My Top 100 Fleetwood Mac songs

[Whitneyfan]

Aug 21, 2012 7:40:57 GMT 1 winslet said:

I'm surprised and I'm shocked to see such great songs as "I don't want to know" and "Never going back again" at numbers 53 and 58. I guess they would be inside my FM top 10! Love them!

I love them too, but they've done so many great songs. Like these:

50. My little demon
From: The Dance (1997)

Originally written for Lindsey Buckingham's fourth solo album, he sung this during 'The Dance' reunion concert and it was one of four new songs to be included, and one of two by him. This one gets in your head and refuses to go away.

49. Mystified
From: Tango in the night (1987)

Christine McVie was on her absolute best form on the Tango album, and this gorgeous ballad is one example of that. Surely it would have been a single had it been on any other of the Mac's albums.

48. Think about me
From: Tusk (1979)

Christine McVie again, and this is her finest moment on the 'Tusk' album, even reaching the top twenty with it in the US. A definite grower this one.

47. Second hand news
From: Rumours (1977)

I expect most people will know this opening number from 'Rumours', which is another Lindsey Buckingham standard now.

46. Family man
From: Tango in the night (1987)

The fourth single from the Tango album could only reach #54 in the charts, but it's still included on most of their best of's. And why not, it's a great song. Written by Lindsey Buckingham.

[Whitneyfan]

45. Gold dust woman
From: Rumours (1977)

A Stevie Nicks classic ballad from 'Rumours'. I'm not sure if this is about drugs, but I suppose like most of her songs you can make your own interpretation.

44. Hypnotized
From: Mystery to me (1973)

Another example of Bob Welch's evident love of all things supernatural is told on this stand-out track from the 'Mystery to me' album. Unbelievable that this was stuck on the B-side of 'For your love' as it has hit single written all over it. The Pointer sisters did an equally enticing version on their 1978 album 'Energy'.

43. I loved another woman
From: Fleetwood Mac (1968)

It's all the way back to the debut album with this Peter Green ballad which is just pure class. Even if you don't like blues then I can't believe anybody couldn't fall in love with this track.

42. I'm So afraid (live)
From: Live (1980)

Let me explain here. The original version of this Lindsey Buckingham heart-wrencher is featured on the band's 1975 self-titled album and is amazing in its own right. The live version recorded during the 'Tusk' tour is something else. Pain and fear ooze out of Lindsey's voice and you can feel his every emotion, and then you get the extended guitar solo at the end which together add up to eight minutes of pure genius.

41. Blue letter
From: Fleetwood Mac (1975)

This wasn't actually written by Lindsey Buckingham, although he definitely makes it his own, but was by a band called the Curtis Brothers who offered the song to him. It definitely has a bit of a country feel to it.

[Whitneyfan]

40. Child of mine
From: Bare trees (1972)

Danny Kirwan shows off his country-rock style on this Eagles-esque track from the last album he recorded with the band, which included some of his best work. The jolly style of this track masks the heartbreak of Danny's father leaving him when he was a child.

[Whitneyfan]

39. Monday morning
From: Fleetwood Mac (1975)

I can't believe this wasn't a single as it is one of the most infectious songs Lindsey Buckingham ever wrote. It is obviously a popular one as it was included on the band's 2002 best of.

[Whitneyfan]

38. Peacekeeper
From: Say you will (2003)

This was scheduled to be the second single release from 'Say you will' but I'm not sure if it was ever released or not. In my view it should have been the lead single as it is insanely catchy and another Lindsey Buckingham masterpiece.

[Whitneyfan]

37. That's alright
From: Mirage (1982)

Stevie Nicks went back to the country roots of her grandfather for this summery tune, which was originally demoed during the time when her and Lindsey were a duo called Buckingham Nicks. Originally called 'Designs of love' it finally got its release on the 'Mirage' album.

[Whitneyfan]

36. Save me
From: Behind the mask (1990)

The first time I heard this I was certain it was going to get the Mac back into the top ten at the very least. However, probably partly due to the fact that music tastes were changing considerably at the start of the nineties, it stalled at #53. Continuing on from Christine McVie's chart-friendly pop songs on 'Tango in the night' and 'Greatest Hits', she struck gold again with this catchy number.

