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.
Mystified
Fleetwood Mac Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pretty baby
This feeling I just can't hide
You got me mystified (mystified, mystified, mystified) (oh)
(You got me mystified)
Oh
Pretty darling
You got me mystified (mystified, mystified, mystified) (oh)
(You got me mystified)
The light that shines around you
It blinds my eyes
There's a magic surrounds you
Tell me where your secret lies
Oh
Pretty darling
This feeling is deep inside
You got me mystified (mystified, mystified, mystified) (oh)
(You got me mystified)
Oh
Pretty baby
This feeling I just can't hide
You got me mystified (mystified, mystified, mystified) (oh)
(You got me mystified)
You got me mystified (mystified, mystified, mystified) (oh)
(You got me mystified)
Mystified (mystified)
(Oh)
(Mystified)
(Oh)
(You got me mystified)
Mystified (mystified)
(Oh)
(Mystified)
(Oh)
(You got me mystified)
Mystified (mystified)
The lyrics of Fleetwood Mac's song Mystified describe a deep and powerful feeling that the singer can't explain or control, expressed through the repetition of the phrase "you got me mystified." The person they are singing to is referred to as "pretty baby" or "pretty darling," suggesting a strong affection or attraction. The opening lines of the song establish this feeling as something the singer can't escape, emphasizing their vulnerability to the other person's influence. The second verse delves more explicitly into the imagery of the person's "magic" and "secret," creating a sense of wonder and awe around them.
The chorus of the song is deceptively simple, repeating the word "mystified" over and over again, but this repetition has a powerful effect. It creates a sense of being lost or entranced, like the singer is caught in a spell they can't escape. The use of the word "oh" throughout the song also adds to this feeling of being overwhelmed or caught off guard. The final repetition of "you got me mystified" without any other lyrics or instrumentation serves to emphasize the strength of this feeling and the impact it's having on the singer.
Overall, Mystified is a testament to the power of infatuation and the way it can consume us. The lyrics create a sense of being mesmerized by someone to the point where we can't control our own emotions or reactions. The repetition of the chorus and the use of simple, direct language make the song feel almost hypnotic, expressing the way love or desire can take over our minds and bodies.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh
Beginning of the song, expressing a sense of excitement or anticipation.
Pretty baby
Term of endearment directed towards the subject of the song.
This feeling I just can't hide
The singer is experiencing emotions that are intense and difficult to suppress or ignore.
You got me mystified (mystified, mystified, mystified) (oh)
The subject's mysterious allure is captivating the artist, and they feel bewildered and confused as a result.
(You got me mystified)
Reiteration of how the subject's mystique is affecting the artist.
The light that shines around you
Metaphor for the subject's aura or presence, which is overwhelming to the singer.
It blinds my eyes
The singer feels dazzled or overwhelmed by the subject's charm and beauty.
There's a magic surrounds you
Repeating the sentiment that the subject has an otherworldly or enchanting quality about them.
Tell me where your secret lies
The artist is curious about what makes the subject so mesmerizing and wants to learn more about them.
Mystified (mystified)
Repetition of the main theme of the song, which is the artist's fascination and confusion regarding the subject.
(Oh)
Exclamation used for emphasis or to convey strong emotions.
(You got me mystified)
Restating how the subject's hypnotic effect on the artist.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Lindsey Buckingham, Christine Mcvie
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?