Also On: 25 Years -- TheChain (Warner Bros., 1992) TheDance (Warner Bros., 1997) The Very Best Of Fleetwood Mac (Reprise, 2002) Live In Boston (Reprise, 2004)
"The Chain" was the only group-written song on Fleetwood Mac's Rumours album. The other 10 tracks were all penned individually either by Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, or Christine McVie.
Though it was not released as a single, "The Chain" is nevertheless one of Fleetwood Mac's most popular songs, receiving substantial airplay and opening many of their concerts.
Buckingham told Rolling Stone that the song got its name because it was edited down from many different pieces of tape.
Though it appears in the middle of the album -- the first song on side two of the original vinyl issue -- it outlines the album's theme of romantic loss, relationship turmoil, and the resilience of bonds strong enough to withstand such tribulations.
Rumours was marked by the splintering of the couples within the group. In addition to the Nicks-Buckingham split-up, Christine and John McVie also broke up, and Mick Fleetwood's marriage went sour.
Rumours was Fleetwood Mac's commercial peak, spending 31 weeks at Number One on the Billboard 200 and launching five hit singles -- an accomplishment unheard of in the mid- and late-'70s.
With more than 19 million copies sold, it's one of the top-selling album of all-original material ever released by a group.
Rumours won a Grammy for Album Of The Year and was named Favorite Album at the American Music Awards. The group also won the AMA for Favorite Pop/Rock Duo Or Group.
FAST FORWARD:
Buckingham left Fleetwood Mac in 1987. Nicks remained until 1992.
Fleetwood published his memoirs in 1990 and angered some members of the band with his frank accounts of the group's behind-the-scenes life, including an affair with Nicks.
The group reunited for a one-off performance of "Don't Stop" at Bill Clinton's first inaugural celebration on January 19th, 1993, after Clinton used it as the theme song of his presidential campaign.
The group got back together in 1997 for the live album The Dance and a reunion tour.
Christine McVie has since retired from the band on good terms.
Fleetwood Mac was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.
The lineup of Fleetwood, Buckingham, Nicks, and John McVie released a new studio album called Say You Will in 2003, which they followed with a lengthy world tour.
Buckingham released a solo album in 2006 called Under The Skin.
Fleetwood now lives at least part of the year in Hawaii, and he recently announced the formation of a group called Mick Fleetwood's Island Rumours Band.
Sheryl Crow recently announced she will be touring as part of Fleetwood Mac in the future, probably next year.
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