Use this thread to express your hatred of "Don't Stop"...

[Jyqm]

Inspired by something David posted on AMFM over on Usenet, I'm creating this thread just so people can complain about "Don't Stop."

Now, don't get me wrong, I don't dislike the song on its own. And the Dance version with the marching band is really great.

But I think it totally ruins the flow of Rumours. It's not that it's a kooky upbeat shuffle; that's cool. I think it's mostly that it's a kooky upbeat shuffle with lyrics that belong in a self-help program more than on a rock album. Chris' other contributions to the album are so perfect, but Rumours sets such a perfect desperate mood with the sequence of the first three songs... and then it all comes crashing down in a barrage of tinkling piano and "Hey, you can do it!" lyrics. Good thing we've got "Go Your Own Way" right after it to thrust us right back into the swing of things.

[DavidMn]

Well, Don't Stop is definitely down on my list of Chris' favorite songs. And part of it is because it's one of like 3 Fleetwood Mac songs that get regular airplay on the radio these days, the other is that it's just a little too pedestrian for me.

[Jyqm]

Originally Posted by trackaghost

It's funny, I always think I hate this song and then when it comes on my iPod I find myself tapping my feet and humming along.
I think I'm so used to it on Rumours now, I can't tell if it ruins the flow. Maybe I'll give the album another listen, with this in mind...

I actually only came to this realization last night, after years of not disliking it. Don't let memory or habit fool you!

[GateandGarden]

Okay, this is the thing about me and "Don't Stop." I like it except for this part--"If your life was bad to you/just think what tomorrow will do." Okay, I guess I'm the only person who can't help but take it in a completely different way from what she obviously meant. Context clues tell me it's supposed to be an affirmation (you don't say!) but it doesn't sound like it to my ears. Am I more of a cynic than I realize? To me, it's like "Man, if you think things suck bad now, just wait! You have no idea!"

I really do like the third verse. So much of the rest of it is painfully cheesy. I don't hate it. It just isn't a favorite.

[SortaSavageLike]

Ever get into a really horrible argument with someone, and about a third of the way through, someone completely spaced out would wander into the room, cheerfully requesting that "everybody quit the fussing and the fueding!" and offering to make coffee or to freshen up the room a bit?

Don't Stop is like that.

[Mari]

Oh thank you for giving this opportunity. I do really hate it and have hated it for years. It's cheesy. It's been a big hit here, which means I've heard it too much. GYOW suffers from that problem too, but at least that one isn't as cheesy.

[amber]

Originally Posted by trackaghost

It's funny, I always think I hate this song and then when it comes on my iPod I find myself tapping my feet and humming along.
I think I'm so used to it on Rumours now, I can't tell if it ruins the flow. Maybe I'll give the album another listen, with this in mind...

That's been happening to me, too. But not quite as much. I used to hate it, never listen, always skip. But now, occasionally, I don't hate it for one second.
I usually still mostly do, though. Still, I never listen to it all in a row, on rumours.
I feel like I'm losing my edge now that my hatred has faded a smidge. I'm becoming complacent to crap. Oh, well, it worked for RAL (the song), too.

[MacFans]

Likes Don't Stop. Even though it is cheesy, it still makes me feel good every time I hear it. Rumours is such an intense record so it's nice to have a more playful song to balance it out.

(Syd)

[David]

I don't hate "Don't Stop" but I do hate the way the band has played it live since 1987 all the way to the present. That's because I hate the anthemic, get-em-in-the-aisles quality of the song, which is all they emphasize these days; but I love the sharp, muscular shuffle-on-speed aspect of it, which seems to be gone.

I ... guess ... I like it on the Rumours album, although I think it's the single biggest reason that Fleetwood Mac was blasted for being a bubblegum pop outfit, which was pretty unjust even before Tusk came along.

[SortaSavageLike]

Originally Posted by David

I ... guess ... I like it on the Rumours album, although I think it's the single biggest reason that Fleetwood Mac was blasted for being a bubblegum pop outfit, which was pretty unjust even before Tusk came along.

I bet if you walked up to any ordinary man on the street and asked "Have you heard of Fleetwood Mac", they would respond "Oh yeah, they did that lame "Don't Stop!" thing for Slick Willy!"

Of course, I was like that until a couple years ago, until I realized that song didn't represent the band's back catalogue in it's entirety.

[mylittledemon]

Originally Posted by Jyqm

Inspired by something David posted on AMFM over on Usenet, I'm creating this thread just so people can complain about "Don't Stop."

Now, don't get me wrong, I don't dislike the song on its own. And the Dance version with the marching band is really great.

But I think it totally ruins the flow of Rumours. It's not that it's a kooky upbeat shuffle; that's cool. I think it's mostly that it's a kooky upbeat shuffle with lyrics that belong in a self-help program more than on a rock album. Chris' other contributions to the album are so perfect, but Rumours sets such a perfect desperate mood with the sequence of the first three songs... and then it all comes crashing down in a barrage of tinkling piano and "Hey, you can do it!" lyrics. Good thing we've got "Go Your Own Way" right after it to thrust us right back into the swing of things.

You may be biased like me. I think it depends partly on your age, and when you started hearing the tune. That song, now, gets associated with the Clinton-Presidential-Theme. Back in the 70s I'm sure the vibe was different. I personally dont think of Bill Clinton when I hear this song. I think it's a great "pop" song, probably the poppiest pop song on the album...nothing more.

[Jyqm]

Originally Posted by mylittledemon

You may be biased like me. I think it depends partly on your age, and when you started hearing the tune. That song, now, gets associated with the Clinton-Presidential-Theme. Back in the 70s I'm sure the vibe was different. I personally dont think of Bill Clinton when I hear this song. I think it's a great "pop" song, probably the poppiest pop song on the album...nothing more.

Actually, the Clinton association very rarely occurs to me as well. And again, I don't necessarily dislike the song - it's where it is on Rumours that really bothers me.

[catinthedark]

Originally Posted by Jyqm

But I think it totally ruins the flow of Rumours.... Rumours sets such a perfect desperate mood with the sequence of the first three songs... and then it all comes crashing down in a barrage of tinkling piano and "Hey, you can do it!" lyrics.

Get out of my head!!

That's exactly how I feel about it, too. And I agree with David, who brought up that I think FM gets cubbyholed as sugary pop fluff because of this song. Unfairly. I, too, always find myself sort of singing along when it comes on, but it's not a fave by any means. It's not a bad song, per say. It's just a bad FM song when you look over their discography.

[Serrart]

I like Don't Stop, it's upbeat, positive, and gives space to all the band members. All good things for me, and it works at the end of the concerts like the happy ending in Hollywood movies, something a bit boring at times, but anyway reassuring.

Romy

[HomerMcvie]

I like Don't Stop, and always have. It's a great pop shuffle song, which is rare.