Hypnotized (Fleetwood Mac song)

Last updated

"Hypnotized"
Fleetwood Mac Hypnotized.jpg
Cover of the "For Your Love" single
Single by Fleetwood Mac
from the album Mystery to Me
A-side "For Your Love"
Released15 October 1973 (1973-10-15)
RecordedMid-1973
Studio Rolling Stones Mobile Studio
Genre
Length4:48
Label Reprise
Songwriter(s) Bob Welch
Producer(s) Fleetwood Mac & Martin Birch

"Hypnotized" is a song written by Bob Welch. The song originally featured on Fleetwood Mac's 1973 album Mystery to Me . The track was released on a single as the B-side of "For Your Love" and has been described as "gorgeous and lyrically strong", and referred to as the album's best track. [3]

Contents

Background and style

The song features triple time rhythm on the drums by Mick Fleetwood and combines with acoustic guitar and electric keyboards. [4] Fleetwood played the drum track straight through without any overdubs. [5] Welch draws upon the use of jazz fourth chords in the song, playing in a minor key, and also features a guitar solo by Bob Weston [4] covering many octaves.

Hypnosis and dreaming are specifically referred to in the lyrics, and Welch also draws upon references to places such as Mexico and North Carolina. According to Welch, the atmosphere of the song was heavily influenced by his residence at the Benifold Mansion in Hampshire, England, a place he described as "rather spooky and strange even in summertime". [4]

In 1978, the song was covered by the Pointer Sisters on their album Energy . [6]

Reception

Donald Brackett, in his 2007 book Fleetwood Mac, 40 Years of Creative Chaos, discussed the album Mystery to Me and the song "Hypnotized", which he described as "a gentle yet compelling hit for Welch on this record". [7] In discussing Fleetwood Mac's change in direction in 1972 and 1973, he describes their stylistic changes as being better received at concerts in the United States, as at the time Americans were more open to them than the British, who were still in heavy demand for blues-oriented rock. [7] Hal Horowitz describes the song as "the highlight of the Mystery to Me album, and undoubtedly one of Bob Welch's most fully realised songs for the band". [8]

In 1999, Welch received an award from ASCAP recognising 25 consecutive years of airplay for "Hypnotized" and "Sentimental Lady". [9]

Personnel

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. Fleetwood Mac was founded by guitarists and vocalists Peter Green and Jeremy Spencer and drummer Mick Fleetwood. Bob Brunning was hired as a temporary bass guitarist before John McVie joined the line-up in time for their eponymous debut album. Danny Kirwan joined as a third guitarist and vocalist in 1968. Keyboardist and vocalist Christine Perfect, who contributed as a session musician starting with the band's second album, married McVie and joined Fleetwood Mac as a full member in 1970, becoming known as Christine McVie.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mick Fleetwood</span> British actor and musician (born 1947)

Michael John Kells Fleetwood is a British musician, songwriter and actor. He is best known as the drummer, co-founder, and leader of the rock band Fleetwood Mac. Fleetwood, whose surname was merged with that of the group's bassist John "Mac" McVie to form the name of the band, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Fleetwood Mac in 1998.

<i>Fleetwood Mac</i> (1975 album) 1975 studio album by Fleetwood Mac

Fleetwood Mac is the tenth studio album by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, released on 11 July 1975 by Reprise Records. It was the band's second eponymous album, the first being their 1968 debut album; it is sometimes referred to among fans as the White Album. This was the first Fleetwood Mac album with Lindsey Buckingham as guitarist and Stevie Nicks as vocalist, after Bob Welch departed the band in late 1974. It was also the band's last album to be released on the Reprise label until 1997's The Dance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Welch (musician)</span> American musician (1945–2012)

Robert Lawrence Welch Jr. was an American musician who was a member of Fleetwood Mac from 1971 to 1974. He had a successful solo career in the late 1970s. His singles included "Hot Love, Cold World", "Ebony Eyes", "Precious Love", "Hypnotized", and his signature song, "Sentimental Lady".

<i>Fleetwood Mac</i> (1968 album) 1968 studio album by Fleetwood Mac

Fleetwood Mac, also known as Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, is the debut studio album by British blues rock band Fleetwood Mac, released on 24 February 1968. The album is a mixture of blues covers and originals penned by guitarists Peter Green and Jeremy Spencer, who also share the vocal duties. It is the only album by the band without any involvement of keyboardist/vocalist Christine McVie.

