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Rating: Uh-oh! We are informed that this review also appears (in whole or in part) in "100 Dischi Ideali Per Capire Il Rock" by Ezio Guaitamacchi
"Rumours" has become one of the most sensational 'cases' in the history of rock. Its life cycle continues today, 30 years after its release. The album was released on February 4, 1977.
But what could be the secret of this epochal success? The facts are known and it certainly was something more than just 'rumours'. The band consisted of Lindsey Buckingham on guitar and vocals, Stevie Nicks on vocals, Mick Fleetwood on drums, Christine McVie on keyboards, and John McVie on bass. At that time, the two couples in the group, John and Christine, and Stevie and Lindsay, who together formed four-fifths of the band, were simultaneously separating. Even Mick was not exempt from these romantic troubles, as he and his wife Jenny were about to divorce during that period. It is known that tensions provoke adrenaline and strong emotions in the creativity of the artists involved.
To record the new album, after a tour lasting nearly six months, the band went in February 1976 to northern California, to Sausalito, a few kilometers north of San Francisco, right across the Golden Gate Bridge. There, at the Record Plant Studios, they experienced genuine passionate storms. All the band members agree that these situations contributed decisively to the recording of the album. John McVie admitted that music helped him not to think about his private problems. Working in those conditions was sheer madness. They were difficult days for the band, but the music and sound of the album were truly great.
The album opens with the autobiographical '‘Second Hand News', signed by Buckingham and explicitly inspired by the romantic strife between him and Stevie. The track, a funny tune driven by the riff of the 12-string acoustic, captures the spirit of Fleetwood Mac and Buckingham's exuberant musicality. '‘Dreams' is more dreamy and does not forsake sentimental traces. This song incorporates Fleetwood's more melodic sound. '‘Never Going Back Again' is one of the best moments of the album music-wise. It evolves on a melody with medieval echoes reminiscent of the English folk-rock sound. '‘Don't Stop' is one of Rumours' manifesto tracks. Positive, rhythmic, the song holds an optimistic view of the future and encourages reflecting on the notion of ‘'not stopping thinking about tomorrow \ the past is gone, and tomorrow will soon be here, better than before''.
'‘Go Your Own Way' is an exemplary track of this phase of the group. Signed by Buckingham, it is compelling and supported by a beautiful melody enriched by splendid vocal harmonies. The rhythmic base is formidable. All the main ingredients of Fleetwood Mac are there, and it is no coincidence that the track became the first and most effective promotional drive for the entire album. The first side closes with '‘Songbird', magnificently sung by Christine McVie. '‘The Chain' is one of the few pieces signed by all the band members. '‘You Make Loving Fun' finally casts an optimistic glance on future love life rather than lamenting the past. '‘I Don't Want To Know' is a track with a country-rock flavor. '‘Oh Daddy' is a splendid track. The album closes with '‘Gold Dust Woman', a hypnotic ballad signed by Stevie Nicks, who proves to be a prolific and rather gifted writer from a lyrical point of view.
The album was an unprecedented success from the start. "Rumours" was in its way a masterpiece of the Californian pop-rock of which it represented the peak expressive point. The musicians created beautiful vocal harmonies full of suggestion. The eleven pearls of "Rumours" assume a unique character, producing special atmospheres that are light yet intense, accessible yet very refined, catchy yet carefully crafted. One of the most beautiful records ever, an absolute masterpiece!
In the end, let's break down the numbers:
•- 26 million copies sold
•- 31 weeks at number one on the USA charts
•- 134 weeks of total chart presence in the American charts
•- 443 weeks in the UK charts
•- 3rd position among the best-selling albums of all time
•- 1 Grammy Award won for best album of 1977
There must be a reason!
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Second Hand News (02:53)
I know there's nothing to say -
Someone has taken my place.
When times go bad,
When times go rough,
Won't you lay me down in the tall grass
And let me do my stuff?
I know I go nothing on you
I know there's nothing to do.
When times go bad
You can't get enough...
Won't you lay me down in the tall grass
And let me do my stuff?
Bam bam bam bam ba bam
Bam bam bam bam ba bam
Bam bam bam babambabam bababam
do do de do
Bam bam bam bam ba bam
Bam bam bam bam ba bam
Bam bam bam babambabam bababam
One thing I think you should know...
I ain't gonna miss you when you go.
Been down so long,
I've been tossed around enough...
Oh, won't you just let me go down
And do my stuff?
I know you're hoping to find
Someone who's gonna give you peace of mind.
When times go bad,
When times go rough,
Won't you lay me down in the tall grass
And let me do my stuff?
Bam bam bam bam ba bam
Bam bam bam bam ba bam
Bam bam bam babambabam bababam
do do de do
Bam bam bam bam ba bam
Bam bam bam bam ba bam
Bam bam bam babambabam bababam
do it do it do it
Bam bam bam bam ba bam
Bam bam bam bam ba bam
Bam bam bam babambabam bababam
I'm just second hand news, I'm just second hand news...
yeah...
I'm just second hand news, I'm just second hand news...
yeah...
I'm just second hand news, I'm just second hand news...
yeah...
I'm just second hand news, I'm just second hand news...
yeah...
02 Dreams (04:17)
Now here you go again
You say you want your freedom
Well who am I to keep you down?
It's only right that you should
Play the way you feel it
But listen carefully to the sound
Of your loneliness
Like a heartbeat .. drives you mad
In the stillness of remembering what you had
And what you lost ...
