Never Going Back Again

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"Never Going Back Again"
Single by Fleetwood Mac
from the album Rumours
A-side "Don't Stop" (US)
"You Make Loving Fun" (UK)
Released July 1977
Format 7"
Recorded 1976
Genre Rock
Length 2:14
Label Warner Bros.
Writer(s) Lindsey Buckingham
Producer(s) Fleetwood Mac, Richard Dashut & Ken Caillat
Rumours track listing

"Never Going Back Again" is a song written by Lindsey Buckingham that was first released by Fleetwood Mac on their 1977 album Rumours. It was also released as the B-side to the Top Ten single "Don't Stop" in the US and of the "You Make Loving Fun" single in the UK. It was also the B-side of "Dreams" in the Netherlands. It has been covered by other artists, including Colin Reid and Matchbox Twenty.

Fleetwood Mac version

Music historian George Case described "Never Going Back Again" as a "gorgeous" song about "bubbly SoCal philosophies about relationships."[1] It is one of several songs on Rumours that Buckingham wrote in the wake of the breakup of his relationship with fellow Fleetwood Mac member Stevie Nicks. He recalls it being one of the last songs written for the album, after he had started a rebound relationship with another woman.[2][3] Buckingham regards it as a sweet and naive song and doesn't consider the lyrics to be very deep.[3] He has described it as a "miniature perception of things."[3] It reflects a desire not to repeat previous mistakes.[4] Buckingham accompanies himself on acoustic guitar played using a Travis picking technique.[5] He has said that the guitar part may have been inspired by Ry Cooder.[3]

The working title for the song was "Brushes" because it was originally recorded with just Buckingham playing acoustic guitar and Mick Fleetwood playing a snare drum using drum brushes.[6] In the final release, the drum brush part was removed.[6][7] However, the brush part, as well as a lead guitar part by Buckingham that was also removed from the original release, was restored for a version of the song released the on DVD-audio release of Rumours.[7][8] According to Billboard Magazine reviewer Christopher Walsh, these parts represent "a pleasant surprise that add to the song's emotional punch."[8]

Rolling Stone critic John Swenson describes "Never Going Back Again" as "the prettiest thing on [Rumours]," noting that the "delightful" vocal "belies the bad-news subject matter."[9] Stylus Magazine critic Patrick McKay regards it as one of the "strongest tracks" on Rumours.[10] Spin critic Chuck Eddy described "Never Going Back Again" as "an arty trance."[11] Cath Carroll describes the song as "a melodically uncluttered song with a simple chorus and a sharp resolve that says everything in a few elegant phrases."[12]

"Never Going Back Again" has appeared on several Fleetwood Mac compilation albums, including 25 Years – The Chain in 1992 and The Very Best of Fleetwood Mac in 2002.[13] It has also appeared on several live albums.[13]

Cover versions

Matchbox Twenty covered "Never Going Back Again" on Legacy: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac's Rumours.[14] The Matchbox Twenty version is set in a minor key.[14] Billboard Magazine critic Steve Knopper describes this version as "gloomy."[15] Billboard writer Chuck Taylor describes this version as updating the original version's "unassuming demeanor with a subtly aggressive chug-along rock pulse."[16] According to Matchbox Twenty drummer Paul Doucette, the band intended to play around with the song before coming up with their dark interpretation of what Doucette calls "a sad record when you think about it."[15] Doucette felt that the version they came up with "turned out great."[17] Matchbox Twenty lead vocalist Rob Thomas stated that "we took drums from 'Tusk' and put them in there and at the end, turned it into 'The Chain.' We used all minor chords and made it real brooding."[16]

Guitarist Colin Reid covered "Never Going Back Again" on his 2001 album Tilt, with Eddi Reader providing the vocals.[18] Allmusic critic Ronnie D. Lankford Jr. described this version as "lovely," stating that it "offer[s] a fresh take on a perhaps overplayed classic."[18]

The guitar part from "Never Going Back Again" was used (albeit in a lower key than in the Fleetwood Mac version) in a 2014 television commercial for Bank of America.[19]

Everclear singer Art Alexakis sampled "Never Going Back Again" for the song "Kill Jerry Garcia" (once at about 0:33 then again at the end of the song) on the 1990 album "Deep In The Heart Of The Beast In The Sun" by pre-Everclear band Colorfinger.

Personnel

References

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External links