Congratulations, you’re back at a family gathering and tolerating it as long as you can. Time for your mom to grab that karaoke mic, bust out the pinot grigio and hit the living room floor. With a hostage crowd of cousins and visiting siblings, she’s just happy to have “all her ducks” home. This wonderful woman is ready to cut a rug and sing along loudly to her favorite Fleetwood Mac songs. Only problem? She will absolutely fuck up every single lyric. Don’t even try correcting her, it’s not worth it. She’ll only make the argument far worse. Here are 20 songs you’ll be hearing interpreted in a new warped fashion, whether you want to or not. (Listen along with the playlist)
“Rhiannon”
“Rhiannon flies like a bat in the night,” your mom sings, and it’s off to a solid start. Impressively, she’s already stumbled on the very first line of this track from their self-titled 1975 release, also the first Fleetwood Mac album with Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. Retro dance instincts kick in as she does groovy “peace fingers” across her eyes. She invites you to join along, but you politely smile and wave, wondering how long this has to go on for.
“The Ledge”
You wonder why your mom throws on this oddity from their 1979 album ‘Tusk.’ For one thing, it’s way too fast. Nobody else can sing along. And furthermore, your mom begins playing spoons with the salad tongs. Wow, she’s actually really good. Has she been practicing? Your mom is an incredible spoon player. Sure, everyone contains multitudes, but this is a surprising wrinkle.
“The Chain”
Oh boy, she’s doing an ambitious one. You don’t know how many times she’s thrown 1977’s ‘Rumours’ on, it was like wallpaper in your house. In fact, it literally is – she’s framed the LP. You’re surprised how hard she’s stomping her heels, almost cutting into the wood. “And if you don’t see me now / You will never see me again / I can still hear them singing / You will never break my chain!” This is one where most of the words are half-mumbled until she gets to the chorus, which is still half-mumbled.
“I Loved Another Woman”
Your mom always talked about the band’s blues roots, specifically the “Peter Green” era. What helps as a crash course is throwing on Fleetwood Mac’s first album, 1968’s ‘Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac.’ Uh-oh…. she’s using that blues voice again, the one that veers on problematic. You wave at her to stop, but she thinks it’s encouragement and only leans in.
“Everywhere”
Your mom loves the Christine McVie-penned smash hit, singing it to herself while driving or pouring herself another glass of red. “Do you hear them calling? / What’s your name? / Da-da-dabada-baba, don’t know what to say” she sings, once again completely messing up the lyrics until the very memorable chorus. This is also one where she closes her eyes and dances romantically, slightly dangerous and concerning since the Roomba is gliding around.
“Jewel Eyed Judy”
As your mom digs deep into Fleetwood Mac’s discography, you’re somewhat amazed at how bottomless her bench of knowledge is on this band. Pulled from their 1970 album Kiln House, she mumbles something about this being the last album to feature founding guitarist Jeremy Spencer. She can remember this fact, yet forgets your birthday. Thanks Mom!
“Dreams”
“Thunder only happens when it’s lightning! / Players only hate you when they’re dying!” your mom joyously sings. Bless her, it’s way past trying to correct her now or hand over a phone with lyrics. Still, this song is another undeniable banger, one she turns up so loud that the neighbors are forced to join the listening party. John McVie’s steady bass rumbles through the block. Somehow the neighbors don’t mind, this tune is so unavoidably catchy. During this song you try to slip your mom a glass of water for hangover avoidance, but she takes one sip and throws it back, complaining that “it’s just water.”
“I Know I’m Not Wrong”
Is there a title that encapsulates your mom better than this song? At this point she’s barely keeping up with the rhythm, now pretty tipsy and dancing with a terrified corgi. She’s slinging appetizers at relatives watching football and doing “finger guns” at new guests while half-singing along to this jaunty track. You want to stop her, but this evening will provide your extended family with gossip for decades to come, like nourishment in winter.
“Prove Your Love”
Founding namesake member Mick Fleetwood comes in with the drums on this groovy riff from 1974’s ‘Heroes Are Hard to Find.’ Your mom makes lingering eye contact with too many people at the party, almost a tacit message that family members don’t appreciate her. Uh-oh, she’s pointing and wants someone to sing along. Unfortunately nobody else in the family actually knows this one, but people politely smile and wait for her to target another corner of the room.
