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The Penguin Discography: Silver Springs




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    Song Title »
Silver Springs
    Authors »
Stevie Nicks

    Year Written »
1976

    This Performance »
Date Performance 1997-06-00
Running Time 5:41
Sound Clip Listen.
Performers Lenny Castro (Percussion), Mindy Stein (Background Vocals), Neale Heywood (Guitar), Neale Heywood (Background Vocals), Sharon Celani (Background Vocals), Brett Tuggle (Background Vocals), Brett Tuggle (Keyboards), Brett Tuggle (Guitars), Stevie Nicks (Vocals), Lindsey Buckingham (Guitar), Lindsey Buckingham (Vocals), Christine McVie (Keyboards), Christine McVie (Vocals), John McVie (Bass), Mick Fleetwood (Drums)
Appears On
The Dance (1997)
Fleetwood Mac
The Dance (1997)
Fleetwood Mac
1998 Grammy Nominees (1998)
Various Artists
Fleetwood Mac: The Dance (Piano/Vocal/Chords) (1998)
Warner Brothers Publications Inc.
Silver Springs/Silver Springs (0000)
Fleetwood Mac
Silver Springs/Go Your Own Way/Songbird/Gypsy (0000)
Fleetwood Mac

    Lyrics »

You could be my silver spring
Blue-green colors flashing
I would be your only dream
Your shining over ocean crashing

Don't say that she's pretty
And did you say that she loved you
Baby I don't want to know

So I begin not to love you
Turn 'round, see me running
I say I loved you years ago
But tell myself you never loved me no

And don't say that she's pretty
And did you say that she loved you
Baby I don't want to know

Oh no

And can you tell me was it worth it
Baby I don't want to know

Time cast a spell on you
But you won't forget me
I know I could have loved you
But you would not let me

Time cast a spell on you
But you won't forget me
I know I could have loved you
But you would not let me

I follow you down 'till the sound
Of my voice will haunt you
(Give me just a chance)
You'll never get away from the sound
Of the woman who loves you
(Was I just a fool)

I follow you down 'till the sound
Of my voice will haunt you
(Give me just a chance)
You'll never get away from the sound
Of the woman who loves you
(Was I just a fool)

    Fan Interpretation »

Contributors to this interpretation included: Lesley, Lauren, FmFan, Bonnie, Ava, Casi, Justine, Janet, Toni, SlvrSpgs, AJ, Drew, Phil, and Ann S..

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This composition by Stevie Nicks is haunting (a word that came up many times during the discussions) and ethereal, with its lovely chorus and lilting melody. However, the song has slightly dark underpinnings, as many contributors noted. The song was originally written for the Rumours album, but was dumped for a number of reasons for the song "I Don't Want to Know ." This event proved to be a sensitive issue among the band members, especially the author, as she had given the song to her mother, Barbara Nicks, as a gift.

The first stanza, "You could be my silver spring...Blue-green colors flashing" was interpreted different ways by different people. One contributor thought that 'blue' stood for sadness and 'green' for envy, and that 'colors flashing' was similar to the phrase "eyes flashing" (eyes are the window to one's soul.) Another person considered it Stevie's way of saying what she and her then-boyfriend, Lindsey Buckingham, could have had together- a kind of fairy tale. Stevie could be saying that they could have had a perfect love, as flawless as springs or oceans. (Similar to Lindsey and Stevie's "Frozen Love," in that both seem to be asking for untainted and pure love for each other.)

The second part of the song, "Don't say that she's pretty...Baby, I don't want to know" may have reflected Stevie's contempt for the other women Lindsey dated, notably Carol Ann Harris. Even though she wanted to be free of her relationship with Lindsey, she still was jealous and angry ("Blue-green" comes to mind again).

The third verse, "So I begin not to love you; Turn around, see me running..." seems to be Stevie telling herself that the the man never loved her, and therefore it didn't matter that the relationship had failed. In her heart, however, she knows that they really did love each other, but it's gone now, so it's best that she runs from him. It is essentially her in denial.

"Time cast a spell on you, but you won't forget me..." The chorus of this song has a haunting quality apparent in many of Stevie's other songs. "I've Loved and I've Lost and I'm Sad but Not Blue," the very first song she wrote, seems to be the recurrent theme in practically every song she's written since then. She's lost her man (Lindsey), but she knows that she'll always have a special place in his heart. As Stevie once said in an interview, "That was my way of telling him, 'You are going to hear me sing this to you on the radio for years, and it will bug you.'"

The end of this song, the verse which begins with the verse "I'll follow you down till the sound of my voice will haunt you...You'll never get away from the sound of the woman who loves you...was I just a fool?" is really where, sung live, the emotions between the two former lovers fly. Stevie feels like a fool for taking Lindsey for granted, and thinking that their love would last forever. The afore-mentioned quote by Stevie also comes into play here- Lindsey will hear her for years, bugging him by entertaining the thoughts of what they could have had together. She seems to be saying, "I'll still be here for you, if you want to try it again" when she sings, "Give me just a chance..." She wonders if they could have stayed together if she had done things differently.

