17 Reasons This 'Rhiannon' Clip Is the Coolest Thing in the Universe

[SisterNightroad]

17 Reasons This 'Rhiannon' Clip Is the Coolest Thing in the Universe
Behold the absolute peak of Stevie-dom
BY ROB SHEFFIELD | January 14, 2015

If you want to make the case for Stevie Nicks as the most powerful American rock singer of the Seventies, here's your Exhibit A. Behold: This insane clip of Fleetwood Mac doing "Rhiannon" on The Midnight Special, 1976. It's the absolute peak of Stevie-dom. Here are 17 reasons why this performance proves Stevie is simply the coolest thing in the universe.

1. Stevie's opening words: "This is a song about an old Welsh witch." Translation: This "Rhiannon" is a totally different beast from the smooth studio version you've heard a million times. This version is the epic.

2. Stevie's hair. Oh, the hair. Beyond feathered. The feathers have feathers.

3. Keep in mind, the audience has no idea who Stevie Nicks is. She and Lindsey just joined Fleetwood Mac last year. These people have heard "Rhiannon" on the radio, but they don't know Stevie's name. They've never seen her rock. Rumours doesn't exist yet. They're probably thinking, "Foxy lady. I think she just said this song is about a sandwich?" They have no idea what they're in for.

4. Sweet kimono, Lindsey. Did Stevie let you tie that sash yourself?

5. The way she wails the line, "You cry, but she's gone." So much hungrier and rawer than the studio version. Stevie is not in mellow mode tonight. She's the new girl in a long-running band, but she's here to blow all that history away. She keeps pushing the song harder, faster, as if she's impatient to prove the new Mac is a real-savage-like rock monster, now that she's finally arrived.

6. Stevie takes two power-twirls — one right before the second verse (1:15), one before the third (1:45). Tonight she needs only two twirls to say it all.

7. Oh, that Lindsey/Stevie eye contact. I have spent years of my life trying to decode that look at 2:36. What is that smile? An erotic glance between two tempestuous lovers, sharing a furtive smile of intimacy in the heat of musical passion? Or maybe John McVie just knocked over somebody's beer?

8. That Stevie/Christine split-screen duet in the third verse. Their harmonies really make you notice how much "Rhiannon" sounds like Nirvana's greatest song, "Heart Shaped Box," except not even Kurt would try to get away with rhyming "darkness" and "darkest."

9. The 360-degree Lindsey-cam action at the 3:10 point — perhaps the finest cinematography of the 1970s to involve an upside-down bearded guitar freak in a kimono. Lindsey steps on his magic pedal and transforms into a Welsh druid.

10. Everybody in the band gets a showcase close-up, even John McVie. As always, he looks like he showed up for a barbecue and was surprised to find a concert going on.

11. Mick Fleetwood has a cowbell, but doesn't bang it, because when you're as cool as Mick Fleetwood, all you need is for the cowbell to sit there and listen to you.

12. Lindsey's ‘fro devours him and spits him out while he plays the Mick Taylor solo from the Rolling Stones' "Bitch" all the way through--twice! The Mac jam like they did in the 1960s with Peter Green, like they did in the early 1970s with Bob Welch and Danny Kirwan — except it's better now, because Stevie wrote the song. They still jam like this onstage in 2015, during Stevie's now-legendary "Crackhead Dance."

13. Stevie's shawl-work during the jam. She doesn't overdo it — she just sways from side to side, lifting her lace chiffon in the air, a black widow weaving her spiderweb. Note: This garment probably now has its own corner of Stevie's private temperature-controlled Shawl Vault.

14. Seriously, that hair. An aviary of white-winged doves, growing out of Stevie's head.

15. This performance happened on June 11th, 1976. One week later, Blake Shelton was born. Coincidence? Probably. But you can hear a hint of Miranda Lambert in Stevie's growl.

16. At the 4:30 point, there's a hush and you think the song is over. (The studio version fades out after barely four minutes.) But it's just beginning. Stevie starts to murmur, "Dreams unwind, love's a state of mind," chanting it over and over, beckoning with her fingers. The music speeds up. She stares through the camera and right into your very soul. She's belting now: "Take me like the wind, baby! Take me with the sky!" Lindsey backs her with a couple of power strums. Total shawl/hair fusion. It's a little scary how intensely Stevie quakes, chanting Rhiannon's name, and you notice how steely she looks under all that black lace. She practically jumps out of her boots for that nine-second final howl, and then — like Rhiannon—she's gone.

17. The studio audience must be in shock. Seven minutes ago, they'd never heard of Stevie Nicks. But tonight they'll be seeing Welsh witches in their dreams. And it's 1976. Stevie is just getting started on her lifelong journey of stealing rock & roll hearts. Dreams unwind. Love's a state of mind.


Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/fe...#ixzz3OpQjJp9C

[chiliD]

And that version paled in comparison to their normal concert versions at the time.

Of the 15 or 20 "Rhiannons" I saw them do in person (pre-Tusk tour, when they started to slowly castrate the song into what it has become this current tour, a whiny ballad), the best was August 28, 1977 at the Forum in Inglewood CA. If they hadn't started the next song, people would STILL be applauding right now.

[twinmatrix]

Originally Posted by chiliD

And that version paled in comparison to their normal concert versions at the time.

Of the 15 or 20 "Rhiannons" I saw them do in person (pre-Tusk tour, when they started to slowly castrate the song into what it has become this current tour, a whiny ballad), the best was August 28, 1977 at the Forum in Inglewood CA. If they hadn't started the next song, people would STILL be applauding right now.

+1 it's like a ballad now.

[soul_drifter333]

That particular version is clear as a bell (through the night) and has the ending that the other version goes to a still shot at. Very nice!

[StreetAngel86]

Originally Posted by twinmatrix

+1 it's like a ballad now.

bring back any RAL incarnation.
thank you.

[SisterNightroad]

Originally Posted by chiliD

And that version paled in comparison to their normal concert versions at the time.

Of the 15 or 20 "Rhiannons" I saw them do in person (pre-Tusk tour, when they started to slowly castrate the song into what it has become this current tour, a whiny ballad), the best was August 28, 1977 at the Forum in Inglewood CA. If they hadn't started the next song, people would STILL be applauding right now.

Is it this?: http://www.mediafire.com/listen/frm7...5_Rhiannon.mp3
Cool.

[DauphineMarie]

Originally Posted by StreetAngel86

bring back any RAL incarnation.
thank you.

Second this

[rainy_sunday]

It may sound like a cliché but Rhiannon is my all time favourite concert song.

[SisterNightroad]

17 Reasons This 'Rhiannon' Clip Is the Coolest Thing in the Universe

1 This is the oldest video performance of Rhiannon that we have. It's watermarked and faded but it represents Stevie and Lindsey in their prime. I hope that one day when a boxset of Fleetwood Mac's discography will come this concert will be remastered and released on the white album deluxe edition.

2 Stevie's hair is like Suzie Quatro's.

3 She hasn't developed her stage look now but we can already have some foretaste from her pink/white blouse with butterfly wings.

4 Stevie has pants. bell-bottom high-waist pants.

5 Stevie has feathers in her ears, barely noticeable. Just like Janis Joplin, her inspiration.

6 Her voice is a bit soured, in the early tour she still hadn't learned how to use her voice, but she still puts on a great performance.

7 The song, and Stevie herself, is "unripe" compared to the later rendition but more spontaneous.

8 Mick himself is far from the elegant drummer sir we see on the Rumours tour. And he had a bad hat day.

9 Lindsey is hot with his satin blouse, hair in the air, pretending to have sex with is his guitar.

10 Stevie's Rhiannon dance is already fully developed, and it lasts almost an entire minute.

11 Stevie's lip biting at Stevie 5:45 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_kTZXoabnY#t=345)

12 The words that end the studio version, "dreams unwind, love's a state of mind", have only a brief mention and Stevie's ready to rock out.

13 She starts fluttering her bat-wings while Mick and Lindsey head-bang their instruments.

14 Stevie's chord suffers when she screams "please take me with you to the sky", making the performance even more heart-felt.

15 She keeps on screaming and stomping until the end, keeping the pace with the band even with her tired voice.

16 Stevie's last scream "take me like the wind, like the sky" makes her face red.

17 At 7:02 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_kTZXoabnY) she throws her head and arm down trailing behind her silk sleeve with an elegant gesture; the song is now over.

[rainy_sunday]

So cool, thanks for that!
Gotta love 70's Stevie...

