Song of the Day 7/31: Lindsey Buckingham, “I Don’t Mind”

You can throw him out of the band he made successful, you can put him through emergency open-heart surgery, you can cancel his tour because COVID, but you can’t stop Lindsey Buckingham from writing, playing and recording hook-laden soft-rock tunes. “I Don’t Mind” is the lead single from his upcoming eponymous solo LP, and like most of his solo work it sounds like a Fleetwood Mac song from 30 years ago.

It would be hard to find a guy unluckier in love than Buckingham, and I don’t mean just his decades-long obsession with Stevie Nicks. When this song was released early last month, he put out a statement explaining,

“I Don’t Mind,” like many of the songs on my new album, is about the challenges couples face in long-term relationships. Over time, two people inevitably find the need to augment their initial dynamic with one of flexibility, an acceptance of each others’ flaws, and a willingness to continually work on issues; it is the essence of a good long-term relationship. This song celebrates that spirit and discipline.

Those words appeared in print the same week his wife filed for divorce.

Buckingham’s vocal cords were damaged during his heart surgery, I’m guessing because they intubated him, but this song, and the entire album, were actually ready for release in 2018 — Buckingham’s request that the band put off a tour because he wanted to promote the album with a tour of his own is what led to his ouster. It was further delayed by surgery and the pandemic. The full album will be released in September, with a tour to follow. Atlantic City and Reading, Pa., are the closest it will come to Delaware.