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Backstory: Stevie Nicks’ “Love in Store”

By Larry Philpot on December 18, 2023

Stevie Nicks is known for her mystical and enchanting songs, but few of them are as personal and poignant as “Love in Store”, the third single from her 1983 album The Wild Heart. The song, co-written by Nicks and her friend Sandy Stewart, reflects on the ups and downs of their romantic lives and their hopes for finding true love.

Stevie Nicks Fleetwood Mac 2015 — Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac, photographed in a live concert performance. (Photo Credit: Larry Philpot / SoundstagePhotography.com)

Nicks met Stewart in the late 1970s, when Stewart was a backup singer for Nicks’ former boyfriend and Fleetwood Mac bandmate Lindsey Buckingham. The two women bonded over their shared experiences of being in the music industry and dealing with difficult relationships. Stewart became one of Nicks’ closest confidants and collaborators, co-writing several songs with her, including “If Anyone Falls”, “Nightbird” and “Has Anyone Ever Written Anything for You”.

“Love in Store” was inspired by a conversation that Nicks and Stewart had one night in 1982, when they were both single and feeling lonely. They decided to write a song that would express their optimism and faith in finding love again, despite the challenges they had faced. They also wanted to create a catchy and upbeat tune that would contrast with some of the darker and more introspective songs on The Wild Heart.

The song features a prominent keyboard riff by Stewart, who also played most of the instruments on the track. Nicks sang the lead vocals, while Stewart and Lori Perry-Nicks (Nicks’ sister-in-law), and Christine McVie provided the backing vocals. The chorus of the song repeats the phrase “There’s a love in store for you”, which Nicks said was a message to herself and Stewart, as well as to anyone who was looking for love.

File Photo: Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac in Lincoln, NE in 2015. Used by permission (Photo Credit: Larry Philpot, soundstagephotography.com)

The song was well received by critics and fans, who praised its catchy melody and positive lyrics. It reached number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 7 on the Adult Contemporary chart. It also became a staple of Nicks’ live shows, where she often dedicated it to Stewart or to her fans.

“Love in Store” is a testament to the power of friendship and music, as well as to the resilience and optimism of Nicks and Stewart. It is a song that celebrates the possibility of finding love, even when it seems elusive or impossible.