And what you had ...
You know what you lost
Oh Thunder only happens when it's raining
Players only love you when they're playing
They say women they will come and they will go
When the rain washes you clean you'll know
You'll know
Now Here I go again I see the crystal vision
I keep my visions to myself
It's only me who wants to
Wrap around your dreams and ...
Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
Dreams of Loneliness
Like a heartbeat .. drives you mad
In the stillness of remembering what you had
And what you lost ...
Who says what you had ...
Ooh and what you lost
Thunder only happens when it's raining
Players only love you when they're playing
They say women they will come and they will go
When the rain washes you clean you'll know
Oh thunder only happens when it's raining
Players only love you when they're playing
They say women they will come and they will go
When the rain washes you clean you'll know
You'll know ...
You'll know ...
You will know
Ooo you'll know
04 Don't Stop (03:13)
If you wake up and don't want to smile,
If it takes just a little while,
Open your eyes and look at the day,
You'll see things in a different way.
Don't stop, thinking about tomorrow,
Don't stop, it'll soon be here,
It'll be, better than before,
Yesterday's gone, yesterday's gone.
Why not think about times to come,
And not about the things that you've done,
If your life was bad to you,
Just think what tomorrow will do.
Don't stop, thinking about tomorrow,
Don't stop, it'll soon be here,
It'll be, better than before,
Yesterday's gone, yesterday's gone.
All I want is to see you smile,
If it takes just a little while,
I know you don't believe that it's true,
I never meant any harm to you.
Don't stop, thinking about tomorrow,
Don't stop, it'll soon be here,
It'll be, better than before,
Yesterday's gone, yesterday's gone.
Don't you look back,
05 Go Your Own Way (03:40)
Loving you
Isn't the right thing to do
How can I
Ever change things that I feel
If I could
Baby, I'd give you my world
How can I
When you won't take it from me
You can go your own way
Go your own way
You can call it another lonely day
You can go your own way
Go your own way
Tell me why
Everything turned around
Packing up
Shacking up's all you wanna do
If I could
Baby, I'd give you my world
Open up
Everything's waiting for you
You can go your own way
Go your own way
You can call it another lonely day
You can go your own way
Go your own way
You can go your own way
Go your own way
You can call it another lonely day (another lonely day)
You can go your own way
Go your own way
You can call it another lonely day
You can go your own way
You can call it another lonely day
You can go your own way
06 Songbird (03:23)
For you, there'll be no more crying
For you, the sun will be shining
And I feel that when I'm with you
It's alright, I know it's right
To you, I'll give the world
To you, I'll never be cold
'Cause I feel that when I'm with you
It's alright, I know it's right
And the songbirds are singing,
Like they know the score
And I love you, I love you, I love you
Like never before
And I wish you all the love in the world
But most of all, I wish it from myself
And the songbirds keep singing
Like they know the score
And I love you, I love you, I love you
Like never before, like never before,
like never before
07 The Chain (04:31)
Listen to the wind blow...
Watch the sun rise;
Run in the shadows...
Damn your love, damn your lies!
And if you don't love me now
You will never love me again;
I can still hear you saying
We would never break the chain.
And if you don't love me now
You will never love me again;
I can still hear you saying
We must never break the chain.
Listen to the wind blow...
Down the comes the night.
Run in the shadows...
Damn your love, damn your lies!
Break the silence,
Damn the dark, damn the light!
And if you don't love me now
You will never love me again;
I can still hear you saying
We would never break the chain.
And if you don't love me now
You will never love me again;
I can still hear you saying
We must never break the chain.
And if you don't love me now
You will never love me again;
I can still hear you saying
We must never break the chain.
Chain......keep us together....
(Running in the shadows)
08 You Make Loving Fun (03:33)
Sweet wonderful you
You make me happy with the things you do
Oh, can it be so
This feeling follows me wherever I go
I never did believe in miracles
But I've a feeling it's time to try
I never did believe in the ways of magic
But I'm beginning to wonder why
Don't, don't break the spell
It would be different and you know it will
You, you make loving fun
And I don't have to tell you but you're the only one
You make loving fun
You make loving fun
09 I Don't Want to Know (03:15)
I don't want to know the reasons why
Love keeps right on walking down the line
I don't want to stand between you and love
Honey, I just want you to feel fine
Finally baby
The truth has come down now
Take a listen to your spirit
It's crying out loud
Try to believe
Oh, you say you love me but you don't know
You got me rocking and a-reeling
Oh, yeah
Ah
I don't want to know the reasons why
Love keeps right on walking down the line
I don't want to stand between you and love
Honey, I just want you to feel fine
Finally baby
The truth has been told
Now you tell me that I'm crazy
It's nothing that I didn't know
Trying to survive
Oh, you say you love me but you don't know
You got me rocking and a-reeling
Hey, you know what to do
Oh, yeah
Ah
I don't want to know the reasons why
Love keeps right on walking down the line
I don't want to stand between you and love
Honey, take a little time
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Other reviews
By alcol2
"Fleetwood Mac are a blend of blues roots with the best of English and American pop, sweetened by the soft rock of the 70s."
"Rumours is a 'soap opera in vinyl' — perfectly accomplished and commercially staggering."
By Giuseppe13
A set of suffered and pathetic (in the etymological sense) passions.
"Rumours" is the album of all albums, the most balanced and apt, with its 11 masterpieces.
