“Rumours” defines both a band and makes its excellent mark on the genre

Very few albums, or artists for that matter, have served as a soundtrack to a generation. Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours does exactly that. It’s still is a relevant album because it explores in a voyeuristic way, the personal turmoil amongst the band members during the recording of the album. The mix of personal turmoil amongst the band, though it nearly cost them their sanity and was fueled by lots and lots of drugs, make this a beautiful masterpiece.

Best of all, it is easy to relate to lyrically due to its content –  which includes jabs at other band members, all of whom were experiencing romantic turmoil: bassist John McVie and his wife Christine’s marriage was in shambles as was the romantic relationship between singer Stevie Nicks and guitarist Lindsey Buckingham. Additionally, Nicks and drummer Mick Fleetwood (who was married at the time) were having an affair.

Songs like Don’t Stop and Songbird which are nothing short of an offer of hope both personally and for the band itself. Perhaps they were thinking in they lyric from The Chain: “I can still hear you saying you would never break the chain.” It is one of the few songs that is written by the ENTIRE band and it is a gem.

Also, one of the other great things is the actual skill of the musicians. One of the best sounding tracks on the album is You Make Lovin’ Fun. Lead vocalist [for this track] and keyboard player Christine McVie is remarkable on all accounts. However, all of the lyrical greatness and great sound come together on Gold Dust Woman – which is both a metaphor for drugs and quite possibly the ending of the relationship of the songs author, Stevie Nicks, and then-boyfriend Lindsey Buckingham.

For those of you that saw last week’s episode of Glee, this is an album worth buying due to the fact that it is great musicianship under fire, something that happens to us all. It is very relatable if you have ever endured a never-ending breakup. That is what makes this album one of the greatest albums.

Also be sure to check out the special Classic Albums that VH1 Classic and the BBC documentary they did on Rumours, where they go into both the technicality of making the album as well as what the songs are about – including stories and interviews with band members and album personnel.

“Rumours” defines both a band and makes its excellent mark on the genre

Very few albums, or artists for that matter, have served as a soundtrack to a generation. Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours does exactly that. It’s still is a relevant album because it explores in a voyeuristic way, the personal turmoil amongst the band members during the recording of the album. The mix of personal turmoil amongst the band, though it nearly cost them their sanity and was fueled by lots and lots of drugs, make this a beautiful masterpiece.

Best of all, it is easy to relate to lyrically due to its content –  which includes jabs at other band members, all of whom were experiencing romantic turmoil: bassist John McVie and his wife Christine’s marriage was in shambles as was the romantic relationship between singer Stevie Nicks and guitarist Lindsey Buckingham. Additionally, Nicks and drummer Mick Fleetwood (who was married at the time) were having an affair.

Songs like Don’t Stop and Songbird which are nothing short of an offer of hope both personally and for the band itself. Perhaps they were thinking in they lyric from The Chain: “I can still hear you saying you would never break the chain.” It is one of the few songs that is written by the ENTIRE band and it is a gem.

Also, one of the other great things is the actual skill of the musicians. One of the best sounding tracks on the album is You Make Lovin’ Fun. Lead vocalist [for this track] and keyboard player Christine McVie is remarkable on all accounts. However, all of the lyrical greatness and great sound come together on Gold Dust Woman – which is both a metaphor for drugs and quite possibly the ending of the relationship of the songs author, Stevie Nicks, and then-boyfriend Lindsey Buckingham.

For those of you that saw last week’s episode of Glee, this is an album worth buying due to the fact that it is great musicianship under fire, something that happens to us all. It is very relatable if you have ever endured a never-ending breakup. That is what makes this album one of the greatest albums.

Also be sure to check out the special Classic Albums that VH1 Classic and the BBC documentary they did on Rumours, where they go into both the technicality of making the album as well as what the songs are about – including stories and interviews with band members and album personnel.

in celebration of the Glee “Rumours” episode….

I will post what the Wild Heart considers to be the 20 best Fleetwood Mac and Stevie Nicks songs.

