Landslide

"Landslide"
Cover song by The Smashing Pumpkins Original by Fleetwood Mac
Album Lyrics Tabs Spotify
Released	October 4, 1994
Studio sessions	September 12, 1993 – BBC Radio One
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	3:10
Label	Virgin
Songwriter(s)	Stevie Nicks
Producer(s)	Billy Corgan, Ted de Bono
Pisces Iscariot Soothe Frail and Bedazzled Plume Whir Blew Away Pissant Hello Kitty Kat Obscured Landslide Starla Blue Girl Named Sandoz La Dolly Vita Spaced

"Landslide" is an acoustic arrangement of the Stevie Nicks song that The Smashing Pumpkins covered on the Pisces Iscariot compilation. It was was first featured as the B-side to their 1994 single "Disarm".

The group's arrangement went on to be one of the rock band's most-beloved tracks and even had the approval of Nicks herself. As she told fans during a 1998 online chat with SonicNet, "There's nothing more pleasing to a songwriter than [someone else] doing one of their songs. ['Landslide'] also led me to being friends with Billy [Corgan] and the possibility that we'll work together," she said of the Smashing Pumpkins frontman. "Over this song, there's been this incredible connection ... he reached out ... I believe that my poetry is really meant for everyone, no matter what age."

The new version was a hit, making it to the top three on the Modern Rock Tracks chart in the United States that year and number 30 on the US Airplay charts. The song was also featured on the US version of their greatest hits album Rotten Apples. It was later used in the TV show Alias on season 1 in the episode Page 47.

“ "Landslide" is a Stevie Nicks song. I fell in love with this song and forced myself to learn it because i'm very bad at figuring out songs by other people. Of course I learned it totally the wrong way and after it was recorded Jimmy from The Frogs showed me the easier way to play it. This song is very relevant to my life at the moment still, and that is why I love to sing it. Landslide was recorded at the BBC, not my most favourite place to record. They are still in 1971 but Todd the producer man was very nice. The recording is way too hissy and we're sorry but it is the fault of the BBC, whose financial raping of us to use this song and Sandoz almost didn't make putting these songs out possible. But it is here. ” — Billy Corgan, Pisces Iscariot liner notes

Videos

Piano version from September 25, 2017 at Madame ZuZu's

Lyrics

i took my love and took it down
i climbed a mountain, i turned around
and i saw my reflection in a snow covered hill
till the landslide brought it down

mirror in the sky, what is love
can the child within my heart rise above
can i sail through the changing ocean tides
can i handle the seasons of my life

well, i've been afraid of changing 'cause i've
built my life around you
time makes you bolder
even children get older
and i'm getting older too

well, i've been afraid of changing 'cause i've
built my life around you
time makes you bolder
even children get older
and i'm getting older too
i'm getting older too

i took my love and took it down
i climbed a mountain, i turned around
and if you see my reflection in a snow covered hill
the landslide brought it down
the landslide brought it down

Charts

Chart (1994)	Peak position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)	47
US Radio Songs (Billboard)	30
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)	3

Availability

Title	Notes	Type
Unplugged: 100% Pure Acoustic Performances		Bootleg
Disarm	UK CD single 2 ("Heart" cover)	Single
Pisces Iscariot	Main release	Compilation
The Smashing Pumpkins 1991–1998	Promotional CD	Promotional • Compilation
Rotten Apples	North American version	Compilation
Rarities and B-Sides		Compilation
Celebrating *20* Years of Sadness		Live
Pisces Iscariot + Friends

Tour stats

• Total plays: 121 plays (115 full, 6 tease, 1 soundcheck), 114 acoustic, 1 piano, 2 artists
• First performance: The Smashing Pumpkins 1993-09-12 at BBC Radio One Studios, London, UK
• Last performance: Billy Corgan 2024-10-24 at Madame ZuZu's, Highland Park, IL, US