At the very end, where she repeats "You could be my ... Silver Spring ... blue-green ... colors flashing," Stevie is saying that the love that they once had together is still waiting for them, if only he will reach out for it...Lindsey can indeed still be her Silver Spring.

(The interpretations to these lyrics were compiled through discussions on the message boards of the Penguin, The Ledge. It is entirely possible that the artists had something completely different in mind.)

    Tabs »
Intro: F  C  F  C

C               F      C
You could be my silver spring
C          F      C     
Blue-green colors flashing
C               F    C
I would be your only dream
C                 F     C
Your shining over ocean crashing

Am#5
And do you say she's pretty
And do you say that she loved you
             F       C
Baby I don't want to know

C                 F    C
So I begin not to love you
C            F      C     
Turn 'round, see me running
C                 F     C
I say I loved you years ago
C                   F       C      Am#5     
But tell myself you never loved me no

Am#5
And did you say that she's pretty
And do you say that she loved you
             F       C
Baby I don't want to know

C  Am#5  C

Am#5  C
Oh    no

Am#5
And can you tell me it was worth it
               F       C
Really I don't want to know

Am          Bm       C
Time cast a spell on you
    F            G
But you won't forget me
  Am     Bm         C     
I know I could have loved you
    F             G
But you would not let me

Solo over 
C, F, C, 
C, F, C, 
Am#5, 
Am#5, C 

Am          Bm       C
Time cast a spell on you
    F            G
But you won't forget me
  Am     Bm         C
I know I could have loved you
    F             G
But you would not let me 

     Am         Bm             C
I'll follow you down 'till the sound 
      F          G     
Of my voice will haunt you (Was I just a fool?) 
       Am        Bm            C     
You'll never get away from the sound
       F         G
Of the woman who loves you (Was I just a fool?)

(Repeat last 4 lines, w/ "Give me just a chance" and "Never get away")
     
C             F      C
You can be my silver spring
C             F      C
My blue-green colors flashing


Weird chord:

Am#5

X o       o
-----------
| | | | O |
___________
| | | O | |
-----------
| | O | | |
-----------

