Gypsy by Fleetwood Mac

Album: Mirage (1982)

Charted: 46 12

License This Song

lyrics

artistfacts

Songfacts®:

The "gypsy" is the free and fearless side of one's personality, which Stevie Nicks channels in this song.
Stevie Nicks wrote this song and planned to include it on her 1980 solo album Bella Donna. She didn't have room for it on the album, so she held it over for Fleetwood Mac's Mirage album. By this time, her friend Robin Anderson was dying of leukemia and the song became a tribute to her.
Shortly after Robin Anderson died, Stevie Nicks married her husband, Kim Anderson. In a 1990 interview with US magazine, Nicks explained: "Robin was one of the few women who ever got leukemia and then got pregnant. And they had to take the baby [named Matthew] at six-and-a-half months, and then she died two days later.

And when she died, I went crazy. I just went insane. And so did her husband. And we were the only two that could really understand the depth of the grief that we were going through. And I was determined to take care of that baby, so I said to Kim, 'I don't know, I guess we should just get married.' And so we got married three months after she died, and it was a terrible, terrible mistake. We didn't get married because we were in love, we got married because we were grieving and it was the only way that we could feel like we were doing anything. And we got divorced three months later.

I haven't seen Kim, nor have I seen Matthew, since that day. I suppose that Matthew will find me when he's ready. I mean, I am, really, next to Robin, his mommy. But Kim and I can't deal with each other at all. So when the baby's old enough, I have all of his mother's things, and I have her life on film for 14, 15 years. I have us on tape singing, I have a beautiful book that I wrote the year that she died, I have a roomful of stuff for him. I have his mother to give back to him when he's ready."
Fleetwood Mac recorded this at Le Chateau Studios in France, which was known as the "Honky Chateau" - Elton John recorded there and named his 1972 album after the studio's nickname.
Mick Fleetwood has cited this as one of his favorite Fleetwood Mac songs. "It really crystallizes that whole period of the early 1980s, when we were in our mid-30s and beginning to look back at our lost youth," he said.
Fleetwood Mac was an early adopter of music videos, making some even before MTV launched, since there were shows in Europe that would play them. Once MTV went on the air in 1981, they put more effort into their clips. The "Gypsy" video was directed by Russell Mulcahy, who directed the Buggles' "Video Killed The Radio Star." Mulcahy wasn't familiar with the tribulations of the band members' love lives, so he paired up Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks in some scenes. They had ceased to be a romantic couple six years earlier and had since become a contentious one. Still, they danced together in the video.
Stevie Nicks recorded a new version that was used as the theme song to the 2017 Netflix series Gypsy, starring Naomi Watts as a therapist who assumes an alternate personality she uses to connect with people her clients tell her about. The show's creator, Lisa Rubin, said she was listening to the song when she wrote the pilot. She told Entertainment Weekly: "It's melancholy yet full of desire. The tone captures the longing for who you used to be."

Comments: 14

Rick from West Chester, PaOne of the great rock videos, along with "Hold Me" it helped usher introduce me to rock videos. We were at a recent Fleetwood Mac concert in Atlantic City (which included the whole group and was fantastic) and Stevie started talking about being a young teen in the San Francisco area and visiting a store often used by the area's rock stars, not to buy but to soak in the atmosphere. It was called the Velvet Underground and it had lace and paper flowers. And then she started singing this song and of course it all clicked in.
George from Vancouver, CanadaStevie Nicks just did a redo of this song for a 30 years reflection -- it's on youtube -- I can still hear the greatness her voice used to have, but she's lost a lot in 30 years.... lookin' like she's lived a rough life in this time. . . :( So I found the FM original, & that made me happier.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn August 29th 1982, "Gypsy" by Fleetwood Mac entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #69; and on October 17th, 1982 it peaked at #12 {for 3 weeks} and spent 14 weeks on the Top 100...
It peaked at #9 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Tracks chart...
Between 1970 and 2003 the British/American quintet had twenty-five Top 100 records; nine made the Top 10 with one reaching #1, "Dreams" for 1 week on June 12th, 1977...
They just missed having eleven Top 10 records when "Rhiannon" and "Say You Love Me" both peaked at #11.
Steve from Whittier, CaThis reminds me of Stevie's song Sara.
Myrna from San Jose, CaIn 2013 Stevie Nicks did a Oprah special where she said that she and Mathew talk often and that she has paid for his college education.
Caroline from Cincinnati, OhOne of my very favorite songs. Really wonderful. Nearly makes me cry every time.
Steve from Chino Hills, CaI really love Stevie's voice in this song. It's raspy and smoky. You see, the problem is that today they would through Autotone on her voice to smooth it out, and ruin the inflections. There is so much character in her voice. It really shines in this song. I also love the guitar solo at the end.
Paul from Detroit, MiMy favorite Fleetwwod Mac song, ever. Everything about it is fantastic. I also loved Stevie in the sexy video back in '82.
Marcus from Houston, TxI love the video. Very classy and origional for its time. Probably the first music video to use black & white. Great costumes and choreography. Reminds me of those old movies and musicals from the 1930's & 1940's. The tuxedos and the dancing in the rain. Timeless.
Merin from Brisbane, AustraliaThis is my all-time officially favourite song, among lots of close runners. The feeling of joy does it.
Dave from Oreland, PaI saw Fleetwood Mac 2 nights ago in Philly...and Stevie said the true meaning of this song is about San Fransico about missing it and the atmosphere
Trist'n from Cheyenne/oak Harbor, WaI was watching an interview Stevie did about this song. She had said it was in relation to being on her own again, in her own apartment. You can find the interview on you tube if you hunt for it
Clare from Sarnia, CanadaThis is one of my very favorite songs by Stevie Nicks. This song reminds me of my mom, and with all the troubles she's went through in her life.
I love you mom and i love you stevie!!
Valerie from Eureka, CaWOW!!! I had no idea what Gypsy was about! I loved the song from the first time I heard it. Thanks to videos, I also love the video. It is such a deep feeling, loving and sad song at the same time. I hope Matthew finds Stevie so he can know his mother.

see more comments

More Songfacts:

Fields Of GoldSting

Sting wrote "Fields of Gold" after buying a house near a barley field and enjoying the majestic sunsets.

I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)The Proclaimers

Americans know the song "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" by The Proclaimers thanks to the 1993 Johnny Depp movie Benny & Joon, where it plays in the opening scene. The song was first released in 1988 but got little attention in the US until it showed up in the film.

We Belong TogetherMariah Carey

"We Belong Together" finds Mariah Carey listening to the radio and hearing songs that remind her of heartbreak. Two real songs get specific mentions: "If You Think You're Lonely Now" by Bobby Womack and "Two Occasions" by The Deele (Babyface's group).

Night ProwlerAC/DC

At the end of AC/DC's "Night Prowler," you hear Bon Scott say, "Shazbot, Nanu Nunu." Those were Robin Williams' sayings on his TV show Mork & Mindy. Scott was a big fan.