Every Little Bit Of You And Me

The choice of singles from Tusk is totally mystifying to me. I mean, I get that leading with “Tusk” is a show of hubris and that “Sara” is Stevie Nicks’ personal favorite, but there just seems to be a lot of missed opportunities for radio hits. Of the Nicks songs, I would’ve gone with “Angel.” As for Christine McVie, she didn’t really come up with anything too compelling for the record, which is strange since she is otherwise the group’s most reliable hit maker. Lindsey Buckingham’s songs from this period have a reputation for being quite odd, but the truth is, he wrote the best candidates for singles on the record. It’s a shame no one had the sense to give them a push.

Fleetwood Mac “What Makes You Think You’re the One”

In a catalog full of high quality break-up songs, “What Makes You Think You’re the One” is almost certainly Lindsey’s finest kiss-off. It’s brutal and self-righteous and blind to its own hypocrisies. It’s an upbeat, pleasant tune, but the rhythm is as agitated as it is peppy, and his voice takes on a strained, peevish tone. This song is essentially an expression of petty annoyance, and its perkiness comes out of the smug satisfaction of feeling like you’ve got the upper hand in an emotional conflict.

Fleetwood Mac “Walk A Thin Line”

The soft rock hit that never was! “Walk A Thin Line” may be my favorite Buckingham composition. The most striking thing about the song is that it conveys this very powerful sense of isolation, but also this sort of clear-eyed confidence. It’s the sound of a guy who totally believes that he’s making the right decisions, no matter how precarious his position may be. He feels persecuted and judged by his peers, but he’s too proud to back down. Instead he attains a gentle grace and embraces a patient outlook. The music approaches that laid back tranquility, but the high treble notes in his guitar betray a nagging doubt.

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More Lindsey Buckingham tomorrow!