Sad Angel in The Song Remembers When

So I believe the greatest Fleetwood Mac song written after Rumours is actually from their EP that was called Extended Play in 2013. I know, that seems ridiculous but it’s literally the core of the aftermath of Rumours in one song. And it’s about what a shitty person Stevie Nicks is.

It tells the story of the recording of that EP. The first verse tells the story of how Lindsey Buckingham wanted to record an album with Fleetwood Mac but Stevie famously said that was a terrible idea because Fleetwood Mac spends (literally) millions of dollars to record an album.

The verse tells how that conversation went, “My eyes were consumed by the silence in the room. Your dreams would not wake from the words that we break”.

And he addresses her directly as the Sad Angel in the chorus, trying to provide a litany of reasons they should. “Hello, Hello sad angel, have you come to fight the war?” Talking about touring. And then he discusses the pitfalls of touring, “The drugs, the fire, I’m calling, my soul marches out the door. We fall to Earth together, the crowd calling out for more!”

It’s an indictment about Stevie’s refusal to add to the legacy of Fleetwood Mac as a song that adds to the legacy of Fleetwood Mac. Brilliant.

But it has, probably, the best melody Lindsey’s ever written.

Stevie sounds like she’s screaming the chorus from another room until she says “come to fight the war” when she sounds like she’s right in his ear.

And then the second verse happens, when he actually writes the most accurate, effusive observation of Stevie’s lyrics anyone has ever given: “My eyes saw the words with a prayer and a curse, your pain had to sleep with the sword that it keeps”

And then it launches into that chorus. It’s incredible.

It’s a compliment and criticism all at once.

“You write amazing shit when you’re mad at me so write about how mad you are right now.”

He takes his own advice and writes this song.

Which doubles down on the chorus.

Then we have a little instrumental where Lindsey shows off that incredible poppy melody lick he’s come up with. And it ends with those two saying “Hello” like they’re at opposite ends of a hallway. It’s fucking brilliant.

So this song came out when most of the band was pushing recording a new album after Stevie had a resurgence in her solo career, and she railed against it, saying that even though she sold moderately well, it didn’t make quite the profit she expected, and that the Eagles had just recorded a new album a few years earlier that tanked, so they shouldn’t. For the EP, she refused to record new material and only recorded a lost duet with Lindsey from their 1973 Buckingham Nicks album as a song for it.

That year when they were on tour, I saw them sing this live, and the animosity during this song was so visceral. Stevie totally owned that it was about her and her choices and stared him in the eyes. It was almost more real than Go Your Own Way or Dreams or Silver Springs because it was fresh. This song, which actually came out the same year as a Stevie Nicks collaboration with the Foo Fighters, became my favorite song the year. The anger is so visceral but the vocals are incredible. Stevie harmonizes with him like no one else.