{alltv} Fleetwood Mac a hit with Gleeks: Why 'Rumours' is still groovy after 34 years

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

{alltv} Fleetwood Mac a hit with Gleeks: Why 'Rumours' is still groovy after 34 years

While the music picked for "Glee" is usually a plot aid -- helping to clarify characters' emotions and motivations for us simpletons -- sometimes the songs themselves transcend the storyline to remind us of the pure joy of listening to good music.

That was the case with "Glee's" very first episode and the cast's passionate cover of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'." Arguably, that one song basically sold us on the entire concept.

It happened again on Tuesday (May 3) when the cast took on Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours." Somehow an album released in 1977 -- long before "Glee," iTunes and openly gay TV characters -- resonated with "Glee's" audience.

So, for the newly-converted Fleetwood Mac fans, here's the 411 on "Rumours":

The album, as pointed out by Kurt (Chris Colfer), was recorded when the band was at a particularly tense point relationship-wise. Singer Stevie Nicks (or you could just call her "Gypsy") and guitarist Lindsay Buckingham had recently become romantically un-attached. Singer Christine McVie and bassist John McVie had just divorced after eight years of marriage. And Mick Fleetwood, the band's founder, was also reeling after finding out his wife had cheated on him with his best friend.

But, out of conflict came incredible music. The entire album is ridiculously listenable -- not only tugging at heartstrings, revealing universal truths and generally helping us understand the human condition, but also genuinely fun. Although the band only released four singles from the album, all 11 songs on the album are now considered classic rock hits.

Here are the track listings. The songs in bold were released as singles. Anything italicized was covered on "Glee":

1. "Second Hand News"
2. "Dreams"
3. "Never Going Back Again"
4. "Don't Stop"
5. "Go Your Own Way"
6. "Songbird"
7. "The Chain"
8. "You Make Loving Fun"
9. "I Don't Want to Know"
10. "Oh Daddy"
11. "Gold Dust Woman"

Random factoid: Former president Bill Clinton also used "Don't Stop" as the theme for his first presidential campaign in 1992. He won. Dismissed as coincidence.