Maps of Music

Say You Will (2003)

Where the lyrics of Say You Will take you, and where it was really made.

Fleetwood Mac's final studio album was released without Christine McVie as a full member, yet it became the band's first US top-three album since 1982's Mirage.

Key places

Recorded at Ocean Way Recording (2003)

Recording site Ocean Way Recording — Ocean Way Recording in Hollywood, California is listed among the studios where Say You Will was recorded. The album was also recorded at The Bellagio House, Lindsey's garage and Cornerstone Studios. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recorded at Cornerstone Studios, Chatsworth (2003)

Recording site Cornerstone Studios — Cornerstone Studios in Chatsworth, California is one of the places where Say You Will was recorded. The point marks Chatsworth city center, not the studio building itself. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Mixed at Conway Studios (2003)

Recording site Conway Recording Studios — Conway Studios in Hollywood, California is listed as one of the places where Say You Will was mixed. The mixing locations also included Cornerstone Studios and Image Recording Studios. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Mixed at Image Recording Studios (2003)

Recording site Record Plant (Los Angeles) — Image Recording Studios in Los Angeles, California is listed as one of the places where Say You Will was mixed. The mixing locations also included Cornerstone Studios and Conway Studios. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Say You Will: 17th and final studio album by Fleetwood Mac, released 15 April 2003
• First album since 1970 without Christine McVie as a full member, though she guested on some songs
• Her last studio involvement with the band before her death in 2022
• Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks shared keyboard duties throughout the album
• Last full album with Buckingham before his dismissal from the group in 2018
• Followed Time (1995)

Background

• Soon after Time's release in 1995, the band decided to disband
• Buckingham had been working on a solo album and was encouraged by the band to set its material aside for a Fleetwood Mac record
• All of Buckingham's songs were considered for the aborted solo record, except 'What's the World Coming To?' and 'Peacekeeper'
• The band considered a double album but condensed the material to a single disc of 18 songs
• 23 songs were recorded, and five were cut from the album
• The album was referred to as Strangely Familiar before Buckingham chose the title Say You Will
• Christine McVie left the group after The Dance, citing her fear of flying as the primary reason

Recording

• Buckingham mastered the album in Los Angeles while Nicks was in Hawaii, so the two argued over the running order by phone
• Nicks wrote four new compositions in December 2001 at her home in Phoenix
• 'Silver Girl' and the title track feature Sheryl Crow
• Sessions took place at The Bellagio House, Ocean Way Recording, Lindsey's garage and Cornerstone Studios
• Mixing was done at Cornerstone Studios, Conway Studios and Image Recording Studios

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Formed in London in July 1967 by Peter Green after leaving John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, with Mick Fleetwood on drums.
• The name combines Fleetwood's surname with bassist John McVie, who joined in 1967.
• Early line-up was primarily a British blues band; "Albatross" reached UK No. 1 in 1968.

Members

• Core members over time: Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie, Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham.
• Buckingham and Nicks joined at the end of 1974 and drove the band's global success.

Career

• Rumours (1977) is one of the best-selling albums of all time and won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 1978.
• The band has sold more than 120 million records worldwide.
• Received a Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 1979 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.
• Received the MusiCares Person of the Year award in 2018.
• Christine McVie died in 2022; Stevie Nicks later said she saw no reason to continue the band.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Metacritic gave the album 'generally favorable reviews' with a weighted average of 66 out of 100 from 8 critic scores
• Many reviewers noted the absence of Christine McVie and the album's length
• The Chicago Tribune: they were more complimentary of Buckingham's arrangements, compositions, and production
• Entertainment Weekly: the absence of McVie, the group's least heralded songwriter, was a significant obstacle
• AllMusic (Stephen Thomas Erlewine): the album sounded like Buckingham and Nicks albums on shuffle play, with occasional moments that were purely Fleetwood Mac
• Ultimate Classic Rock: the album was a conversation between Buckingham and Nicks rather than a true band effort
• Donald Brackett in Dark Mirror called it the best Fleetwood Mac record in years
• Music Week praised several songs as 'really good' and said the band had lost little of its edge

Reappraisal

• Nicks criticized the album after release, saying the recording experience was unenjoyable because of arguments with Buckingham
• Nicks also believed some of her demos were superior to the final versions
• Buckingham felt the album lacked some cohesion but was satisfied with the overall result, especially his own tracks

Records

• First studio Fleetwood Mac album to peak in the US top three since 1982's Mirage
• Billboard Hot 100 debut at No. 3 with sales of 218,000 units
• Spent two months within the US top 40
• RIAA Gold in July 2003 for 500,000 copies shipped in the US
• UK peak at No. 6
• BPI Gold in May 2003 for 100,000 copies shipped

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The limited edition added two live tracks, 'Peacekeeper' and 'Say You Will', plus two studio tracks, Nicks' 'Not Make Believe' and Buckingham's cover of Bob Dylan's 'Love Minus Zero/No Limit'
• Nicks took inspiration from a documentary on the trumpet player Arturo Sandoval when creating the title track.
• Say You Will was the first album in the United Kingdom to be simultaneously released on DVD-Audio and CD according to Music Week.
• The Destiny Rules documentary, released in March 2004, included footage filmed during the recording sessions at The Bellagio House.
• Neither of the music videos for 'Peacekeeper' and 'Say You Will' was commercially available until 2019, when Fleetwood Mac published them on their official YouTube channel.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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