Rating: 8.5/10
This was the first album Fleetwood Mac put out with their most beloved lineup of Mick Fleetwood, Christine McVie, John McVie, Lindsey Buckingham, and Stevie Nicks. To say that they put out a strong debut for the lineup would be a massive understatement. This is a truly great album, and it boasts some of the band’s best songs to date. I can see why Rumours is more acclaimed (and I would say I prefer Rumours), but it’s evident that this eponymous album planted the seeds for the greatness that would come from Rumours.
In this post I’ll be ranking all of the songs from Fleetwood Mac’s self-titled record from best to worst. I hope you enjoy reading this, and feel free to give your opinions on the album!
11. I’m So Afraid (Track 11)
I’m So Afraid ends the album on a pretty dark note, both musically and lyrically. The guitar work in this song is great, as is the drumming, but that’s pretty much all I’m drawn to. It’s not a bad song at all, but it’s moodier than what I’d prefer. Really, it’s just not my type of song. Amidst an album full of upbeat, fun songs, it feels a bit out of place.
10. World Turning (Track 9)
I really like the instrumental of this song. It builds up pretty nicely, and all the instrumentation is done really well. I’m not crazy about the melody though, and I don’t have any connection to the lyrics.
9. Monday Morning (Track 1)
This song kicks off the album on an joyful and determined note. Lindsey sounds nice on this track, and I like the lyrics well enough. However, it’s not outstandingly enticing to me melodically, and out of all the songs on this record, it’s not a favorite. It’s decent, though.
8. Crystal (Track 6)
This is a very delicate and soft ballad, and it makes for a very pleasant listening experience. I don’t really have anything bad to say about this song (I mean, it could be shorter, but that’s about it). Lindsey sounds great, the backing harmonies sound great, the lyrics are nice, and the music is enjoyable. It’s just not as much fun to listen to as a lot of the other songs on this album, and I guess that’s why it’s not an absolute favorite. I do like it a lot though. “How the faces of love change, turning the pages. And I have changed, oh but you, you remain ageless. I turned around and the water was closing all around, like a glove, like the love that had finally, finally found me.”
7. Sugar Daddy (Track 10)
Here’s where we start getting into the songs that I really, really enjoy but wouldn’t call absolute favorites from the album. Looking past the awkward title of this song, it’s actually a really fun and sweet song. I’m a big fan of Christine’s voice, and though I could also see Stevie singing this one pretty well, I think she did a great job with this song.
6. Warm Ways (Track 2)
This song is relaxed, mellow bliss. This song sounds the way that an afternoon nap feels. Christine’s voice sounds like honey, and overall, this is just a very low-key, pleasant song to listen to. If you close your eyes as you listen, you can kind of feel yourself float away.
5. Over My Head (Track 5)
Christine gets lead vocal on a lot of songs on this album, and this is yet another instance where she knocks it out of the park. Lindsey’s guitar contributions on this track are great, and the drumming and percussion adds a nice rhythym to the song. It’s not exactly a true highlight of the record, but, stuck right in the middle of the tracklist, it manages to stand out enough that it doesn’t feel like a filler track to me.
4. Say You Love Me (Track 7)
And now we’ve reached my absolute favorite songs from Fleetwood Mac! Say You Love Me is a very happy, fun, and feel-good song. It’s hard not to groove along to it, it’s very infectious. The instrumental sounds almost exactly the same as the one for Sugar Daddy, but we don’t need to talk about that. This song has a bit of a country-twang to it, but in a really fun and joyful way, rather than an annoying way. Also, musically, this song is pretty impeccable. The bass, guitar, drums, harmonies, it’s all awesome!
3. Blue Letter (Track 3)
Let me tell you, the first time I listened to this song, I was SHOOK. It was just so much better than I was expecting, and it’s definitely one of the best songs on this album in my opinion. Lindsey’s lead vocal is amazing, the guitar work is AWESOME, and the enthusiastic drum beat pretty much pushes the whole song forward. Honestly, the more I listen to this song the more I love it. The harmonies sound great, and the “I ain’t waiting” refrain at the end is super cool. If I’m being real, I don’t even know what this song is about because every time I listen to it I’m too busy jamming out to focus on the lyrics. IT’S THAT DANG CATCHY.
2. Landslide (Track 8)
“Oh, mirror in the sky, what is love? Can the child within my heart rise above? Can I sail through the changing ocean tides? Can I handle the seasons of my life?” Many consider this song to be Stevie’s balladic masterpiece, and I can 100% get behind that notion. Landslide truly is a masterpiece for what it is. This is a gentle, country-influenced ballad, and Stevie’s vocal performance is truly astounding. The first time I listened to this song, it was late at night, I was about to go to bed and I was really tired, and I found myself being incredibly moved by this song even in my half-asleep state. This song is about feeling afraid of the change that will possibly – and very often inevitably – happen in your life, which is a theme that really hits home with me. (This song uses that theme in reference to a relationship, but I believe it can go past that.) This is a very personal, touching, and honestly brilliant song, and it absolutely deserves it’s status as one of Fleetwood Mac’s best songs of all time. “Well, I’ve been afraid of changing, ’cause I’ve built my life around you. But time makes you bolder, even children get older, and I’m getting older too.”
1. Rhiannon (Track 4)
“She rings like a bell through the night, and wouldn’t you love to love her? She rules her life like a bird in flight, and who will be her lover? All your life you’ve never seen a woman taken by the wind. Would you stay if she promised you heaven? Will you ever win?” This was one of the first Fleetwood Mac songs I ever listened to, and I think it’s safe to say that it was the song that made me really start getting into the band. I had heard Go Your Own Way and Dreams before and liked them, but this song gave me the reassurance that this band wasn’t a two-hit wonder kind of band. Rhiannon is such a mysterious and mystical song, so it’s pretty much perfect for Stevie. Musically, it’s stunning, with gorgeous harmonies, an outstanding vocal performance from Stevie, and a wonderfully enchanting melody, I have nothing but praise for this song. It’s SO GOOD. The guitar in this song is also really cool, and just adds to the mysterious air. The character of Rhiannon is fascinating, and overall, this song is just pure iconic perfection. It’s undoubtedly one of my all-time favorites from the group, and one of my favorite songs from the 70s. “Dreams unwind, love’s a state of mind.”
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