Fleetwood Mac

By: Manuela Herran 
10 A

Fleetwood Mac is a British rock band formed in 1967 in London by Peter Green (guitar), Jeremy Spencer (guitar), John McVie (Bass), and Mick Fleetwood (Drums). The name of the band came from the union of two of the members' last names, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie. Its current members are  Mick Fleetwood (guitar and vocals), John McVie(guitar), Christine McVie (vocals and piano), Stevie Nicks (vocals and piano), and Mike Campbell (guitar). The band is not only famous for their amazing music, but also for their tangled love lives which caused some of their greatest hits. Many of their songs have broken up themes while others are a way of showing what they were going through in their personal lives, demonstrating that in the end, the band was their biggest priority. 

The album “Rumors,” which came out on March 24, 1977, in the US and in June 1977, in the UK, was home of three meaningful songs: Dreams, The Chain, and Go Your Own Way. All of those songs involved an important emotional value for not only the members of their band but also for their listeners. 

The song “Dreams” was written by Stevie Nicks, after her relationship with former bandmate Linsay Buckingham. She wrote this song as a way to express her desire to quit the relationship, and as a way to make Linsay feel the same. Nicks thought the song, specifically the lyrics, was a polite way of asking for the breakup. She wrote the song in about ten minutes and found it interesting to include a dance beat, which was unusual for her style. However, she decided to produce the song in another studio and later implemented it in the album. Then, she got a response through another song. 

“Go Your Own Way” was a song written by Lindsay Buckingham as a response to Stevie Nicks “Dreams.” In comparison to “Dreams,” the song was more straightforward and intense. It became one of the band's most recognized songs while the band struggled through difficult situations in terms of their relationships. Christine McVie and John McVie were going through a divorce, Mick Fleetwood was divorcing his wife for the second time, and of course, Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks´ breakup. This was even harder considering they all lived in the same house. 

The song “The Chain” was written by all five members of the band. It was a collective work, and it had a contribution to the style of each member individually, including sounds of miscellaneous objects such as razor blades. The meaning behind the song is how the members of the group stick together for the band, despite their difficulties in their personal lives. This strong relationship is represented by the chain, symbolizing the power the band has in their lives, and how it brings them together,  how the chain will never break. 

In conclusion, the meanings that all these songs hold for the band and their fans make them powerful. Furthermore, it illustrates how each band member, despite their problems, was able to join together for a greater cause, the band. They are an example of professionalism at work and leaving their problems behind.