“Rhiannon” Lyrics & Meaning (Fleetwood Mac)

Few songs are as beautiful as Rhiannon.

And few performers are as mesmerizing as Stevie Nicks when she sings the song live.

But what is she actually singing about?

Who is Rhiannon and what is the Rhiannon lyrics meaning?

You may have heard that it has something to do with witchcraft.

That is partially true. Keep reading to learn exactly what Stevie Nicks had in mind when she wrote this song.

 

Rhiannon Lyrics & Meaning

Rhiannon is a song performed by Fleetwood Mac. They released it in 1976 on their self-titled album Fleetwood Mac. The song became so popular that it is now considered one of the top 500 of all songs ever.

It is an outstanding achievement that really showed the power of Stevie Nicks’ song writing capabilities. It was a launching pad that let her to a successful solo career.

She based on the song on a Welsh mythological figure, Rhiannon. She is a mysterious and alluring figure who is associated with horses and birds. Nicks got the idea from a novel she read: “Triad: A Novel of the Supernatural” by Mary Bartlet Leader.

When it was first released, Rhiannon was met with praise by both critics and the public. The song peaked at number 11 in the US but found itself in the top 10 worldwide.

Since then, it has continued to become more popular and is now one of the most beloved and popular songs from Fleetwood Mac. The song stands out for its lyrics and the haunting presence it gives us when listening to it.

Rhiannon has Stevie Nicks on vocals, Lindsey Buckingham on the guitar and backing vocals, Christine McVie on the keyboard and backing vocals, John McVie on the bass and Mick Fleetwood on the drums.

Since its release, the song has been covered on multiple occasions. It has become a timeless classic that has touched so many different people.

Nicks loved to sing this song live and it showed in her performances. It really felt like she was possessed by Rhiannon when she sang it, which led to a unique experience for all her fans. Watch the video just below to see what I mean.

 

Rhiannon Lyrics

 

Verse 1

Rhiannon rings like a bell through the night
And wouldn’t you love to love her?
Takes to the sky like a bird in flight
And who will be her lover?

Chorus

All your life you’ve never seen
Woman taken by the wind
Would you stay if she promised you heaven?
Will you ever win?

Verse 2

She is like a cat in the dark
And then she is the darkness
She rules her life like a fine skylark
And when the sky is starless

Chorus

All your life you’ve never seen
Woman taken by the wind
Would you stay if she promised you heaven?
Will you ever win?
Will you ever win?

Rhiannon
Rhiannon
Rhiannon
Rhiannon

Verse 3

She rings like a bell through the night
And wouldn’t you love to love her?
She rules her life like a bird in flight
And who will be her lover?

Chorus

All your life you’ve never seen
Woman taken by the wind
Would you stay if she promised you heaven?
Will you ever win?
Will you ever win?

Rhiannon
Rhiannon
Rhiannon

Taken by, taken by the sky
(Ah-ah)
Taken by, taken by the sky
(Ah-ah)
Taken by, taken by the sky
(Ah-ah)

Outro

Dreams unwind
Love’s a state of mind
Dreams unwind
Love’s a state of mind

 

Rhiannon Meaning

The mythological figure of Rhiannon is often linked with horses, magic and beauty. Nicks took inspiration from the folklore elements of Rhiannon to create a soft and magical sounding song.

The character is supposed to have a dark and mysterious personality, and this is what originally caught Nick’s attention and made her fall in love with Rhiannon.

Rhiannon is supposed to express themes of freedom and femininity, reflecting more on women in the modern-day period instead of in mythology.

Nicks uses this song to reflect on modern women who defy societal norms and instead act how they want and work toward their own goals, not those society feels they should aspire to.

Nicks reflects this in the lyrics she wrote. “She is like a cat in the dark” illustrates a woman’s comfort when being herself in her natural element, portraying that she knows how to look after herself.

When Nicks wrote the song, she was also exploring a different side of herself. She was interested in spirituality and her own growth as a woman. This is probably why she was also reading a book on mythology and took inspiration from a prominent figure in Welsh mythology.

The lyrics from this song show that she wants to feel freedom while also having a closer connection with love and the spirituality she feels from Rhiannon.

Nicks managed to turn a song about a Welsh myth into something much more than that. She flipped it around to reflect her own life experiences as a woman in the hope that this power of femininity would then inspire other females.

She flawlessly sang about both mythology and real life blended into one unique song. And she did so while also managing to captivate listeners from around the world. She created one of the most popular and beloved songs of all time.

 

Rhiannon Lyrics Meaning: Final Thoughts

Stevie Nicks took inspiration from a novel, a Welsh myth, and her own life experiences to come up with the Rhiannon lyrics meaning. She blended everything seamlessly and created a timeless classic.

With this song, she showed that she is a world-class songwriter. And that led to a successful solo career. In fact, we have a similar lyric analysis for Edge of Seventeen, another one for the Landslide lyrics, another one for the meaning of the Dreams lyrics, and another one for the Silver Springs lyrics meaning.