Disco de Fleetwood Mac: “The Very Best of Fleetwood Mac”

I own many greatest hits CD's (including "Fleetwood Mac's Greatest Hits" from 1988), and one thing I've learned is that very few of them actually contain every single notable track one could want. There's always a few missing, be it a Top 40 single or an album track that received heavy airplay. Rhino Records was basically created for the music collector who wants the ultimate compilations, and while they still don't always manage to get everything "right", they come way closer than anyone before them ever have or ever will.

Yeah, the live acoustic version of "Big Love" from "The Dance" is here instead of the hit single version from "Tango In The Night" and "Greatest Hits" (probably because it's shorter). Conversely, the studio version of "Silver Springs" is here instead of the more popular live version from "The Dance". And there are a few songs - most notably "Rhiannon" and "Over My Head" - that are represented by single versions instead of album versions. "Over My Head" in particular has a much louder acoustic guitar and doesn't have the "fade-in" of the album version. Either way, any Fleetwood Mac collection that contains well-known but rarely anthologized songs like "The Chain", "Second Hand News", "Never Going Back Again", "Gold Dust Woman", "Monday Morning", "World Turning", "Songbird", and great but forgotten singles like "Sisters Of The Moon", "Think About Me", "Family Man", "Seven Wonders", and "Paper Doll" is one worth having. And as always, the remastered sound is spectacular and the liner notes are comprehensive, including release dates and chart peaks for all singles and the albums they came from - a Top 40 geek's dream!

Things I might've done differently - included the original version of "Big Love" instead of the live version, included one of Stevie Nicks' solo tunes done live by the Mac ("Stand Back" is a staple of Mac concerts whenver Nicks is in the band) to go with Lindsey Buckingham's "Go Insane", included full-length versions of all songs (even if it meant cutting one or two lesser known numbers), and I probably wouldn't have included anything from "Behind The Mask", but if I had to, I would've gone with "Save Me" instead of "Skies The Limit". Either way, this is a five star 2CD set by a five star band if ever there was one. Rhino has previously done great overviews for bands like Chicago, Foreigner, INXS, the Cars, and Black Sabbath (forthcoming!) and I only hope they get around to giving the same treatment to bands like the Eagles, Dire Straits, ZZ Top, and many others I can't even think of right now!

Don't let the naysayers put you off... this is an excellent collection of Fleetwood Mac's post-1975 music (the band has existed since 1967).

Longtime Mac fans were disappointed by the lack of pre-1975 music here, but the truth is, the majority of American fans are not the least bit familiar with the band's earlier music.

Those wishing to hear early Mac have little to complain about, as dozens of compilations exist focusing on that era of the band's career. This collection is merely meant to spotlight the achievements of the most commercially successful version of Fleetwood Mac, and to serve as an appetizer for their upcoming Spring 2003 release... and it does that quite remarkably.

The hits "Over My Head," and "Rhiannon," are included in their (arguably) more well-known radio mixes (as are the slightly lesser-known singles, "Sisters Of The Moon," and "Think About It").

The classic non-album track "Silver Springs," is available here in an alternate mix, highlighting Stevie Nicks' passionate vocals during the song's coda.

The biggest chart hits are justifiably well-represented ("Little Lies," "Dreams," "Tusk," and a slew of others), but thankfully space was also made for many of the band's other essential tracks... such as "The Chain," and "Storms."

One can always find something to grumble about with any "best of" collection... the omission of one song in favor of another, for example... but what IS included here, definitely makes up for anything that's missing.

Casual fans should be more than satisfied, as all the well-known radio favorites are present and accounted for... and the aforementioned radio mixes make this a must-have for die-hard fans.

This latest remastered collection of Fleetwood Mac Hits is their best yet. This is a more complete collection than the Greatest Hits cd which was released in the late 80's. Basically, you've got the best songs from the self titled "Fleetwood Mac" cd to the "25 Years - The Chain" cd collection. Disc 1 includes: Monday Morning, Dreams, You Make Loving Fun, Go Your Own Way, Rhiannon, Say You Love Me, I'm So Afraid (live 1997), Silver Springs, Over My Head, Never Going Back Again, Sara, Love In Store, Tusk, Landslide, Songbird, Big Love (live, 1997) and Storms. Disc 2 includes: The Chain, Don't Stop, What Makes You Think You're The One, Gypsy, Second Hand News, Little Lies, Think About Me, Go Insane (live, 1997), Gold Dust Woman, Hold Me, Seven Wonders, World Turning, Everywhere, Sisters Of The Moon, Family Man, As Long As You Follow, No Questions Asked, Skies The Limit and Paper Doll. Originally a 60's blues band featuring Peter Green and later Bob Welch, Fleetwood Mac in the mid-seventies added two unknowns to the group in guitarist/songwriter Lindsey Buckingham and his girlfriend singer/songwriter Stevie Nicks. The two transformed the once blues band into a sensational pop/rock outfit which was one of the seventies most successful groups. The band itself had some ups and downs throughout the years and at one time called it quits, before re-uniting and releasing a live cd and video entitled "The Dance". Thankfully Fleetwood Mac is still together and is working on a new cd. This "Very Best Of" 2-cd collection also includes a nice booklet with pics and a brief history of the band. The sound quality is also superb due to remastering. If you enjoy listening to classic rock then this cd is a must have. Buy it and enjoy. Highly recommended!

This 2-CD compilation chronicals Fleetwood Mac's massive career post 1975...when Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham joined the former English blues/rock band. The first DISC is ENHANCED for computers and contains some great footage of Fleetwood Mac recording their new studio album due out SPRING 2003 with a tour to follow....the enhancement also gives you lyrics, and a link to a special website with rare live performances...

The selection of the 36 songs placed on this CD is great. You have the big hits like "Dreams," "Rhiannon," "You Make Lovin Fun," "Gypsy," "Sara," "Say You Love Me," "Hold Me," "Go Your Own Way," etc....and some great songs like Nicks' haunting "Sisters of the Moon," and Lindsey's live performance of the hit "Big Love," from 1997.

This 2 CD set includes all of the Fleetwood Mac's hits from albums "Fleetwood Mac" & "Rumours" (Basically it contains the entire "Rumours" album, minus 2 tracks).

"Tusk", "Mirage", "Tango in the Night" are also represented well on this collection. I won't bother to go into every song and whether or not it should have been included in this set, but anything from "The Dance" should have been left off in place of the original. "Big Love", the acoustic and whiny version presented here does not do the song justice. "Go Insane" I guess was a way for Buckingham to sneak in one of his solo hits onto a Mac album. It's also kind of sad to hear a band that was so original and inventive, go from songs like "The Chain" and "Tusk" to elevator pap like "Skies the Limit" and "Paper Doll". I enjoy the early stuff, hits or not, but everything after "Tango in the Night" should have been left to the record store bargain bins. Instead of buying this, look for used copies of Mac's early albums, I've seen them listed for $5 and under, you could probably buy all of them for the price of this one collection.