October 27, 2023      —–     Chart #217

Hello Music Friends,

Hey folks, welcome to another edition of Chart of the Week. Back to the 70’s this week and a band that had a huge following and many hits. “Don’t Stop” is a song by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, written by vocalist and keyboard player Christine McVie. The song was sung by guitarist Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie, and it was a single taken from the band’s hit album Rumours (1977).

One of the band’s most enduring hits, “Don’t Stop” was released as the third single from Rumours, peaking at No. 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in October 1977. In the UK, “Don’t Stop” followed “Go Your Own Way” as the second single from the album and peaked at No. 32.

“Don’t Stop” is a pop rock song. It reflects Christine McVie’s feelings after her separation from Fleetwood Mac’s bass guitarist, John McVie, after eight years of marriage. McVie noted in The Fleetwood Mac Story: Rumours and Lies, that “Don’t Stop” was directed towards her ex-husband John McVie, who was unaware of the song’s subject matter until its release. “I’ve been playing it for years and it wasn’t until somebody told me, ‘Chris wrote that about you.’ Oh really?

Live version:  https://youtu.be/QV9JJmSCiI8?si=Y3nTP_RqAzE3NRTz 

Fleetwood Mac producer Ken Caillat commented that he was never fond of “Don’t Stop”, citing grievances with the tempo and the sound of the drums, but he stated that Christine still loved the song. Caillat believed that the song improved considerably once McVie suggested to sing “Don’t Stop” as a duet with guitarist Lindsey Buckingham; Caillat was also complimentary of the band’s backing vocals after the song’s final chorus. “The band kept changing their background vocals. Anytime I thought I knew what they’d sing, they’d do something different. That’s a hallmark of classic Fleetwood Mac, their backgrounds. They’re incredible singers.”

Keep Rockin’,

Stan Bradshaw