It was the first single to be released from the highly successful album, Rumours, which was to be released in February 1977 and peaked at number ten on the Billboard Hot 100. It is ranked #119 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, one of the group's two entries along with "Rhiannon (Will You Ever Win)", and is on The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll list. The song appeared as a playable track in the music video games Rock Band 2 and Guitar Hero: World Tour.
Buckingham wrote this song with regard to his bandmate Stevie Nicks, with whom he had just ended a romantic relationship. It describes their breakup, with the most obvious line being, "Packing up, shacking up is all you want to do." Nicks insisted she never shacked up with anyone when they were together, and wanted Lindsey to take out the line, but he refused.
Go Your Own Way
Fleetwood Mac Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Isn't the right thing to do
How can I ever change things
That I feel?
If I could
Baby, I'd give you my world
How can I
You can go your own way
Go your own way
You can call it
Another lonely day
You can go your own way
Go your own way
Tell me why
Everything turned around
Packing up
Shacking up is all you want to do
If I could
Baby, I'd give you my world
Open up
Everything's waiting for you
You can go your own way
Go your own way
You can call it
Another lonely day
You can go your own way
Go your own way
You can go your own way
Go your own way
You can call it
Another lonely day
Another lonely day
You can go your own way
Go your own way
You can call it
Another lonely day
You can go your own way
You can call it
Another lonely day
You can go your own way
The lyrics to Fleetwood Mac's song "Go Your Own Way" seem to be about a relationship that is ending or has ended due to the singer's partner not wanting the same things as the singer. The first verse establishes that loving the partner isn't the right thing to do because the singer can't change the way they feel about the relationship. The second verse expresses how the singer would give their partner their world if they could, but the partner won't accept it. The chorus repeats the title phrase "go your own way" several times, implying that the singer wants their partner to pursue their own goals and dreams, even if it means being alone. The bridge laments how everything turned around and how the partner only wants to "pack up" and "shack up" with others. The final chorus repeats the title phrase several more times.
The song's lyrics were written by the band's lead guitarist, Lindsey Buckingham, and are believed to be about his romantic relationship with the band's singer, Stevie Nicks. The two were in a turbulent relationship throughout the 1970s, and this song is thought to be Buckingham's response to Nicks breaking up with him.
Line by Line Meaning
Loving you
Despite my feelings for you, being with you is not the right decision for me.
Isn't the right thing to do
Our relationship is unhealthy and not good for either of us.
How can I ever change things
There is nothing I can do to fix our relationship and make things better.
That I feel?
Despite knowing that our relationship is not good for me, I still have strong emotions for you.
If I could
If I had the power to change our situation, I would do anything to help us.
Baby, I'd give you my world
I would give you everything I have, if only you would accept it.
When you won't take it from me?
Despite my offers to help, you refuse to accept my love and support.
You can go your own way
You are free to live your life without me and pursue your own happiness.
Go your own way
I am not going to hold you back from doing what you want with your life.
You can call it
You might see our separation as a difficult or lonely time, but it is necessary for both of us to grow individually.
Another lonely day
Being apart from each other might be a difficult and lonely time but it is for the best.
Tell me why
I am confused about how our situation turned out this way and why things are falling apart.
Everything turned around
Our relationship has changed and things are no longer the way they used to be.
Packing up
You are leaving our relationship behind and moving on with your life.
Shacking up is all you want to do
You are only interested in pursuing physical relationships and not building emotional and mental connections.
Open up
There are many opportunities waiting for you if you leave our relationship behind and pursue your own path.
Everything's waiting for you
Your life is full of opportunities and potential, waiting for you to seize them.
You can call it
You might see our separation as a difficult or lonely time, but it is necessary for both of us to grow individually.
Another lonely day
Being apart from each other might be a difficult and lonely time but it is for the best.
You can go your own way
You are free to live your life without me and pursue your own happiness.
You can go your own way
You have the power and freedom to pursue any life path you choose.
You can call it
You might see our separation as a difficult or lonely time, but it is necessary for both of us to grow individually.
Another lonely day
Being apart from each other might be a difficult and lonely time but it is for the best.
You can go your own way
You are free to live your life without me and pursue your own happiness.
Lyrics © TuneCore Inc., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Lindsey Buckingham
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@PinkyJay-fh7xz
The break up that created one of the greatest songs ever written.
@ottomatic3123
More like one of the greatest albums ever written.
@PinkyJay-fh7xz
@@ottomatic3123 agreed. ☺👍
@pvmy105
Je n'ai pas oublié le concert au Palais des Sports de Paris ( 1980.)
44 ans après " Go you on way " me fait toujours autant " planer "😂😂😂
@johnkozy2436
Didn't think of it that way
@theresapaez513
@@ottomatic3123you mean silver springs?
@TheArtofGuitar
A truly LIVE video performance. Takes guts to do that. You can also sense the visceral pain in Stevie and Lindsey here. So real. Stevies's eyes scream agony.
@mindchime
RIP Christine. Your vocals will never die on this song.
@GunsNBudder
Christine was backup in this song. She's barely audible, if at all.
@thegreyman4920
Lindsey Buckingham sings this song...