Don't Look Down (Lindsey Buckingham song)

Last updated
"Don't Look Down"
Single by Lindsey Buckingham
from the album Out of the Cradle
Released1993
Genre Rock
Length2:47
3:12 (full version with "Instrumental Introduction To")
Label Reprise
Songwriter(s) Lindsey Buckingham
Producer(s) Lindsey Buckingham, Richard Dashut
Lindsey Buckingham singles chronology
"Soul Drifter"
(1992)
"Don't Look Down"
(1993)
"Twisted"
(1996)

"Don't Look Down" is a song by Lindsey Buckingham, released in 1993 as the final single from his third solo album Out of the Cradle . It only charted in Canada, where it peaked at number 59.

Contents

Background

On "Don't Look Down", Buckingham decided against using a standard drum kit, instead opting to record some rhythms on cardboard boxes. [1] The vocal cadence on "Don't Look Down" follows a 1:1 motion-to-rest ratio where the melodic activity occurs for two measures and ends on the downbeat of the third measure during the four bar pattern. [2] An instrumental guitar passage leads into the song's main riff. [3]

Buckingham originally wanted "Don't Look Down" to be the album's first single, although it was overlooked in favor of "Wrong" in North America and "Countdown" in Europe. [4] After the first few singles from Out of the Cradle failed to chart, Warner Bros opted to lift "Don't Look Down" as the album's next single to coincide with its accompanying tour. [5]

The music video for "Don't Look Down" was recorded with Buckingham's touring band and took around 15 hours to film. Janet Robin, who was one of the guitarists on the Out of the Cradle tour, recalled that Buckingham made several of the creative decisions for the shots in the video. [6] Buckingham commented that live performances of "Don't Look Down" varied in quality depending on the acoustics of the performance venue and the mixing levels. "It fits together like a jigsaw, and its impact hinges on the level of things in relationship to each other, [such as] the vocals coming in loud enough. Certain things have to be really close to being right, at least in my mind, for it to come off." [7]

Critical reception

The New York Times said that "Don't Look Down" opens Out of the Cradle with a sense of "frightened euphoria". [8] Stereo Review wrote that the song begins "with a crisp, pseudo-classical, acoustic-guitar intro that collapses into a tumble of notes before the actual song kicks in with a well-oiled, bossa-flavored beat." [9] Timothy White of Billboard said that the song falls "well within rock's melodic tradition" and features "eccentric constructions and sudden harmonic shifts, each surprise element enhancing their overall appeal." [10] BAM described "Don't Look Down" as "an ode to hope" that should "appeal to an alternative audience." [4]

The Capital Times highlighted the song's "quirky touches" and thought the song was "instantly hummable", positing that the song "succeeds not only because of [its] melodicism, but also because that sound conveys the lyrics' wide-eyed optimism." [11] Philadelphia Daily News stated that "a track like "Don't Look Down" contains a virtual hologram of hooks. Falsetto backup vocals hang in the air over cushiony rhythms, while sprightly guitar lines float in between them." [12] J.D. Considine of Rolling Stone thought that "the song effortlessly captures the balance between languor and lift found in many Fleetwood Mac singles, flowing easily from the measured cadences of the verse to the manic climax of the chorus. Buckingham doesn't stop there, though; he fills the track with all sorts of ear candy, from Mexicali string-band flourishes to sampled voices that bounce the tune along like pinball bumpers." [3]

Personnel

Chart performance

Chart (1993)Peak
position
Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [13] 59

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fleetwood Mac</span> British-American rock band

Fleetwood Mac are a British-American rock band formed in London in 1967 by guitarist and singer Peter Green. Green recruited drummer Mick Fleetwood, multi-instrumentalist and singer Jeremy Spencer and bassist Bob Brunning, with John McVie replacing Brunning a few weeks after their first public appearance. Guitarist and singer Danny Kirwan joined the band in 1968. Christine Perfect, who contributed as a session musician starting with the band's second album, married McVie and joined Fleetwood Mac as an official member in July 1970 on vocals and keyboards, two months after Green left the band; she became known as Christine McVie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lindsey Buckingham</span> American guitarist (born 1949)

Lindsey Adams Buckingham is an American musician and record producer, best known as the lead guitarist and co-lead vocalist of the band Fleetwood Mac from 1975 to 1987 and 1997 to 2018. In addition to his tenure with Fleetwood Mac, Buckingham has released seven solo studio albums and three live albums. As a member of Fleetwood Mac, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. Buckingham was ranked 100th in Rolling Stone's 2011 list of "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". Buckingham is known for his fingerpicking guitar style.

