Say You Will is Fleetwood Mac’s 17th studio album and the first Fleetwood Mac album since Future Games (1971) without keyboardist and singer-songwriter Christine McVie credited as an official band member. McVie, however, provides backup vocals on the songs “Bleed to Love Her” and “Steal Your Heart Away.” The album includes 18 songs, written by remaining songwriters Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham.
Release
Reprise Records released Say You Will on Tuesday, April 15, 2003. The album debuted at #3 on the Billboard Hot 200 Albums chart and spawned the singles “Peacekeeper” and “Say You Will,” both moderately successful on the Adult Contemporary chart. “Peacekeeper” reached number 80 on the Hot 100 Singles chart. The second single “Say You Will” reached number 17 on the Adult Contemporary chart. Reprise also released “Running Through the Garden,” “Thrown Down,” and “Steal Your Heart Away” as promotional singles, but they failed to make an impact on radio.
To further promote the release, Reprise issued a limited edition of Say You Will, packaged as a book with a poster and bonus CD containing four additional songs.
In July 2003, the RIAA certified the album gold for the shipment of 500,000 units to retailers. According to Nielsen Soundscan, the album has sold 733,000 copies in the United States (Billboard, June 2013).
Songs
- What’s the World Coming To
- Murrow Turning Over in His Grave
- Illume (9-11)
- Thrown Down
- Miranda
- Red Rover
- Say You Will
- Peacekeeper
- Come
- Smile at You
- Running Through the Garden
- Silver Girl
- Steal Your Heart Away
- Bleed to Love Her
- Everybody Finds Out
- Destiny Rules
- Say Goodbye
- Goodbye Baby
Limited Edition Bonus Disc
- Love Minus Zero/No Limit
- Not Make Believe
- Peackeeper (Live – Sessions @AOL)
- Say You Will (Live – Sessions @AOL)
Editor’s Pick: Steal Your Heart Away & Destiny Rules
“Steal Your Heart Away” sounds like a classic Fleetwood Mac song, with contributions from all 1975 band members, including Christine McVie, who provides guest vocals. With rich harmonies and shamelessly romantic lyrics, the song exemplifies what Fleetwood Mac does best — create beautiful, timeless music.
“Destiny Rules” is the album’s best overall group effort, with each band member’s individual contributions shining through, particularly Mick Fleetwood and John McVie’s distinctive rhythmic section. While Lindsey Buckingham’s guitar solos occasionally recall the work of REM, his famous bare-handed picking is unmistakable. Stevie’s lyrics are descriptively vibrant (“The coastline is glittering like a diamond snake in a black sky”), as she alludes to another brilliant romance.