Fleetwood Mac will forever be associated with longboarding and Ocean Spray cran-raspberry juice among Gen Z thanks to the viral TikTok trend initiated by user Nathan Apodaca. Although many teenagers now claim to be Fleetwood Mac fans, most are unaware of the drama that surrounded the band in its prime.

     “Rumours” (1977) was an instant success, selling 10 million copies within a month of its release and spending 31 non-consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard 200 between 1977 and 1978. Although “Rumours” is Fleetwood Mac’s most popular album to date, its success does not reflect the band’s atmosphere at the time.

     “Drama. Dra-ma,” was how singer and keyboardist Christine McVie described the recording of “Rumours” shortly after its release in 1977. The album is centered around conflict within the band and contains personal lyrics full of brutal honesty, shortly after . 

     The soft crash of the drums and twang of the guitar introduce listeners to the most popular song on the album, “Dreams.” Written in just ten minutes, lead female vocalist, Stevie Nicks, discusses her recent breakup with bandmate Lindsey Buckingham in a poetic manner. The mystique Nicks brings to her music is ever-present in this song, hinting at the silver linings she saw in the breakup.

     This hopefulness highlighted in “Dreams” is trampled by the fast-paced track “I Don’t Want to Know,” written by Nicks. Reflected in the choppy beat of the drums and guitar, this song is about the ups and downs of her relationship with Buckingham. Nicks’ eagerness for her and her partner to find happiness is made obvious by the lyrics “I don’t want to stand between you and love/Honey, I just want you to feel fine.”      

     The sanguinity of “I Don’t Want to Know” is extinguished by the energy of Nicks’ “Gold Dust Woman.” Fans have interpreted this hypnotic song in several ways even without the band having ever ocnfirmed or denied the theories. One interpretation is that the song is about the band’s raging cocaine addiction, which is supported by the lyrics, “Take your silver spoon, dig your grave.” Given that Nicks and Buckingham used their music as a medium for expressing their feelings towards each other, some fans believe “Gold Dust Woman” was written about their tumultuous relationship.

     Deemed the twin song of “Dreams,” Buckingham’s “Go Your Own Way” provides a divergent perspective on the breakup. As if countering the iconic lyric “Players only love you when they’re playing” in “Dreams,” Buckingham sings, “Loving you/Isn’t the right thing to do.” 

     Nicks reported that “Go Your Own Way” is a difficult song for her to perform, which is understandable considering the entire track amplifies Buckingham’s angst towards her. During performances when he sings the line, “Packing up/ Shacking up’s all you want to do,” Nicks is often noticed scowling at Buckingham in resentment.

     Buckingham also wrote the first track on the “Rumours” album,“Second Hand News.” Although fast-paced and folksy, he reflects a deeper message through the lyrics “Won’t you lay me down in tall grass/And let me do my stuff,” and, “I’ve been tossed around enough.” He inflicts the audience with the impression that he desires to just be left alone and for the whispers about his relationship with Nicks to cease.

     “Never Going Back Again” emerges with the delicate picking of the guitar and unfolds into Buckingham’s soft lyrics. He revealed in a 2009 interview that a short, rebound relationship he had on the road inspired the twangy tune. Recording assistant Cris Morris claims Buckingham recorded “Never Going Back Again” over and over until he deemed it perfect.

     Amid the “perfection” of what many consider Fleetwood Mac’s greatest album, the band was falling apart at the seams. In addition to Nicks and Buckingham’s split, band members Christine and John McVie were divorcing at the time “Rumours” was recorded. Inspired by this, Christine wrote the fourth track on the album, “Don’t Stop,” about leaving the past behind.

     Sung by Buckingham, this track is an endearing showcase of the respect Christine still had for John, despite calling it quits. “All I want is to see you smile,” he sings on the track, pulling in the audience with Christine’s sincere lyrics. 

     Although not the best song on the album, “Don’t Stop” peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard singles chart and adds the spunky, rock and roll energy “Rumours” was missing.

     As if putting the words of “Don’t Stop” into action, Christine’s “You Make Loving Fun” was written about the band’s lighting technician, whom she began seeing after her divorce. She belts the lyrics, “Sweet wonderful you/You make me happy with the things you do” in a voice filled with joy. This song celebrates the happiness new love brings with its soaring tempo and lyrics. 

     Christine’s “Songbird” opens with the deep, somber melody of the piano before unraveling into raw lyrics. The emotion grabs the audience by their heartstrings and leaves them feeling melancholy after just three minutes and 26 seconds. Not a single lyric is devoid of soul, each reflecting the theme that true love requires self-sacrifice. Although wildly underrated, “Songbird” is without a doubt the most beautiful and emotional song on the “Rumours” album.

     The turmoil Fleetwood Mac experienced during the recording of “Rumours” is no secret. According to Christine, drummer Mick Fleetwood is the glue that held the band together, inspiring her to write the tenth song on the album, “Oh Daddy.” 

     Although the track’s message is admirable, its intentions are difficult to perceive upon first listening. Nevertheless, “Oh Daddy” is a catchy, slow-burning track that adds a feeling of relief to the album, contradicting the other breakup centered songs.

     “The Chain” is the only song on the 1977 album credited to all five members of Fleetwood Mac. The hit was orchestrated during a jam session and is composed of lyrics written by Nicks. With verses such as “And if you don’t love me now/You will never love me again” and “I can still hear you saying/You would never break the chain,” one can tell the song was written about her recent split from Buckingham. Ironically, Buckingham and Nicks share lead vocals for “The Chain.”

     Fleetwood Mac went on to release six more albums after “Rumours.” However, none were as popular as their heartbreak-inspired 1977 album. The band’s staple lineup began to dismember, starting with Buckingham in 1987, followed by Nicks in 1990 and Christine in 1998.

     Although members have come and gone from the British-American band over the years, the message reflected by their music has remained the same: Life deals us all bad cards sometimes; however, one can always take the “bad” and make something beautiful.