1. This is the sole song that was written by the entire band.
2. This song was apparently written for Christine McVie‘s then-boyfriend, Dennis Wilson of  the legendary Beach Boys. Their relationship ended in 1981 due to his alcoholism. Unfortunately he passed away in 1983 when he drowned somewhere in Marina Del Rey, Los Angeles when he was once again drinking heavily, jumped off his yacht and tried to retrieve stuff he had thrown out 3 years prior. 
3. This was the song that introduced me to Fleetwood Mac.
4. This is, at least for me, one of those songs you occasionally hear on the radio, but you don’t know what it is. When I first put in the album that this is on, Tango In the Night, I called up my now ex-boyfriend (who gave me the album on a trip to San Antonio – we found in in an antique shop and it is one of the few things I still look at or listen to since the relationship ended) and ecstatically exclaimed that this was the song that I was looking f0r from Stevie Nicks. It is one of her best with Fleetwood Mac – even though most people don’t like this particular album. 
5.  When I was a young girl, my father used to tell me the rumor about Stevie Nicks being a witch or was a member of a family of witches as truth. As a Christian, it is wrong to perpetuate rumours. Though yes, some of her beliefs I do question, I still enjoy her music, buy her albums and dance around to her music. If anything, I would rather pray for her.
6. Every single time I hear this song I think of my friend that is currently in a bad relationship. She is currently pregnant with his child. Kinda haunting, but great at the same time.
7. I love how Stevie changes the lyrics from the original recording in this song. Also, her voice is much more raspier, which brings the song to a whole new level of amazing!
8. One of the best duets I have ever heard.
9. This is what happens when you mix Inception, a fun house, “love grunts” and a really cute Lindsey Buckingham. By the way, every other time that they try to do this song live, they never do this song justice: its always stripped down and acoustic. So here is my plea: STOP DOING IT ACOUSTIC! It sounded better when done in the studio. Ever heard of the phrase “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it?” Well Lindsey it wasn’t broke so why are you fixing it?
10. I frequently quote this song. At least in my head.
12. Also written for Dennis Wilson.
13. Some bands don’t age well when they put out later material. Say You Will, released in 2003, the album entered the Billboard 200 charts at #3. They also had a very successful Unleashed tour in 2009. They have aged very well, don’t you think?
16. This is perhaps Nick’s best-known song even to the point that Destiny’s Child sampled the guitar riff for their 2001 hit Bootylicious. Stevie even makes a cameo in the video for the song as the woman playing the guitar riff. 
17. Everytime I hear this song I either want to get up and dance with sashes upon my arms and/or sing.
18. I once tried to dedicate this song to a friend of mine who was about to get married. It was my own little way of saying “Congrats, he’s a good guy.” Sadly  Oprah didn’t pick my name as the “Ultimate Stevie Nicks Fan.”
19. About a week ago, due to some some personal issues that have been going on in my life, I listened to this song and broke down crying. 
20. Finally, one for those that love the Soundstage Sessions, aka “Live in Chicago” dvd: Enchaaannteedd!

Some “Rumours” about Glee

It’s not a “rumour” anymore folks! The hit television series Glee will be airing an entire episode devoted to one of the greatest rock albums of all time: Rumours by

The "Rumours" episode will air on May 3rd on FOX with guest star Kristen Chenoweth

Fleetwood Mac.

Here is some SPOILERS and hopes that the wildheart has about this episode:

• A duet between Will and Emma where they sing You Make Lovin’ Fun: Though I don’t know if this will happen, I really would like to see it. Ever since the show started, they have been dancing around the fact that they love each other. Heck, they loved each other when they were with other people. That is what the original author basically wrote it as: keyboard player Christine McVie was secretly dating a member of the bands road crew while still in a terrible relationship with Fleetwood Mac bassist John McVie. To me this would be alot like that scene from the Rocky Horror Picture Show-themed episode where Emma sings Touch A Touch A Touch Me to Will Schuster. 
• More Sue-scheming! Let’s be honest – Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) shines whenever she is plotting against the glee club. I can just see her doing something extremely evil this time – more than the time she tried shoot Brittany out of a cannon!
• Rachel singing Dreams. Dreams, on its own, is a beautiful song. I think that the only character that can pull off such a beautiful song is Rachel. It matches her voice very well.
• The Warblers and New Directions sing The Chain: Though they are rivals, it is time that they unite in song.
• A cameo by Fleetwood Mac – all members from the Buckingham-Nicks era: Though this maybe next to impossible because Christine McVie is in retirement somewhere in England, it would send the ratings through the roof. They have not been together at least publicly since the bestselling live album The Dance.