Fleetwood Mac: Say You Love Me
Continuing my focus on the music of 1975, coming in at #15 on my Top 20 is the album Fleetwood Mac. This was the first Fleetwood Mac album to feature new members Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. It has now been overshadowed by the follow-up album Rumours in 1977, but has sold over 7 million copies and is a definitive 1970s rock album. It introduced the world to the songwriting and vocals of Nicks and the pop-music songwriting and production genius of Buckingham. This in turn allowed the songwriting and vocals of Christine McVie to gain world-wide attention. If you are over the age of 40, then you either know this record or you have purposefully ignored it for decades. I selected “Say You Love Me” to represent the album because it showcases three important aspects of the group: McVie’s songwriting and wonderful voice, the impact of Buckingham on the sound of the band, and the harmonies that can occur when a legend like Nicks is your backing vocalist. I could have just as easily selected other standout tracks such as Buckingham’s “Monday Morning” and “Blue Letter”, McVie’s “Warm Ways” and “Over My Head,” or Nicks’ “Rhiannon” and “Landslide.” For most bands, it used to take 3 or 4 albums to deliver than many classics, but that is what happens when you have three legends in one band.
If you are interested in other years, check out my Year in Review series.
To listen to all of the songs of the day, check out the Radio Faux Show Song of the Day playlist.
The Radio Faux Show 
❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, you just brought me back to age 14! 🙂 I did like Rumours better, but I like almost all of their stuff (“Silver Springs” is probably my favorite Buckingham/Nicks era song). But I only learned about 8 years ago about the ORIGINAL Fleetwood Mac formed by Peter Green (who was humble enough to name it after his bassist and drummer, rather than himself!). It was, as I’m sure you know, a serious blues band–Peter coming straight outta John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, like Clapton), and sounded absolutely nothing like the FM most people think of. Peter’s opening of the song “Fool No More” was what got me hooked on him (I’ve even got a photo of him on my wall!). And then there was Danny Kirwan, who had his issues but played beautifully with Peter.
After Peter’s…breakdown (supposedly brought on by that night of heavy tripping in Germany, although I’m betting he had incipient schizophrenia that may have been triggered by that, and I also think that the subsequent shock-treatment he got only made matters worse), Danny, Mick, John, and Christine carried on, with the “help” of that Walsh guy. “Dragonfly” (which never made it beyond a 45) and “Dust” (Bare Trees) are gorgeous songs.
I do recall that Peter attended one of the B-N FM concerts at some point, and that Stevie graciously welcomed him and gave him his due.
Sorry for the long comment–you’re probably well aware of all this, but it’s a subject that tends to get me going! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
No apologies required! Talk on!! I’m a fan of all the versions of the band. When I was a young college DJ one of my favorite tunes to play was Oh Well. And I love the song Hypnotized. Christine McVie has always been one of my favorite pop vocalists.
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Oh Well”!!–YES! I even sort of learned it on guitar.
And Christine’s death was a huge loss. She also seemed to be a nice person. “Hypnotized” is also great, but Bob Welch (?) made dome nasty remarks about Peter in an interview I heard, so I’ve resented that…
LikeLiked by 1 person