Tag: Lists

A couple of Stevie’s big hits show up just before we crack the Top 20. It seems they should be higher on this list, it’s just that Fleetwood Mac has recorded so many damn good songs I couldn’t get them all into the Top 20! The songs in this batch really start to see all the stunning craftsmanship from the Fleetwood Mac and Rumours days. And so much nostalgia listening to all of these songs agin.

#25 – Blue Letter (Curtis, Michael; Curtis, Richard) Fleetwood Mac (1975)

Another great rocker from Lindsey Buckingham off the Fleetwood Mac album, and one of the rare times the band performed a song written by non-members. Michael & Richard Curtis were friends with Lindsey and Stevie during the Buckingham Nicks era, and they wrote this song for the recording duo for their sophomore album, which was never recorded. They offered the song to the pair as part of Fleetwood Mac, and the band decided late in the recording process to add it to the album. “Blue Letter” and “World Turning” were two of the last songs to be added, adding a slightly more high energy, rock ‘n roll edge to the album.

Powered largely by the Fleetwood Mac rhythm section, with a decidedly 70’s organ part and chunky guitars pushing the song along. “Blue Letter” features another nice blend of the three part harmonies that non one can do like Fleetwood Mac. It’s a quick number, but decidedly catchy and it has become a staple for many of their live concert tours.

#24 – The Chain (Buckingham, Fleetwood, McVie, C., McVie, J., Nicks) Rumours 1977

“The Chain” is the quintessential Fleetwood Mac song for so many reasons. It’s the only song with writing credits to the entire band. It highlights all the things that make Fleetwood Mac the band they are. The lyrics perfectly capture what the band was going through during the recording of Rumours. It’s symbolic of what the band has endured through the decades, with perhaps the sad exception of Lindsey’s forced departure a couple of years ago.

I recently found new appreciation for “The Chain” by really listening to it again after years of kind of just having it in the background of my mind. It’s really quite an amazing song, from the swamp rock twang of the guitar opener, to the outstanding vocal harmonies that no other band does quite the same way. The song was pieced together from bits and pieces of previous songs. Lindsey recycled a guitar lick from “Lola (My Love),” a track from the Buckingham Nicks album, and the iconic bass/drums break mid-way through the song was written by John McVie and Mick Fleetwood for Christine McVie-penned, never-released song called “Keep Me There,” that also provided the chord progression throughout. Stevie supplied the original lyrics that were reworked by she and Christine to the dark, yet powerful motifs that showed how out of the tumult and heartbreak came music that was so transcendent and universal that it acted as a chain that would keep them together.

“The Chain” really shows off all the band members doing what they do best. Lindsey’s guitar work, both in the dark, twangy intro, and during the blistering, incendiary solo is at its best. Christine provides a haunting, layered organ backdrop that builds to a simmering counterpoint during the final third of the song. Mick and John anchor the song with their impeccable rhythm section, with John’s iconic bass line providing perhaps the most memorable moment in the song, and Fleetwood’s powerful and intelligent drumming perfectly matching each of the song’s segments. And the vocals. Each vocalist brings their all, with their unique flavors. Lindsey and Stevie’s voices, so similar in some ways, entwine like vines, while Christine’s soaring harmonies add an ethereal quality that sends shivers up the spine.

Not my favorite Mac song, by any means, but I’m so glad it made the Top 25, as an important and emblematic moment in Fleetwood Mac history.

#23 – Honey Hi (McVie, C.) Tusk (1979)

This gem of a Christine McVie song seems just to have just been slipped onto Tusk without anyone noticing. In some ways it feels more like a snippet of a song, rather than an entire, finished song. It’s pretty short and almost feels like a jam session around a fire on the beach. It’s a got a super thrown together vibe, in the best way, although I’m sure it was very tightly produced.

From the get go, “Honey Hi” intrigues me, the way it fades in, like “Over My Head.: You don’t get too many fade ins, as I said before, it’s almost like you’re walking down the beach and you hear this music in the distance and you come up on a ragtag bunch of musicians just strumming along. It’s another song driven by Christine’s tuneful electric piano, something that always appeals to me, and I love the way Lindsey’s acoustic guitar weaves in and out, sometimes acting like a rhythm instrument, other times adding little flourishes to augment the simple melody. Mick’s percussion really adds so much texture and mood to the song. Bongos, rhythm sticks, a little tambourine, and occasional bell… so subtle and beautiful. Then there are the exquisite vocals. First, Christine’s amazing voice is perfect on this song, so pure and on point. And the when the three of them join their voice in superb harmony, you just can’t beat it. Christine, Stevie and Lindsey have such distinct voices, but the way they blend is nothing short of magical

The lyrics are pretty simple too. She’s traveling, probably on tour, and she’s reaching out to her partner who’s at home, telling him how much she misses and loves him. Simple, beautiful sentiment. I’ve included three videos for this song (overkill, I know). The first is the straightforward song. The second is likely an early demo of just Christine on the piano and singing, with some percussion. You get to really hear the great piano part. The final is a version of the recorded song with Christine’s piano and the harmonies taken out, so you can really listen to the gorgeous guitar licks from Lindsey, and you can really listen to how lovely Christine’s voice is.

