Crystal (Fleetwood Mac song)

"Crystal"
Song by Fleetwood Mac
from the album Fleetwood Mac
Released	1975
Recorded	1975
Length	5:14
Label	Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s)	Stevie Nicks
Producer(s)	Fleetwood Mac, Keith Olsen

"Crystal" is a song by the British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac from their 1975 eponymous album. Written by Stevie Nicks, the song originally appeared on her and Lindsey Buckingham’s studio album, Buckingham Nicks (1973). Two years later, after joining Fleetwood Mac, it was re-recorded and released for a second time.^[1] In 1998, Nicks re-recorded the song with herself on lead vocals for the Practical Magic soundtrack.^[2]

Background

“Crystal” first appeared on Buckingham Nicks, an album recorded by Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks in 1973 prior to their time in Fleetwood Mac.^[3] In her book Stevie Nicks: Visions, Dreams & Rumours, Zoë Howe stated that Nicks wrote "Crystal" with her father and grandfather in mind.^[4] Despite being written by Nicks, the song was instead sung by Buckingham partially because producer Keith Olsen believed that his vocal timbre suited the song better.^[3] This version also featured an oboe at the end of each chorus.^[5]

Following the additions of Buckingham and Nicks in Fleetwood Mac, the band opted to record another version for their 1975 eponymous release, again with Buckingham on lead vocals.^[6] For this recording, Christine McVie recorded the keyboard solo on a multimoog synthesizer. "It wasn't even mine, though. There was some mad little professor guy running around twiddling all the knobs for me while I played it. I think he slept with the damn thing".^[7] The band previewed the song during their Fleetwood Mac Tour prior to the album’s release.^[8]

In 1998, Nicks recorded another version of the song for the Practical Magic soundtrack, this time with herself on lead vocals. Bob Aguirre, who played drums in a band with Nicks during the early 1970s, said that he was "floored by the way she sang it" and gave Nicks a phone call to compliment her vocal performance.^[9]

Personnel

Fleetwood Mac version

• Lindsey Buckingham – lead vocals, guitar
• Mick Fleetwood – drums
• Christine McVie – keyboards
• John McVie – bass guitar
• Stevie Nicks – backing vocals

References

1. Wake, Matt (25 October 2018). "45 years later Buckingham Nicks album still casts spell". al. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
2. Masley, Ed. "The Stevie Nicks 'Dreams' TikTok challenge was huge. Why her song 'Crystal' could be next". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
3. "Keith Olsen Q&A, Section One: May 2000". The Penguin. Archived from the original on 1 June 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
4. Howe, Zoë (2015). Stevie Nicks: Visions, Dreams & Rumours. Omnibus Press. p. 48. ISBN 978-1-4683-1066-5.
5. "Keith Olsen Q&A, Section Two: May 2000". The Penguin. Archived from the original on 1 June 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
6. Puterbaugh, Parke (2004). Fleetwood Mac (2004 Remastered Edition) (Liner Notes). Fleetwood Mac. Los Angeles: Reprise Records. p. 7.
7. "From the Archive: Christine McVie - KeyboardMag". KeyboardMag. Archived from the original on 10 July 2015. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
8. Fleetwood, Mick (2014). Play On: Now, Then, and Fleetwood Mac: The Autobiography. Little, Brown. p. 175. ISBN 978-0316403405.
9. Avila, Mary (7 April 2015). "Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham before Fleetwood Mac". Patriot Ledger. Retrieved 1 December 2023.