“Everywhere” By Fleetwood Mac Is A Strong Example Of Christine McVie Rising Above Conflict

“Everywhere” by Fleetwood Mac carries a lot of weight both as a song and as a symbol of the band’s tumultuous journey through success, betrayal, rebirth, and separation. Couples split and the band’s lineup – and identity – changed drastically but through it all, Christine McVie was able to continue her songwriting craft with exceptional results, and this endurance is perfectly encapsulated in “Everywhere.”

While McVie served as a keyboardist and singer for Fleetwood Mac, she is most often recognized as “the prime mover behind some of Fleetwood Mac’s biggest hits” and for her contributions, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. Sadly, McVie died in November 2022 at the age of 79. But a year later, she is remembered for her remarkable dedication to creating something extraordinary among the discord.

Christine McVie kept up her creativity amid the conflict with “Everywhere”

Fleetwood Mac is characterized as much by its ethereal and emotional hits as by the interpersonal battles that inspired some of their most enduring songs. One prime example is “The Chain,” written by Stevie Nicks as her relationship with Lindsey Buckingham crumbled; the song is now considered a staple of the band and played at almost all of their live shows.

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But infighting isn’t all song fodder and the aftereffects can be felt in the aftermath, which is exactly the uphill battle faced by 1987’s Tango in the Night. The quarter got most of their romance drama out of their system but, notes American Songwriter, they were also in a friendship drought. As a result, it took Mick Fleetwood a great deal of persuasion to gather the band back together, especially Nicks, who was in the midst of building her own solo career. Similarly, Buckingham had to put the breaks on his solo album to work on Tango in the Night.

But there, steadfast, was McVie, who proved a powerhouse of songwriting success and a driving force behind the album’s singular allure.

McVie’s creative vision was expertly brought to life

Roughly a decade prior to Tango in the Night and “Everywhere,” McVie penned “Don’t Stop,” the third single on the Rumours album that peaked at No. 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100. This was flavored irrevocably by her feelings about separating from bass guitarist John McVie. When some took issue with the tempo and rhythm, McVie showed her acute understanding of songwriting and reimagined it as a duet with Buckingham, gaining renewed praise.

Jump now to “Everywhere” and McVie does it again, seeing order within the chaos. As tension simmered between Nicks and Buckingham, McVie played the level head and embraced simplicity but did not compromise nuance. Simplicity still tells a story and that’s just what McVie does in a song that symbolizes her own unrelenting songwriting skill even while the band’s affairs churn dangerously around them all.

It’s no wonder such an understated but powerful – and symbolic – track rocketed to number one on the Adult Contemporary chart, peaked at No. 14 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and, with sales of over 2.4 million units, was certified quadruple platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).

Which is your favorite track from Tango in the Night specifically and Fleetwood Mac as a whole?