperative with the explicit subject? "You can go your own way" grammatically as in "Go sit in the corner until I tell you you can get up"?

or as an indicative statement with a hint of the conditional to follow? "You can go your own way" grammatically as in "You can run, but you can't hide"?

The grammatical differences would seriously alter one's interpretation of meaning. Is the speaker telling the girl to get out? or is he merely indicating that, although she's about to up & leave, it won't be permanent?

If that line were directed at you, I imagine you'd take it as an insult just like Stevie did. I know I sure would!
"Shacking up is all I wanted to do?!? You s.o.b. -- I used to fold your underwear and pick up after you and your friends!"

Interesting. When do you think he asked her?

I see it as indicative, but without a conditional inference. I think he's just doing the age-old "Fine, you can leave, it doesn't matter to me!" In other words, I interpret "You can go your own way" as a variation of "You can go jump off a bridge, for all I care!"

Oh, no doubt it was an insult! But it wasn't a false accusation, was it, if she didn't want to be with him for good? What did Lindsey call it - "emotionally honest"?