#22 – Rhiannon (Nicks) Fleetwood Mac (1975)

If ever there was a song that really put Fleetwood Mac (and Stevie Nicks, for that matter) it was “Rhiannon,” Nicks’ song about a Welsh Witch, despite only climbing to #11 on the U.S. Billboard charts. For fans of the band who have seen them in concert, the band’s blistering performance of “Rhiannon” is one of the live show’s centerpieces, where as the song builds to a climax, the intensity of which is not found on the recording, it feels like the vocalist is exorcising an dark spirit. As a pre-teen, like many young people, I was enchanted by Nicks, and especially this song. I’m sure it was my favorite song on the album when I first heard it. Stevie’s mysterious and flamboyant presence was surely compelling.

“Rhiannon” was written before Nicks joined Fleetwood Mac, in the Buckingham Nicks days, but it was never recorded until the 1975 Fleetwood Mac album. Nicks was inspired to write the song after reading a novel in the early 70’s about a woman named Rhiannon who takes possession of another woman named Branwen. After she wrote the song, she did some research into the Welsh mythology and was so taken by it, she began to work on an extensive project about the character that was never completed. Another of Nicks’ Fleetwood Mac songs, which appears higher on this list is from that project.

This is a perfect example of how Fleetwood Mac, as a band, really enhances their members’ contributions. The production on the studio version of this song is impeccable, and the musicianship that each member brings to it is just perfect for the finished product. Once again, you just cant beat Fleetwood and McVie’s rhythm section. The drums pulse with a tribal rhythm like a heartbeat, with a rolling bass line to as a counterpoint. Christine’s bell-like electric piano drifts throughout the song like a bird in flight, catching your attention then wheeling away. Lindsey’s guitar makes for the songs most recognizable riff, and while he provides an explosive solo at the end of the live version, the restraint he exhibits on the recording serves the song beautifully. I truly swoon over the way the guitar and piano parts weave around each other creating a mystical aural tapestry. And finally, with no surprise at all, the three contribute gorgeous vocals to augment Stevie’s riveting and haunting performance. “Rhiannon” also features the first of Stevie’s now famous “fade-out” lines, where she introduces new lyrics as the song fades away.

I’ve included the studio version below, as well as the live version from The Dance that includes a gorgeous introduction featuring Christine on the grand piano, a version that is more similar to how Stevie wrote the song to begin with, and a live version from the Mirage tour that really shows off Stevie’s intense performance.

https://youtu.be/PZG6RY_6RmQ

#21 – Dreams (Nicks) Rumours (1977)

The fact that “Dreams” is Fleetwood Mac’s sole #1 single in the U.S. has always boggled my mind. While I enjoy the song, and when i really stop to listen to it, I think it’s one of their finest (just short of the Top 20, after all) recorded number. Chalk that up to Lindsey Buckingham’s masterful reworking of the original song contributed by Nicks, and the amazing production from the Rumours production. As reported in “Blender” magazine, Christine McVie described the song as having “just three chords and one note in the left hand” and “boring” when Nicks played a rough version on the piano. McVie changed her mind after Buckingham “fashioned three sections out of identical chords, making each section sound completely different. He created the impression that there’s a thread running through the whole thing. And there is a perfect example of how Fleetwood Mac is a better band when Lindsey Buckingham is a member.

Some of the things I love about the song are the way the verses are so sparse and open, really highlighting Stevie’s vocal performance, which is lovely. There’s the steady heartbeat of the drums and bass, while Christine’s electric piano provides the structure, and Lindsey’s fluid electric guitar provides the color. It’s a pretty standard formula for Fleetwood Mac, particularly the Nicks-penned number, but it clearly works. Then the chorus hits and bongo drums, an airy organ lick, and an acoustic guitar suddenly fill out the sound providing a lush background to the once again stellar three-part harmonies of our amazing vocalists, their unique, distinctive voices blending to create a seamless tapestry that is at once unified and disparate.

