Fleetwood Mac "Dreams"

When asked to name a sports movie that instantly brings them to tears, most men instantly blurt out Field of Dreams. The movie that starred Kevin Costner and whispered, "If you build it, he will come.", premiered in theaters 30 years ago today. The baseball-themed movie found its way into the hearts of men everywhere -- more so than Costner's previous baseball-themed flick, Bull Durham, that premiered a year earlier.

Fleetwood Mac "Hold Me"

A doctor from Massachusetts complained that the on-hold music CVS used haunted him "day and night" so he penned a letter asking for them to change it. Guess what happened? CVS agreed. Good news for CVS shoppers -- their stores will continue to play the soft rock tunes this blog commemorates. Phew!

Fleetwood Mac "Save Me"

Our doorbell rang late one chilly autumn night. Standing outside was a frazzled woman who claimed her boyfriend was threatening her. Being all of 19 years-old, I didn't know what to do so I invited her inside. I lived with my mother at the time in a remote subdivision filled with new construction duplex homes. We didn't know but one or two of our neighbors,but this distraught person wasn't one of them. After a phone call to the local police, the girl disappeared with a cop. A few days later, a detective stopped by our house and asked my mom if she planned to press charges against the guy who threatened her. My mom informed the detective that she wasn't the victim -- the victim simply called the police from our house. After not accepting her answer the first time, the detective eventually left the house. To this day, I still wonder what happened to the woman.

Stevie Nicks "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around"

You can thank Stevie Nicks' first solo hit, "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around", for introducing Nicks to guitarist Mike Campbell. Campbell and Tom Petty wrote the bluesy tune that Nicks turned into a #2 hit in 1981 (Petty even provided vocals). Today, Campbell is an official member of Fleetwood Mac. Campbell along with singer Neil Finn (of Crowded House fame) replaced Lindsey Buckingham for the group's upcoming world tour.

Crowded House "Don't Dream It's Over"

Fleetwood Mac parted ways with founding member Lindsey Buckingham in early-2018. To replace him, Fleetwood Mac added two people: guitarist Mike Campbell who played with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and Neil Finn who fronted Split Endz and later Crowded House. Finn's biggest song with Crowded House was the 1986 ballad "Don't Dream It's Over". Fleetwood Mac begins their world tour in October and the group promises to pay homage to their entire catalog of music--something that Stevie Nicks said others in the group were never in favor of doing (perhaps this is a shot at Buckinham?)...

Lindsey Buckingham "Trouble"

Law & Order premiered on television in 1990. Nearly a decade earlier, Lindsey Buckingham released Law and Order: his debut solo album. The album's big hit was the catchy song "Trouble" which featured fellow Fleetwood Mac alum Mick Fleetwood on drums.

Fleetwood Mac "Landslide"

STORY BEHIND THE LYRICS

A struggling Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham had just been dropped by their record company and the couple's personal relationship had also deteriorated in the early-1970s. Nicks contemplated her future and considered giving up on music and going back to school. She left like life was crashing down around her and while staying in Apsen, Colorado, she penned the lyrics to "Landslide".  

Fleetwood Mac "Everywhere"

Fleetwood Mac released the song "Everywhere" in 1987. At the time, it was the British super-group's 14th album.  The group recently announced plans to reunite for their farewell tour in 2018.

Kenny Loggins & Stevie Nicks - "Whenever I Call You Friend"

After bumping into each other at awards shows in the '70s, Kenny Loggins and Melissa Manchester became friends...and later writing friends.  The two penned "Whenever I Call You Friend" in 1978, but Loggins chose Fleetwood Mac's Stevie Nicks as his duet partner for the tune.  A year later, Manchester recorded the duet with Arnold McCuller for inclusion on her album, but the song never became a hit. Manchester and Loggins later spoke of collaborating on "Whenever I Call You Friend" -- it just never happened.  I wonder how their friendship is these days...

Christine McVie - "Got A Hold on Me"

Fleetwood Mac's Christine McVie got some help from Steve Winwood (keyboards) and Lindsey Buckingham (guitar) for her solo effort "Got A Hold on Me".  The song managed to top both the Adult Contemporary Chart and Rock Chart in 1984.

Seal - "Love's Divine"

There was once a time when album titles mattered (although some would argue they still matter).  Classic album titles such as Rumours from Fleetwood Mac or Michael Jackson's Thriller immediately come to my mind as both albums sit on the list of top selling albums in history.  I'm sure these folks sat through extensive meetings with record company executives over what the title of the album should be.  I'd also guess these meetings weren't fun and sucked the fun out of the whole process.  In the case of Seal, he just said f*ck it and simply named the majority of his albums Seal.  "Love's Divine" came courtesy of Seal IV.

Stevie Nicks & Don Henley - "Leather and Lace"

Don Henley's name is attached to a number of Adult Contemporary duets including the 1992 ballad "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough" with Patty Smyth, but a decade earlier he scored a Top 10 hit accompanying Stevie Nicks in "Leather and Lace".  It was Nicks first solo album while still a member of Fleetwood Mac.  Henley, on the other hand, had just exited The Eagles after a nine-year run.

Fleetwood Mac - "Over My Head"

Can you name Fleetwood Mac's first big hit?  It wasn't "Don't Stop", but rather the soft breakup tune "Over My Head" first charted for Fleetwood Mac in 1976.  The song peaked at #20 Billboard's Hot 100.

Ambrosia - "Holding On To Yesterday"

One listen to Ambrosia's sound and you could understand why the band toured with Fleetwood Mac, Heart, and The Doobie Brothers back in the 1970s.  

Bob Welch - "Sentimental Woman"

Fleetwood Mac originally recorded the ballad "Sentimental Woman" in 1972.  But the song didn't become popular until Bob Welch re-recorded the song in 1977. Along with some help from Fleetwood Mac, Welch turned the song into a hit.  Christine McVie provided backup vocals while Lindsey Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood assisted to the re-recording of the song in 1977.

Fleetwood Mac - "Silver Springs"

"Silver Springs" was the song that wasn't good enough for inclusion on Fleetwood Mac's wildly successful Rumours album.  Instead, the haunting tune found its way out of obscurity nearly 20 years later during Fleetwood Mac's 1997 reunion tour.  After a live version of "Silver Springs" appeared on their album The Dance, Adult Contemporary radio stations couldn't wait to add it to their playlists.  The one lyric that sticks out in this ballad: "You'll never get away from the sound of the woman who loves you."

Fleetwood Mac - "Everywhere"

Here's a sign of the times: Fleetwood Mac's "Everywhere" knocked George Harrison's "Got My Mind Set on You" out of the #1 spot on the Adult Contempoary charts in 1988.  What song later knocked "Everywhere" off the charts?  "Could've Been" by Tiffany.