So long ago
Certain place
Certain time
You touched my hand
All the way
All the way down to Emmiline
But if our paths never cross
Well you know I'm sorry but

If I live to see the seven wonders
I'll make a path to the rainbow's end
I'll never live to match the beauty again
The rainbow's end

Tara....Tara

So it's hard to find
Someone with that kind
Of intensity
You touched my hand
I played it cool
And you reached out your hand to me
But if our paths never cross
Well you know I'm sorry but

If I live to see the seven wonders
I'll make a path to the rainbow's end
I'll never live to match the beauty again
The rainbow's end

Tara....Tara

So long ago
It's a certain time
It's a certain place
You touched my hand
And you smiled
All the way back you held out your hand
If I hope and if I pray
Ooh, it might work out someday

If I live to see the seven wonders
I'll make a path to the rainbow's end
I'll never live to match the beauty again

If I live to see the seven wonders
I'll make a path back
I'll never live to see that beauty, that beauty
That same, same beauty again

If I live to see that
Oh, well, if I hope I pray
Maybe it might work out someday
If I live to see that...

WEBMISTRESS speculates:

While I'm not sure what "additional lyrics" Stevie added to a song written by someone else, I am still going to give it a try. This love was a "long time ago", but Stevie knows she'll never see its like again. She remembers his "intensity" (see No Questions Asked) - can she really replace Lindsey? She doesn't think so - she'd rather "hope and pray it might work out someday." Unfortunately, her hopes didn't keep him in the band at this point....but then again, the band did reunite ten years later, so I guess it did work out in the end! Now they can be friends.

 

SCOTT speculates:

As a long time fan of Stevie's work (both as her solo career and with Fleetwood Mac as well), I think we have all speculated on the meaning's of Stevie's great works, as they truly are enchanting. I do however beg to differ with you on the meaning of her song Seven Wonders. I see her song Seven Wonders as another in her self tributes to what she has done with her life. As she has said many times in the last few years in interviews--she was always more interested personally in being "the big time rock and roll star" and being remembered for being a really great prolific songwriter than she was being a typical wife/mother.

Metaphorically I see the chorus as a young traveller with an intense personal passion to see the "seven wonders" of the world--and as Stevie searched for and reached fame and success she was trying to find those seven wonders for herself and I personally think that Stevie was trying to say--that if she ever did find them, if she ever did achieve that high plateau of sucess she set for herself, she would then make her path for "that" rainbow's end. "That" rainbow being the typical one of eventually "settling down" and getting married and becoming the mother. . .etc. . . In a nutshell I think Stevie was trying to say--if she achieved everything she wanted from her music and her work, that she would then perhaps consider that "happy home life" someday. But she was making it clear that her music was her first priority in life.

 

SUSAN speculates:

The additional lyrics Stevie came up with were "All the way to Emmiline"... when Sandy brought the song to Stevie, the lyrics were "All the way down the line" but Stevie changed it to "Emmiline"..... I think she had misheard them or something. That was the story I had always heard!

 

KYRI speculates:

I believe that Stevie is a highly intelligent and spiritual woman and that the songs have meanings on many levels. I believe that her reference to the rainbow's end is her association with the Seeker.. The first card in a Tarot deck's high arcana..."the seeker steps off on the rainbow path, impelled by the song of the birds of Rhiannon which fly above"... The Seeker is on a quest that begins with a question "Why are things like this?"

The Seeker's steps upon the path are directed by communion with Rhiannon's Birds, whose song of "Come Away" sounds in the Seeker's ears. The birds betoken joy, sorrow, and awareness of the Other world, for they sing eternally on the Tree of Life in the Land of Promise. Though having a deep connection with the Spirit realm, the Seeker must travel the physical world. I believe that she can identify with this... Your spirit longs for that other place, but you are here upon your present quest. This is a journey that will change us...The rainbow's end is balance and harmony, in my opinion Tara... Not the Tara of Gone with the Wind, but the Hill of Tara a prehistoric Holy burial site in County Meath where the prophet Teia Tephi was crowned Queen of Ireland after her long journey with Jeremiah from Jerusalem to Ireland... He took her hand all the way down the line... I believe it is a connection she feels with the far past of her soul, I believe that souls touch in many lifetimes... Maybe in this lifetime it is not meant to be, but if you hope and pray, then it may be one day, if only in another life... "If our paths never cross, Well you know I'm sorry but..." She is dedicated to her path and will not comprimise, not even for a love she longs for. Another hallmark of the Seeker... dedication to the path. Rhiannon is a Goddess of the Moon and Dreams. I think Stevie is a Dreamer. The Goddess shows you a path and you have to make a choice. Maybe it broke her heart, but as the Seeker, she does what is best for all. She gave up being the mother/ wife to bring the beauty of her music to the world... " And you think you must do what you feel you do best.." In so many songs she gives insights to an amazing soul, very in touch with and touched by the Goddess.

Again, this is what the song means to me,and I stress a humble opinion. I think only she truly knows what she meant on all levels.