Top 10 Most Iconic Mac Songs

[Villavic]

Originally Posted by MikeInNV

I would agree that it was (past tense) the biggest hit in the 80s, but 25-30 years later, I think Gypsy is a much bigger song, at least in the US.

It's not unusual, not only Little Lies but several songs (from many bands) that made a big impact at its moment, now are not so remembered as iconic.

[johnnystorms]

Rhiannon
Say You Love Me
Gold Dust Woman
Tusk
Gypsy
Big Love
Silver Springs
Black Magic Woman
Landslide
Go Your Own Way

[shackin'up]

Originally Posted by Villavic

It's not unusual, not only Little Lies but several songs (from many bands) that made a big impact at its moment, now are not so remembered as iconic.

It's an iconic example of lightpop cheesyness that make people take a band not serieus anymore. To me, that song sold the soul of Fleetwood Mac. (Like Family Man would have, if it became a hit, Thank god it didn't)

By the way, in The Netherlands, Everywhere was the biggest hit from Tango In The Night. And to my ears, Everywhere did not what LL did. Everywhere has some beautitiful simplicity that makes it a shimmering lightpop piece of candy.

[gssmith]

Landslide
Rhiannon
Go Your Own Way
Gold Dust Woman
The Chain
You Make Loving Fun
Say You Love Me
Tusk
Dreams
Gypsy

Atleast those are the ones that still get played on the radio the most, in the US. Its hard to believe how good of a musician and arranger Lindsey was, yet Go Your Own Way is his only smash hit song that people will remember. Yes, he has had great songs, but that one was the only one. I only included Tusk because they play that at UCLA games.

[bethelblues]

I agree with you re: Lindsey. Go Your Own Way is one of the band's most iconic songs and the one people will remember him for. I don't think Big Love ever reached that status (dated as it is and several of their other songs from Tango in Night for going for the 80's sound), nor Tusk, which remains very divisive to this day for people. The song that should get in over Tusk is probably Don't Stop, is that played at UCLA games too? The band did perform that one with FM as well.

Interesting too that you have Say You Love Me and You Make Loving Fun. I think they are very similar songs in their structure and songwriting. I wonder which one people feel is more iconic. I definitely see those two being among Christine's most iconic songs. I think I see SYLM as more iconic, but YMLF as the superior song, I don't know.

[elle]

Originally Posted by MikeVielhaber

I think if I had to choose one song for someone who might not know FM very well and was asking me what songs they do that they might know "Go Your Own Way" would be the one that would stick. Probably "Don't Stop" as well. I think "Little Lies" would be down the list a little bit. I don't think today, at least in the US, that FM's music, to the general public, is defined by "Little Lies".

probably not. i would say GYOW, Don't Stop, and Landslide would be the 3 songs everybody knows.

Originally Posted by bethelblues

I don't think Big Love ever reached that status (dated as it is and several of their other songs from Tango in Night for going for the 80's sound)

i'm surprised that everybody seems to be referring to Big Love from Tango / 80s. yes Big Love was a charting hit from the 80s, but if anybody knows Big Love today, it would be the acoustic version from the 90s, which was also on the Dance. that IS the iconic version, and the version with tons of youtube views, the version that's downloaded on amazon and itunes to date. not the 80s full band version.

i would also argue as i always do, that Second Hand News is one of the iconic LB songs. everybody knows that "bam, bam, bam" song . it is played on the classic rock radio all the time, not to mention being on the constant music list rotation of the shows like Morning Joe. people in the 70s may have not know SHN, but classic rock listeners of today certainly do. whether it's in the top 10 FM iconic songs or not, depends on the list and who's making it. Philadelphia classic rock station has these top 100, top 200, and top 500 iconic songs lists every time around some holiday. i think these can be pulled on their website. lists like that may also give you some insight into what songs are considered "iconic" vs something like popular.

[shackin'up]

Originally Posted by elle

probably not. i would say GYOW, Don't Stop, and Landslide would be the 3 songs everybody knows.