Originally Posted by SisterNightroad

17 Reasons This 'Rhiannon' Clip Is the Coolest Thing in the Universe

1 This is the oldest video performance of Rhiannon that we have. It's watermarked and faded but it represents Stevie and Lindsey in their prime. I hope that one day when a boxset of Fleetwood Mac's discography will come this concert will be remastered and released on the white album deluxe edition.
2 Stevie's hair is like Suzie Quatro's.
3 She hasn't developed her stage look now but we can already have some foretaste from her pink/white blouse with butterfly wings.
4 Stevie has pants. bell-bottom high-waist pants.
5 Stevie has feathers in her ears, barely noticeable. Just like Janis Joplin, her inspiration.
6 Her voice is a bit soured, in the early tour she still hadn't learned how to use her voice, but she still puts on a great performance.
7 The song, and Stevie herself, is "unripe" compared to the later rendition but more spontaneous.
8 Mick himself is far from the elegant drummer sir we see on the Rumours tour. And he had a bad hat day.
9 Lindsey is hot with his satin blouse, hair in the air, pretending to have sex with is his guitar.
10 Stevie's Rhiannon dance is already fully developed, and it lasts almost an entire minute.
11 Stevie's lip biting at Stevie 5:45 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_kTZXoabnY#t=345)
12 The words that end the studio version, "dreams unwind, love's a state of mind", have only a brief mention and Stevie's ready to rock out.
13 She starts fluttering her bat-wings while Mick and Lindsey head-bang their instruments.
14 Stevie's chord suffers when she screams "please take me with you to the sky", making the performance even more heart-felt.
15 She keeps on screaming and stomping until the end, keeping the pace with the band even with her tired voice.
16 Stevie's last scream "take me like the wind, like the sky" makes her face red.
17 At 7:02 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_kTZXoabnY) she throws her head and arm down trailing behind her silk sleeve with an elegant gesture; the song is now over.

[SisterNightroad]

Originally Posted by rainy_sunday

So cool, thanks for that!
Gotta love 70's Stevie...

Thanks!!!

[SisterNightroad]

17 Reasons This 'Rhiannon' Clip Is the Coolest Thing in the Universe

1 This relatively new video has been retrieved from the vaults of the Paste.com site more or less a year and a half ago, and records a Rhiannon performance from the first tour of the new Fleetwood Mac formation with Buckingham-Nicks. It's black and white but very clear and with a vintage allure. I hope more footage like this from the early days comes out.

2 The performance it's a concentrated of Rhiannon: starts ex-abrupto, right in the middle of Lindsey's guitar solo and your ears are blasted. It's unbelievable that in the Rolling Stone list of the best guitarists of the time he is only 100th.

3 Lindsey is handsome with his beautiful curly hair and silk blouse.

4 Right after we see Christine that's very into the performance. She look gorgeous.

5 The first impression we have of Stevie is that of a graceful shadow bound in very light and see-through fabrics. She's already just captivating.

6 Next her image appears blending perfectly with that of Christine: a beautiful woman dancing with silky butterfly wings.

7 Stevie still performs in her clothes, this is before her Margi Kent uniform. Even so she looks like a mystical legendary creature. Can you believe you could have seen her on the streets dress like this?

8 She starts chanting the same line with very little variations; it's the calm before the storm and her voice gradually becomes higher and stronger

9 We finally see her (beautiful) face. She has closed her eyes savoring the moment that's about to come.

10 The song grows increasingly faster and harder and Stevie, always with closed eyes, repeats the same summoning line moving her fabrics like a shaman.

11 Mick is pounding frantically, keeping the band going.

12 Stevie shouts Rhiannon's name shaking her beautiful hair; she's near her breaking point.

13 Now she completely let go of herself, shaking her hair, stomping her feet, flapping her silks and shouting to 'please be taken to the sky' nearly straining her voice.

14 Stevie almost seem to command the listener to dream on. During a performance like this it's impossible not to dream, she's making her audience dream.

15 Stevie turns her back exausted near the end, and then lean herself on the microphone after a look at the other bandmates. All the band is putting a massive effort.

16 It ends with one last powerful scream and then she collaps with a reference to The Dying Swan.

17 Stevie rises again in a swirl of veils and thanks the audience with crystalline voice. She takes a last bewitching glance at the camera and smiles.

[SisterNightroad]

17 Reasons This 'Rhiannon' Clip Is the Coolest Thing in the Universe

1 This video is the studio performance of Rhiannon from the famous Rosebud documentary. This track plus Go your own way, You make loving fun and Say you love me should have been recorded live at Santa Barbara along with World Turning and I'm so Afraid, but the proximity of the venue with an airport made it impossible to use the footage as the show had been continuously disturbed by the planes flying. This makes the performance particularly powerful, precise and clear, counterbalancing the absence of the audience that in my opinion makes Stevie performances more fiery.

2 Part of the Rhiannon performed originally at Santa Barbara is visible on the Disney Channel documentary "Going Home" exactly here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDqkaUCk_oM#t=228. I always hope some more footage from this comes out.

3 It's 1976, by now Stevie is famous and Rhiannon is a staple song. She grew more confident in singing it and performing it, in this moment Rhiannon is a force of nature.

4 Stevie wears this beautiful Rhiannon dress with a deep V-neck, laces and beads on the cleavage. It's a beautiful dress, captured just this one time on video.

5 Her hair is so blonde it reflects light and seems golden.

6 The performance starts particularly slow, but Stevie's vocals are sharp and bright. 1976 is the best year for her voice.

