Observations placeholder
Fleetwood Mac - Don't Stop
Identifier
021525
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
Penguin lyrics interpretation
"Don't Stop was written not for Bill Clinton, but for John McVie, " Mick Fleetwood noted, laughing. Don't Stop was the third single from Fleetwood Mac's phenomenal Rumours album, and most certainly helped fuel the fire that was Fleetwood Mac in the 1970s. It is an unusual Fleetwood Mac song, in that it is in 6/8 time (shuffle rhythm). It cycles as the harmonic turnaround at the end of each verse or chorus leads into the next verse or chorus. It is one of Fleetwood Mac's most upbeat and optimistic tunes.
Don't Stop was written during the recording of the Rumours album in 1976 around the time that John and Christine McVie were breaking up. It was one of the classic breaking up songs from an album that also included Dreams and Go Your Own Way, Stevie Nicks' and Lindsey Buckingham's messages to one another. Christine knew the best way she could communicate with John was through music, so she wrote the song as a message to him. Christine said at that time that she still had a lot of love for John. She knew things were over between them, but she wanted the best for him. Perhaps she was referring to John's drinking problems and problems in the studio, getting "blocked." So, maybe she is telling John that it will pass and the next time he plays it will be better. It is also a general message of universal optimism for people to hold onto, including the rest of the band. She might mean that the days when sales were low and the members were leaving are over, and the new lineup and album was going to be much better than that.
It cannot go without mention that, in 1992, Democratic presidential candidate Bill Clinton used Don't Stop as his campaign theme song.
A description of the experience
Fleetwood Mac - Don't Stop
If you wake up and don't want to smile,
If it takes just a little while,
Open your eyes and look at the day,
You'll see things in a different way.
Don't stop, thinking about tomorrow,
Don't stop, it'll soon be here,
It'll be, better than before,
Yesterday's gone, yesterday's gone.
Why not think about times to come,
And not about the things that you've done,
If your life was bad to you,
Just think what tomorrow will do.
Don't stop, thinking about tomorrow,
Don't stop, it'll soon be here,
It'll be, better than before,
Yesterday's gone, yesterday's gone.
All I want is to see you smile,
If it takes just a little while,
I know you don't believe that it's true,
I never meant any harm to you.
Don't stop, thinking about tomorrow,
Don't stop, it'll soon be here,
It'll be, better than before,
Yesterday's gone, yesterday's gone.
Don't you look back,
Don't you look back.