There can't be many people of a certain generation who are not familiar with most or all of Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours", with it reportedly being the 12th best selling album of all-time globally, and the story of it being written and recorded as both Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks relationship and John & Christine McVie's marraige both ended, and Mick Fleetwood discovering his wife was having an affair. It certainly added spice to the lyrics.
It seemed the only time the couples could speak to each other was in the recording studio, and the outcome was a tremendous album in spite of it all. The four singles were all top 10 hits in the USA, although apart from "Dreams" only had modest success in the UK as the country enjoyed the punk/new wave revolution in 1977. Part of "The Chain" was famously used as the theme tune to popular UK TV show "Top Gear", whilst "Songbird" was one of the most notable songs on Eva Cassidy's posthumous release in 1998, suitably entitled "Songbird"
Side one begins in a similar manner to their previous eponymous named album, with an uptempo Lindsey Buckingham song, with "Second Hand News" being the lead-in song just as "Monday Morning" was on "Fleetwood Mac".
"Dreams" comes next with a prominent bass line and crisp drum intro and a suitably dreamy vocal from Stevie Nicks. The song was also a big hit in 1998 for Irish band "The Corrs".
"Never Going Back Again" is the shortest and simplest song on the album. At just a shade over 2 minutes long it is just Buckingham's vocals and plucked acoustic guitar, with just some backing vocals towards the end.
Christine McVie's first contribution is "Don't Stop", a bouncy piano based number with vocals shared between her and Buckingham. It has been used in a number of political campaigns, most notably Bill Clinton's.
"Go Your Own Way", the first single from "Rumours", is another track written by Lindsey Buckingham, with electric and acoustic guitar intro leading into a pop-rock song and a catchy chorus. It is the most bitter of his songs on the ending of his relationship with Nicks.
The side ends with the beautiful "Songbird", which features just Christine McVie at the piano and some faintly strummed acoustic guitar deep in the background.
Side Two opens with "The Chain" which is essentially two pieces tacked to-gether. Starting with menacing drums, bass and plucked guitar it leads into quite a bombastic song, before the familiar bass and manic guitar outro. It is the only track credited to all 5 band members.
Next up is Christine McVie's funky "You Make Loving Fun, which again has some crisp drumming and a soaring chorus.
"I Don't Want To Know" is Buddy Holly, country-rock inspired song by Nicks, and features great harmonies between Nicks and Buckingham.
The album ends with two of the slightly weaker tracks, McVie's slow and sombre "Oh Daddy" before the album closes with the overblown melodrama of Nick's "Gold Dust Woman", which for me goes on too long. It does have one of the best lyrics on the album though " Rulers make bad lovers, you better put your kingdom up for sale".
Overall, it is still a great album, and there isn't a bad song on it.
Track Listing :
Side One :
1. Second Hand News
2. Dreams
3. Never Going Back Again
4. Don't Stop
5. Go Your Own Way
6. Songbird
1. The Chain
2. You Make Loving Fun
3. I Don't Want To Know
4. Oh Daddy
5. Gold Dust Woman
Released 1977
UK Chart Position : 1
Singles :
Go Your Own Way ( No 38 - 1976 )
Dreams ( No 24 - 1977 )
Don't Stop ( No 32 - 1977 )
You Making Loving Fun ( No 45 - 1977 )
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