Fleetwood Mac was one of the most volatile rock bands of the ’70s & 80s. The group’s legendary interpersonal strife, particularly between Stevie Nicks and Lyndsey Buckingham, fueled much of the songwriting for their “Rumors” & “Tusk” masterpieces. The 1982 release of “Mirage” was the band’s first album in the MTV era. Unlike many rock contemporaries, they embraced the new medium with several lavish, big-budget videos.
“Gypsy” was the second single released, and while it’s technically a Fleetwood Mac track, this became a signature song for Stevie Nicks. In the early 80s, Nicks had a successful solo career, and “Gypsy” sounds like it’s from her many album releases. Nicks wrote the track herself, and the elegant lyrics are full of her songwriting craft, enhanced by Fleetwood Mac’s excellent musicianship.
And for Fleetwood Mac’s second music video, they went big with an elaborate video from director Russell Mulcahy. The Australian auteur was quickly becoming the Cecil B. DeMille of video directors, having helmed the first video to launch MTV, “Video Killed the Radio Star,” and Duran Duran’s breakout hit “Hungry Like the Wolf.” In the well-edited clip, Stevie Nicks is front and center with her luminous beauty as she moves between different time periods. Reportedly the band was still feuding during filming, so Mulcahy had to be careful how he set up shots, and you can notice that the band are rarely in the same frame together.
Check out the video below, and let me know your thoughts in the comments.
Great review filled with great insight! Love the video. Love the song. And looove Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac! Seen them many times in concert and always with it.