.

Hmm, Landslide is completely unknown by the langer public in Europe. Dreams, Rhiannon, You Make Loving Fun and Sara are much more known. So are Everywhere, Big Love and LL.

[elle]

Originally Posted by shackin'up

Hmm, Landslide is completely unknown by the larger public in Europe. Dreams, Rhiannon, You Make Loving Fun and Sara are much more known. So are Everywhere, Big Love and LL.

good point! Dixie Chicks and Budweiser didn't make a dent in Europe

(while that Everywhere commercial did )

[elle]

Originally Posted by shackin'up

Hmm, Landslide is completely unknown by the langer public in Europe. Dreams, Rhiannon, You Make Loving Fun and Sara are much more known. So are Everywhere, Big Love and LL.

have a question:

is Don't Stop as big in Europe as in the US? is it as connected to Clinton as is here?

[bethelblues]

Originally Posted by elle

probably not. i would say GYOW, Don't Stop, and Landslide would be the 3 songs everybody knows.

i'm surprised that everybody seems to be referring to Big Love from Tango / 80s. yes Big Love was a charting hit from the 80s, but if anybody knows Big Love today, it would be the acoustic version from the 90s, which was also on the Dance. that IS the iconic version, and the version with tons of youtube views, the version that's downloaded on amazon and itunes to date. not the 80s full band version.

i would also argue as i always do, that Second Hand News is one of the iconic LB songs. everybody knows that "bam, bam, bam" song . it is played on the classic rock radio all the time, not to mention being on the constant music list rotation of the shows like Morning Joe. people in the 70s may have not know SHN, but classic rock listeners of today certainly do. whether it's in the top 10 FM iconic songs or not, depends on the list and who's making it. Philadelphia classic rock station has these top 100, top 200, and top 500 iconic songs lists every time around some holiday. i think these can be pulled on their website. lists like that may also give you some insight into what songs are considered "iconic" vs something like popular.

I completely agree. Lindsey's acoustic Big Love is classic, it gives a different and arguably more unique flavor to the song, while heightening the emotion and cry of alienation. It is iconic, it is an amazing part of the Fleetwood Mac concert lineup, and I can't tell you how cool it was to hear live for the first time with Lindsey just a few rows in front of me. That being said, it doesn't crack the band's top 10 most iconic songs for me; I'm defining iconic as not only what people know, recognize, and want to hear, but the songs I think the band will be remembered for when all is said and done. I think we can all agree that Landslide, The Chain, Go Your Own Way, Dreams, Rhiannon, and Don't Stop need to be there. But for me, I'd also put the Rumours-era songs Gold Dust Woman (though never technically a Billboard hit), Gypsy (again I stress it is arguably the best studio recording and unarguably the band's best music video), Sara (some say its Stevie Nicks' masterpiece, I know Elle you think otherwise ), and Say You Love Me before Big Love and Second Hand News when ranking most iconic. And that's not counting Oh Well, Albatross, and Black Magic Woman (though I raise the question: isn't the Santana version more widely known by the world?? then I'd argue it isn't as iconic for Fleetwood Mac...kind of same case as I Will Always Love You for Whitney Houston and Dolly Parton).

I do think a good question would be to seriously consider the Tango in the Night Songs: which one of those is most iconic?? I know Little Lies, as people here have said, continues to be widely recognized. But it seems there are mixed receptions of the song, whether it's noticeably dated or not cool, too pop of a song. Maybe that's the conversation where Big Love most stands out. It's hard to tell though, since Tango has never been properly performed and over the last 15 years only Big Love has been played. I will say though, I loved that a few people cited how Christine's voice can really sell Little Lies and Everywhere, elevating them in meaning and poignancy. I definitely agree with that. It's certainly a good thing though, that the band has so many songs that resonated and continue to resonate with many people. This is a fun conversation.

[MikeVielhaber]

Originally Posted by gssmith

I only included Tusk because they play that at UCLA games.

Do you mean USC games?