Lyrically, “Dreams” can be paired with Buckingham’s “Go Your Own Way,” (which will be making an appearance further up on this list) to show the slow unraveling of their relationship. “Now here you go again, you say you want your freedom. Well who am I to keep you down.” She accepting that things are over, but also providing a cautionary tale that it’s not going to make him happy, “But listen carefully to the sounds, of your loneliness, like a heartbeat drives you mad in the stillness of remembering what you had and what you lost.” It’s really a beautifully poetic summation of Stevie’s point of view around the collapse of their relationship.

As we crack the Top 30, Lindsey Buckingham has a strong showing, with three songs in this next batch. The first song from 1997’s live album, The Dance also makes its first appearance in the Top 50.

#30 – Bleed to Love Her (Buckingham) The Dance (1997)

When Fleetwood Mac had their first major comeback in 1997 with a reunion concert and a live album, The Dance, in addition to all the classics hits, each songwriter included a new song. Lindsey Buckingham’s “Bleed to Love Her” is the stand-out of the new songs, and it anchors my Top 30 Mac tracks.

It’s a quick, straight-forward song for a Buckingham tune, but it’s heartfelt, melodic, with a catchy acoustic riff and gorgeous layered harmonies, anchored by a great bass & drum foundation. I don’t know what goes through Lindsey’s head when he writes songs, but twenty years past Rumours, it sure seems like he’s still writing about Stevie Nicks, and his emotional performance of this live track would suggest he’s still carrying a torch, or at least a match for her.

Apparently, I just found out this morning, that Fleetwood Mac included “Bleed to Love Her” for their 2003 album, Say You Will. It’s one of only two tracks that include Christine McVie on them, and that’s because those songs were originally recorded for a Lindsey Buckingham solo album, then co-opted for Fleetwood Mac’s 17th and final (so far) studio album. Say You Will was the first Mac album since 1970’s Kiln House that did not feature any songs written by Christine McVie. I’m including the video from The Dance because I like it better.

#29 – Monday Morning (Buckingham) Fleetwood Mac (1975)

The opening track from the album that heralded the massive leap in success for Fleetwood Mac, also introduced the world to the man who would arguably become the main creative driver for the band’s next 40 years. Lindsey Buckingham’s “Monday Morning” was written for the second Buckingham Nicks album, along with a couple other songs, but was moved to the Fleetwood Mac album when he and Nicks joined the band. It burst off the vinyl announcing a move from the blues-grounded British band, to a more pop-rock sound that would take the band to the highest of heights.

“Monday Morning” has a lot of trademarks: the way Lindsey uses his guitar as part of the rhythm section (a sound Christine duplicates with maracas in the live version), and Fleetwood employs his creative drumming style to give the song some terrific texture. The song structure is fun too, with a neat little bridge that guides the verses into the chorus. It truly was the dawn of a new day for the Mac, and the perfect way to open the multi-platinum Fleetwood Mac album

#28 – Walk a Thin Line (Buckingham) Tusk (1979

Buckingham’s highest-ranked song from Tusk was a late addition to the album, and while it still featured some of his more post-punk elements, it’s possible that he had divested some of the more out-there sounds and needed to return to his more melodic, pop sounds. “Walk a Thin Line” is a gorgeous, acoustic number that blends the best of Buckingham’s creative modes and creates an emotional ballad, that is… well, about his break-up with Stevie Nicks.

Interestingly enough, like “Monday Morning,” it kicks off with an intake of breath from Buckingham and a first line sung a cappella, then the drums and acoustic guitar lay down a rhythmic background the propels the song. Yet Buckingham’s music production wizardry takes some very simple elements and uses them to provide “Walk a Thin Line” with some sumptuous textures to back Buckingham’s haunting falsetto. The drums are multi-tracked to create a fascinating layered sound, and Buckingham and McVie’s backing vocals are used as a gorgeous counterpoint to the melody, the way another act might use strings or synthesizers.

While I appreciate and enjoy the creative antics Buckingham employed on Tusk (he recorded some of his vocals on this track in a push-up position as well), this pop number, laced with yearning and melody, stands out as my favorite.

#27 – I Don’t Want To Know (Nicks) Rumours (1977)

This country-twinged, upbeat pop number from Nicks was written back in the Buckingham Nicks days, and was a last minute addition to Rumours. “Silver Springs” had originally been slated to be Nicks’ third contribution to the album, but it’s running time put total album’s length over the limit. Without telling Nicks, the band recorded a version of “I Don’t Want To Know” with Lindsey singing both parts and decided to use the song as a replacement for “Springs.” When Mick Fleetwood broke the news to Stevie, she was originally angry that the band went behind her back to do this and wouldn’t have anything to do with the recording, but relented, not wanting to only have two songs featured on Rumours.

