I took my love, I took it down
I climbed a mountain and I turned around
And I saw my reflection in the snow-covered hills
'Til the landslide brought me down

Oh, mirror in the sky
What is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?

Well, I've been afraid of changing
'Cause I've built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Even children get older
And I'm getting older, too

Well, I've been afraid of changing
'Cause I've built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Even children get older
And I'm getting older, too
Oh, I'm getting older, too

Oh, take my love, take it down
Oh, climb a mountain and turn around
And if you see my reflection in the snow-covered hills
Well, the landslide will bring it down

And if you see my reflection in the snow-covered hills...
Well, the landslide will bring it down
Oh, the landslide'll bring it down

Live versions appear on "Live" (1980), "The Dance" (1997), "Live in Boston" (2004) and "Crystal Visions" (2007)

Live version with Dixie Chicks released on "Divas Las Vegas" (2002)

WEBMISTRESS speculates:

What a pretty song this is! I love it. The story around this one is that it was written after Lindsey and Stevie had a big fight in a cabin on a mountain - so big that Stevie and Lindsey didn't want to ride home together. Stevie opted to take the bus and Lindsey took the car. Only one problem: there was a bus strike and Stevie got stranded! (Imagine the guilt trip Lindsey must have had!) The good news is it inspired her to write a wonderful song.

In this song, she is being very introspective. She's worried about her future - can she "handle the seasons" of her life? Is this really love? Is she happy with the reflection she's seeing in the snow? Then we get to the crux of the matter: "I've been afraid of changing because I built my life around you." Stevie and Lindsey were in this together; they had pinned all their hopes on each other and Stevie was afraid to let that go - could she handle being alone? "But time makes you bolder." She's maturing and gathering the courage to be independent. But there is still a chance Lindsey can join her on that mountain, that he can deal with her changes and see her reflection as well. So it ends with some hope - it's not over yet.

 

JAZ speculates:

I agree with you that the song is about growing and changing, and you definitely have me beaten on the "facts" that inspired the song; however, on the live version, she says "This is for you, Daddy." I had always thought the song was about a relationship, but now I think it could also be one of a parent and a child letting go.

I think she is saying that she is a child and is growing up and that she isn't sure what the future holds (again I'm going on the live version) and that she is struggling to get to the top of that mountain (her dreams in life) and that she may not make it, but if she doesn't, the landslide will bring her down. I think she realizes that she is changing and that she has been afraid to do that before because she built her life around her parents, and now she's moving on.

I agree with the relationship between boy and girl, too--this is just more food for thought.

 

RACHAEL speculates:

I love the song Landslide, but also thought it had a different meaning. I envisioned a wife who put up with a less than happy marriage for her kids with many obstacles along the way, and when they were grown she felt that maybe she could leave the relationship. I was way off on that one. This song is a classic and however one interprets it, it is a beautiful song.

 

KEVIN speculates:

The song landslide is one of the best songs ever written and with all good songs there can be more then one meaning. What I have always loved about Stevie is although something is written for a certain moment or person it can be interpreted to fit your own ideas. On her live version with The Dance maybe "daddy" is Mick. He always was thought as the dad of Fleetwood Mac and she can take those feelings she has about that song and change it for how she felt about Mick instead.