In 1965, Paul McCartney wrote ‘Yesterday’. Stevie Nicks believes it predicted a tragedy 33 years later

Stevie Nicks believes Paul McCartney’s 1965 song “Yesterday” can be heard as a premonition of the loss of his wife, Linda, decades later. Her interpretation gives the familiar ballad a personal, prophetic meaning and reflects how deeply McCartney’s songwriting influenced her.

Nicks was 17 when she first encountered the Beatles’ music and says it showed her how songs could explore complicated relationships and touch listeners’ hearts. “Yesterday” became one of the most played songs in the United States: BMI ranked it third among songs by any artist on US radio in the 20th century. Nicks has called it the “perfect song” and sees a similar emotional directness in her own writing, including Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams”.