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.
It Takes Time
Fleetwood Mac Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And little by little I watch my love slow down
But oh, oh, yes oh, you know what it means to be alone
Today you're laughin', baby but oh, tomorrow you could be cryin'
Live for the day, you leave your mamas all alone
You God's little child, sure, try to make it on home
But oh, oh, yes oh, you know what it means to be alone
Now there's a saying, 'Every dog has his day'
And the good guns win and the bad fade away
But oh, oh, yes oh, you know what it means to be alone
I said today you're laughing, baby, but tomorrow you could be all alone
Every time baby, I get you off my mind
Oh, little by little, watch my love slow down
But oh, oh, yes oh, you know what it means to be alone
I said today you're laughing, baby but oh, tomorrow you could be alone
The lyrics of Fleetwood Mac's song "It Takes Time" talk about the pain of a breakup and the loneliness that comes with it. When the singer tries to forget their former lover, they slowly realize that their love for them is still present, and it's going down a little by little. The chorus talks about loneliness and how today the person might be laughing, but tomorrow they could be facing the harsh realities of being alone. The verse highlights the importance of family and the warning that if you leave your family, you could end up all alone.
The saying "Every dog has his day" is used as a metaphor for the fact that those who are good will ultimately win and those who are bad will fade away. The song talks about how nobody is immune to the pain that comes with loneliness, regardless of their current situation. The lyrics are both melancholic and hopeful, with a message that suggests that the pain can be transcended and overcome.
One interesting fact about "It Takes Time" is that the song was not a part of any Fleetwood Mac album. It was released as a single in 1968, and it received positive reviews from critics. Another interesting fact is that the song was written by Danny Kirwan, who was part of the band at the time. Kirwan contributed several songs to Fleetwood Mac during his time with the band. He was eventually fired from the band in 1972 due to issues with alcoholism.
The song was released during a time when Fleetwood Mac was still trying to find its sound, and their style was more closely aligned with blues rock. This song showcases a somewhat different side of the band, with a more stripped-down arrangement and a focus on Kirwan's lyrics. The song was not a commercial success, and it failed to chart in the US or the UK.
Another interesting fact is that the song's opening riff was later used in Fleetwood Mac's hit single "The Chain." The riff appears in the song's opening and is played throughout the track. Some listeners have speculated that "It Takes Time" was an early version of "The Chain" or that the two songs are related.
The chords for "It Takes Time" are as follows:
Verse: Em - D - C - G
Chorus: G - D - Em - C
Bridge: C - G - D - Em
Overall, "It Takes Time" is a moving and poignant song about the pain of loss and the struggle to overcome loneliness. The song's emotional resonance and beautiful lyrics make it a standout track in Fleetwood Mac's extensive catalog.
Line by Line Meaning
Every time baby, I get you off my mind
Whenever I manage to stop thinking about you
And little by little I watch my love slow down
My love for you begins to fade gradually
But oh, oh, yes oh, you know what it means to be alone
You understand the feeling of loneliness very well
Today you're laughin', baby but oh, tomorrow you could be cryin'
You might end up sad, despite being happy today
Live for the day, you leave your mamas all alone
Don't forget the people who raised you
You God's little child, sure, try to make it on home
You are a part of something greater and should aim to return to that
Now there's a saying, 'Every dog has his day'
As the old adage goes, everyone gets their turn eventually
And the good guns win and the bad fade away
The virtuous come out on top and the immoral fade away
I said today you're laughing, baby, but tomorrow you could be all alone
Even if you are happy now, you might end up all by yourself later
Lyrics © HIPGNOSIS SONGS GROUP, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Lindsey Buckingham
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Michael McCullagh
That tone is absolutely divine
yary gork
WOW im 68 and JUST heard this for the first time.
This is sooooo amazing and I wish I was there. The simplest songs are the best to me. Less notes = more time to lament what they say. Leave some s p a ce musicians!
sounds like this is played thru Marshall amps? I prefer old Fenders but still I love this version and whatever the hell they used. This makes my mouth taste like Green Onions! anyone else hear that in this song? Mr Cropper is the writer of green Onions I think and Booker T and the MGs made it huge. Imagine these guys with a b3 added to mix?
Daniel O Sullivan
Booker t wrote green onions
Øyvind Kongsvoll
very good blues stoff from the master
Richie Kaye
What a guitar Vibe 🏆
Peter McGuigan
doesnt get much better than this
cgivelechian
damn did the other video get deleted?
Rikktor123
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuL972rRjeI&ab_channel=DimitrisKoutsiaftis