Like any artist who finds themselves in a hit band, Lindsey Buckingham had to figure out what his solo identity was going to be. He used his earliest solo records to highlight his quirkiest and most eclectic musical influences.
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But he also understood that coming up with accessible hit singles still mattered. “Trouble”, from Buckingham’s first solo album away from the Mac, proved he had a firm handle on that skill.
Wackier than Mac
The impetus for Lindsey Buckingham’s first solo album came from the Fleetwood Mac double-LP Tusk, released in 1979. Compared to Rumours, its predecessor in the Mac catalog, it was a commercial disappointment. (It tells you something about the band’s status at that time that a double-platinum album with two Top 10 singles came off as a letdown.)
When the other members of the band assessed the situation, they laid the blame on the decision to record the bulk of the record at Buckingham’s home studio, which allowed him to go a bit more experimental with the production. They told Buckingham they wouldn’t go that route again. A solo album would be his only way to satisfy his desire to tinker and fiddle with the traditional pop/rock approach.
Law And Order gave him free rein to indulge those tendencies. Released in 1981, the album featured Buckingham playing most everything himself and toying with the sounds in a freewheeling fashion. In reassessing the album years later, the artist acknowledged the LP was a kind of parody of pop forms. But he ensured that at least one sure shot would get him radio exposure. That song was “Trouble”.
Causing “Trouble”
Wanting the feel of a live band for a single, Buckingham recruited bassist George Hawkins. He also asked his buddy Mick Fleetwood to play drums. But Buckingham ended up using just a small sample of what Fleetwood played, looping it over the entirety of the track.
Buckingham couldn’t quite leave the song alone without adding a little bit of anarchy to it. He exaggerated the count-in (“Two, a-three, a-fowa”) to start the song. “Trouble” achieved its purpose, hitting No. 9 on the pop charts.
That ended up being the biggest hit of Buckingham’s solo career. Even as he dialed back on the wackiness a bit on future releases, he still generally saved his most accessible stuff for release with Fleetwood Mac.
Behind the Lyrics of “Trouble”
Buckingham keeps the lyrics to a minimum on “Trouble”, relying instead on the mid-tempo groove and the blankets of backing vocals to conjure the mood. What words there are speak of romantic ambivalence. “I should be saying goodnight,” he says. “I really shouldn’t stay no more.”
He admits that he has lost his touch for coupling. “Been so long since I held you,” he explains. “Forgotten what love is for.” Still, he’s reticent to get too deeply involved. “I should run on the double,” he moans. “I think I’m in trouble.”
“Trouble” captures the sweet spot between Buckingham’s pop smarts and experimental longing. He’d continue to walk that fine line on his solo records, giving him an outlet away from the more regimented Fleetwood Mac machine.
Photo by Fin Costello/Redferns/Getty Images
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