Primarily a British blues band, Fleetwood Mac scored a UK number one with "Albatross", and had other hits such as the singles "Oh Well" and "Man of the World". All three guitarists left in succession during the early 1970s, to be replaced by guitarists Bob Welch and Bob Weston and vocalist Dave Walker. By 1974, all three of them had either departed or been dismissed, leaving the band without a male lead vocalist or guitarist. In late 1974, while Fleetwood was scouting studios in Los Angeles, he was introduced to American folk-rock duo Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. Fleetwood Mac soon asked Buckingham to be their new lead guitarist, and Buckingham agreed on condition that Nicks would also join the band.
The addition of Buckingham and Nicks gave the band a more pop rock sound, and their 1975 self-titled album, Fleetwood Mac, reached No. 1 in the United States. Rumours (1977), Fleetwood Mac's second album after the arrival of Buckingham and Nicks, produced four U.S. Top 10 singles and remained at number one on the American albums chart for 31 weeks. It also reached the top spot in various countries around the world and won a Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1978. Rumours has sold over 40 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums in history. The band went through personal turmoil while recording the album, as both the romantic partnerships in the band (one being John and Christine McVie, and the other being Buckingham and Nicks) separated while continuing to make music together.
The band's personnel remained stable through three more studio albums, but by the late 1980s began to disintegrate. After Buckingham and Nicks each left the band, they were replaced by a number of other guitarists and vocalists. A 1993 one-off performance for the first inauguration of Bill Clinton featured the lineup of Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie, Nicks, and Buckingham back together for the first time in six years. A full reunion occurred four years later, and the group released their fourth U.S. No. 1 album, The Dance (1997), a live compilation of their hits, also marking the 20th anniversary of Rumours. Christine McVie left the band in 1998, but continued to work with the band in a session capacity. Meanwhile, the group remained together as a four-piece, releasing their most recent studio album, Say You Will, in 2003. Christine McVie rejoined the band full-time in 2014. In 2018, Buckingham was fired from the band and was replaced by Mike Campbell, formerly of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and Neil Finn of Split Enz and Crowded House.
Fleetwood Mac has sold more than 120 million records worldwide, making them one of the world's best-selling bands. In 1979, the group was honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 1998 the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and received the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music.
Danny Kirwan, guitarist, songwriter and early member of Fleetwood Mac (1968–1972) died in London, England, on 8 June 2018, aged 68. An obituary in The New York Times said he had died in his sleep after contracting pneumonia earlier in the year. The British music magazine Mojo quoted Christine McVie as saying: "Danny Kirwan was the white English blues guy. Nobody else could play like him. He was a one-off ... Danny and Peter [Green] gelled so well together. Danny had a very precise, piercing vibrato – a unique sound ... He was a perfectionist; a fantastic musician and a fantastic writer." One of Kirwan's songs, "Tell Me All the Things You Do" from the 1970 album Kiln House, was included in the set of the 2018–19 An Evening with Fleetwood Mac tour.
On 28 May 2020 Neil Finn, featuring Nicks and McVie, with Campbell on guitar, released the song “Find Your Way Back Home” for the Auckland, New Zealand homeless shelter Auckland City Mission.
Founding member Peter Green died on 25 July 2020 at the age of 73. In October 2020, Rumours again entered the Billboard top 10. The album received 30.6 million plays on streaming platforms the week of October 15, after a TikTok video of the song "Dreams" went viral.
On 30 November 2022, it was announced that band member Christine McVie died at the age of 79, after a short illness.
Hellhound On My Trail
Fleetwood Mac Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gotta keep movin'
Hellhound on my trail
Hellhound on my trail
If today was Christmas day
If today was Christmas day
And tomorrow was Christmas Eve
I gotta keep on movin'
Gotta keep on movin'
That hellhound is on my trail
Ooh, the hellhound on my trail
(I don't know the words to that though)
The lyrics to Fleetwood Mac's "Hellhound On My Trail" are a haunting depiction of one's pursuit by forces larger and darker than oneself. The refrain of "Gotta keep movin'" reinforces the urgency and fear that the singer feels as they try to escape the "hellhound" that is chasing them. The use of "hellhound" as a symbol is significant because it has deep roots in African American folklore and is often associated with supernatural entities that carry out vengeance or punishment. This adds to the sense of dread in the song and suggests that the singer is being pursued by something otherworldly.
The second verse invokes the coming of Christmas, but instead of a time for joy and celebration, it serves only to highlight the singer's struggle. The contrast between the festive season and the darkness of their situation adds to the feeling of isolation and despair. The repetition of the phrase "Lord, wouldn't we have a time boys" is almost mocking, as if to say that the singer cannot enjoy the good things in life because of the constant threat they face.
Overall, "Hellhound On My Trail" is a chilling and powerful song that taps into primal fears of being pursued and hunted. The use of allegory and symbolism adds depth and layers to the lyrics, making it a classic example of blues music that continues to be loved and studied by fans today.
Line by Line Meaning
Gotta keep movin'
I must keep moving, not allowing myself to be trapped or caught.
Gotta keep movin'
I must keep moving, not allowing myself to be trapped or caught.
Hellhound on my trail
I am being relentlessly pursued by a frightening force.
Hellhound on my trail
I am being relentlessly pursued by a frightening force.
If today was Christmas day
If today had special meaning or significance.
If today was Christmas day
If today had special meaning or significance.
And tomorrow was Christmas Eve
And if tomorrow also had special meaning or significance.
Lord, wouldn't we have a time boys
We would have a good time or celebration, given the circumstances.
I gotta keep on movin'
Once again, I must keep moving to avoid being caught.
Gotta keep on movin'
Again, I emphasize the importance of continued movement to evade danger.
That hellhound is on my trail
I once again acknowledge the presence of the malicious force chasing me.
Hellhound on my trail
Reiterated for emphasis, the fear and urgency of being chased by this unknown entity.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Peter Green, Robert Johnson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Henri Hudson
on Tusk
Why don't you ask him if he's going to stay?
Why don't you ask him if he's going away?