While “Silver Springs is clearly the better of the two songs, I’m glad they ended up recording “I Don’t Want To Know” as it’s one of Nick’s better songs with Fleetwood Mac. It’s “rockin’ and a reelin'” rhythm matches the lyrics and tone of the song, and the entire song is sung as a duet with beautiful Everly Brothers-style harmonies between Buckingham and Nicks. I also love the addition of Nicks’ hand-claps that are reminiscent of the 60’s pop groups like the Archies. Although it was written long before the pair was even thinking of breaking up, it fits the rest of the Rumours album lyrically as a conciliatory break-up song, much like Dreams.

#26 – Love in Store (McVie, C./Recor, Jim) Mirage (1982)

“Love in Store” kicks-off the 1982 Mirage album with all the best elements of a Fleetwood Mac track. The gorgeous, crystal production makes it possible to hear each and every instrument and vocal track while blending them all together in astounding pop perfection. The song is an understated pop gem, but it’s got an interesting, compact structure with only one round of verses to open the song, then chorus, break chorus, outro. It was released as the third single from Mirage , climbing to #22, after “Hold Me” (#4), “and Gypsy” (#12).

The song is driven by a demanding snare drum and propulsive bass line with electric piano and organ providing the through line and Lindsey’s guitar flourishes adding color. But it’s the signature three-part harmonies and textured background oohs and aahs that really provide Christine’s gorgeous vocals the rich palette to soar. Stevie’s harmonies get nicely highlighted, especially in the live version. And as is often the case in Christine’s songs, Lindsey provides the outro vocals. The song was co-written by Christine, and Jim Recor, who was married to Stevie Nicks’ friend Sara, who in the late 80’s had affair with Mick Fleetwood! It’s amazing how that band’s romantic dramas even spilled over onto their friends. “Love in Store” is the 4th of 5 tracks from Mirage to hit the Top 50, and 1st of 2 of McVie’s contributions to the album.

#35 – Book of Love (Buckingham; Dashut, Richard) Mirage (1982)

“Book of Love” is a pretty straightforward song about having to deal with a broken heart while your former love is still around. (Again, does Lindsey write any Fleetwood Mac songs that aren’t about Stevie Nicks?) What I love most about this song, however, is the heartfelt, emotional way Buckingham sings it, especially the chorus. You can hear the pain in his voice as he channels that upper register but harnesses it for heartbreak rather than the shrieks and howls that he often uses in his live tracks from this era.

Buckingham’s work on Mirage was interesting as well, for while he certainly moved back to a more pop sensibility after his forays into punk experimentalism on Tusk, that influence is still there. While the soundscape of his songs is more layered than his tracks on Tusk, there is still a sparseness that opens up the song. The use of his colleagues on backing vocals has shifted to provide that layering, reminiscent of early Mac, but still with an edge that feels more of the time. As always, Buckingham’s guitar work is stellar; crisp and intricate and this song features a fantastic bass line from John McVie. There is clearly a new wave/punk spirit behind the pop songwriter. This song, along with a couple other Buckingham cuts on Mirage, were co-written with the album’s co-producer, Richard Dashut, who had been involved since the Buckingham Nicks days.

#34 – Not That Funny (Buckingham) Tusk 1979

When Tusk was released, the Lindsey Buckingham track that most captured me was “Not That Funny,” a rather whacky, offbeat number with a really unusual sound. I couldn’t get enough of this song, found it strangely compelling, and I think, like Lindsey, who wrote this song in response to the late ’70’s punk movement, helped usher me from the smooth grooves of the 70’s into the new style of music that defined the 80’s.

“Not That Funny” was almost completely driven by the grungy, distorted chunkiness of what I coined, “the Tusk guitar,” augmented by the annoyingly catchy, warped twanging of another guitar that faded in and out. The whole sound of this song was unusual, with Lindsey singing the entire vocal track in a plank position, with a microphone taped to the tile floor of a recreation of his home bathroom.

This, along with “Tusk” are arguably the weirdest songs ever recorded by Fleetwood Mac, and it’s no surprise that the live version retained Lindsey’s vocal eccentricities, but lost some of the wildly odd instrumentation. However, Christine stepped in with a funky piano accompaniment to fill in for the twangy, high-pitched acoustic guitar work, and the live version ends up becoming an extended jam session while Lindsey vocalizes his pain and eccentricity.

