Fleetwood Mac Rejected This Hit Song Written by Stevie Nicks Twice Causing Her to Quit the Band

Fleetwood Mac may be one of the greatest bands in music history, but not everything was what it seemed. Like many iconic bands, such as The Beatles and Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac has had their fair share of tension, especially while recording their critically acclaimed and Grammy Award-winning album Rumours. However, the tension continued outside the studio, leading Stevie Nicks to quit the band. Why? Because Mick Fleetwood and the band rejected the iconic hit, “Silver Springs,” not once, but twice.

Why Did Fleetwood Mac Reject Stevie Nicks' "Silver Springs"?

Fleetwood Mac rejected “Silver Springs” due to the song exceeding the album’s length. Back then, an album was limited to just 45 minutes, which fit on a 12-inch vinyl record, so “Silver Springs” would not fit on the album and was cut from Rumours to Nicks’ dismay. “I Don’t Want To Know” replaced “Silver Springs,” as it was a shorter song.

Richard Dashut, who co-produced the album, called “Silver Springs” the “best song that never made it to a recorded album.” “Silver Springs” was written during a difficult and tumultuous time in the band. Members Christine and John McVie began their divorce proceedings, and to make matters worse and a lot more awkward, Christine started dating again. Fleetwood was also divorcing his wife while they were recording Rumours. Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham’s prolific feud began as they broke up, adding the cherry on top.

“Silver Springs” was a song of despair and grief, as Nicks mourned what could have been with Buckingham if it were not for the challenges that invaded their relationship. In 2009, Nicks opened up to Rolling Stone about the song and her thoughts about it. “It was me realising that Lindsey was going to haunt me for the rest of my life, and he has,” she said, believing that Buckingham may feel the same way.

While Nicks’ sadness over her breakup was left out of the album, Buckingham’s scathing songs about Nicks and their relationship became the standout on the album. “Go Your Own Way” was released as the A-side of “Silver Springs”, funnily enough, and was a chart topper in some countries in Europe, and charted in the UK twice when music became digital. In the States, “Go Your Own Way” just made the top ten on the Billboard charts.

"Silver Springs" Faced Rejection Once Again

Years after Rumours’ release and its epic win at the Grammys, Nicks began her solo career, working with icons such as Prince. In 1990, Nicks was working on Timespace – The Best of Stevie Nicks, and wanted to include “Silver Springs”. Nicks approached Fleetwood and asked if she could use the song for her solo album, and he refused, despite blocking the song from being released as part of Rumours in the first place.

Rights issues may be part of the reason. However, other primary reasons Fleetwood rejected Nicks were that he wanted the song on a future box set, 25 Years — The Chain, which was released two years later. This further strained relations between Nick and the band, prompting her to depart from Fleetwood Mac temporarily.

Many issues led to Nicks’ exit from the band, but Fleetwood was one of the factors that broke the camel’s back. The band’s dynamic had been struggling since Rumours, and drug addiction also added tension and challenges for Fleetwood Mac. Nicks’ exit only lasted for a few years, as she reunited with Fleetwood Mac in 1997.

Another Version of "Silver Springs" Was Released

“Silver Springs” was released as a single from the album The Dance and became one of Fleetwood Mac’s most iconic songs. It received Grammy nominations in 1998 and charted on several Billboard charts, reaching a peak of five. To this day, “Silver Springs” holds pop culture relevance, turning a sad breakup song into a cultural phenomenon and becoming a trending audio on social media platforms, notably TikTok.

The song is also a representation of Nicks and Buckingham’s relationship, and how it not only haunts Nicks many years later, but also the band and the fans. Because of this, their breakup became a cultural staple, with fans obsessing over their relationship and dynamic many years later. This December will mark 50 years since the song’s original release, and after all these years, “Silver Springs” still carries the emotional appeal that Nicks added to this song.