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.
Think About It
Fleetwood Mac Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let yourself lay back within your dreams
Take on the situation but not the torment
Now you know it's not as bad as it seems
Well, I know you'd like to come away
But, baby, you can't come
Fortune is your life's love
Oh, and anytime you think about leaving
Think about what you know
Well, think about it
Think about it before you go
And the heart says danger
And the heart says whatever
It is that you want from me
I am just one small part of
Forever falling star, star catcher
Even when you feel like your life is fading
I know that you'll go on forever, you're that good
Heartbreak of the moment is not endless
Fortune is your life's love
Well, honey I know you'd like to come away
But, baby, you can't come
Fortune is your life's love
Oh, and anytime you think about leaving
Think about what you know
Well, think about it
Think about it before you go
Well, think about it
Think about it before you go
And the heart says danger
And the heart says whatever
Think about it before you go
Think about it before you go
In Fleetwood Mac's song Think About It, the lyrics encourage the listener to take a moment to consider their situation and not give in to despair. The first verse suggests the idea of stepping into the velvet of the morning and laying back within your dreams, which provides a calming and peaceful image. The second verse uses the metaphor of a falling star catcher, suggesting that even when life feels like it's fading, one can go on forever if they keep catching and holding onto the good moments.
The chorus then emphasizes the importance of thinking before making any rash decisions. It suggests that before leaving or giving up, one should consider what they know, and there's more to life than just the present moment of heartbreak. The last verse returns to the metaphor of a falling star catcher and reminds us that our lives are made up of good and bad moments, but it's the good moments that define us.
Line by Line Meaning
Step into the velvet of the morning
Enter into the comfort of a new day
Let yourself lay back within your dreams
Allow yourself to relax and get lost in your aspirations
Take on the situation but not the torment
Handle the issue at hand without letting it become overwhelming
Now you know it's not as bad as it seems
Realize that things may not be as terrible as they initially appear
Well, I know you'd like to come away
I understand that you want to escape
But, baby, you can't come
However, you cannot run from your troubles
Fortune is your life's love
Your greatest pursuit is wealth and prosperity
Oh, and anytime you think about leaving
Whenever you consider abandoning your current situation
Think about what you know
Consider what you have learned and the knowledge you possess
Think about it
Reflection is essential
And the heart says danger
Your instincts warn you of potential harm
And the heart says whatever
Your intuition can also guide you towards what you truly want
It is that you want from me
Clarify what you hope to gain from any relationship
I am just one small part of
I am only a minor aspect of
Forever falling star, star catcher
You are a dreamer, chasing after your aspirations endlessly
Even when you feel like your life is fading
Despite feeling weak or hopeless at times
I know that you'll go on forever, you're that good
Your potential is endless, you are capable of achieving great things
Heartbreak of the moment is not endless
Painful situations are temporary and will pass
Oh, and anytime you think about leaving
Whenever you consider abandoning your current situation
Think about what you know
Consider what you have learned and the knowledge you possess
Think about it
Reflection is essential
And the heart says danger
Your instincts warn you of potential harm
And the heart says whatever
Your intuition can also guide you towards what you truly want
Think about it before you go
Ponder your situation before making any drastic moves
Contributed by Keira M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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?