🌙 About the Song
In the middle of absolute emotional chaos, Fleetwood Mac somehow made lightning in a bottle. Dreams was written by Stevie Nicks in 1976 while the band was holed up in Sausalito recording Rumours — a studio session that could’ve doubled as a group therapy nightmare.
Relationships were imploding left, right, and centre: Stevie and Lindsey were done, the McVies were divorcing, and Mick Fleetwood’s marriage was crumbling too. Out of that mess came this silky, devastating song about acceptance — heartbreak without hysteria.
Nicks wrote it alone on a Fender Rhodes piano in a spare room, recorded a demo, and walked it over to the band like, “I’ve got something.” Within hours, they’d turned it into one of the most hypnotic grooves ever recorded. It’s minimalist perfection: just a drum loop, a bassline smoother than silk, and Stevie’s voice gliding like smoke.
The song isn’t about rage or regret — it’s about walking away with grace (and maybe a bit of glitter).
🎸 Ukulele Playing Tips
- Chords: F – G – Am — that’s it. Three-chord magic. Play them gently and let them shimmer.
- Strumming pattern: Down–Down–Up–Up–Down–Up, but with a soft, almost lazy swing. The trick is restraint; less is more.
- Tempo: Around 120 bpm, but it should float, not march.
- Tone: Play near the neck for warmth, and mute slightly with your palm for that hypnotic, pulsing feel.
- Dynamics: Keep the verses delicate; open up slightly on the “Thunder only happens when it’s raining” chorus, then sink back down.
- Fancy bit: Add a high-harmonic (12th fret, A string) at the very end to mimic the airy fade-out of the record.
- Bonus: If you’ve got a friend, have them quietly hum or pick the bassline beneath you — it’ll sound freakishly close to the original.
🧠 Trivia You Can Drop Casually
- Stevie Nicks wrote the song in ten minutes — on a borrowed keyboard — in a room that once belonged to Sly Stone.
- Rumours sold over 40 million copies, making it one of the best-selling albums ever.
- In 2020, a guy on a skateboard drinking cranberry juice lip-synced to Dreams on TikTok — and the song shot back up the charts 43 years after release.
- Stevie’s shawl from the music video is still on tour with her. It’s seen more heartbreak than most of us will in a lifetime.
🌈 Final Word
Play Dreams like a spell, not a song. Keep the rhythm steady, the dynamics subtle, and the vibe unbothered.
It’s heartbreak, yes — but heartbreak that’s moved on, lit a candle, and started a new era.
