The Story of FLEETWOOD MAC’s “Go Your Own Way”

Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours” is one of the best-selling albums of all time and an absolute staple of late 70s music scene. The record spawned so many timeless classics – “Dreams”, “You Make Loving Fun” and of course my personal favourite “Go Your Own Way”. The background of the record is pretty messy, as we all know it – The McVies were divorcing, Buckingham and Nicks were in a chaotic on/off relationship, Mick Fleetwood’s wife was cheating on him – I mean come on!! Imagine the tension and the heated emotions going around the band! But still, despite all that personal drama and “emotional sacrifices” the group members recorded this outstanding record! I have no idea how they did that…

Anyhow, I really love this track but not because it’s an open window to the personal lives of two people who loved each other (though in different ways). I love it because Lindsey was a singer-songwriter genius and because I truly admire how those two managed to create something so pleasing amidst the romantic tension…

– “Go Your Own Way” was written by Lindsey Buckingham as a message to Stevie Nicks. It simply describes their complicated relationship. Stevie was quite angry with the line “Packing up, shacking up is all you want to do” and insisted Lindsey remove it. He didn’t…

“I very much resented him telling the world that ‘packing up, shacking up’ with different men was all I wanted to do. He knew it wasn’t true. It was just an angry thing that he said. Every time those words would come onstage, I wanted to go over and kill him. He knew it, so he really pushed my buttons through that. It was like, ‘I’ll make you suffer for leaving me.’ And I did,” she said for SOS in 2015.

(What a way to end a relationship with someone. We don’t know the truth, but I still don’t quite agree with putting such line in a song for your ex. It’s a bit pathetic – at least give the person you loved some dignity.)

– “Go Your Own Way” has to be one of the most bitter break-up songs ever. It’s quite catchy, rhythmic and melodic, actually and sticks with you for some time after you play it. The vocal delivery and guitar are superb! However, there’s this specific harsh, quite sour atmosphere that floats around the track. I mean, it’s quite natural. Lindsey was head over heels for Stevie but she wanted something else out of life. So, he chose to express his feelings by writing this haunting, but beautiful song. The lyrics are quite simple and straightforward – “I would give you my world if you want it, but if you won’t take it from me, you can just go your own way…”

Go Your Own Way Lyrics