“Rollin’ Man”
And suddenly, the party is rolling to a deep cut from an album you haven’t listened to quite enough, 1968’s ‘Mr. Wonderful.’ This is such a shot of blues that you want to pack and move to Chicago. Also moving would help yourself live down this embarrassing moment, as your mother has now climbed the kitchen counter. Though you should probably get her down, she’s stepping in the deviled eggs.
“Red Rover”
The haunting repetitive chorus doesn’t lend itself to singalongs, but the fast strumming makes your mom want to dance on her tiptoes. She flies around the room, tugging at beards and pulling on ponytails. Why is she in such a buoyant mood? She is also the only person you know that stans Fleetwood Mac’s 2003 album ‘Say You Will,’ their last album of original music. Did someone spike her potato salad with LSD?
“Gypsy”
The angelic backing vocals and nostalgic lyrics get you every time. However much you dislike the cover of 1982’s ‘Mirage,’ you have to admit that your mom has generally solid taste in music – this tune is such an earworm. Also, this title aligns with her conservative political beliefs, since she “hates PC culture.” Whenever asked to use more updated language regarding the Roma people or stop using this word as an abbreviated verb, she just laughs and sings this. You imagine that her fondness for this song grows stronger each year because of the poorly-aging title.
“Like Crying”
You didn’t realize how much your mom enjoys the early Fleetwood Mac era as she selects this bluesy 1969 track from their album ‘Then Play On.’ After five straight glasses of pinot grigio, she actually begins crying, complaining that nobody appreciates her. Family members awkwardly shuffle into other rooms and you quickly change the song to hopefully get your mom stomp-clapping away in no time.
“Landslide”
Uh-oh, here come the waterworks. This song devastates your mom. You have to admit, it’s profoundly moving. And like all Fleetwood Mac songs, your mom will completely fuck this one up: “You took my love, yeah you took it down / you climbed a mountain but ya turned around / and I see my reflection in the something-something hills / But the landslide will bring me around!” She has a lit lighter in the air, waving it back and forth, the flame licking the curtain.
“For Your Love”
Alright, now it’s picking up pace again. Whoa, this track has bongos? Let’s roll. From the under-appreciated 1973 album ‘Mystery To Me,’ this tune gets your mom swinging her hair so hard that it gets caught in the chandelier. No matter – she continues raging on, crashing through a sliding door screen, knocking over condiments near the barbecue. Concerned family members ask you if your mom is feeling alright as she belts these lyrics, suddenly climbing an oak tree outside.
“Never Going Back Again”
Your mom sings this ballad as a taunt while you beg her to come down from the oak tree. People are beginning to stare. Instead, she strums an air guitar to this twangy joyous tune. The speakers are now turned off. She is singing acapella, still swapping in lyrics of her own invention. It veers on modern performance art.
“Save Me A Place”
As everyone is called inside for dinner, your mom climbs down, screaming this song. It’s a more mellow laidback tune that she somehow makes frenetic. She’s specifically talking about a “place” at the dinner table. Unfortunately, nobody wants to sit next to her since she smells like tree sap, cheap wine, and won’t stop fucking singing Fleetwood Mac.
“Dissatisfied”
OK, now your mom is just being rude. She uses this song to express dissatisfaction with the meatloaf, dissatisfaction with the green beans, just dissatisfaction all around. The 1973 album ‘Penguin’ that spawned this track suddenly comes on from a Bluetooth speaker that she snuck in. You’re honestly surprised that your mom knows how to use Bluetooth.
“Go Your Own Way”
You are shown the door and asked not to return until your mom calms down. She begins shouting the verses to this megahit. And of course she’s singing it completely wrong. “I will go my own way! (Go my own way) / You can call me on / Some other funky day!” she sings, jumping up and down in the street. It takes another twenty minutes to get her inside the car.
“Tusk”
Uh-oh. Your mom has entered a “Tusk”-hole. She’s replaying over and over what is arguably one of Fleetwood Mac’s most audacious releases. She’s even doing all of the side goblin chant voices. You drive on, trying to get her home safely. It’s cringe-worthy. It’s distracting. But it’s love – she is your mother, after all. Who else tucked you in while absolutely destroying Fleetwood Mac lyrics? You fondly reminisce and notice your mom replaying “Tusk” one more time – wait, where did she get that flask from?