There are few rock albums that have been studied and dissected as thoroughly as Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 release, Rumours. The album, recorded during a turbulent time in the band’s history, was home to hits like “Don’t Stop,” “Dreams,” “Go Your Own Way” and “I Don’t Wanna Know,” each serving as a small time capsule into the dismantling of Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks’ relationship and her affair with Mick Fleetwood.
The drama has made for some of the most iconic rock music lore, but the behind-the-scenes story of the recording of “Never Going Back Again” offers a different look at the legendary album.
Lindsey Buckingham Was Meticulous About “Never Going Back Again”
@axstv Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham join forces on this acoustic rendition of ‘Never Going Back Again.’ 🤩 #axstv #fleetwoodmac #stevienicks #lindseybuckingham #christinemcvie #johnmcvie #petergreen #michfleetwood #70srock #nevergoingbackagain #rumours
♬ Dreams (2004 Remaster) – Fleetwood Mac
“Never Going Back Again” is a gentle acoustic track Buckingham wrote in the aftermath of his breakup with Nicks. The song sounds almost effortless, even breezy, built around Buckingham’s intricate fingerpicking. Getting that guitar part right was anything but simple.
During the day of recording, Buckingham was meticulous about getting the sound just right. For an entire day, while the Fleetwood Mac legend recorded the guitar work, the acoustic guitar had to be restrung every 20 minutes to maintain the song’s signature bright, fresh sound.
Buckingham and the production team spent hours working on the part, only to discover that his guitar work had been recorded in the wrong key. The following day, the entire guitar performance had to be re-recorded.
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“Never Going Back Again” Reveals a Different Side of Rumours
@lisabreithaupt680 #duet with @Fleetwood Mac Memories 🌙 #fyp #foryou #stevienicks #vibes #lindseybuckingham #lovewins #musicunites #fleetwoodmac #protectyourpeace🧿
♬ Silverspringsrockandrollgal – Rock N Roll 🖤🌙
Rumours is one of the most celebrated albums in music history, serving as industry lore for generations of rock enthusiasts. The album is often remembered for the chaos surrounding the personal relationships within Fleetwood Mac, but “Never Going Back Again” reveals another side of the story: the painstaking craftsmanship behind music that can sound completely effortless.
Fifty years later, that’s what makes the story of the recording of “Never Going Back Again” noteworthy. There’s a casual sound to the song, yet Buckingham was singing about heartbreak and regret.
It’s expertly crafted, a reminder that even songs that sound like they required little work were rarely created in one perfect take. Many of our favorite and most enduring songs are shaped by experimentation, frustration, vulnerability and, yes, mistakes.
The Story Behind the Song Is About More Than Heartbreak
“Never Going Back Again” is a song about moving forward. Its origin story has a fitting recording history, one that demonstrates that great art can be the result of a willingness to keep going until the sound is just right, even if the finished product sounds like it required no thought at all.
That may be the most surprising thing about the song. Nearly 50 years after Rumours was released, listeners can hear the finished recording as effortless. Knowing how much work went into creating it makes it sound a little different — and perhaps even more remarkable.
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