1978 Timeless Soft Rock Hit Inspired by a Crush on a Rock Icon Became a Summer Anthem
In the summer of 1978, disco had a chokehold on the airwaves, but every once in a while, the lush, euphoric sounds of The Bee Gees, Chic, and Donna Summer would give way to rock bands like Boston, Foreigner, and Fleetwood Mac.
At the time, Fleetwood Mac were operating at peak influence, so much so that their orbit extended beyond their own chart dominance, quietly helping shape songs that would become signature hits for other artists. One of those songs is "Magnet and Steel," written and performed by Walter Egan, with contributions from Stevie Nicks and LindsayBuckingham.
Released in March 1978, the song became a summer smash powered by its breezy, sun-drenched, Southern California sound, '50s-style stroll rhythm, and romantic love-letter lyrics. In a chat with Songfacts, Egan said that the song took shape almost instantly when he came to realize he had a massive crush on Nicks.
Living in Pomona, he set out to write a track with the stroll beat made famous by Chuck Willis. While collaborating with Nicks one night, he said he became "smitten by the kitten" and on his drive home a "metal-flake-blue Continental with ground effects and a diamond window in the back" further inspired his song's lyrics. He even borrowed the title for his second album from the cruiser's license plate, which read, "Not Shy."
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"By the time I pulled into my driveway I had formulated the lyrics and come up with the magnet metaphor," he said. "From there the song was finished in 15 minutes." When he recorded the track, Nicks sang backup, which Egan called fitting, as the song "was about her (and me)."
"Magnet and Steel" marked Egan's only Top 40 chart entry. And even though he also wrote Night's first hit, "Hot Summer Nights," which reached No. 18, "Magnet" has been called one of the greatest one-hit wonders in music history. Whether it deserves the OHW title is up to listeners. By the time the album hit shelves that May, the song had already become the soundtrack of summer.
"‘Magnet and Steel' became one of those songs that you heard every time you turned on the radio in the Summer of 1978," Classic Rock History writes. "Most people never got tired of it. Hearing Stevie Nicks sing her beautiful enchanted backup vocals on the song only made listening to the recording more addicting. For those who grew up hearing that song in 1978, it only takes one listen to bring you back to the sweet feelings of summer and the days of our youth."
Today, Egan continues to perform his signature song, along with all his other radio staples. In fact, he's appearing at the Yacht Rock the Dock two-day event in Detroit next month. Details can be found on his website, should be drawn to the rising subgenre like a magnet to steel.
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This story was originally published June 3, 2026 at 3:32 PM.