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.
Illume
Fleetwood Mac Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A reflection in the window
All the way to Point Dume
Illume, like it dances
I am a cliff dweller
From the old school
I like the coastal cities
I like the way the oceans blend
Into the city at night
It's like living on a working river
The coastline is glittering
Like a diamond snake
In a black sky
I'm alone now
With my thoughts
Of how we could make it
Of how we could get out
What we've been through
All of the trauma
The smell of nag champa
Shadow of a stranger
I will not take you for granted
I wouldn't trade you for jade or for diamonds
Not for one minute, not for anything
I need you to be there
Just remember when I am haunted
That I was just so scared
I'm alone now
With my thoughts
Of how we could make it
Of how we could get out
What we've been through
All of the trauma
The smell of nag champa
Shadows of a stranger
What I saw on this journey
I saw history go down
I cannot pretend
That the heartache falls away
It's just like a river
Ooh, it's never ending
I cannot pretend
That the heartache falls away (falls away)
'Cause it's just like a river
It's never ending
It's just like a river
It's never ending
I'm alone now
With my thoughts
Of how we could make it
Of how we could get out
What we've been through
And all of the trauma
The smell of nag champa
Shadow of a stranger
What I saw on this journey (what I saw on this journey)
I saw history go down (I saw history go down)
I cannot pretend (I cannot pretend)
That the heartache falls away (that the heartache falls away)
It's just like a river (it's just like a river)
Ooh, it's never ending (ooh, it's never ending)
I cannot pretend (I cannot pretend)
That the heartache falls away (that the heartache falls away)
Oh I'm alone now
With my thoughts
How we could make it
How we could get out
What we've been through
All of the trauma
The smell of nag champa
Shadows of the strangers
What I saw on this journey
Is what legends are made of
I cannot pretend
That the heartache falls away
It's just like a river
Ooh, it's never ending
No, I cannot pretend
That the heartache falls away
Because it's just like a river
It's never ending
It falls away
Like a river
It's never ending
"Illume" is a song about Fleetwood Mac's journey as a band and the heartache that comes with it. The opening lyrics "Illume says the candle that I burn / A reflection in the window / All the way to Point Dume / Illume, like it dances" suggest that the song is about self-reflection and inner turmoil. The singer is alone and reflecting on the band's journey and struggles. The line "I am a cliff dweller / From the old school" refers to the band's history and how they have been around for a long time.
The second verse talks about the singer's love for coastal cities and the way the ocean blends into the city at night. The image of the coastline glittering like a diamond snake in a black sky is a metaphor for the glamorous nature of the music industry. However, the singer is haunted by the trauma and heartache they have experienced along the way, represented by the smell of Nag Champra and the shadow of a stranger.
The chorus is a plea to not take the people in their life for granted, to remember them when they are haunted and scared. The song ends with the singer acknowledging that heartache is a never-ending river and they cannot pretend that it falls away.
Line by Line Meaning
Illume says the candle that I burn
The light of my candle illuminates the darkness and embodies my personality
A reflection in the window
I can see my reflection in the window because of the light of my candle
All the way to Point Dume
The light of my candle reaches far, all the way to Point Dume
Illume, like it dances
The light of my candle flickers and dances like it has a life of its own
I am a cliff dweller
I reside near the cliffs and enjoy observing that natural beauty
From the old school
My tendencies come from an earlier time in history
I like the coastal cities
I appreciate cities along the coast and waterside suburbs
I like the lights
I find lights beautiful
I like the way the ocean blends
I find it beautiful when the ocean and the lights blend together
Into the city at night
I find it beautiful when the ocean and the city lights blend together
It's like living on a working river
The cities and suburbs along the coast are constantly working and thriving
The coastline is glittering
The ocean and the city lights create a beautiful view
Like a diamond snake
The coastline is shimmery and sparkly, like a diamond
In a black sky
The contrast between the dark sky and the coastal lights is striking
I'm alone now
I am by myself and left to my own thoughts
With my thoughts
My mind is busy with contemplation
Of how we could make it
I think about how we could succeed and overcome obstacles
Of how we could get out
I think about escaping from difficult situations
What we've been through
I reflect on the past and the difficult experiences we've had
All of the trauma
I acknowledge and think about the emotional pain we've suffered
The smell of Nag Champra
I am reminded of the pleasant aroma of Nag Champra, which brings me peace of mind
Shadow of a stranger
I feel watched and am apprehensive of the unknown
I will not take you for granted
I will always appreciate and cherish you
I wouldn't trade you for jade
I value you more than the most precious commodities, like jade
Or for diamonds
I value you more than the most precious gems, like diamonds
Not for one minute
I would never consider exchanging you for anything, even for a second
Not for anything
You mean everything to me
I need you to be there
I depend on you and need your support
Just remember when I am haunted
When I am burdened with difficult emotions, remember that I need you
That I was just so scared
In times of fear and uncertainty, I need your comfort and reassurance
What I saw on this journey
I experienced a lot on this journey
I saw history go down
I witnessed significant historical events
It's just like a river
Emotions are ever-flowing and never ending, just like a river
Ooh, it's never ending
Emotions can seem perpetual and never-ending, stretching out into the distance
Because it's just like a river
Emotions are like a river in that they ebb and flow continuously
It falls away
My difficult emotions may disappear for a time
Like a river
Just like a river, my emotions may resurface again
It's never ending
My difficult emotions may persist and come back continually
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Stephanie Nicks
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?