Lyrically, who quite know what this song’s all about, but it’s definitely coming from a dark place, despite being dressed up with all the offbeat sounds. “All your hope is gone… I said it’s not too funny, is it?” I still prefer the quirky studio version, and I do love playing this on the piano. In some ways I think this song informed some of my musician sensibility during my brief tenure in a punk band called “Psyclone” in the early 80’s.

#33 – Never Forget (McVie, C.) Tusk (1979)

Many fans of the Tusk album praise it by saying how the experimental quirkiness of Buckingham’s song is perfectly offset by the beauty and sweetness of McVie and Nicks’ contributions. Four of the ten tracks from Tusk that appear in my Top 50 are from McVie, and I would certainly rank them pretty high on the “beauty and sweetness” scale, none, perhaps, as highly as “Never Forget.” The closing track on Tusk, this sweet, melodic song is a simple song about love and remembrance that wraps up the adventure so aptly and so beautifully.

The gentle fade in with Christine’s electric piano, Lindsey’s acoustic guitar, and John McVie’s rambling bass interweaving so beautifully, with Mick’s driving rim shots moving the song forward. When Christine’s voice slides in you just feel so warm and comforted, and Buckingham and Nicks’ backing vocals glide along like a 70’s mellow rock classic. Little touches like Lindsey’s gentle electric guitar licks, and Christine’s organ augment the song as it carries the listener along on a gentle, warm wave of fond memories. The fade out with the three vocalists telling us that “It’ll be all right” just makes you feel like it really will.

#32 – Seven Wonders (Stewart, Sandy; Nicks) Tango in the Night (1987)

Other than one standout track on Tusk, and this cut from Tango in the Night you will notice that I lose interest in Stevie’s musical contributions after Rumours. I don’t know if she just saved her best songs for her solo career at that point, or I just found her becoming a bit of parody of herself, but her mystical, nonsensical meanderings didn’t catch me the way her early work did. But another interesting thing happened in the mid-80’s and the release of her second solo album, The Wild Heart, she started working with Sandy Stewart. Sandy sang and played keyboards on Nick’s The Wild Heart album, and co-wrote three of the songs, including the Top 20 single, “If Anyone Falls.” Stewart released a solo album, Cat Dancers, which remains one of my favorite little known albums of the 80’s, and a follow-up album as a band called Blue Yonder. While her solo career never took off, she began writing hit songs for such performers as Nicks, Tina Turner, Belinda Carlisle and others.

Stewart sent a demo of “Seven Wonders” to Fleetwood Mac during the recording of Tango, but didn’t include the lyric sheet. Nicks misheard one line of the lyrics as, “all the way down to Emmaline,” her sole contribution that got her a songwriting credit alongside Stewart. Nicks said of the moment, “I had become so attached to the name Emmaline that we kept it in and she gave me a small percentage.” It makes you wonder what the original line was.

For me it’s a great, upbeat, pop track for Nicks, and finds her in fine vocal form. The layered harmonies in the chorus are reminiscent of 70’s Mac. Fleetwood adds some fine rhythmic layering with added percussion, and it doesn’t sound overproduced despite all the synth work. And even though it’s just a performance piece, I enjoy the whimsy of the video, and the playful interplay between the members which you don’t often see. And Christine looks fantastic.

#31 – Why (McVie, C.) Mystery to Me (1973)

Mystery to Me was a great album for Christine McVie songs. All four of the albums tracks to hit the Top 50 come from McVie, and she really stretches her writing and experiments with some different styles here. “Why” is certainly a good example of Christine pushing on the boundaries of her traditional musical style. While lyrically, the songs fits squarely into McVie’s wheelhouse, lamenting over the end of a relationship, but knowing it’s time to move on, musically it’s pretty unique for her.

The song begins with a lengthy intro featuring guitarist Bob Weston’s trademark slide guitar, before sliding into the lovely acoustic guitar and piano that seem like more familiar McVie territory, melodic as ever. Honestly, the music and lyrics of the opening stanzas meld so perfectly… it sounds like the gentle dawning of a new day that’s filled with melancholy, yet somehow helpful as well. Weston’s guitar and McVie’s organ providing beautiful bridges between the verses, along with some ARP string synthesizers bringing additional texture. As always, Mick Fleetwood’s drums and John McVie’s bass add a subtle, yet complex foundation. Then McVie and Welch sing the beautiful refrain together to take us to a slow outro that brings us right back to where we started. It’s a truly lovely song that is a great example of how the music and lyrics match perfectly.