[Whitneyfan]

35. Oh well (parts 1&2)
From: Then play on (revised US edition) (1969)

This Peter Green rockfest is also included on the CD version of 'Then play on'. The single version (part 1) reached #2 in the UK and is surprisingly one of only three top two hits they had over here (all from 1969). Parts 1 and 2 together make for nine minutes of uninterrupted epic greatness, with part 2 being some of the best guitar work I have ever heard.

Oh, and I couldn't not mention the dance version that a group calling themselves 'Oh well' had a #28 hit with in 1989, which is also worth a listen.

[Whitneyfan]

34. Albatross
From: English rose/The pious bird of good omen (1969)

This was the band's first top ten hit and only UK #1 single, reaching #2 on its re-release in 1973. Written by Peter Green it is an instumental work of art and is definitely one to chill out to.

[benny]

46. Family man

Great song from a great album

38. Peacekeeper

Fantastic & very underrated!

36. Save me

Another good choice!

[Whitneyfan]

33.Can't go back
From: Mirage (1982)

This is one of their not so well known singles, probably as it only reached #83 in the charts. Nevertheless Lindsey Buckingham has produced another radio friendly catchy song in this, so I've no idea why it wasn't a hit. I guess they have always been more of an albums band over here.

[Whitneyfan]

32. As long as you follow
From: Greatest Hits (1988)

This did almost as bad, only reaching #66, which I remember being really surprised about at the time as I was expecting another top five hit for this Christine McVie ballad which is in the same vein as her two big hits from previous album 'Tango in the night' - 'Little lies' and 'Everywhere'.

[Whitneyfan]

31. Dust
From: Bare trees (1972)

Danny Kirwan wrote the music to a poem by Rupert Brooke which basically tells how we're all going to die. It's especially poignant as it's the last actual song on the last studio Fleetwood Mac album to feature Danny Kirwan. Definitely one of the most moving songs I have ever heard.

[Whitneyfan]

30. One sunny day
From: English Rose (1969)

Also featured on the original UK version of 'Then play on', this is an early Danny Kirwan track now but they still tell of heartbreak. It's evident from most of his lyrics that he was one troubled soul, although this undoubtedly led to some of the best blues tracks ever.

[Whitneyfan]

29. Storms
From: Tusk (1979)

Stevie Nicks was on fire for the 'Tusk' album and this is just one example of how good her ballads were during that era.

[Whitneyfan]

28. Sands of time
Future games (1971)

More proof that Danny Kirwan is one of the most underrated songwriters ever. At over seven minutes this is not a moment too long, although a heavily edited version was released as a single in the US but failed to chart.

[Whitneyfan]

27. Hold me
From: Mirage (1982)

This jolly sounding Christine McVie track was actually the first single to be taken from 'Mirage' in 1982 but failed to chart, although it did finally make the dizzy heights of #94 after being re-released early in 1989 to promote the band's 'Greatest Hits' album on which it was included. It's one of their tracks that is still often heard on radio to this day.

[Whitneyfan]

26. Crystal
From: Fleetwood Mac (1975)

It was actually Stevie Nicks who wrote this Lindsey Buckingham sung track that was originally released on the duos 'Buckingham Nicks' album two years earlier, but was re-recorded for the Fleetwood Mac version. I actually like the original version slightly better as it doesn't feel so produced and has a rawer feel about it, but both versions are fine. In 1998 Stevie Nicks recorded her own solo version for the soundtrack to the film 'Practical magic'.

[Whitneyfan]

25. Oh Diane
From: Mirage (1982)

I know this one isn't that popular amongst Fleetwood Mac fans but I fail to see how Lindsey's catchy hook can make you have anything but fondness for the song. Also it was one of the band's biggest UK hits, reaching #9 - although it failed to chart in the US. This was featured on the 1988 'Greatest Hits' but, for some reason, not the 2002 'Best of'.

[Whitneyfan]

24. Landslide
From: Fleetwood Mac (1975)

Although never actually released as a single, this soaring Stevie Nicks ballad has over time become one of her most popular songs, though it has been a minor hit for the Dixie Chicks and the Glee Cast. People may think it should have been higher, but I have so many favourites that there just isn't room for them all at the top of the chart.