In the spring of 2003, no one knew that Fleetwood Mac’s newest record, Say You Will, would become the band’s final album. At the time, this was the first record in eight years for the band; the last record was 1995’s Time. This newest album also saw vocalist/keyboardist Christine McVie as a guest musician following her departure in 1998. By the time that Say You Will was released in April of 2003, Lindsey Buckingham had been back with the band for 10 years after pursuing his own solo career.
Say You Will reached the No. 3 position on the US Billboard 200 Chart by the end of the year, and should have signaled a long and lasting recording career for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band. The record is one of their lengthier records, with 18 songs spanning an hour and 16 minutes. Overall, the entire record is a great listen from front to back. In the post-Rumors era, where people consider that a “perfect record,” there is a lot of pressure put on albums to reach that height.
The record starts with “What’s the World Coming To.” It starts with a steady beat from Mick Fleetwood and the rest of the band before they quickly jump into the repetitive chorus. This song sees Buckingham take lead vocals, while Stevie Nicks harmonizes on background vocals. “What’s the World Coming To” showcases the band’s broad pop appeal rather than their rock roots, yet walks that line of classic, keyboard-driven rock sound that became popular during the 1980s.
By the time listeners get to song four, “Thrown Down,” the darker tone of the record has seeped into headphones on songs two and three. This four-minute tune sees the band have a moodier tone throughout the song. “Thrown Down” almost didn’t make this record. It was considered for Nicks’ 2001 record, Trouble in Shangri-La. One of the appeals to this song is that it also appeared in the hit sitcom, Friends, in the season nine episode, “The One with the Soap Opera Party.” It goes to show how broad an appeal the band had reached by 2003. While Nicks’ voice was in its “Gypsy” stage, she still had a witch-like aura to her presence on records, even in 2003 on a love song like “Thrown Down.”
As fans listen further down the record, they stumble upon song seven, which is the title track. What makes this song so special is the full family affair. Nicks’ neice and bassist John McVie‘s daughter has credits on this tune. But the secret is who is on the piano. Sheryl Crow is credited with being on this song. So, while fans immediately think of Christine McVie, it’s in fact Crow contributing. The lighthearted tune is catchy on the chorus and is a standout song off the record that helped pull it so high on the charts come year’s end.
Darker skies return for “Running Through the Garden,” which checks in at song 11. From the start of the record, Buckingham brings a harder edge to this song. The band’s darker side is what makes this record stand out among their previous releases. They’re able to explore different avenues based on band line-up changes, solo experiences, and the history of Fleetwood Mac to bring a more edgy feel to songs. What makes Nicks’ songwriting so good on this track is the Adam & Eve underlying theme, yet having the ability to make it hit so close to home for the listener and making them feel and visualize her lyrics.
Song 14, “Bleed to Lover Her,” is the second of two songs in which the previously mentioned Christine McVie appears. On this song, she appears on both background vocals and keyboard, creating a full circle moment on this track. On the chorus, Christine McVie almost takes over on lead vocals. Buckingham, who was the producer on this track, lets Christine McVie have the spotlight on this song. Throughout the song, you can slightly hear Christine McVie’s distinct voice. Fans can almost swear they hear her until she fully steps into the spotlight on the chorus, making a triumphant return. “Bleed to Lover Her” is one of the most underrated songs on the entire album. “Bleed to Lover Her” had been in the band’s discography for six years, as it appeared on their live record, The Dance, in 1997.
The final two songs on the record are “Say Goodbye” and “Goodbye Baby.” Both songs deal with the concepts of moving on and saying goodbye, both metaphorically and figuratively. It feels like the band chose these two songs to appear right after each other so the fans can decide how the record really ends. Does the track end of the softer, lighter “Goodbye Baby,” song 18? Or, does the record close with the darker and more mysterious “Say Goodbye,” song 17. Whether this was the intention or not, it sure does come across that way.
Particularly, “Say Goodbye” has more history with the band than “Goodbye Baby.” “Say Goodbye” was a song composed by Buckingham about his relationship with Nicks after he left Fleetwood Mac in 1987, following the Tango in the Night album. There are only two people credited on this song. Nicks provides backing vocals while Buckingham does everything else, from precision, lead vocals and acoustic guitars. Buckingham empowers the classic picking style that he grew famous for on this album. His picking is the true driving beat on this record as it speeds up and grows faster over the course of the record. It’s haunting and deep, and fans can easily resonate with the overarching theme. Personally, it’s the best song on the entire record, yet it appears as the second-to-last song.
Looking back on 2003’s Say You Will, a lot of the songs and titles scream louder than when it was released. Fans had absolutely zero clue that this would be the last studio record of original material featuring the classic Rumors lineup. Fans also didn’t know that Buckingham would have another messy departure from the band as they marched on without him until Christine McVie’s heartbreaking death. Looking at this collection of songs, it’s a perfect ending to their studio careers. A band like Fleetwood Mac, with the big breakups, inner-band turmoil and unexpected endings, creates a great record like Say You Will. Given how much history this record holds for the band, fans should give it a new listen with a 2026 mindset.
Rating: 9/10
Tracklisting:
1. What’s the World Coming To
2. Murrow Turning Over In His Grave
3. Illume
4. Thrown Down
5. Miranda
6. Red Rover
7. Say You Will
8. Peacekeeper
9. Come
10. Smile at You
11. Running Through the Garden
12. Silver Girl
13. Steal Your Heart Away
14. Bleed to Lover Her
15. Everybody Finds Out
16. Destiny Rules
17. Say Goodbye
18. Goodbye Baby
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My love for live music started with my first concert ever, Guns N’ Roses back in 2016. Since then, I’ve been able to capture photos of some amazing artists like Alice Cooper, Judas Priest, Ace Frehley, and Post Malone. I am based in the Boston, Massachusetts area. I am always looking for the next concert to attend.