Stevie Nicks Call This Beatles Track as “The Perfect Song”
via Stevie Nicks / Youtube
Early Influence and Musical Roots
Before she became a rock icon, Stevie Nicks was shaped by the music she grew up with. Her own catalog is full of emotional moments, from the passing reflections in “Landslide” to the personal meaning behind “Edge of Seventeen.” But even with all her success, Nicks has always shown deep respect for the musicians who came before her.
Long before joining Fleetwood Mac, Nicks was already focused on her music. She moved to California with Lindsey Buckingham to chase their dreams. While working as a housekeeper for her producer, she stayed committed to her songwriting. Even then, she believed music was something she could always count on.
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The Beatles and Songwriting Lessons
Among her biggest influences, Nicks has often pointed to The Beatles as one of the most important. She learned early on that their music held lessons for anyone wanting to write songs. Speaking to Rolling Stone, she said: “I was first starting to play the guitar, but I already knew I was going to be a songwriter. I would sit on my bed and learn all these songs – not the incredible chords they used, but I could get through them.”
One song that stood out to her was “Yesterday.” Though it came from The Beatles’ earlier work, before their music became more experimental, Paul McCartney’s emotional ballad about lost love struck a chord with her. The song became one of the most covered tracks in history and held deep meaning for Nicks.
What Made ‘Yesterday’ So Meaningful
Nicks saw something in “Yesterday” that went beyond sadness. She believed the song hinted at what McCartney would later face with his wife Linda, saying, “I think ‘Yesterday’ was very much a premonition of Paul of what was to come with Linda – finding his one great love, and then what it was to lose her. It’s the perfect song.”
To her, “Yesterday” wasn’t just a hit—it was a masterclass in simplicity and raw feeling. The song’s power came from its quiet approach. There was no need for heavy production or dramatic vocals. The beauty came from the melody and the pain tucked inside the lyrics. That idea—moving people with subtle emotion—would become a big part of her own writing style.
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The Song’s Quiet Strength
Nicks understood early on that great songs don’t always shout. The ones that stay with you are often the quietest, the ones that seem to sneak into your thoughts when you least expect them. She took that idea and made it part of her own music, always hinting at deeper feelings without fully explaining everything. That kind of songwriting has always set her apart.
“Yesterday” was also one of the few Beatles songs to feature just Paul McCartney. It was inspired in part by the loss of his mother and came together over time. Although the band had originally planned to build a bigger arrangement around it, they kept it simple, adding only a string quartet. That decision helped the song reach its final, timeless form.
How Nicks Applied the Lesson
In the 1970s, Nicks experienced similar highs as The Beatles. Her band Fleetwood Mac had massive success with Rumours, though it was recorded during personal struggles. Despite the tension, the album became one of the most important releases of the decade. That balance between pain and beauty was something both The Beatles and Nicks knew how to use in their music.
Looking back, Nicks said The Beatles helped shape her writing style. “These guys truly wrote about the intricacies of relationships. It was going deeper, and that’s what we were surprised by.” Thanks to them, rock music started to explore more honest emotions. Nicks carried that spirit into her own songs, always digging a little deeper.
