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.
Jumping at Shadows
Fleetwood Mac Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There isn't much to tell.
I'm going downhill
And I blame myself.
I've been jumpin' at shadows,
Thinking 'bout my life.
Everybody points their hand at me.
Of what I should've been.
I've been jumpin' at shadows,
Thinking 'bout my life.
God have mercy.
I think I'm going insane.
The Devil's been gettin' at me
He's got me down again.
Got me jumping at shadows,
Just thinking about my life
"Jumping At Shadows" is a melancholy and introspective song performed by Fleetwood Mac. The lyrics describe a person who is struggling with their own demons, feeling like they are "going downhill" and blaming themselves for the situation they find themselves in. The phrase "jumping at shadows" speaks to this sense of unease and paranoia, as the singer is consumed by thoughts of their own life and failures. They feel like they are being judged and criticized by everyone around them, and can't escape from their own psychological turmoil.
The chorus of the song is particularly bleak, with the singer acknowledging that they are on the verge of insanity, with both God and the Devil playing a role in their mental breakdown. The haunting melody, combined with the intense lyrics, makes for a powerful expression of struggle and despair.
Overall, "Jumping At Shadows" is a deeply personal and emotional song, one that speaks to the difficulties of living with depression, anxiety, and mental illness. The lyrics are raw and honest, and the music captures the mood perfectly, creating a haunting and powerful sonic landscape that is both haunting and beautiful.
Line by Line Meaning
What can you say?
There's no real explanation.
There isn't much to tell.
I don't have much to say about it.
I'm going downhill
I'm not doing well.
And I blame myself.
I take responsibility for my situation.
I've been jumpin' at shadows,
I'm paranoid.
Thinking 'bout my life.
Reflecting on my choices and actions.
Everybody points their hand at me.
I am the one being blamed and criticized.
I know I'm just a picture
I am a mere representation of what is expected.
Of what I should've been.
I am not living up to expectations.
God have mercy.
I need help and guidance.
I think I'm going insane.
I feel like I'm losing my mind.
The Devil's been gettin' at me
I am being influenced by negative forces.
He's got me down again.
I feel defeated and discouraged.
Got me jumping at shadows,
I am paranoid and anxious.
Just thinking about my life
I am reflecting on my choices and past experiences.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: BUSTER BENNETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@milotosmani2611
Lyrics:
What can you say? There isn't much to tell
I'm going down hill and i blame myself I've been
Jumping at Shadows
Thinking about my life
Everybody points their hand at me
I know I'm just a picture
Of what I should have been I've been
Jumping at Shadows Just thinking
About my life
God have mercy I think I'm going insane
The Devil's been gettin' at me
He's got me down again Got me
Jumping at Shadows Just thinking
About my life
@mellowado6184
And there it is. The greatest Blues recording of all time.....
@robertbarnettmusic
No one has ever played electric guitar like this before. No one ever will again. What incredible feel - it defies explanation. And that voice. What a loss. We love you Peter.
@robinwilson1433
A lot of credit must go to Duster Bennett, who wrote this track
@nwsbb
This is simply the most beautiful, lyrical, powerful, tasteful and absolutely frightening blues solo ever recorded. You can even take the word 'blues' out of that sentence if you want. Peerless. Untouchable. Otherworldly. The phrasing. The phrasing.
@chimpinabowtie6913
Well said. I've been listening to this recording for 35 years and it's never lost its power. Some works of art seem sent from God rather than the makings of man.
@pulp3215
Beautifully said
@Dubasmaster
This and I've got a good mind to give up living as well
@fauxbro
Look here, I've heard every great Blues guitarist there is and seen most who were active from the mid 60'sforward. I've studied the post war Blues movement front to back and back to front. I'm still a working musician in my late 60's. You will not find a better interpretation of a 12 bar Blues played live than this right here and a perfect example of how Peter Green still maintains to this day maybe the most die hard legion of fans and admiring fellow players despite having only a brief career of less than 5 years before suffering debilitating health issues. This is simply magical! I feel fortunate to have seen him 3 times when at the peak of his powers with Fleetwood Mac. This recording affirms everything I thought was true when I was still a teenager about the magnificent Peter Green.......
@BD-ve5ru
You said it perfectly. From all the recordings, it feels like there was some sort of eerie, otherworldly presence in the room when Peter played, I could only imagine what it must’ve felt like to see him live in his prime. Would you be willing to share what the experience was like?
@jamiedeangio4982
This version is wonderfully haunting. Great comment thanks