Rumors by Fleetwood Mac
Rumors is likely Fleetwood Mac’s most famous and recognizable album they have released and for many fans: it is their best album they have ever released.
The album opens with “I Don’t Want to Know,” a song that is upbeat and catchy to hook you into the album. Following is “Dreams” a song with great vocals and music. This tune went viral about a year or two ago from a TikTok video of a skateboarder drinking juice and lip- syncing it which caused a return back on the charts for a bit.
Then comes “Never Going Back Again” while having a melancholy sound to the vocals it has some impressive guitar riffs that shows how good Lindsey Buckingham was at playing. It is rumored that Buckingham played the song on one
guitar which may come as a surprise to many as the high and low notes dance around with one another.
Three leading voices mixing together in “Don’t Stop” makes a great sound as it has a hopeful message about perseverance and holding out for better days. “Go Your Own Way” is another song that has, at first listen, a cheerful driving force sound, especially with the guitar riff and the drumming. The instrumentals bring the song forward and create a rhythm that you just can’t help but stomp your feet to.
Following is “Songbird,” taking a major tone switch into somber and mournful. This song has beautiful lyrics and soft piano. Then comes the classic, “The Chain,” with killer vocals and iconic lines and an incredible riff– definitely a highlight of the album.
Next is “You Make Loving Fun,” a real 70s tune that has some funk mixed into it and some nice background vocals to support the lead vocals which add to the sentimentalism to the song.
“Second Hand News” has quite sad lyrics for something with such a lively and positive sounding song while it mainly talks about being replaced and dealing with those feelings. Then comes “Oh Daddy,” a deeper, softer song that has some clear meaning about wanting to get out of the current relationship but just not really having the strength to leave. It mainly focuses on a first-person point-of-view of a woman who is so dependent on the man she loves, she cannot find any meaning in herself without him.
The album closes off with a song that builds up as it goes on and adds a mix of sounds to really make the atmosphere build to finish off the album. “Gold Dust Woman” is a song about a lost love and coming to terms with a major drug addiction– an interesting way to end the album.
Personally, I have listened to “The Chain” a lot and hopefully you have as well. However, due to its popularity, it will not be in the top list.
My top picks of this album would be “Never Going Back Again,” “Don’t Stop,” and “Gold Dust Woman” for the weird otherworldly vibes at the end. Overall, this is a good starter album for Fleetwood Mac and everyone can find at least one song they love.
