Why Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Rumours’ Is The Anti-Valentine’s Day Album We All Need

You’ve heard me complain about Valentine’s Day incessantly on air. It is my least favorite excuse for a holiday. And no, it’s not just because I am as single as a Pringle. Even when I was in a relationship, I could never stand the forced feeling that Valentine’s Day gave off. You HAVE to book reservations for dinner for you and your sweetheart, surprise him/her with chocolates and/or flowers, or maybe even some jewelry. Why can’t we do this every day?

ANYWAY…I was on my way to work, and Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Go Your Own Way’ came on, and it came to me. ‘Rumours’ is literally the perfect Anti-Valentine’s Day Album. The band pretty much HATED one another while recording the entire album. Stevie Nicks & Lindsey Buckingham were in an endless loop of an on/off relationship, and Christine and John McVie had just gotten divorced. Not to mention, Mick Fleetwood had just gone through a separation as well. It blows my mind just how 4 people who couldn’t stand to be around one another (plus another person who was going through some hurt) could put their differences aside and create a perfect album.

Let’s deep dive into some of my favorite tracks off the album:

‘Dreams’ – this is the perfect breakup song disguised as what the kids are calling a ‘total bop’ these days. It sounds so harmless and catchy, but those lyrics run DEEP. “But listen carefully to the sound/Of your loneliness/like a heartbeat drives you mad/In the stillness of remembering what you had/And what you lost, and what you had, and what you lost.” Not to mention the drumbeat that plays like a heartbeat over it. It’s a mood, a relatable one at that, and I’m here for it.

‘Go Your Own Way’ – this is one of the many songs about Stevie Nicks & Lindsey Buckingham’s failed relationship. I feel like this song perfectly captures the icky feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when you know a relationship is about to end. My favorite fun fact about this song? The lyrics “Packing up/shacking up is all you want to do,” were directed at Stevie Nicks, and she insisted this was false and wanted them removed. Obviously, she lost that battle.

‘The Chain’ – You know the part of the song where the bass solo builds into the guitar solo? Yeah, if that was a man, I would marry him. Everything about this song is absolutely perfect, which is insane because it’s kind of a Frankenstein song – pieced together off of rejected materials from the band members. The lyrics depict the confusion you feel when someone is ending a relationship when they had promised they never would. If you’re a real nerd like I am, and would like to hear the demo version of this song, here’s a link:

‘Don’t Stop’ – A song that reminds us there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, there’s a rainbow after the storm, blah blah blah. Just kidding, it is nice to have a song that brings you hope when you’re not feeling the greatest. The positive message of ‘Don’t Stop’ will always make it a song that I turn to when I’m having a bad day.

If anyone needs me, I’ll be blasting ‘Rumours’ with my bedroom door closed. What are some of your favorite Fleetwood Mac songs? Do you have a favorite Anti-Valentine’s Day Album? Let’s commiserate.