Fleetwood Mac released Tusk

Tusk Fleetwood Mac

Released: October 12, 1979 Peak: 4 US, 11 UK, 2 CN, 11 AU Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): 2.0 US, 0.3 UK, 6.5 world (includes US and UK), 10.04 EAS Genre: classic rock

Tracks: Click on a song titled for more details. Over & Over [4:34] The Ledge [2:08] Think About Me [2:44] Save Me a Place [2:42] Sara [6:22] What Makes You Think You’re the One [3:32] Storms [5:31] That’s All for Everyone [3:03] Not That Funny [3:11] Sisters of the Moon [4:42] Angel [4:54] That’s Enough for Me [1:50] Brown Eyes [4:27] Never Make Me Cry [2:18] I Know I’m Not Wrong [3:05] Honey Hi [2:41] Beautiful Child [5:21] Walk a Thin Line [3:46] Tusk [3:37] Never Forget [3:34] Total Running Time: 74:25 The Players: Lindsey Buckingham (vocals, guitar, et al) Stevie Nicks (vocals, tambourine) Christine McVie (vocals, keyboards) John McVie (bass) Mick Fleetwood (drums, percussion)

Rating: 4.065 out of 5.00 (average of 23 ratings) Quotable: “a bracing, weirdly affecting work that may not be as universal or immediate as Rumours, but is every bit as classic. As a piece of pop art, it's peerless.” – Stephen Thomas Erlewine, AllMusic.com Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album “More than any other Fleetwood Mac album, Tusk is born of a particular time and place – it could only have been created in the aftermath of Rumours, which shattered sales records, which in turn gave the group a blank check for its next album. But if they were falling apart during the making of Rumours, they were officially broken and shattered during the making of Tusk, and that disconnect between bandmembers resulted in a sprawling, incoherent, and utterly brilliant 20-track double album.” AM Editor’s note: is it possible to write a review of a double album without using the word “sprawling”? By comparison to Rumours, which sold 40 million copies worldwide, spent 31 weeks atop the U.S. Billboard album chart, and sported four top-ten singles, Tusk was destined to be viewed as a flop. It peaked at #4, had two top-10 hits, and stalled at a “measly” 6.5 million in sales. “The truth of the matter is that Fleetwood Mac couldn’t top that success no matter how hard they tried, so it was better for them to indulge themselves and come up with something as unique as Tusk. This album was very much a Lindsey Buckingham-dominated affair. He composed nearly half the album and “owns this record with his nervous energy and obsessive production, winding up with a fussily detailed yet wildly messy record unlike any other.” AM Tusk “is the ultimate cocaine album – it’s mellow for long stretches, and then bursts wide open in manic, frantic explosions, such as the mounting tension on The Ledge or the rampaging That's Enough for Me.” AM “This is mainstream madness, crazier than Buckingham’s idol Brian Wilson and weirder than any number of cult classics.” AM It “is a bracing, weirdly affecting work that may not be as universal or immediate as Rumours, but is every bit as classic. As a piece of pop art, it’s peerless.” AM Still, like Fleetwood Mac and Rumours, Tusk offers “smooth, reflective work from all three songwriters,” AM the others being Christine McVie and Stevie Nicks. However, even when the ladies take their turns at songwriting and singing, Buckingham’s presence is still felt with “an ethereal, floating quality that turns them into welcome respites from the seriously twisted immersions into Buckingham’s id.” AM Reissue A 2004 deluxe edition added a second disc of alternate versions of songs from the album. In 2015, a 5-CD version was released with unreleased demos, live tracks, and alternate versions. The Songs Here’s a breakdown of each of the individual songs.

Over & Over Fleetwood Mac

Writer(s): Christine McVie Released: Tusk (10/12/1979) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 21.27 streaming

The Ledge Fleetwood Mac

Writer(s): Lindsey Buckingham Released: Tusk (10/12/1979) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 10.44 streaming

Think About Me Fleetwood Mac

Writer(s): Christine McVie Released: single (3/7/1980), Tusk (10/12/1979), 25 Years: The Chain (box, 11/23/1992), The Very Best of (U.S. compilation, 9/30/2002), 50 Years: Don’t Stop (box, 11/16/2018) B-side: “Save Me a Place” (US) Peak: 20 BB, 22 CB, 13 GR, 17 HR, 9 RR, 39 AC, 9 CL, 24 CN, 25 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 24.69 streaming About the Song: While Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks were the higher profile singers during Fleetwood Mac’s California pop days from 1975 on, Christine McVie actually helmed more hits than either of them. In the case of Tusk, Buckingham and Nicks had the higher profile top-10 hits with the title cut and “Sara” respectively, but McVie took her turn with “Think About Me,” a top-20 hit.

Save Me a Place Fleetwood Mac

Writer(s): Lindsey Buckingham Released: B-side of “Not That Funny” (UK, 3/7/1980), Tusk (10/12/1979), 25 Years: The Chain (box, 11/23/1992) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 3.87 streaming

Sara Fleetwood Mac

Writer(s): Stevie Nicks Released: single (12/5/1979), Tusk (10/12/1979), Greatest Hits (compilation, 11/5/1988), The Very Best of (U.S. compilation, 9/30/2002) B-side: “That’s Enough for Me” Peak: 7 BB, 6 CB, 11 GR, 7 HR, 11 RR, 13 AC, 1 CL, 37 UK, 12 CN, 11 AU, 9 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.20 UK Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 2.0 radio, -- video, 107.30 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: Stevie Nicks’ most prominent offering on Tusk is essentially “Dreams Part II” and accordingly gave Fleetwood Mac another top 10 hit.

