The premise of “Daisy Jones and the Six” is a great one: It’s inspired by the 1970s Fleetwood Mac saga in which at least three relationships shattered while the group somehow created some incredibly successful music, including two songwriters at their peak taking out their frustrations on each other song by song.
Since it’s not the actual story of that band, the TV show of course doesn’t use their music. But here’s a short pirouette through some of the relevant Fleetwood Mac songs.
Quick reality recap: Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham were in a band during high school, later becoming a couple and a musical duo; by 1975 they had already broken up a couple of times, but stitched themselves back together to take advantage of the chance to join Fleetwood Mac. Bandmates John and Christine McVie had lots of marital difficulty before their breakup amid the 1975-76 tour. Nicks and Buckingham broke up during the 1976-77 recording of “Rumours” (the record eventually sold 40 million copies). In 1977, during the “Rumours” tour, Nicks and bandmate Mick Fleetwood had a fling.
The list below (and accompanying Spotify playlist) sticks mainly with Buckingham/Nicks, because that’s where the drama is!
Written pre-Fleetwood Mac
I Don’t Want To Know (Nicks). Written during their relationship; possibly too sunny to be about their own troubles, but a lot of these themes do recur.
I don’t want to know the reasons why our love keeps
Right on walking on down the line
I don’t want to stand between you and love, honey
I just want you to feel fine
Landslide (Nicks). About her decision to continue with Buckingham. Written circa 1973 and released on “Fleetwood Mac” (1975).
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
Monday Morning (Buckingham). Written during their relationship; maybe about seeking more commitment. Also released on “Fleetwood Mac.”
First you love me and then you say it’s wrong
You know I can’t go on believing for long
But you know it’s true
You only want me when I get over you
‘Rumours’ era (1976-77)
Second Hand News (Buckingham). Dumped, rebounding angrily and offering Nicks a booty call nonetheless. Ugh.
I know there’s nothing to say / Someone has taken my place
When times go bad / When times go rough
Won’t you lay me down in tall grass / And let me do my stuff
Dreams (Nicks). Allegedly her response to “Go Your Own Way”; if so, it is considerably more generous.
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
Thunder only happens when it’s raining
Players only love you when they’re playing
Women, they will come and they will go
When the rain washes you clean, you’ll know
Never Going Back Again (Buckingham). Rebounding, but more reflectively. The guitar playing, not the lyrics, holds the beauty here.
She broke down and let me in
Made me see where I’ve been
Been down one time / Been down two time
I’m never going back again
Go Your Own Way (Buckingham). Angry at Nicks for leaving him. His accusation of “shacking up” infuriated her.
Loving you / Isn’t the right thing to do
How can I / Ever change things that I feel?
If I could / Baby, I’d give you my world
How can I / When you won’t take it from me?
The Chain (group composition, but with Nicks lyrics related to the Buckingham breakup).
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
Silver Springs (Nicks). The emotion in their 1997 live performance is literally what inspired the “Daisy Jones” book. It may also be the first video recording of a man getting a binding spell cast on him:
And did you say she was pretty
And did you say that she loves you?
Baby, I don’t want to know
…
Time cast a spell on you, but you won’t forget me
I know I could have loved you, but you would not let me
I’ll follow you down ’til the sound of my voice will haunt you
Give me just a chance
You’ll never get away from the sound of the woman that loves you
Was I just a fool
More drama? Yes!
“Rumours” also has Don’t Stop, Christine’s optimistic take on being free from her marriage, and You Make Loving Fun, with Christine writing about a new love, the band’s lighting director. Later, on 1982’s “Mirage,” Hold Me is a Christine song “inspired by the recent ending of her relationship with Dennis Wilson of The Beach Boys,” according to Rolling Stone.
On the 1979 album “Tusk,” several Buckingham songs may reference Nicks (such as The Ledge, Save Me A Place, What Makes You Think You’re The One, Not That Funny). Nicks, on the other hand, is writing about what she has moved on to: Storms, on the ending of her affair with Fleetwood; Angel, about Fleetwood and his stylishness; Beautiful Child, about her affair with the Beatles’ road manager.
Coda
Written circa 1979 and released on “Mirage,” Nicks’ song Gypsy isn’t wholly about Buckingham but does recall the pre-Fleetwood Mac time when they lived together.
So I’m back to the velvet underground
Back to the floor that I love
To a room with some lace and paper flowers
Back to the gypsy that I was.
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