7 Lindsey wears a blue silk kimono, matched with his eyes. Maybe it's a gift from Stevie or maybe he's just a dressy guy, anyway we ladies appreciate it.

8 Christine-Lindsey-Stevie harmonies on the chorus are soft and high, perfectly like the album ones.

9 "Once in a million years a lady like her rises Rhiannon you cry but she's gone" is biting, in anticipation of the approaching ending part of the song.

10 Stevie's lip biting at 2:11 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjx-NL4GlmE#t=131)

11 Above all the other's, Christine's harmonies are clear, but sweet, her voice emerges distinct from Lindsey's and Stevie's in the chorus.

12 After chanting like a siren "Taken by the sky" Stevie's roaring "No" prepares the viewer for the fiery end.

13 We have a close-up of John playing his bass. If you hadn't already noticed, you do now: he is effortlessly cool.

14 Stevie does her butterfly-flight dance. She glides and twirls rapidly, closes one wing on herself and then, with her head low down and her arms moving sinuously, starts to walk like a spider, her black veils hanging up from her arms. It's like a methamorphosis and Stevie from lightweight and balletic is becoming misterious and mighty.

15 Quickly the song itself morphes and Stevie starts screaming "dreams unwind love's a state of mind" while her arms twitch under the silks.

16 Mick, filled with tension and excitement, has a mad and fanatic espression, ready to lash back.

17 Stevie tosses her heir and finally explodes while Mick observes pleased: she screams to be taken to the sky extending her arms, her feet stomps and her arms frenetically open and close her black bat wings. Then she grabs at the microphone nearly destroying it and with a spurt of dark fabrics she unleashes in shouts and arms fluttering, culminating in a rasping yell of release with outstretched arms. After that, Stevie turns vehemently preparing for the grand ending: her hand gently brings her veil on the microphone while she does her last voice-shattering cry. John's bass close the effort.

[SisterNightroad]

17 Reasons This 'Rhiannon' Clip Is the Coolest Thing in the Universe

1 This is Fleetwood Mac performing in Philadelphia at the Spectrum on the 21 March 1977, around the 5th concert date. I'll be honest, I don't know how I can pull out 17 good things about it as in this video you almost can't see/hear ****, but it's a rare footage from the start of the Rumours tour and I think it would still be great to see the entirety of the show.

2 Stevie is still at the best of her voice and you can hear her still singing all the high notes and the high part of her harmonies, while later on the tour she switches part with Christine.

3 Fleetwood Mac perform in the dark, I think it would have been awesome to see them at the time with this special atmosphere.

4 We have the first decent close-up at 1:49. Stevie has her signature rumours shaggy hair, apart from here we can see it on video only on the footage from the Paris rehearsals used for the Don't stop and Dreams official video. I'd like to know if more video footage of those rehearsals exists.

5 The scream at 2:52 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1J7__XJU44I#t=172), just like on the White album tour.

6 After that, finally turns on the light, and we can see the rest of the band. At the beginning of the Rumours tour they wore clothes based on a sort of vintage concept, and we can see Lindsey with a Victorian blouse and John wearing a white shirt and a waistcoat. Later on the tour only Stevie and Mick would remain loyal to their stage clothes.

7 At 3:16 we have the first good close-up of Lindsey during his guitar solo in his resplendent shirt.

8 Around 4:25 Stevie reappears from the dark with her arms raised up with her silk wings/sleeves hanging from her hands on her face.

9 After a while it becomes a tiny bit clearer and we can see Stevie's arms covered in her Silver and white stones moving her hair from her face in preparation for the end.

10 We also get to see Christine dressed in white while Stevie passes her for a brief moment during her Rhiannon dance, the only moment of during this part of the song in wich both the ladies are visible.

11 At 5:21 Stevie moves her fingers in an enticing gesture while singing "take me like the wind, baby, take me with the sky"

12 After, Stevie grabs her microphone and the "exorcism" part begins: she screams the same line while looking at the audience all over the place making entice gestures with her arms, one at a time.

13 At 5:48 all the lights are on and Stevie now shouts, glaring in every direction, flapping her silks while moving backwards like preparing for an assault.

14 Now Stevie loses control and wrenches her microphone with her sleeves in every direction and completely throws back her head and hair before finishing the song.

15 After a last pull a the microphone, Stevie closes with a powerful cry: "take me to the sky, dreamer"

16 The song ends with Stevie letting herself fall on her knees with her silk sleeves hanging up her head.

17 The last thing we see is Stevie's nice big thanking smile.

[vivfox]

SisterNightRoad, WOW, I have never seen this video B4. Didn't know it existed and I Loved it.