    Other Performances »
Performance #1:
Running Time 4:29
Sound Clip Listen.
Performers Stevie Nicks (Vocals), Lindsey Buckingham (Guitars), Christine McVie (Keyboards), John McVie (Bass), Mick Fleetwood (Drums), Richard Dashut (Produced By), Ken Caillat (Produced By), Fleetwood Mac (Produced By), Lindsey Buckingham (Produced By), Mick Fleetwood (Produced By), John McVie (Produced By), Christine McVie (Produced By), Stevie Nicks (Produced By), Lindsey Buckingham (Vocals), Christine McVie (Vocals), Christine McVie (Synthesizers)
Appears On
25 Years: The Chain (1992)
Fleetwood Mac
Performance #2:
Running Time 4:30
Sound Clip Listen.
Performers Stevie Nicks (Vocals), Lindsey Buckingham (Guitars), Lindsey Buckingham (Vocals), Christine McVie (Keyboards), Christine McVie (Synthesizers), Christine McVie (Vocals), John McVie (Bass), Mick Fleetwood (Drums), Mick Fleetwood (Percussion)
Comments(Remix)
Appears On
The Very Best Of Fleetwood Mac (2002)
Fleetwood Mac
Performance #3:
Performers Stevie Nicks (Vocals)
Comments(Piano Demo)
Appears On
Cathouse Blues (0000)
Stevie Nicks
Uncirculated Rumours (0000)
Stevie Nicks
Performance #4:
Performers Stevie Nicks (Vocals), Lindsey Buckingham (Guitar), Christine McVie (Keyboards), John McVie (Bass), Mick Fleetwood (Drums)
Comments(Live)
Appears On
Last Of The Uncirculated Rumours (0000)
Stevie Nicks
Performance #5:
Running Time 4:29
Sound Clip Listen.
Performers Stevie Nicks (Vocals), Lindsey Buckingham (Guitars), Christine McVie (Keyboards), John McVie (Bass), Mick Fleetwood (Drums), Richard Dashut (Produced By), Ken Caillat (Produced By), Fleetwood Mac (Produced By), Lindsey Buckingham (Produced By), Mick Fleetwood (Produced By), John McVie (Produced By), Christine McVie (Produced By), Stevie Nicks (Produced By), Lindsey Buckingham (Vocals), Christine McVie (Vocals), Christine McVie (Synthesizers)
Appears On
25 Years: The Chain Sampler (0000)
Fleetwood Mac
Selections From 25 Years: The Chain (0000)
Fleetwood Mac
Performance #6:
Running Time 3:25
Performers Stevie Nicks (Vocals), Lindsey Buckingham (Vocals), Christine McVie (Vocals), Lindsey Buckingham (Guitar), Christine McVie (Keyboards), John McVie (Bass), Mick Fleetwood (Drums)
Appears On
Classic Albums: Fleetwood Mac - Rumours (1998)
Fleetwood Mac
Performance #7:
Running Time 4:29
Sound Clip Listen.
Performers Stevie Nicks (Vocals), Stevie Nicks (Tambourine), Lindsey Buckingham (Vocals), Lindsey Buckingham (Acoustic Guitar (2 Parts)), Lindsey Buckingham (Electric Guitar (2 Parts)), Christine McVie (Vocals), Christine McVie (Hammond B-3 Organ), Christine McVie (Synthesizer Keyboard), John McVie (Bass), Mick Fleetwood (Drums)
Appears On
Rumours (DVD Audio) (2001)
Fleetwood Mac
Performance #8:
Running Time 4:30
Sound Clip Listen.
Performers Stevie Nicks (Vocals), Lindsey Buckingham (Guitars), Lindsey Buckingham (Vocals), Christine McVie (Keyboards), Christine McVie (Synthesizers), Christine McVie (Vocals), John McVie (Bass), Mick Fleetwood (Drums), Mick Fleetwood (Percussion)
Comments(Remix)
Appears On
Rumours (Rhino Remastered Edition) (2004)
Fleetwood Mac
Performance #9:
Running Time 5:25
Sound Clip Listen.
Performers Lindsey Buckingham (Guitar), Lindsey Buckingham (Vocals), Mick Fleetwood (Drums), John McVie (Bass), Stevie Nicks (Vocals), Jana Anderson (Background Vocals), Sharon Celani (Background Vocals), Neale Heywood (Guitar), Taku(ya) Hirano (Percussion), Steve Rinkoff/Rinkov (Drums), Carlos Rios (Guitar), Brett Tuggle (Keyboards), Mike Dean (Keyboard), Ed Cherney/Chernay (Music Mixed By)
Appears On
Live In Boston (2004)
Fleetwood Mac
Live In Boston (2004)
Fleetwood Mac
Performance #10:
Performers Lindsey Buckingham (Guitar), Mick Fleetwood (Drums), John McVie (Bass), Christine McVie (Keyboards), Stevie Nicks (Vocals)
CommentsRecorded live in Irvine, California.
Appears On
Dancing Again (1998)
Fleetwood Mac
Performance #11:
Performers Stevie Nicks (Vocals)
Comments(Piano Demo)
Appears On
Almanac (0000)
Fleetwood Mac
Performance #12:
Performers Mick Fleetwood (Drums), John McVie (Bass), Stevie Nicks (Vocals)
Appears On
Hollywood (0000)
Fleetwood Mac
Performance #13:
Running Time 4:29
Sound Clip Listen.
Performers Stevie Nicks (Vocals), Lindsey Buckingham (Guitars), Christine McVie (Keyboards), John McVie (Bass), Mick Fleetwood (Drums), Richard Dashut (Produced By), Ken Caillat (Produced By), Fleetwood Mac (Produced By), Lindsey Buckingham (Produced By), Mick Fleetwood (Produced By), John McVie (Produced By), Christine McVie (Produced By), Stevie Nicks (Produced By), Lindsey Buckingham (Vocals), Christine McVie (Vocals), Christine McVie (Synthesizers)
Appears On
Go Your Own Way/Silver Springs (0000)
Fleetwood Mac
Performance #14:
Running Time 4:47
Performers Stevie Nicks (Vocals), Lindsey Buckingham (Guitar), Lindsey Buckingham (Vocals), Christine McVie (Keyboards), Christine McVie (Vocals), John McVie (Bass), Mick Fleetwood (Drums), Brett Tuggle (Keyboards), Brett Tuggle (Guitars), Brett Tuggle (Background Vocals), Neale Heywood (Guitar), Neale Heywood (Background Vocals), Lenny Castro (Percussion), Sharon Celani (Background Vocals), Mindy Stein (Background Vocals)
Comments(Radio Edit)
Appears On
Silver Springs/Silver Springs (0000)
Fleetwood Mac
Temporary One/Silver Springs/Songbird/Gypsy (1997)
Fleetwood Mac
Silver Springs/Gold Dust Woman/Over My Head/Go Insane (0000)
Fleetwood Mac

    Comments »

Published by Welsh Witch Music/Barbara Nicks Music (c/o & Administered by Wixen Music Publishing, Inc.) BMI/(C) 1997 Barbara Nicks Music (BMI)

    Reviews »
Add your review of Silver Springs here.

5/5.05/5.05/5.05/5.05/5.0
Absolutely divine and mezmorizing !!!
Review written by Anonymous, November 21st, 2008

It is my favorite song on the dvd out in 2003 or so...I didn't know this song before listening to it on the dvd.I was mezmoried and I find it's one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard. It is very soothing and the harmonies are divine!

    Last Modified »
2011-09-21

    Discography Credits »
Interpretation prepared by Lesley. Tabs prepared by Josh Shank.