THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

622-Fleetwood Mac-Everywhere.

1988-Number 4 Single. It also re-entered the chart on downloads in 2013, when reaching Number 15.

Best Bit-At 0.01. I don’t mean to be rude, but if you would rather ‘Jack’ than listen to Fleetwood Mac, then I feel sorry for you.

Fleetwood Mac have a long and turbulent history. They were formed in London, England, in 1967, by Peter Green, (1946-2020) (guitar) who then recruited Mick Fleetwood, (drums) Jeremy Spencer, (vocals and guitar) and Bob Brunning, (1943-2011) (bass) with John McVie (bass) replacing Brunning a few weeks after their first public appearance. Danny Kirwan, (1950-2018) (vocals and guitar) joined the group in 1968, with Christine McVie, (1943-2022) (vocals and keyboards) joining in 1970, shortly after Peter Green had left the band. This first edition of ‘Fleetwood Mac,’ who took their name from the surname of Mick Fleetwood, and from ‘Mac’ being short for McVie, was very different musically to the later incarnation of the mid 1970’s onward, with the first lineup playing a mixture of ‘Blues Rock,’ and ‘Folk Rock.’ Their musical style changed radically in 1975, to a more commercially sounding ‘Pop Rock,’ and ‘Soft Rock’ influence, with the arrival of Lindsay Buckingham, (guitar) and Stevie Nicks, (vocals) in total there have been 18 different members come and go, and at the time of writing they remain active, with Mick Fleetwood being the groups longest serving member.

The discography of Fleetwood Mac, who have sold in excess of 120 million records worldwide, includes 18 studio Albums released between 1968-2003, and 62 singles released between 1967-2013, there are also 23 official compilation Albums, and 10 live Albums available. Their 11th studio Album, ‘Rumours,’ from February 1977, is currently the eighth best selling Album worldwide of all time, with sales in excess of 40 million. In the UK, 16 of their singles have reached the top 40, with their 1968 instrumental track ‘Albatross,’ making the Number 1 spot, while in America on the Billboard Hot 100, 18 of their singles have made the top 40, with ‘Dreams,’ from 1977, reaching Number 1, and ‘Everywhere,’ peaking at Number 14.

‘Everywhere’ was the fourth of seven singles released from ‘Tango in the Night,’ which was the fourteenth studio Album from Fleetwood Mac, from April 1987. The song was written by Christine McVie, with the production being by Richard Dashut, who was a long term collaborator with Fleetwood Mac, and produced some of their other Albums, including ‘Rumours.’ Dashut also produced solo Albums for the Fleetwood Mac group members as well.

Christine McVie was born Christine Anne Perfect, on July 12th, 1943, in Greenodd, Lancashire, England, she died of a stroke on November 30th, 2022, at the age of 78, having been suffering from metastatic cancer of an unknown primary origin. Prior to joining Fleetwood Mac, McVie had been the vocalist, and keyboard player with the British ‘Blues’ band ‘Chicken Shack,’ and had sung lead vocals on their 1969 UK Number 14 hit single ‘I’d Rather Go Blind,’ She had married John McVie in 1968, and joined him in Fleetwood Mac in 1970, the couple were married until divorcing in 1976, but remained friends, and working colleagues. Christine McVie released four solo studio Albums between 1970-2017, and seven solo singles between 1969-2022, including the Billboard Hot 100 Number 10 hit ‘Got a Hold on Me’ in 1984. She also appeared on 14 Fleetwood Mac Albums, and two Chicken Shack Albums. Following her death Fleetwood Mac issued a statement saying that she was ‘The best musician anyone could have in their band, and the best friend anyone could have in their life.’ Stevie Nicks said that McVie had been her ‘Best friend in the whole world.’

One of the striking things about ‘Everywhere’ is the songs unusual ‘intro.’ Richard Dashut who produced the track has said,’That’s a half-speed acoustic guitar and electric combined.’ Christine McVie has also spoken about the song’s intro, Lindsay Buckingham slowed the tape down, really slowly, and played the parts slowly, and then when it came to the right speed, it sounded bloody amazing.’ ‘Everywhere’ is a song about being completely lost in love. Christine McVie wrote the song around the time that she married her second husband Eduardo Quintela in 1986.

‘Can you hear me calling out your name? You know that I’m falling, and I don’t know what to say. I’ll speak a little louder, I’ll even shout,
you know that I’m proud, and I can’t get the words out.’