Contributors to this interpretation included: Tammy, Erik, Lauren, Crista, JaC, and Silver (who also provided an article for us ledgies which I used a quote from).
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Written as a new song for his fourth solo album, Lindsey contributed this song to Fleetwood Mac's new live CD, The Dance. This song, as Lindsey was quoted in Guitar World Magazine 9/97 as saying, "is a real barn burner", truly shows his enthusiasm playing his beloved guitar. But the real message may not be in his fiery guitar playing but in the lyrics themselves. They are truly expressive feelings that Lindsey shares with us about himself that I am not sure he can express in personal interviews. This is our chance of seeing a part of Lindsey Buckingham through his words:
My little demon, comin' on down.
My little demon's turnin' me around.
All of my friends keep on tellin'me
That I just ain't the man I used to be.
Here the demon he mentions could represent many things in his life..such as his feelings he has had to deal with regarding FM, Stevie, other girlfriends, and other personal issues in his life. It is the bad side that gets out and gets ugly and turns to anger. He follows this up with saying that everyone has told him that he isn't the man he used to be. He also tells us during The Dance concert that "he is a different man now", so he is reaffirming what others have told him.
I really don't like it...ain't nothing I can do.
I really don't like it...I'm leaving it to you.
Lindsey tells us he doesn't like it when his "demons" appear, but he really can't do anything about it, so everyone ends up seeing the result of this.
My little demon, making me choose.
Making me an offer I can't refuse.
Hard as a rock,dry as a bone...
Big or little,know that I will take you home.
When he feels his demon approaching again, he knows he has a choice on whether to let it go or to give in, but this demon is very tempting. This demon can be his negative feelings or his past use of drugs...but whatever it is, it is very overwhelming and he knows that no matter if it's big or little, he will take it inside of himself.
Why try to hide it? Fight it...fight it!
There is no point in swallowing and trying to bury whatever your "demons" are. Lindsey has said that he has been working on his "demons" in therapy ...and maybe this has helped him to realize that he can't hide it anymore and that he shouts out to (fight it) deal with it and not let it get to him.
My little demon is coming after me.
My little demon...
It's all that I can do to keep that little demon...
To keep that little demon...
Just to keep that little demon away from you!
This reaffirms to us that Lindsey is fighting hard to keep the "demon" from emerging and lashing out to anyone that is around him at the time. After the last line (just to keep that little demon away from you), Lindsey adds an amazing guitar solo that wails....it actually gives the listener the impression that he is fighting his demons off as we speak. It must be working for Lindsey and the rest of the Mac because you can sense when they perform that the bond is still there and stronger than ever..no more demons and the past is just that--the past. RS 8/97 issue Lindsey stated, "The thing is, we are really getting along right now. I am actually enjoying this more than any of my previous time with the band." (So are we, Lindsey.)
We can all try to analyze the heart of this song, but no one knows the "true" meaning except for the songwriter himself...and this is what he had to say during The Dance.
Lindsey Buckingham: "You know I think all of us have some inner demons that we struggle with. We all have them, and there's been times when we let them get the best of us probably as well. I think its just important to remember that no one falls into a simple set of labels, and its even more important, I think, to learn from your mistakes and to fight for the positive choice. That's what this song is about". (Thank you Lindsey.)
(The interpretations to these lyrics were compiled through discussions on the message boards of the Penguin, The Ledge. It is entirely possible that the artists had something completely different in mind.)