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.
Sara
Fleetwood Mac Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stay with me awhile
Said you'd give me light
But you never told me 'bout the fire
Drowning in the sea of love
Where everyone would love to drown
But now it's gone
When you build your house
Then call me home
And he was just like a great dark wing
Within the wings of a storm
I think I had met my match, he was singing
And undoing, and undoing the laces
Undoing the laces
Said Sara, you're the poet in my heart
Never change, never stop
But now it's gone
It doesn't matter what for
But when you build your house
Then call me home
Hold on
The night is coming and the starling flew for days
I'll stay home at night, all the time
I'd go anywhere, anywhere, anywhere
Ask me and I'm there, yeah
Ask me and I'm there, I care
In the sea of love
Where everyone would love to drown
But now it's gone
They say it doesn't matter anymore
If you build your house
Then please call me home
Sara, you're the poet in my heart
Never change, and don't you ever stop
Now it's gone
No it doesn't matter anymore
When you build your house
I'll come by
Sara
Sara
The lyrics to Fleetwood Mac’s “Sara” are somewhat cryptic, but they speak to the pain and confusion experienced in the aftermath of a breakup. In the opening lines, the singer asks their former lover to stay with them for just a little while longer, as they had promised to provide light but never mentioned the fire that would eventually consume them both. The image of drowning in a sea of love is both powerful and poignant, as it represents the desire to completely surrender oneself to another person. The singer laments the loss of this intimacy, but ultimately expresses a willingness to reconcile and start over anew, “when you build your house, then call me home.”
The middle section of the song introduces a new character, referred to as “he,” who may represent the source of the conflict that ended the singer’s relationship. This man is compared to a dark wing within the wings of a storm, suggesting he has a destructive influence on those around him. The singer feels as though they have finally met their match, but his undoing of their laces feels like a metaphor for the way he broke down their defenses and left them vulnerable.
The final section of the song finds the singer holding out hope that their former lover will come back to them, even as they acknowledge that things may never be the same. The repeated refrain of “Sara” serves as a kind of anchor, perhaps a reminder of the intimacy they once shared, or a plea for the other person to remember the bond they had.
Line by Line Meaning
Wait a minute, baby
Hold on, give me some time.
Stay with me awhile
Don't leave me, stay here with me for some time.
Said you'd give me light
You promised to bring happiness and light into my life.
But you never told me 'bout the fire
But you didn't warn me about the danger and pain that comes with it.
Drowning in the sea of love
Overwhelmed by the intensity of love.
Where everyone would love to drown
A state of love that everyone desires to experience.
But now it's gone
But that love has faded away.
It doesn't matter what for
The reason for its disappearance is not important.
When you build your house
When you finally settle down and start a family.
Then call me home
Invite me to your home and let me be part of your life.
And he was just like a great dark wing
He was like a powerful, mysterious force.
Within the wings of a storm
In the midst of intense emotions and conflict.
I think I had met my match, he was singing
I thought I had found someone who was my equal and who understood me.
And undoing, and undoing the laces
But he was also causing me pain and undoing the fabric of our relationship.
Said Sara, you're the poet in my heart
He praised her for being the muse of his creativity and inspiration.
Never change, never stop
He wanted her to remain constant and continue to inspire him.
Hold on
Wait, don't go.
The night is coming and the starling flew for days
The darkness is approaching, and time is passing quickly.
I'll stay home at night, all the time
I will sacrifice and dedicate my time to you.
I'd go anywhere, anywhere, anywhere
I'm willing to go anywhere in the world for you.
Ask me and I'm there, yeah
Just tell me what you need, and I'll be there for you.
In the sea of love
In the overwhelming intensity of love.
But now it's gone
But that love has faded away.
They say it doesn't matter anymore
People are saying that it's not important anymore.
If you build your house
When you finally settle down and start a family.
Then please call me home
Invite me to be part of your life, and let us build a home together.
Sara, you're the poet in my heart
She will always be the muse of his creativity and inspiration.
Never change, and don't you ever stop
He loves her just the way she is and wants her to keep inspiring him.
Now it's gone
But that love has faded away.
No it doesn't matter anymore
It's not important anymore why the love has disappeared.
When you build your house
When you finally settle down and start a family.
I'll come by
He still wants to be part of her life and visit her new home.
Sara
Recalling her name with affection and longing for the past.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Stevie Nicks
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mayrasenia
My name is Sara . I am a firm spiritual believer, My father passed away in his sleep without me getting to say goodbye on May 5, 2023 . My Alexa was playing Fleetwood Mac 20 mins before going to identify my father's body ( couldn't afford a viewing or funeral ) And this song came on 🙏 Thank you Stevie for creating this An for anyone taking the time to read my comment .
@ChristianMan-yr6bj
Simple music can make you sing, a simple hug can make you feel, better, simple things can make you happy, I hope my simple hello will put a smile on your face..
Hello!!! How are you doing today, please
pardon me for intruding into your privacy but I
just wanted to know if you're a fan ? Have a
great day.. Stay Safe
@gmtoolman67
I am crying 😭
@tikneshiabeauford7289
May your father's soul rest in peace. I'm so glad this spiritual musical masterpiece was there to help sooth your soul in your time of need.
@MrG77
So sorry for your loss Sara. My mum passed away in her sleep aged 52 and I never got to say goodbye either. Every time she came home from the pub she would blast Stevie. So whenever I hear her I really feel my mum with me smiling as I am tapping my feet. Memories is all we have now is it. Music is the most powerful artform by far. One note can transport you to a moment in your life so fast.. 🙏
@tracyyopp80
Aa
I Grew Up, With Fleetwood Mac 🎉🎉🎉🎉😊😊😊😊😊😊
@velmamedina8081
Christie was a genius writer, piano player and singer!!! Lost a super talent today! I'll be crying forever!!
@JamesBrown-ob9mh
God bless you for your truthful comment
@realmofrandomrealities8308
It’s such a shame, I’m so sad 😞 she’s gone
@stuartstibbs2069
Yep. Bloody sad...