Format 7" Genre Rock | Recorded 1976 | |
B-side "Never Going Back Again" (US) / "Gold Dust Woman (UK) Released March 1977 (UK) / July 1977 (US) Length 3:13 (Album version)
3:34 (Demo version) | ||
"Don't Stop" is a song by the British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, written by vocalist and keyboard player Christine McVie. Sung by guitarist Lindsey Buckingham, and McVie, it was a single taken from the band's 1977 hit album, Rumours. It is one of the band's most enduring hits, peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard singles chart. In the UK market, "Don't Stop" followed "Go Your Own Way" as the second single from Rumours and peaked at No. 32. In the US, it was the third single released, and peaked at No. 3 in October 1977.
Contents
Background
"Don't Stop" reflects Christine McVie's feelings after her separation from Fleetwood Mac's bass guitarist, John McVie, after eight years of marriage. "'Don't Stop' was just a feeling. It just seemed to be a pleasant revelation to have that 'yesterday's gone'," she remembers in The Fleetwood Mac Story: Rumours and Lies, "It might have, I guess, been directed more toward John, but I'm just definitely not a pessimist."
Political significance
It was used by United States presidential candidate Bill Clinton as the theme for his first campaign, most notably at the 1992 Democratic National Convention. Upon winning the election, Clinton persuaded the then-disbanded group to reform to perform it for his inaugural ball in 1993.
At the 2000 convention, he ended his speech by saying, "Keep putting people first. Keep building those bridges. And don't stop thinking about tomorrow!" Immediately after the final sentence, the song began playing over the loudspeakers. The song was also played for Clinton's appearances at the 2004, 2008 and 2012 conventions.
Music video
A live performance of the song was used as a music video.
Personnel
Cover versions
A cover by Elton John was included on the 1998 compilation Legacy: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac's Rumours.
Status Quo covered the song in their 1996 covers album Don't Stop.
Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist Nina Nesbitt released a cover version of "Don't Stop" on August 23, 2013 in the United Kingdom.
It is included as one of the many songs in "The Official BBC Children in Need Medley".
It was also covered in 2010 by the cast of the TV show Glee in the episode titled "Rumours".