Let's take a time machine trip back to December 8, 1980. The radio stations in Los Angeles were going crazy playing Fleetwood Mac's new album. Fleetwood Mac Live. When I heard Sara live for the first time I knew I had to get this album. A trip in the Ford Fiesta led me to Licorice Pizza. A double cassette is what I purchased that day. I played those two cassettes so much I had to replace the cassettes with a new purchase. I could not (and still cannot) get enough of their latest album. I upgraded the speakers in the Fiesta to Jensen Triaxials and put in a new amp. That album was so sweet driving to work at midnight on the freeway.
What is it about a song that stirs your soul? Sara from this album just killed me. Words cannot explain that song to anyone. It goes way, way beyond mere words. Fireflies was like Sara to myself. I cannot explain Fireflies. It speaks a language that has no words. I came across a line from that song that has stayed with me my entire life. The words haunt my soul. I would play that part of the song over and over again listening to Stevie sing those words:
"Silhouette of a dream treasured by the ones who hung on to it."
You see, at the time I had a huge dream. It seemed impossible at the time. But whenever I listened to this song and those words I knew it wasn't. I just had to keep that silhouette of a dream alive inside my imagination and hang onto it.
"I would love to believe, I believe what you say
In the drama of the moment for us there is no easy way."
I would let those words sink into my mind at work and envision my future. A future that seemed so real, so incredibly real to me inside my imagination yet on the outside it had yet come to pass. It took a while but that dream did come to pass.
"Silhouette of a dream treasured by the ones who hung on to it."
What are your dreams? Where do you see yourself in 10 years? How bad do you want your dream? Do you want it as bad as you would want air if someone held you under water? When you want it that bad it is only a matter of time before imagination becomes reality.
"When you build your house then call me home"
"All I ever wanted was to know that you were dreaming"
To be the last to leave the last to be gone
Stolen from the ones who held onto it
To be the last in line oh the ones that live on
Silhouette of a dream treasured by the ones
Who hung on to it
Almost a breakdown of our love affair
The stiletto cuts quick like a whip through the air
Long distance winners will we survive the flight
Not one of us runs from the fire light
I would love to believe, I believe what you say
In the drama of the moment
Oh no there is no easy way, no one ever leaves
Everyone stays close 'till the fire fades
I would love to believe, I believe what you say
In the drama of the moment
For us there is no easy way, no one ever leaves
Everyone stays close 'till the fire fades
To be the last to leave what caused the fearsome
Divorce in the night there was no competition
Well to survive do it right and you believe in the five
To survive the distance everyone fights
Everyone fights and the fire flies
What happened to my feelings
When heartbreak comes in the night
Some call it my nightmare my five fireflies
Well like a sailing ship on one of love's rocks, no one
Of our love affair like a whip through the air
I would love to believe, I believe what you say
Fireflies
Fireflies is a song written by Stevie Nicks and performed by her with Fleetwood Mac at a private concert for family and friends at the Civic Centre in Santa Monica, California in July 1980. The recording was released on Fleetwood Mac Live later that year as were two other songs performed at the show - Christine McVie's One More Night and a cover of the Beach Boys' The Farmer's Daughter.