Stevie Nicks has released her first solo song in six years, "Show Them The Way," a powerful, melancholic, political song that connects the civil rights era to present day. It sounds like classic Stevie Nicks, and it's the kind of song where Stevie leaves you hanging on every single word.

Stevie co-wrote the song with The Bird and the Bee's Greg Kurstin (who's also worked with Adele, Paul McCartney, and many others), and Greg also mixed, produced, and played several instruments on the track. Dave Grohl drummed, Eurythmics' Dave Stewart played guitar, and Stevie's longtime backing singers Sharon Celani and Lori Nicks (her sister-in-law) sang backup. The song comes with an equally powerful video by Cameron Crowe that's made up of black-and-white photography of protests from both the civil rights era and today, and shots of Martin Luther King Jr, John Kennedy, and more.

Stevie says:

The year was 2008… I was in St Charles, Illinois. It was cold, snowing~ and it was winter~ February. I was there to edit a concert film. It’s like making a record. You go to the studio everyday~ come home~ sit down with your dog – and turn on the tv.

It was the Democratic Primaries. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton were fighting over who would be the candidate for President. I started watching the documentaries being aired from the late 50’s up to the present. Mostly the fight for civil rights – The dreams of John Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., Bobby Kennedy and John Lewis ~ and all the hidden figures that surrounded them. I was hypnotized. This went on for two months.

One night I had a dream. A dream that was so real that I was pretty sure it had happened. It was a cinematic story. It had a beginning, a middle and an end. Every detail, every color, every smile ~ was there. I started writing the story the moment my eyes opened.

I was invited to a party~ to play piano and sing a few songs. It was a benefit. There were political people there. It felt~ really important. I was just the piano player, the voice, part of their dream.

I wrote the poem the next day~ and the music the day after that. I never recorded it until now. I felt that this was its time, its reason. I understood what it meant then and what it means now~ Please God, show them the way~ Please God, on this day. Spirits all, give them the strength. Peace can come if you really want it. I think we’re just in time to save it.

I hope that this song and its words will be seen as a prayer ~ a prayer for our country ~ a prayer for our world.

I love you always,
Stevie Nicks

Cameron Crowe added:

"Show Them The Way" is among Stevie Nicks’ best, most personal songs. There’s an immediacy about it too. Within hours of hearing the song we were already putting together the video about her ‘dream about a dream.’ ‘Show Them The Way’ began as a poem, and grew into one of her strongest musical tracks. It feels like both a gift and a fever dream about hope and promise. We finished the video on the full-moon with a whole lot of passion and excitement about immediately sharing it with the world right now.

Watch/listen:

"Show Them The Way" Credits
Written by Stevie Nicks and Greg Kurstin
Mixed and Produced by Greg Kurstin
Drums: Dave Grohl
Bass, Piano, Vibes, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Keyboard & Percussion: Greg Kurstin
Electric Guitar: Dave Stewart
Backing Vocals: Sharon Celani and Lori Nicks

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Stevie also has an upcoming concert film, Stevie Nicks 24 Karat Gold The Concert, hitting theaters on October 21 and 25 and coming out as a digital album on October 30 via BMG. She recently released a video of "Rhiannon" from that:

Meanwhile, Stevie's Fleetwood Mac bandmate Mick Fleetwood has been going viral after re-creating a viral TikTok video of Nathan Apodaca (aka TikTok user @420doggface208) riding a longboard while drinking Ocean Spray and lip-syncing "Dreams."

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