Bombay Sapphires Lyrics

Leigh April 14, 2014-19:39
Like so many of Stevie Nicks' songs, Bombay Sapphire is, I believe, at the very least in part about the continuing love between her and her longtime Fleetwood Mac lead guitarist Lindsey Buckingham, even after their formal split during the recording of Rumours in 1976. Given the timing of the album's release on May 1, 2001, the fact that she was very likely writing the songs previous to recording them, which must have taken place any time between 1999 and 2000; the fact that Fleetwood Mac reunited with all 5 members including Christine McVie and were touring between 1997 to 1998, when Lindsey's then girlfriend Kristen (who is 21 years younger than Lindsey, and blonde and petite...) gave birth to their first child. There were "rumours" about Stevie and Lindsey getting close during the tour, and many of her fans believe that Kristen intentionally became pregnant with their second child in either late 1999 or early 2000, which put pressure on Lindsey to marry her to prevent him from reuniting with Stevie..

It could be said that the entire song is about and TO Lindsay, with Stevie offering to "mend his heart" if he desired. But if she had ever been that sort of person, which I don't believe she was (she has openly talked about her drug addiction, and that it was under the influence of alcohol and cocaine that created the situation in which she and drummer Mick Fleetwood had a very brief affair, which destroyed his marriage and hurt so many people, and how much she regrets that), she certainly wouldn't consider it once whe was sober. Besides, the first two stanzas of this song:

"You beloved...
Were to me everything love stood for...
To love one another for awhile was enough
It was all that I lived for...

How can I go on without you
Can I go on without you.
I tell myself this time
I'm gonna have to move on"

seem pretty clearly to saying that THIS time she WILL have to move o without him. Even though they'd both been involved with other people since their 1976 breakup, I think the possibility of a reconciliation and resumption of their relationship in the future was always in the backs of their minds. I certainly know it's something many of her fans want. Stevie has also openly talked about her feelings for Lindsey during interviews, the most recent being the during the final weeks of Oprah Winfrey's show "Oprah", when she clearly said that she and Lindsey are soul mates, and they've lived many lives together in the past, and knows they'll live many more together, so knowing this, she can more easily accept the limits of their relationship in this life. They love each other, but as family, just as the other members of Fleetwood Mac and her solo band are her family.

So while Kristen doesn't need to worry about Stevie intentionally taking Lindsey away from her, the love between them, a love that is clearly not the love of siblings, is so obvious when they're on stage together. During their concert in Las Vegas on January 30, 2013, they closed the show with a song Lindsey had written about/to Stevie back in the late 80s, while he was still angry, and according to Mick, hurt and jealous that her solo career has been so successful while his barely made a dent. They've performed it before, in the same manner, with Lindsey singing, and playing the guitar in that wonderful way he does, without a pick, finger plucking, and Stevie joining in on soft harmonies. The title of the song is "Say Goodbye", and that's exactly what it does, say goodbye to their relationship, which he'd clearly held onto in his heart for the at minimum 13 years since Rumours, despite at least one long-term relationship and who knows how many shorter ones. But at that concert, as he introduced and explained the song, dedicating it to Stevie who it was written about, tears very quickly came to her eyes, showing them looking tired with bags underneath. She wiped her eyes repeatedly, but there were many times during the song that she was unable to sing. What was amazing to witness on this YouTube video was the mass outpouring of love and support from the audience for Stevie. I've never in my life seen that happen during a concert. I know it touched her, because before she left the stage with the rest of the band, she stopped to talk to the audience and thank them. But immediately after the song was finished, she walked straight into Lindsey's arms, which closed around her. And as he whispered into her ear, she, so tiny despite the high-heeled platform boots she wears, laid her head in the hollow of his neck and shoulder, just as she must have done thousands
of times before, when they were a couple, yet even tho it had been about 37 years since she'd last done so, she did it instinctively. So the real question is this: if Lindsey's marriage goes the way of so many show business marriages, totally without interference from Stevie, would both of them be willing to try again after all these years? If so, and if they were successful this time around, even tho they'd both be in their late 60s, it would be the ultimate storybook romance.