🌙 About the Song
Landslide is one of those songs that sounds like it’s always existed. Stevie Nicks wrote it in 1973 while sitting on the floor in Aspen, staring at the Rocky Mountains and wondering if she should give up music altogether. She was broke, unsure, and emotionally exhausted from her complicated relationship with Lindsey Buckingham. Out of that storm came a song that quietly captured every fear, doubt, and flicker of hope she felt — and it changed everything.
When Fleetwood Mac released it in 1975, it wasn’t even a single at first, but fans latched onto it instantly. It’s since become one of their most beloved songs, covered by everyone from The Smashing Pumpkins to The Chicks, and played at roughly one million weddings and tearful open mics.
It’s not just a song about getting older — it’s about growing wiser, softer, and braver. Stevie Nicks said it best: “I wrote ‘Landslide’ for my father, but it was really about me.”
🎸 Ukulele Playing Tips
- Chords:C – G/B – Am7 – G – F – C/E – D7/F# – Gsus4 – G.
- But you can simplify beautifully with C – G – Am – F and it’ll still sound gorgeous.
- Picking pattern: Finger-pick for maximum emotion — thumb on C string, index on E, middle on A — slow roll, one note per beat.
- Tempo: About 72 bpm. Take your time. The pauses are part of the message.
- Tone: Soft and warm. Play close to the neck to bring out that mellow “Stevie hum.”
- Dynamics: Start whisper-quiet, rise gently in the middle, then let the final lines fade into silence.
- Optional strum: If finger-picking’s not your thing, use a featherlight Down–Down–Up–Up–Down-Up — barely touch the strings.
- Pro tip: End on Fmaj7 (2413) → Cmaj7 (0002) → C, and let it ring. That little shimmer is pure magic.
🧠 Trivia You Can Drop Casually
- Stevie wrote it before Fleetwood Mac’s fame — she thought it might be her last song before quitting music.
- Her dad was a corporate exec, and when she told him she might quit, he said, “Don’t stop now — the landslide will bring you down.” The lyric stuck.
- It wasn’t a hit until Fleetwood Mac (1975) was reissued in the late ’90s after The Dance reunion — then it exploded all over again.
- Landslide has been used in everything from Glee to American Horror Story, solidifying its reputation as the ultimate emotional gut-punch.
🌈 Final Word
Play Landslide like you’re talking to your younger self. Keep the tempo slow, your strums soft, and your voice vulnerable.
Don’t perform it — feel it. Every chord is a heartbeat, every pause a breath.
If someone doesn’t tear up a little by the last “I’m getting older too,” they might be made of stone.