<i>Say You Will</i> (album) 2003 studio album by Fleetwood Mac

Say You Will is the seventeenth studio album by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, released on 15 April 2003. It followed 1995's Time and was their first album since 1970 without vocalist/keyboardist Christine McVie as a full member following her departure in 1998, though she participated in some songs as a guest musician; it would be her last time being involved with the band in a studio capacity before her death in 2022. Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks shared keyboard duties throughout the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don't Stop (Fleetwood Mac song)</span> 1977 single by Fleetwood Mac

"Don't Stop" is a song by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, written by vocalist and keyboardist Christine McVie. The song was sung by guitarist Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie, and it was a single taken from the band's hit album Rumours (1977).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Over My Head (Fleetwood Mac song)</span> 1975 single by Fleetwood Mac

"Over My Head" is a soft rock song recorded by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac for their self-titled 1975 album. The song was written by keyboardist and vocalist Christine McVie. "Over My Head" was the band's first single to reach the Billboard Hot 100 since "Oh Well", ending a six-year dry spell on the American charts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Go Your Own Way</span> 1976 single by Fleetwood Mac

"Go Your Own Way" is a song by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac from their eleventh studio album, Rumours (1977). The song was released as the album's first single in December 1976 on both sides of the Atlantic. Written and sung by Lindsey Buckingham, it became the band's first top-ten hit in the United States. "Go Your Own Way" has been well received by music critics and was ranked number 120 by Rolling Stone magazine on their list of 500 greatest songs of all time in 2010, and re-ranked number 401 in 2021. They also ranked the song second on their list of the 50 greatest Fleetwood Mac songs.

"Second Hand News" is a song written by Lindsey Buckingham. The song was first performed by the British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac as the opening track of their 1977 album Rumours.

<i>Go Insane</i> 1984 studio album by Lindsey Buckingham

Go Insane is the second solo studio album by American rock musician Lindsey Buckingham, then the lead guitarist and male lead vocalist of Fleetwood Mac. The album was released on July 30, 1984, by Elektra Records and Warner Music Group, while Fleetwood Mac was on a hiatus between albums. It peaked at No. 45 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. Two promotional music videos were shot for the album. These include "Go Insane" and "Slow Dancing". Buckingham played all of the instruments on the album except for on "I Want You" and "Go Insane."

<i>Out of the Cradle</i> 1992 studio album by Lindsey Buckingham

Out of the Cradle is the third solo album by American singer/songwriter Lindsey Buckingham. Released in 1992, it was Buckingham's first album after his departure from Fleetwood Mac, in 1987. He named the album after Walt Whitman's poem "Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking." The album reached #128 on the US Billboard 200 album chart, #51 on the UK Albums Chart, and #70 on the Canada Albums Chart. In Canada, four singles charted within the top 60.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Go Insane (song)</span> 1984 single by Lindsey Buckingham

"Go Insane" is the title track of Lindsey Buckingham's second solo album. Released as a single in July 1984, it became Buckingham's second top 40 hit. "Go Insane" is also Buckingham's most recent U.S. solo hit ; on the other hand, it did not chart in the United Kingdom.

"I'm So Afraid" is a song written by Lindsey Buckingham for the British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac for their tenth album, Fleetwood Mac. The song was intended for a second Buckingham Nicks album, but the album never came to fruition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murrow Turning Over in His Grave</span> 2003 song by Fleetwood Mac

"Murrow Turning Over in His Grave" is the second track on Fleetwood Mac's 2003 album Say You Will. It was written and sung by Lindsey Buckingham. Similar to the first few tracks on Say You Will, its lyrics are politically charged, with Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine labeling the song as "an anti-media tirade". The song references Edward R. Murrow, a mid-20th century American newsman known for his honesty and integrity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Say You Love Me (Fleetwood Mac song)</span> 1976 single by Fleetwood Mac

"Say You Love Me" is a song written by English singer-songwriter Christine McVie for Fleetwood Mac's 1975 self-titled album. The song peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks, and remains one of the band's most recognizable songs. Its success helped the group's eponymous 1975 album sell over eight million copies worldwide.