This is one of the songs from the pre-Buckingham/Nicks days that the band performed live for a while, and the closing refrain, that blended McVie, Nicks and Buckinghams’ voices elevated the song to new heights. While the live version lacks the complexity of the studio track, it’s beautiful in its own right. McVie’s singing just makes me tear up, and Buckingham’s guitar-work is stellar; I love the guitar/organ interplay after the second verse. John McVie gets his moment to shine, and it’s lovely to hear Nicks harmonize back when she had an upper register. I’ve included both the studio and live version below.

https://youtu.be/QxjDHw5FtOA

We crack the Top 40, and after this batch, with the exception of some co-writers and non-Fleetwood Mac songwriters, we’re down to the Mac triumvirate of Buckingham/McVie/Nicks. Still, coming it at #36 Danny Kirwan’s sole Top 50 entry (although he has 4 total in the Top 70). This batch also includes the highest ranking songs from the albums Bare Trees and Future Games.

#40 – I Know I’m Not Wrong (Buckingham) – Tusk 1979

One of five Buckingham-penned songs on Tusk, “I Know I’m Not Wrong” is a quirky, high-energy song that was emblematic of the post-punk inspired sounds he was playing with on this album. As usual, it’s hard not to think he’s still writing about his break-up with Nicks with lyrics like,

“Her lips were waitin’
Her eyes looked sad
The dreams of a lifetime
A year gone bad”

That break-up certainly provided lots of fodder for some great songwriting. This punchy number has a catchy melody and is one of several tracks where Buckingham really stretches into the upper register of his vocal range. He also notoriously overlaid Fleetwood’s drum part using Kleenex boxes. The band rehearsed this song for the Tusk tour, but wasn’t until the Say You Will tour in the 2000’s that they performed it live. I’ve included the studio version, which is essentially Buckingham solo number as he played most of the instruments, and a clip from a 2015 performance to hear the whole band perform it.

#39 – Little Lies (McVie, C.; Quintela, E.) – Tango in the Night 1987

I remember when Tango in the Night was released in 1987, I felt it captured the warmth that Mirage, which in retrospect seemed a little sterile, lacked. Now when I listen back to Tango, some 30+ years later, it seems, dare I say it, over produced. Of the Buckingham/Nicks line-up albums, it fares the worst, with only 2 songs in the Top 50. Here we have one of them.

“Little Lies” is a song penned by Christine McVie and her then husband, Eddy Quintela. It’s a very solid song, great pop hook, and nice interplay between McVie, Nicks and Buckingham’s vocals on the chorus. It was the third single off Tango, and did really well, climbing all the way to #4 on the U.S. Billboard charts. It’s actually the last Mac single to hit the Top 10 to date. I’m not sure why “Little Lies” hasn’t aged better with me. I think it has to do with all those synthesizers. Christine on the electric or acoustic piano, or the organ was enough for dozens of hits… it just seems a little like overkill as I look back. Still the bones of the song are great, and it’s very catchy, so it just squeaks in my Top 40 Mac tracks. It’s got a pretty video too, but I’m sorry, Lindsey and Stevie just loo so out of place on a farm.

#38 – What Makes You Think You’re the One (Buckingham, L.) Tusk (1979)

Back to Tusk and another sparse rocker from Lindsey Buckingham. This one’s kind of fun because unlike most of Lindsey’s songs, this one’s driven by the piano. The studio track from the album was recorded very late one night with just Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood in the studio. Lindsey played the piano, and they mic’d Micks drums through a boombox. So the rhythmic pounding on the piano is augmented by Fleetwood’s bashing away at the drums. The music fits the scathing commentary of the lyrics, which sure sound like they’re directed at an ex (re: Stevie) but Buckingham commented in the liner notes of the Tusk reissue that it’s a “fuck you” attitude, not directed at anyone in particular, but more at the industry itself, and a reaction to the label’s desire for a Rumours II and commercial hit. Buckingham in a rebellious phase for sure.

I’ve included a video of the band rehearsing this song for the Tusk tour so you can also hear the song performed by the band, adding the McVie’s. You’ve gotta love the brash, punk attitude of Lindsey’s Tusk contributions. They really added an energy to the band that was a little wild and untamed compared to their fine pop constructions. Although it also made the album feel a little bit like a Lindsey solo album with some Christine and Stevie songs thrown in to appeal to the masses.

