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Just as the paths of music are infinite, so are the destinies of bands and their members inscrutable and always left to chance. How much ink may have been spilled on some famous lineup changes and their effects on a band's production, only God knows. From this perspective, the tales of Fleetwood Mac are as curious as they are paradigmatic of the statement that opens this page.
To anyone who thinks they appeared out of nowhere in America in the mid-seventies, it should be noted that the original lineup (Fleetwood, McVie, Green, Spencer) already had a good decade under its belt, with roots in England and rock-blues ancestry that at the time saw them as kin to groups like Cream and Yardbirds. The departure of two members and the simultaneous acquisition of Christine Perfect, married McVie, was the first step towards taking the band into the circuits of a pop-rock still tinged with blues. Having moved to California, the Mac would cheaply purchase the American Buckingham and Nicks, who would give the decisive mark to the new sound of the lineup. The secret is all here: blending the blues roots of the group with the best of English and American pop, like Beatles and Beach Boys strolling in California, sweetened by the soft rock of the Eagles and Doobie Brothers that were so popular in the mid-seventies.
The winning potential of the formula had already been tested by the self-titled 1975 album, which had widely rocked the box office, aided by high-impact singles such as "Rhiannon" (by Nicks) and "Say You Love Me" (by C. McVie). Material to live off for a few years, if it weren't for the fact that the subsequent "Rumours" (1977), in which the lethal mix was further refined and perfected, would garner a commercial response that would make your wrists tremble. Absolutely staggering numbers: millions of copies sold, suffice it to say that ten years after its release, the record would reach the eleventh platinum (!), remain unbeaten until the advent of "Thriller", and fight to the end for the second place among the best-selling albums of all time with the soundtrack of "Saturday Night Fever".
All this fuss for a product that is far from being a masterpiece, but in its genre and intents is perfectly accomplished. "A soap opera in vinyl" Buckingham himself cleverly called it, one of the most gifted (and underrated) minstrels of American pop-rock, capable even in the years to come of producing melodious sweetness of absolute value. His contribution to "Rumours" is essential yet decisive: the pop with hints of country soft-rock of the opening "Second Hand News" is a delight not easy to overlook, as is the brief plucked interlude of "Never Going Back Again" and the melodic rock of the famous "Go Your Own Way". Stevie Nicks is the most American writer of the whole group, the quintessence of chart pop of those years: the astronomical success of the single "Dreams", which despite everything is a great piece, strong with a syncopated rhythm section and an ethereal melody, confirms it. Her nasal, bland, and vaguely annoying voice is also the protagonist of the useless country-pop of "I Don't Want To Know" and the beautiful "Gold Dust Woman", placed at the end of the album. The other smash-hit single, "Don't Stop" (which would even be chosen as the flag-bearer of the American elections), bears the signature of C. McVie and is as simple as it is effective blues-pop; much better, also by Perfect, is that "You Make Loving Fun" which catapults us back to the origins of the lineup, a powerful and sustained blues-rock, and the sweet solipsism of the delicate "Songbird" for voice and piano. Tending towards the pathetic is "Oh Daddy" (again by McVie), while excellent is the choral performance of "The Chain", with an unforgettable bass riff, perhaps the most representative piece of the band.
The pop lover and song structure enthusiast won't turn up their nose at "Rumours", that's for sure; however, some, perhaps many, will hesitate to include it among their desert island records. For which, if you'll allow me, I will continue to sail towards other shores.
Tracklist Lyrics Samples 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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By STIPE
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The eleven pearls of "Rumours" assume a unique character, producing special atmospheres that are light yet intense, accessible yet very refined.
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.