"World Turning" is a song written by Christine McVie and Lindsey Buckingham for the British/American rock band Fleetwood Mac's tenth album, Fleetwood Mac.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Not That Funny</span> 1980 single by Fleetwood Mac

"Not That Funny" is a song by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, released in 1980. Composed and sung by guitarist Lindsey Buckingham, it was written as a response to the punk movement in the late 1970s. The song share some lyrics with "I Know I'm Not Wrong", another Buckingham penned song that appeared on the Tusk album.

"Walk a Thin Line" is a song by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, released in 1979. Composed and sung by guitarist Lindsey Buckingham, it was one of his nine songs that appeared on the Tusk album.

The Shake the Cage Tour by the Anglo-American rock group Fleetwood Mac began on September 30, 1987, in Kansas City, Missouri, and ended on June 28, 1988, in Manchester, England. It was their first tour since 1974 without Lindsey Buckingham, who left the band in August 1987.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Countdown (Lindsey Buckingham song)</span> 1992 single by Lindsey Buckingham

"Countdown" is a song by Lindsey Buckingham, released in 1992 from his third solo album Out of the Cradle. In the UK, "Countdown" was released in July as the album's first single, although in North America, "Wrong" was released as the first single instead. While the song did not chart on the UK Singles Chart or the US Billboard Hot 100, it appeared on Billboard's Mainstream Rock and Adult Contemporary charts. Elsewhere, "Countdown" charted in Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands.

"Wrong" is a song by Lindsey Buckingham, released in 1992 from his third solo album Out of the Cradle. In North America, "Wrong" was the album's first single, although in Europe, "Countdown" was released instead. In May 1992, "Wrong" was serviced to album-oriented rock radio stations; a music video was also created to coincide with the release of the single. In the song's music video, Buckingham engages in a series of guitar duels with doppelgängers emerging from a mirror.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soul Drifter</span> 1992 single by Lindsey Buckingham

"Soul Drifter" is a song by Lindsey Buckingham, released in 1992 from his third solo album Out of the Cradle. It was released as a single in both Europe and North America, reaching number 53 in Germany and number 31 in Canada. On the Out of the Cradle Tour, "Soul Drifter" was included as the final song of the set. It was later played on Buckingham's 2021 tour promoting his self-titled album.

References

  1. Zollo, Paul (1997). "Songwriters On Songwriting, Expanded Edition". The Blue Letter Archives. Archived from the original on December 30, 2015. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  2. Stephenson, Ken (2002). What to Listen For in Rock. United Kingdom: Yale University Press. pp. 7–8. ISBN   0-300-09239-3.
  3. 1 2 Considine, JD (July 9, 1992). "Rolling Stone Review of Out of the Cradle 1992". The Blue Letter Archives. Archived from the original on December 30, 2015. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  4. 1 2 Holdship, Bill (May 1992). "BAM Magazine, Number 384 (05/1992), Out of the Cradle...And Into The Blue". The Blue Letter Archives. Archived from the original on December 30, 2015. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  5. Morris, Chris (March 13, 1993). "Buckingham's Out of the Cradle Again Lines Up Dates With 10-Piece Tour Band" (PDF). Billboard. p. 16.
  6. "Janet Robin Q&A: Section 2". The Penguin. Archived from the original on November 25, 2010. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  7. Trubitt, David (June 1993). "Mix Magazine - Live Sounds: Lindsey Buckingham". The Blue Letter Archives. Archived from the original on December 30, 2015. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  8. Holden, Stephen (June 21, 1992). "Recordings View: A Studio Wizard Takes a Psychic Journey". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 16, 2018. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  9. Givens, Ron (August 1992). "Stereo Review, Volume 57, Number 8 (08/1992), Sound Recording Reviews: Out of the Cradle". The Blue Letter Archives. Archived from the original on December 30, 2015. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  10. White, Timothy (May 23, 1992). "Out of the Cradle (Billboard) Lindsey Rocks the Cradle". The Blue Letter Archives. Archived from the original on December 30, 2015. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  11. Rasmussen, Eric (June 25, 1992). "The Capitol Times - Buckingham is Underrated Talent". The Blue Letter Archives. Archived from the original on December 30, 2015. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  12. Farber, Jim (June 25, 1992). "Philadelphia Daily News - Buckingham's In His Own Techno-World". The Blue Letter Archives. Archived from the original on December 30, 2015. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  13. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 822." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 1, 2024.