#37 – Morning Rain (McVie, C.) Future Games (1971)

Coming in at #37, we’ve got the earliest song offered from Christine McVie, way back in 1971 on the Future Games album. I love this little rocker powered by Christine’s awesome piano playing and enhanced by Danny Kirwan’s bluesy guitar. And Christine’s powerful voice in a deep register is filled with soul as she tells her lover that the past is over, doesn’t matter the troubles they’ve had, it’s time to look forward and start over for a brighter future (a precursor to “Don’t Stop” perhaps?)

I love the way this song chugs along, with Bob Welch’s rhythm guitar and the bass and drums working in concert while McVie and Kirwan keep things soaring. It just makes you want to boogie. It’s a simple song structurally, but a great song instrumentally. Lots going on there. I wonder if the song developed as a jam session, because they layered parts just seem spontaneous and fresh. Really shows-off Christine’s musicianship, and how this early Mac really knew how to jam. Christine only contributed two songs to Future Games, the other track, “Show Me a Smile” coming in at #65 on this list.

#36 – Dust (Kirwan) Bare Trees (1972)

Danny Kirwan’s sole entry in the Top 50 (he’s got 4 total in the Top 70) is a beautiful and haunting meditation about death lifted from the Bare Trees album. The lyrics for “Dust” were taken from a poem about death written by Rupert Brooke in 1910. Kirwan, while an accomplished musician and songwriter lacked confidence in his lyric writing, and borrowed an excerpt from the poem.

Kirwan’s gentle, melodic voice spins a lovely tune over several layers of electric and acoustic guitars, as well as McVie’s piano. It really shows how this version of the band, featuring Kirwan, McVie, McVie, Welch and Fleetwood deserve more praise and attention. The songwriting, and musicianship during this period is truly outstanding. Kirwasn was known to be shy, sensitive, nervous and withdrawn. Christine McVie said aid in 2018, “Danny was a troubled man and a difficult person to get to know. He was a loner.” He struggled with drugs and alcohol and even struggled with homelessness during the 80s and 90s. He died in 2018 after a struggle with pneumonia. His legacy with Fleetwood Mac and as a solo artist are a testament to his talent.

As we close in on the Top 40, we have a nice assortment of songs from various eras, including Bob Welch’s sole entry in the Top 50.

#45 – Can’t Go Back (Buckingham, L.) Mirage 1982

Mirage was an interesting album. Just as Tusk was a reaction to Rumours, I suspect Mirage was a bit of a reaction to Tusk. Gone was the raw, stripped down production, and in its place was a super-slick, sadly, almost antiseptic sheen over some admittedly fantastic pop songs. The production was impeccable, for sure, but while the production on Rumours was also slick and exacting, there was a more organic feel to that album. Mirage despite it’s bevy of songs about relationships, felt a little cool. Still, it returned the band to the #1 spot (for five weeks) on the U.S. Billboard charts — the first time since Rumours.

Not that Lindsey wasn’t still tossing out his quirky, off-beat songs, they were just a little less in your face and digestible. Can’t Go Back, another ode to the Buckingham/Nicks relationship (“she was just a dream maker, dreamer of sighs…”) with a great call and response between the keyboard and the acoustic guitar (as well as the vocals in the chorus), and a tight, propulsive drum track, showcases Buckingham’s voice, filled with longing. “Can’t Go Back” was a follow-up UK single to the chart-topping “Oh, Diane,” but it stalled at #83.

#44 – Believe Me (McVie, C.) Mystery to Me (1973)

There are so many Christine McVie songs in the Fleetwood Mac pantheon. Not surprising when you consider her tenure with the band. When listening to her pre-Buckingham/Nicks era work, I was impressed how she took more chances, and pushed at the boundaries of pop a bit more. Perhaps she was still shaking off her blues roots, or perhaps she just hadn’t quite evolved into the hit-making songwriting machine she eventually became. Mystery to Me features 4 songs on my Top 50 (all McVie songs) the most of any album not featuring Buckingham and Nicks.

Believe Me is a very cool song because at its heart, it’s a straight-forward, blues-tinged, pop-rock number in the early McVie style. What sets it apart are a very cool intro and outro. The song starts with some beautiful piano playing by McVie leading you to believe you are going to enjoy a lovely piano ballad. Then the main body song kicks off with some twangy guitar, punchy piano, traveling bass, and high-energy drumming. The song closes with an extended outro and another major mood change with some mournful slide guitar provided by Bob Weston. Somehow the whole thing works, and showcases McVie’s strong writing skills and piano playing. Lyrically it’s your basic, blues staple about a woman in love with a bit of a loser, but this one is much more musically interesting than lyrically.

