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Originally Posted by glitter_fades
The stuff about her not knowing the Rhiannon myth is hard to swallow. Perhaps she hadn't read all the books but I thought she said once that she got the idea while reading one of the Triad stories during an airline flight? I think the most significant thing she's ever said about writing Rhiannon was what she said at the Tuscaloosa BN show. She did mention Rhiannon was about a witch, but she also said she wrote the song about a lady with 2 personalities and that she was facinated by that.
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I am not sure what show I have the BN Rhiannon from, but this is what she says to introduce the song:
"This next song is a brand new song, it's called Rhiannon, which is a Welch female name, I got it out of a book about a lady with two personalities, and I thought it was *sooo* fascinating that I just had to write a song about it. She's a little weird, but...I hope you like it 'cause it's brand new." (and then off topic, it sounds like she might be saying "...and *don't* play it too fast...." to the band?? If so, I think that is so funny. And then it is played fast, which I happen tothink sounds great. Oh well.
Anyways, I've been a Stevie fan since I was young, like around 1981, and things I've read since then, magazine interviews, books, etc. says she wrote the song about a character in a novel. The book is called Triad, by Mary Leader. It is like a "horror" or "mystery" novel, but not about the goddess Rhiannon or that myth.
Then later on when the song Rhiannon by FWM became famous on the radio, someone gave her the Rhiannon myth books (which are not written by Mary Leader, I forget who wrote them, you can probably look them up online at book stores that carry out-of-print books ~ but they are books about the old legend of Rhiannon, and other gods/goddess of the Welch pantheon), all about the Welch myth and legend. I have many goddess myths and stories from different pantheons around the world, and the Celtic ones are really interesting - funny how in school they only ever teach of the old Greek pantheon).
Witchcraft was becoming popular in the US in the early 70's and already had been getting popular in England. I am sure they all wondered about the song Rhiannon, and many probably became Stevie fans and probaly asked her about it, and probably even gave her more books, info, and talked to her about it all, including witchcraft, etc. Seems like Stevie Nicks likes reading about all religions though, not just pagan ones. I think of her as a very spiritual person, not as a pagan or witch. She did have a very witchy vibe inthe 70's, but there seems much more to her than just that.
lol- that's so funny (and true) about her seeming to "run from" the witchy word now - heh! But can we blame her for not wanting to dwell on soley the witchy part forever? She did get negative press and some people banning her albums. Why tick off a whole section of people (born-agains, baptists, etc.), and alientate them from your music.
In one book I have, it mentions when she gets upset of people talking about her always wearing black, so for the Tusk tour she got some pastel outfits, and within the band (or road crew or whatever, I forget) they (including Stevie too?) called them the Easter outfits - lol! But I do love some of those outfits. The in Mirage I love all the white and cream colored outfits she wore.