How Lindsey Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood Contributed to Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Gold Dust Woman’
Stevie Nicks is the songwriter behind “Gold Dust Woman,” even if Lindsey Buckingham added some splintering glass to make the song more “atmospheric.” Here’s what we know about this Fleetwood Mac original, including on Rumours.
Stevie Nicks appeared as a Fleetwood Mac songwriter and vocalist
After recording and releasing music as a duo, Nicks and Buckingham joined Fleetwood Mac. Nicks wrote originals for the group, some detailing her complicated relationship with Buckingham.
That includes “The Chain,” which was created by all five members of Fleetwood Mac — Christine McVie, John McVie, Mick Fleetwood, Buckingham, and Nicks. Nicks is also the mastermind behind “Gold Dust Woman,” a song about a woman in turmoil.
“Well, did she make you cry,” the chorus states, “Make you break down / Shatter your illusions of love? And is it over now, do you know how? Pick up the pieces and go home.”
Lindsey Buckingham added to Stevie Nicks’ Fleetwood Mac original, ‘Gold Dust Woman’
In Storms: My Life with Lindsey Buckingham and Fleetwood Mac, Buckingham’s ex-girlfriend Carol Ann Harris detailed her time adjacent to the rock band. She detailed Rumour getting its first reviews and the band’s process of writing originals — including Nicks’ “Gold Dust Woman.”
The Fleetwood Mac original “‘needs something,’ Lindsey announced through the smoke,” according to Harris. “‘It’s not atmospheric enough. So, we brought some sheets of glass and set up microphones in the parking lot. We want to record the sound of splintering glass and work it into the song.'”
“‘I want to be the one who gets to crash the glass! Me, me! I’m the tallest! I’m the best glass-breaker in the friggin’ world! Let’s do it,'” Fleetwood chimed in, according to the same autobiography.
As Spotify, Nicks is credited as the sole songwriter, with Christine McVie, Ken Caillat, and Richard Dashut listed as producers. Since its release, “Gold Dust Woman” became one of Fleetwood Mac’s most popular releases, earning over 90 million plays. It was even used in the FX original, American Horror Story.
Stevie Nicks wrote ‘Storms’ for Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Tusk’
“Gold Dust Woman” wouldn’t be the only original Nicks brought to Buckingham for tweaking — which turned into criticism. Nicks presented “Storms” to the Fleetwood Mac member.
“He tore it apart,” Harris wrote in the same memoir. “By the time he was finished dissecting everything in detail about what was wrong with the song, he smiled serenely and said, ‘I like it, Stevie. It just needs some work.’”
“The end result was always the same: a snarling, vicious battle over her music,” Harris added. This track was eventually added to Tusk, with Nicks credited as the primary songwriter. Of course, Nicks eventually branched out to release solo music, including “Edge of Seventeen.”