What Makes You Think You’re the One Fleetwood Mac

Writer(s): Lindsey Buckingham Released: Tusk (10/12/1979), 25 Years: The Chain (box, 11/23/1992), The Very Best of (U.S. compilation, 9/30/2002) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 7.35 streaming

Storms Fleetwood Mac

Writer(s): Stevie Nicks Released: Tusk (10/12/1979), 25 Years: The Chain (box, 11/23/1992), The Very Best of (U.S. compilation, 9/30/2002) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 45.60 streaming

That’s All for Everyone Fleetwood Mac

Writer(s): Lindsey Buckingham Released: Tusk (10/12/1979), 25 Years: The Chain (box, 11/23/1992) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 3.66 streaming

Not That Funny Fleetwood Mac

Writer(s): Lindsey Buckingham Released: single (UK, 3/7/1980), Tusk (10/12/1979), 25 Years: The Chain (box, 11/23/1992) B-side: “Save Me a Place” (UK), “Think About Me” (EU) Peak: 40 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 3.90 streaming About the Song: It was released as the third single from Tusk in the UK, but failed to chart. In the U.S., the third single was Christine McVie’s “Think About Me,” which reached the top 20 on the Billboad Hot 100.

Sisters of the Moon Fleetwood Mac

Writer(s): Stevie Nicks Released: single (June 1980), Tusk (10/12/1979), 25 Years: The Chain (box, 11/23/1992), The Very Best of (U.S. compilation, 9/30/2002) B-side: “Walk a Thin Line” Peak: 86 BB, 45 CL Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 36.18 streaming About the Song: As the fourth single from Tusk in the U.S., “Sisters of the Moon” barely dented the charts, making it clear that Tusk wouldn’t match Rumours level of success with four top-10 hits.

Angel Fleetwood Mac

Writer(s): Stevie Nicks Released: Tusk (10/12/1979), 25 Years: The Chain (box, 11/23/1992) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 9.07 streaming About the Song: Perhaps the record company assumed the poor chart showing of “Sisters of the Moon” (the fourth single from Tusk) was an anomaly and the album still had some hits in it. That proved not to be the case.“Angel,” the fifth single from Tusk, failed to chart.

That’s Enough for Me Fleetwood Mac

Writer(s): Lindsey Buckingham Released: B-side of “Sara” (12/5/1979), Tusk (10/12/1979) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 2.42 streaming

Brown Eyes Fleetwood Mac

Writer(s): Christine McVie Released: Tusk (10/12/1979), 25 Years: The Chain (box, 11/23/1992) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 4.27 streaming

Never Make Me Cry Fleetwood Mac

Writer(s): Christine McVie Released: B-side of “Tusk” (9/21/1979), Tusk (10/12/1979) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 2.44 streaming

I Know I’m Not Wrong Fleetwood Mac

Writer(s): Lindsey Buckingham Released: Tusk (10/12/1979) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 17.94 streaming

Honey Hi Fleetwood Mac

Writer(s): Christine McVie Released: B-side of “Think About Me” (UK, 3/7/1980), Tusk (10/12/1979) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 4.58 streaming

Beautiful Child Fleetwood Mac

Writer(s): Stevie Nicks Released: Tusk (10/12/1979), 25 Years: The Chain (box, 11/23/1992) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 6.32 streaming

Walk a Thin Line Fleetwood Mac

Writer(s): Lindsey Buckingham Released: B-side of “Sisters of the Moon” (June 1980), Tusk (10/12/1979), 25 Years: The Chain (box, 11/23/1992) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 2.59 streaming

Tusk Fleetwood Mac

Writer(s): Lindsey Buckingham Released: single (9/21/1979), Tusk (10/12/1979), Greatest Hits (compilation, 11/5/1988), 25 Years: The Chain (box, 11/23/1992), The Very Best of (U.S. compilation, 9/30/2002), 50 Years: Don’t Stop (box, 11/16/2018) B-side: “Never Make Me Cry” Peak: 8 BB, 8 CB, 6 GR, 8 HR, 5 RR, 4 CL, 6 UK, 5 CN, 3 AU, 14 DF Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.20 UK Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 119.71 streaming

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Song: The band seemed to acknowledge right out of the gate that Tusk couldn’t possibly match the success of its monstrous predecessor, Rumours. The title cut served as the lead single and signaled right away that this wouldn’t be an album that actively sought pop success. Of course, Fleetwood Mac were so huge at this point that even that song’s “marching band-driven paranoia” AM couldn’t keep it out of the top 10.

Never Forget Fleetwood Mac

Writer(s): Christine McVie Released: Tusk (10/12/1979) Peak: -- Click for codes to charts. Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, -- video, 4.58 streaming

Resources/References: AM AllMusic.com review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine Related DMDB Pages: First posted 9/17/2020; last updated 8/30/2025.