Stevie Nicks, former frontwoman of the iconic band Fleetwood Mac, released her newest single “The Lighthouse,” on Sept. 27. Nicks takes listeners through an in-depth journey, invoking emotions and deep thoughts about women’s rights in the United States after the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022.
With the release of “The Lighthouse,” Nicks took to Instagram saying, “I wrote this song a few months after Roe v. Wade was overturned.” She wrote, “This may be the most important thing I ever do. To stand up for the women of the United States and their daughters and granddaughters — and the men that love them. This is an anthem.”
The single begins harboring an eerie sound, with a dark production and distinctive melancholy vocals. Nicks sings, “I have my scars you have yours, don’t let them take your power.” As the song advances, the production is filled with booming drums and guitar, creating feelings of rage and fear. The track quickly changes from a melancholy reflection of women’s lost rights to an anger-filled anthem, imploring women to fight for those rights lost.
Nicks pays homage to the women’s rights activists who came before, singing, “Because everything I fought for long ago in a dream is gone.” In the pre-chorus, she sings, “I wanna tell ‘em this has happened before. Don’t let it happen again,” highlighting the journey of women in the United States since the first instance when women began to fight for rights.
She urges women to imagine their future with the disastrous outcomes as a result of reproductive freedoms being revoked in the United States. Nicks sings, “Try to see the future and get mad. It’s slippin’ through your fingers, you don’t have what you had. You don’t have much time.”
An emotional music video accompanied the release of the single, portraying Nicks in a lighthouse with stormy conditions surrounding her. The video includes photographs from women’s marches, ranging from some of the earliest documented to more currently, the United States after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The images featured in the music video showcase women from diverse backgrounds, all fighting for the same cause.
As a well-known activist for women’s rights, Stevie Nicks has previously made political statements through both songs and social media. In 2020, Nicks released “Show Them The Way,” which called for peace during an election season filled with hate. She most recently endorsed Kamala Harris and Tim Walz on her Instagram, signing her post off as a “Childless dog lady,” alluding to J.D Vance’s — Donald Trump’s running mate — previous comments on “childless cat ladies.”
This single is quintessentially Stevie Nicks. It fits her well-known “witchy” aesthetic, but the single’s main draw is its meaning. Listeners will find themselves thinking of more significant questions when listening and hopefully looking for ways to take action. Nicks urges women to fight for their rights for themselves, for the future and for preserving the legacy of previous generations.
Highlighting women’s strength when fighting together, “The Lighthouse” is a love letter to all women and an emotional cry for action.
