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Stevie Nicks celebrates “SNL” comeback with new song “The Lighthouse”

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Stevie Nicks celebrates “SNL” comeback with new song “The Lighthouse”

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Stevie Nicks returned to “Saturday Night Live” for the first time in nearly 41 years on October 12, with Ariana Grande as host.

The last time the Phoenix-born Fleetwood Mac singer appeared as a musical guest on “SNL” was in December 1983, when he sang “Stand Back” and “Nightbird,” the first and third singles from “The Wild Heart.” . At the time she was living in Paradise Valley.

It was clear that Nick's voice had aged a bit since her last “SNL” appearance, but she carried it well and was able to emphasize the seriousness of her performance.

Nicks sang “Edge of Seventeen” with guitarist Waddy Wachtel

In the days leading up to the broadcast, “SNL” released a video in which Bowen Yang and Grande tried to lure a vocal out of Nicks, who didn't take the bait when he referenced Fleetwood Mac's “Gypsy” in the lyrics, but she obeyed him with a bit of “Landslide” as they related the lyrics to it.

As it turns out, Nicks didn't revisit any Fleetwood Mac songs on “SNL” Saturday. However, she managed to score “Edge of Seventeen,” perhaps the most popular of her solo hits (which came in third on our ranking of her best songs), at the front of a band whose signature guitar riff featured Waddy Wachtel on the record.

This was Nicks' second song.

Stevie Nicks Debuts Pro-Choice Anthem “The Lighthouse”

First, she treated viewers to the live premiere of the pro-choice anthem, which she released two weeks before her stage appearance. She seemed suitably angry as she indulged in the righteous indignation lyrics of “The Lighthouse,” where she sets the tone with: “I've got my scars, you've got yours/ Don't let them take your power/ Let it in.” “Don’t rest in peace in the last hours/ They will take your soul, they will take your power.”

Nicks explained the inspiration for the song on social media: “I wrote this song a few months after Roe v. Wade wrote. It seemed like overnight people said, ‘What can we do about this as a collective force?’ For me, it was about writing a song.”

She wrote an early version of “The Lighthouse” in September 2022.

“Stop Carrying My Heart Around”: How Stevie Nicks Kickstarted Her Solo Career With Tom Petty

“The most important thing I have ever done”

“I’ve been working on it ever since,” her post continued. “I often said to myself, 'This may be the most important thing I've ever done. “Standing up for the women of the United States and their daughters and granddaughters—and the men who love them.” That’s an anthem.”

It's a heavy message that seems a little out of place given the silliness of “SNL.”

But the steely conviction and intensity of her performance made it clear that Nicks wasn't going to miss the opportunity to get her message across to the masses by playing nice to those who tuned in for the laughs (not to mention the “Shut up.” and play your heart out”) guitar” audience on the right, where this message should be met with derision).

In a way, it was a quintessential Stevie moment, a defiant act of loyalty to who she is, regardless of what might have been the safer path from a professional perspective. That's one of the reasons why her fans love her so much. You always know you're getting the real Stevie.

Since 2007, Ed has covered popular music for The Republic, reviewing festivals and concerts, interviewing legends, covering the local scene and more. He did the same thing for more than a decade in Pittsburgh. Follow him on X and Instagram @edmasley and on Facebook as Ed Masley. Email him at [email protected].

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