Discovering classics through pop culture, Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Rumors’ continues to influence each generation. PHOTO CREDIT: NPR
So, I know some songs by Fleetwood Mac. I do not however know the members or history behind this very popular and iconic band.
My fellow editors were shocked at the fact that I didn’t know who Fleetwood Mac was. I said I knew some songs by them but I didn’t know them as a band fully.
In my defense, there are 13 members from what I researched, and even more members when they went on tour. Then again, I know all 13 members of Seventeen and all 23 members of NCT. So let me stop complaining and get into this album.
Something interesting that I didn’t know was that Stevie Nicks was a part of this band, which makes sense because I can now identify her voice in the songs that I know.
I should preface this and say that I don’t just listen to K-Pop and J-Pop. I listen to a lot of different kinds of music, and I really enjoy listening to anything recommended to me. My fellow editors told me that I had to listen to their songs, so here I am! I’m doing it on my own volition… nobody’s forcing me…(Liz).
The songs that I know by them are “The Chain,” “Go Your Own Way” and “Dreams,” which is on the album that I’m reviewing. I most definitely know more songs by them, and if they’re played for me I know for a fact I’m gonna facepalm and say “Oh that’s who sings this song!”
The album that I chose to review is their “Rumours” album that originally came out in 1977. However, this is a review of the remastered version that came out in 2004. This album features 11 songs, two of them being ones I definitely know.
“Dreams” is a song that I have heard a lot. I never knew who the artist was, but my dad has played this song so much, and I have heard it in numerous films. I really love this song and the whole vibe of it. It’s such a chill song and all the instruments played by the band are so cool.
“The Chain” is another song I have listened to a lot. My extended family has played this so many times around a fire pit during our summer vacation, and we all sing along to this song. This song has also been in a lot of movies my parents and friends have shown me. I really love this song and I love vibing to it.
“Go You Own Way” was the one that made me realize that I did know Fleetwood Mac’s songs, but just not them. I know, I’m embarrassed too, but that’s why I’m doing this review. The guitar solo/riff at the end is my absolute favorite part of the song. It is so iconic and so awesome, and I do remember my dad playing it in the car once and me head-banging to it in the front seat.
Did I ask him who the band was…no, I did not. That was my fault I know, but I love that song.
“Second Hand News” was somewhat fast-paced and it was really good. It was one of my favorites on this album. I really liked the guitar and drums on this track. I also really liked the “scat” parts of the song that I assume are the chorus of the song.
“Never Going Back Again” sounds like a really cool folk song. It wasn’t my favorite, but I really liked the sound of it. The vocals are really good and the guitar on this song is really nice to listen to. It sounds like a song you’d play when driving to the beach with the windows down in the summer; which are my favorite types of songs.
“Don’t Stop” was a really catchy song; I like the lyrics and the beat of the song a lot. This is definitely a song I’d be singing just randomly because of how catchy the lyrics are. The vibe I’m getting from this song is someone walking down the street in a movie and smiling at everyone they pass by. It’s a feel-good song that I really enjoyed listening to.
“Songbird” was such a sweet and beautiful song. It’s one of their slower songs on the album and it honestly sounded like a lullaby. It was so enchanting and calming to listen to. This sounds like a song you would slow dance to either at prom or for a father-daughter dance.
“You Make Loving Fun” was a really jazzy and “bluesy” type song that I loved a lot. This had a really good beat and vibe to it, I especially loved the guitar playing at the end of the song.
“I Don’t Want to Know” was really upbeat and happy. I really enjoyed the vocals on this song and how they flowed well with each other. Again, the guitar solo near the end of the song was really dope and it fit so perfectly in the song.
“Oh Daddy” was another slow song on this album. It had a “Legend of Zelda” vibe with the flute playing in the background. The sound of this song sounds really somber and sad, but the lyrics are actually really sweet.
“Gold Dust Woman” is a really interesting and unique song. Stevie Nicks’ vocals on this song are so good and raspy. This is another slow-paced song, but I really liked this one a lot. I also found the lyrics really interesting and thought Nick’s really carried this song. The long pauses in between the singing parts was also a really cool choice I thought.
Fleetwood Mac is such an iconic band that everyone either knows or probably should know. Luckily I have friends here at the Cigar to help me out and inform me about the band that I most definitely knew, but didn’t know at the same time.