Fleetwood Mac: Rumours (1977) Songs Ranked

Rating: 9/10

Rumours by Fleetwood Mac is one of the best-selling albums of all time, and it’s considered to be one of the greatest albums ever made. I can definitely get behind this notion, because wow. What an awesome album. There isn’t a single bad song, and each song really captures a particular emotion and narrative. It’s a cohesive record, but each song still stands out.

In this post I’ll be ranking the songs from Rumours from worst to best. I hope you enjoy, and if you disagree with my ranking, feel free to tell me yours!

11. Second Hand News (Track 1)

Like I said, there really aren’t any bad songs on this album, but something has to go at the bottom. Really, I think it just comes down to personal preference. This song isn’t a dip in quality from the rest of the album by any means, but if I had to pick a least favorite (which I do, for the sake of this very review) it would be this one. I can totally imagine this song growing on me the more I listen to it, though.

10. Oh Daddy (Track 10)

“If I could make you see, if there’s been a fool around it’s got to be me.” This is a beautiful song sonically, and Christine’s voice is beautiful. I guess it’s just a little too eerie and sad for me, but I do like it. There are also some great lyrics in this song. “Everything you do is just all right, and I can’t walk away from you baby, even if I try.”

9. Gold Dust Woman (Track 11)

Like I said for ‘Oh Daddy’, this is a beautiful song, and it’s sonically-gorgeous. Stevie sounds so haunting and melodic here, and it’s a nice (albeit somewhat dark) album closer, but it’s a little too gloomy and eerie for constant-listening on my part.

8. Never Going Back Again (Track 3)

This is a really sweet song, and I love the country twang. It’s rather short as well, but wholly enjoyable. It’s short and sweet, and it’s a simple but effective statement from Lindsey Buckingham.

7. Don’t Stop (Track 4)

“If you wake up and don’t want to smile. If it takes just a little while. Open your eyes and look at the day, you’ll see things in a different way.” This a very uplifting and upbeat anthem. It’s a rare song on Rumours where you don’t feel slightly depressed after listening to it, and I appreciate it for that. Try belting this song out after a long day, and you’ll feel much better, I guarantee. I also really like how Lindsey and Christine share the lead. Their voices really suit the song. “Don’t stop thinking about tomorrow. Don’t stop, it’ll soon be here. It’ll be here better than before. Yesterday’s gone, yesterday’s gone.”

6. I Don’t Want to Know (Track 9)

And we’ve now reached my absolute favorite songs from this album. This song just gives me good vibes (that’s so cringe-worthy to say, but it’s true) and it’s really fun to sing. I love the fast tempo of the song, it really adds to the pent-up frustration that’s showcased through the lyrics as well as Stevie and Lindsey’s voices. I love the bass in the background, as well as the drums. Overall, just a really fun and passive-aggressive song. What can you do?

5. Songbird (Track 6)

“For you, there’ll be no more crying. For you, the sun will be shining. And I feel that when I’m with you, it’s alright, I know it’s right. To you, I’ll give the world. To you, I’ll never be cold. ‘Cause I feel that when I’m with you, it’s alright, I know it’s right.” This is a very sentimental and beautiful song. It’s a very gentle ode to someone you’re truly in love with. Christine’s voice is beautiful, and I love the piano. The true showstopper of this song is the lyrics. They’re so passionate and caring, and there’s a true sense of peace and adoration to be found in them. “And the songbirds are singing, like they know the score. And I love you, I love you, I love you, like never before. And I wish you all the love in the world. But most of all, I wish it from myself.“

4. The Chain (Track 7)

This is one of the most iconic Fleetwood Mac songs, and rightfully so, because it’s a pretty perfect embodiment of what they’re most known for — that is, lots of personal drama between the bandmates that they managed to channel into amazing music. This song, like I just said, is amazing. It’s so emotion-filled, and you can hear the passion and betrayal in the vocals and lyrics, as well as the fantastically-composed music. I love how Stevie, Lindsey, and Christine all share lead vocal. It sounds so fricking good, and it adds an elusive quality to the song, which is already mysterious. This is one of my favorite Fleetwood Mac songs, and I really wish I could rank it higher up. However, take the fact that it’s ranked No. 4 is a testament to the quality of this album all throughout. “And if you don’t love me now, you will never love me again. I can still hear you saying you would never break the chain.”

3. Dreams (Track 2)

“When the rain washes you clean, you’ll know.“ This is an absolutely stunning song, from Stevie’s gorgeous voice to the glamorous music. It’s fitting that this song is called ‘Dreams’ because it has a very dreamlike quality to it. The drum-beat is so steady and the bass is awesome. I also really love the background harmonies. Plus, all the lyrics are gems. I could quote the entire song to prove it, but instead I’ll only do some of my favorites. “Now here I go again, I see the crystal visions. I keep my visions to myself. It’s only me who wants to wrap around your dreams, and have you any dreams you’d like to sell? Dreams of loneliness, like a heartbeat drives you mad in the stillness of remembering what you had, and what you lost, and what you had, and what you lost.”

2. You Make Loving Fun (Track 8)

Oh, how I adore this song. As much as I love Stevie’s voice, I can’t imagine anyone other than Christine singing this one. This is such a glamorous and funky song, and the music is just as much a part of why I love this song as Christine’s vocals. ‘You Make Loving Fun’ is an irresisitibly delightful tune, and if you haven’t listen to it, I can’t recommend it enough. I find songs that I like all the time, but every now and then I’ll find a song that I’m obsessed with, and this is one of them.

1. Go Your Own Way (Track 5)

“Loving you isn’t the right thing to do. How can I ever change things that I feel? If I could, maybe I’d give you my world. How can I when you won’t take it from me?” I know this is a rather basic selection for the top spot, but alas, it’s how I feel. This was actually the first Fleetwood Mac song I ever heard, so I’m a little biased to it. Still, it’s a magnificent song regardless of my personal bias to it. The drums, the guitar, the vocals. It’s incomparable. Lindsey’s voice is so heartfelt here, and you can tell that he’s not just singing the lyrics, he’s truly feeling them. Plus, his guitar solo later on is probably one of my favorite guitar solos in all of rock music. The chorus is incredibly iconic, and this song is an amazing anthem for telling someone who’s caused you a lot of pain to be on their way. There’s not much praise I can give this song that hasn’t been said more eloquently in the past, so I’ll say one last thing, quote some lyrics, then get out of your hair: this is one of my absolute favorite songs of all time. “Tell me why everything turned around. Packing up, shacking up’s all you want to do. If I could, baby, I’d give you my world. Open up, everything’s waiting for you.”