FLEETWOOD MAC - DREAMS

“Dreams" es va llançar com el segon senzill de Rumours. Es va convertir en el primer i únic número u de la banda al Billboard Hot 100 dels EUA, i va arribar al número 24 a la llista de singles del Regne Unit.

"Dreams" de Fleetwood Mac tracta sobre la ruptura de Stevie Nicks amb el membre de la banda Lindsey Buckingham. La cançó explora les emocions que es produeixen al final d’una relació. Com era d'esperar, les sessions de gravació de Rumors van estar plenes d'irritació i conflictes. Stevie Nicks, per exemple, estava furiósa quan Buckingham va presentar "Go Your Own Way" a la banda. La cançó va retratar la perspectiva de Buckingham sobre la ruptura entre ell i Nicks. En resposta, Nicks va escriure "Dreams". La frase "Players only love you when they're playing” (Els jugadors només t'estimen quan juguen) és un cop de puny directe al nas de Lindsey.

Nicks va explicar a les notes de la reedició de Rumors del 2013: "Tot i que amb  'Go Your Own Way' estava molt enfadada, ell va ser honest. Aleshores vaig escriure 'Dreams' perquè sóc la noia que creu en fades i àngels, i Lindsey és un tipus dur que diu les coses d'una altra manera. Lindsey diu que segueixi endavant, surti amb altres homes i vagi a viure la meva vida de merda, i jo mentre vaig cantant sobre la pluja que el neteja. Des d'angles oposats, però en realitat estàvem dient exactament el mateix".

“Erem la fada i el gnom. Jo Intentava ser filosòfica i ell simplement estava boig". (Stevie Nicks)

Nicks va escriure "Dreams" a l'estudi Record Plant de Sausalito, Califòrnia, on Fleetwood Mac va gravar Rumours. Retirada de l'estudi principal, Nicks va trobar una habitació buida amb un piano i un teclat petit. Aïllada de la resta de la banda, va escriure ràpidament la cançó. Més tard, Nicks va presentar el treball en brut a la resta del grup, que va ajudar a organitzar-la i perfeccionar-la. Stevie Nicks va recordar a The Daily Mail el 16 d'octubre de 2009: "Recordo la nit que vaig escriure 'Dreams'. Vaig entrar i vaig lliurar un casset de la cançó a Lindsey. Era una gravació on només estava jo sola cantant i tocant el piano. Tot i que estava molt enfadat amb mi en aquell moment, Lindsey la va tocar i després em va mirar i va somriure. El que passava entre nosaltres era trist. Érem una parella que no es podia veure, però com a músics ens respectàvem i vam fer cançons brillants".

El vers inicial de "Dreams" marca el to de la cançó, amb Nicks abordant la necessitat de llibertat de Buckingham. Nicks anima Buckinham a seguir els seus sentiments, però també l'adverteix de la solitud que pot comportar-ho. La tornada és la part més memorable de la cançó. La frase, "Players only love you when they're playing” (Els jugadors només t'estimen quan juguen), és una plantofada directa a Buckingham suggerint que només està interessat en ella quan li convé. Però Nicks està convençuda que Buckingham es penedirà de les seves accions algun dia. En el segon vers, Nicks expressa els seus propis sentiments i desitjos. Nicks revela que encara lluita amb el sentiment cap a ell, però també sap que ell l’ignorarà. En general, la lletra de "Dreams" és una poderosa expressió de les emocions complexes que poden acompanyar el final d'una relació.

Cal destacar l'enorme professionalitat d'Stevie i Lindsey, ja que ambdues cançons són punyals enverinats  d'un cap a l'altre, i com que són dos dels seus èxits més populars els han estat cantant durant tota la seva carrera. No ha de ser fàcil haver de viure tota la teva vida professional amb una relació que es va trencar fa tants anys.

Aquest és l'únic èxit número 1 de Fleetwood Mac als EUA, és sorprenent tenint en compte lo conegudes que són moltes de les seves cançons en aquell país. L'Hot 100 no sempre va reflectir l'impacte de les seves cançons, moltes de les quals formen part de la cultura popular del país. 

DREAMS

“Dreams” was eventually released as the second single of Rumours. It became the band’s first and only number-one hit on the US Billboard Hot 100, and reached number 24 on the UK Singles Chart.

Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” is about Stevie Nicks’ breakup with band member Lindsey Buckingham. The song explores the emotions that occur with an ending relationship. As expected, the recording sessions of Rumours were filled with irritation and conflicts. Stevie Nicks, for instance, was furious when Buckingham introduced “Go Your Own Way” to the band. The song portrayed Buckingham’s perspective on the break between him and Nicks. In response, Nicks wrote “Dreams”. The line, "Players only love you when they're playing," it's a punch to Lindsey's nose.

Nicks explained in the liner notes for Rumours' 2013 reissue: "Even though 'Go Your Own Way' was a little angry, it was also honest. So then I wrote 'Dreams,' and because I'm the chiffony chick who believes in fairies and angels, and Lindsey is a hardcore guy, it comes out differently. Lindsey is saying go ahead and date other men and go live your crappy life, and [I'm] singing about the rain washing you clean. We were coming at it from opposite angles, but we were really saying the same exact thing."

“It was the fairy and the gnome. I was trying to be all philosophical. And he was just mad.” (Stevie Nicks)

Nicks wrote “Dreams” at the Record Plant studio in Sausalito, California, where Fleetwood Mac recorded Rumours. Withdrawn from the main studio, Nicks found an empty room with a piano and a small keyboard. Isolated from the rest of the band, she quickly wrote the song. Nicks later presented the raw work to the rest of the group, who helped arrange and refine it. Stevie Nicks recalled to The Daily Mail October 16, 2009: "I remember the night I wrote 'Dreams.' I walked in and handed a cassette of the song to Lindsey. It was a rough take, just me singing solo and playing piano. Even though he was mad with me at the time, Lindsey played it and then looked up at me and smiled. What was going on between us was sad. We were couples who couldn't make it through. But, as musicians, we still respected each other - and we got some brilliant songs out of it."

The opening verse of “Dreams” sets the tone for the song, with Nicks addressing Buckingham’s need for freedom. Nicks encourages Buckinham to follow his feelings, but also warns him of the loneliness that may come with it. The chorus is the most memorable part of the song. The line, “Players only love you when they’re playing”, is a direct dig at Buckingham. They suggest Buckingham is only interested in Nicks when it’s convenient to him. But Nicks is convinced Buckingham will regret his actions one day. In the second verse, Nicks expresses her own feelings and desires. Nicks reveals she still struggles with attachment to Buckingham, but also knows he won’t listen to her. Overall, the lyrics of “Dreams” are a powerful expression of the complex emotions that can accompany the end of a relationship.

We must highlight the enormous professionalism of Stevie and Lindsey, since both songs are hurtful daggers of one another, and as they are two of their most popular hits they have been singing them all their careers. It must not be easy have to live all your professional life with a relationship that broke up so many years ago.

"Dreams" became the quintessence of how the warring bandmates' ability to channel their agony into pitch-perfect harmony proved a winning formula.

This is Fleetwood Mac's only #1 hit in the US, surprising considering how familiar many of their songs are in that country. The Hot 100 didn't always reflect the impact of their songs, many of which showed remarkable endurance.