Landslide

The harmonic distinctiveness of Landslide lies in its perpetual motion. By utilizing a 1-7-6-7 bass movement, Buckingham creates a 'pendulum' harmony that feels both grounded and unsettled. The lack of a strong IV chord (the subdominant is mostly absent in the verse loop) and the reliance on inversions give the song a folk-classical hybrid feel, emphasizing the 'circular' nature of time and reflection described in Stevie Nicks' lyrics.

Stevie Nicks wrote the song while she and Lindsey Buckingham were in Aspen, Colorado, contemplating their future. They had recently been dropped by Polydor Records after their 'Buckingham Nicks' album failed to gain traction, and Nicks was working as a waitress and cleaning lady to support them. She wrote the song on a guitar in about five minutes while looking at the Rocky Mountains, reflecting on the fragility of her career and her relationship.

Written by Stevie Nicks during a period of personal uncertainty in Aspen, this track defines the soft-rock era with its raw vulnerability. It showcases the intimate musical chemistry between Nicks' smoky vocals and Lindsey Buckingham's intricate fingerstyle guitar work.