Song #79: "Tusk"--Fleetwood Mac (1979)

Like the Eagles yesterday, Fleetwood Mac spent much of the 1970's enjoying massive success, and encountering massive relationship issues within the band. In fact, their dynamics were much different.

After "Rumours" became one of the iconic albums of the decade, it simply became a question of how does a group with such dysfunction follow that up??

The answer was controversial, at least at the start. When "Tusk" was released in the fall of 1979, the title track became the debut single. It's a unique collaboration between the band and, of all groups, the University of Southern California Marching Band, who were much better known for this song at the time, thanks to college football on ABC during the John McKay era (go Student Body Left!!).

So, when today's song hit the radio, it was one of the most polarizing singles, not just of the 1970's, but in Top 40 history. No one "liked" it. People either loved it, or, the more popular view, they hated it.

Me? I've always held a special place in my heart for this song and I give huge kudos to the band for thinking outside the box. Now, they bounced back on radio with later singles "Sara" and the underrated "Think About Me", so they were just fine.

I know this won't sit well with some of you, but this is my Fleetwood Mac jam..  :)