Two versions of the song below, the studio track that features that piano intro and a live version from the early 70’s that features Christine’s strong vocal performance and gives Weston’s slide guitar a focus on a new intro.

#43 – Future Games (Welch, Bob) Future Games (1971)

Bob Welch makes his single appearance in my Top 50 at ##43 with the dreamy title track of the 1971 album, Future Games. It was Welch’s first of five albums with the band for which he wrote songs, sang. and played guitar from 1971 – 1974. Welch contributed quite a few songs to Fleetwood Mac, including the radio hit “Hypnotized,” from 1973’s Mystery to Me. and Bare Tree’s “Sentimental Lady” which was his biggest hit when her re-recorded it as a solo artist in 1977. Welch’s rerecorded “Sentimental Lady” was a Top 10 U.S. hit, and was produced by Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie, who also appeared on the track.

While I liked Bob Welch just fine, his songs as as rule didn’t connect with me as strongly as the other songwriting members. “Future Games” was certainly an exception. A haunting and beautiful number featuring a simmering falsetto chorus, which would be echoed in some of Buckingham’s work, “Future Games” is nearly nine minutes of dreamy rock and roll. Welch wrote the song after debating with friends about the turbulent state of the world at that time, and what the future might bring. In addition to Welch’s vocals, which really fuel the song, I love McVie’s big organ sound in the chorus, and Danny Kirwan’s smooth guitar licks add the right touch of psychedelia to this ethereal number.

#42 – Over and Over (Christine McVie) Tusk (1979)

McVie’s lovely ballad was the opening track for the band’s Tusk album, and it very deceptively might have the listener believe that Rumours part 2 had arrived. (Those misconceptions would be blown away with track 2, when “The Ledge” would come barreling in). A second listen would find “Over & Over” actually being a strong opener for Tusk, a bridge, so to speak that would draw you in rather than alienate you. There’s more raw space in the production, Buckingham’s acoustic guitar is more rhythmic than melodic, and the backing vocals are haunting and one of those lovely moments where each singer’s signature vocal style is clear.

Lyrically we’re in the usual McVie territory for many of her song. She’s trying to hang on to her man however she can. But musically, the songs is anything but simple. The lovely overlays of electric piano, acoustic guitar, Fleetwood’s deceptively intricate drumming, a touch of organ toward the end, and the interwoven electric guitar licks create a lovely tapestry for McVie’s gorgeous voice, expressing a fragility in the verses that she doesn’t use very often. She even takes a few bars of an actual piano solo in the middle. It’s those haunting vocals, both lead and back up that really lift this song to higher heights. “Over & Over” was featured during the Tusk tour and the live version had additional vocal interplay between Nicks and McVie, and a powerful build for the outro that really showed the song at its best. I’ve included both the studio and live versions here.

#41 – I’m So Afraid (Buckingham, L.) Fleetwood Mac (1975)

Buckingham wrote “I’m So Afraid” for the second Buckingham Nicks album, but when the duo joined Fleetwood Mac, it shows up on 1975’s Fleetwood Mac as a powerful and haunting closing number. One Mac’s rare out and out rockers, “I’m So Afraid” is also a staple in all of their live shows, showing off Buckingham’s guitar prowess and proving the band knows how to rock out.

“I’m So Afraid” is a dark song detailing the fear and anxiety that cripples the narrator, possibly even generating suicidal thoughts. Is it paranoia? Mental illness? Genuine fear? The song is universal as certainly everyone has felt alone and afraid in their life. Buckingham’s anguished falsetto, along with Nicks’ wailing harmony really sell the song. The pounding drumbeats, and McVie’s funereal organ add to the melancholy mood. If love the way the organ is really the backbone of the song in the live version, and how this concert performance really showcases the power of the Mac rhythm section, the three instruments providing an powerful base for Buckingham’s intricate, wailing guitar solos.

“I’m So Afraid” is the second track form the Fleetwood Mac album to appear n the Top 50. I was always intrigued how their two smash albums from the 70’s Fleetwood Mac and Rumours feature in interesting parallel structure, with Buckingham pop-rockers opening both albums, (“Monday Morning,” and “Second ‘Hand News”) and closing tracks that feature dark, haunting themes and vocals, this one, and Stevie’ Nicks’ “Gold Dust Woman” on Rumours. “I’m So Afraid” was a great closing song for the album, and as a young teenager, I was really captivated by the torment that was evident in this song, and especially Buckingham’s voice. I’ve included both the original track and one of the many live versions to show who Mac could decidedly rock out despite their polished, studio presentations. This video is from the 1982 Mirage tour.

Next up… the Top 40!