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.
Walk A Thin Line
Fleetwood Mac Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But sometimes it's hard to tell
I said "Take your time"
But no one was listenin'
I walk a thin line
They told me that I never would recover
Still some say they knew me well
But no one said nothin'
I walk a thin line
And I said "Please toe the line"
But no one said nothin'
I walk a thin line
And I said "Fate takes time"
But no one was listenin'
I walk a thin line
In this song, Fleetwood Mac tells us about the challenges of life and how difficult it can be to navigate all the conflicting emotions and messages we receive. The lyrics "I seen so many things that make me wonder, but sometimes it's hard to tell" speak to the confusion and uncertainty that we all experience at times. It can be difficult to trust our instincts and stay true to ourselves when we are constantly bombarded with different opinions and perspectives. The line "Take your time, but no one was listenin'" is a reminder that it's important to be patient and thoughtful, but it can be hard to do that when others aren't listening or paying attention to what we have to say.
The second verse talks about how others have tried to define the singer in the past, but they never believed that they could heal from their struggles. The line "Stay by my side, but no one said nothin'" highlights the isolation and loneliness that can come with dealing with difficult issues. The chorus "Please toe the line, but no one said nothin'" underscores the idea that we often feel like we're on our own and need to overcome obstacles without much support from others. Finally, the last line "Fate takes time, but no one was listenin'" is a bittersweet reminder that sometimes things just take time, and we have to be patient and persevere through difficult times.
Line by Line Meaning
I seen so many things that make me wonder
I've witnessed a lot of things that have left me questioning and curious
But sometimes it's hard to tell
Although I've seen so much, it can be difficult to differentiate truth from facade
I said "Take your time"
I advised others to be patient and take things slow
But no one was listenin'
Unfortunately, my advice fell on deaf ears and no one paid attention
I walk a thin line
I am living precariously and with great risk
They told me that I never would recover
Others claimed that I would never heal or improve
Still some say they knew me well
Despite their claims about my inability to recover, some people claim to know me quite well
I said "Stay by my side"
I requested for someone to remain close to me for support
But no one said nothin'
Sadly, no one responded or spoke up in reply
I walk a thin line
I am living precariously and with great risk
And I said "Please toe the line"
I requested for others to remain disciplined and follow rules
But no one said nothin'
Unfortunately, my request went ignored by those around me
I walk a thin line
I am living precariously and with great risk
And I said "Fate takes time"
I expressed my belief that fate takes patience and time
But no one was listenin'
Regrettably, no one paid attention to what I had to say
I walk a thin line
I am living precariously and with great risk
Lyrics © HIPGNOSIS SONGS GROUP, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Lindsey Buckingham
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?