<i>Heroes Are Hard to Find</i> 1974 studio album by Fleetwood Mac

Heroes Are Hard to Find is the ninth studio album by the British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, released on 13 September 1974. This is the last album recorded with Bob Welch, who left the band at the end of 1974. It was the first Fleetwood Mac studio album recorded in the United States, in Los Angeles.

<i>Penguin</i> (album) 1973 studio album by Fleetwood Mac

Penguin is the seventh studio album by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, released in March 1973. It was the first Fleetwood Mac album after the departure of Danny Kirwan, the first to feature Bob Weston and the only one to feature Dave Walker.

<i>Mystery to Me</i> 1973 studio album by Fleetwood Mac

Mystery to Me is the eighth studio album by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, released on 15 October 1973. This was their last album to feature Bob Weston. Most of the songs were penned by guitarist/singer Bob Welch and keyboardist/singer Christine McVie, who were instrumental in steering the band toward the radio-friendly pop rock that would make them successful a few years later.

"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>French Kiss</i> (Bob Welch album) 1977 studio album by Bob Welch

French Kiss is the solo debut by former Fleetwood Mac singer/guitarist Bob Welch. The songs, with the exception of "Sentimental Lady", were intended for a projected third album by Welch's previous band, Paris. However, the group fell apart in 1977 before recording could begin. So instead, Welch used these songs for his debut solo album.

<i>The Pious Bird of Good Omen</i> 1969 compilation album by Fleetwood Mac

The Pious Bird of Good Omen is a compilation album by the British blues rock band Fleetwood Mac, released in 1969. It consists of their first four non-album UK singles and their B-sides, two other tracks from their previous album Mr. Wonderful, and two tracks by the blues artist Eddie Boyd with backing by members of Fleetwood Mac. These two tracks came from Boyd's album 7936 South Rhodes.

<i>25 Years – The Chain</i> 1992 box set by Fleetwood Mac

25 Years – The Chain is a box set by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac originally released on 24 November 1992. The set contains four CDs, covering the history of the band from its formation in 1967 to 1992. The set features several previously unreleased studio tracks, new mixes, live recordings, and a slightly different mix of their international hit single "Tusk".

<i>Live from the Roxy</i> 2004 live album by Bob Welch

Live from the Roxy is a live album by the American rock musician Bob Welch, recorded in 1981, released in 2004, and later issued onto LP in 2021. Welch had been a member of Fleetwood Mac from 1971 to 1974, and this album features appearances by many members of that band.

<i>English Rose</i> (album) 1968 compilation album by Fleetwood Mac

English Rose is a compilation album by British blues rock band Fleetwood Mac, released in December 1968. It was originally a US-only compilation, combining six tracks from the UK release Mr. Wonderful, three UK non-album single sides, two not-yet-released songs from the UK version of Then Play On and one other previously unreleased track. It was released some months before the UK release of The Pious Bird of Good Omen, sharing four songs with that album. Mick Fleetwood appears in drag on the cover.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sentimental Lady</span> 1972 single by Bob Welch

"Sentimental Lady" is a song written by Bob Welch. It was originally recorded for Fleetwood Mac's 1972 album Bare Trees, but was re-recorded by Welch on his debut solo album, French Kiss, in 1977. It is a romantic song, originally written for Welch's first wife. Welch recorded it again in 2003 for his album His Fleetwood Mac Years & Beyond.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dragonfly (Fleetwood Mac song)</span> 1971 single by Fleetwood Mac

"Dragonfly" is a song written by British rock musician Danny Kirwan with lyrics taken from a poem by Welsh poet W. H. Davies. It was originally recorded by Kirwan's band Fleetwood Mac in 1970, and became the first UK single released by the band after the departure of their frontman Peter Green. It was also their first single with Christine McVie as a full member of the group. By the time the song had been released, guitarist Jeremy Spencer had left the band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Don't Want to Know</span> 1977 song by Fleetwood Mac

"I Don't Want to Know" is a song written by Stevie Nicks which was first released by the British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac on their 1977 album Rumours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oh Well (song)</span> 1969 song by Fleetwood Mac

"Oh Well" is a song first recorded by the rock band Fleetwood Mac in 1969, composed by vocalist and lead guitarist Peter Green. It first appeared as a Fleetwood Mac single in various countries in 1969 and subsequently appeared on US versions of that year's Then Play On album and the band's Greatest Hits album in 1971. The song was later featured on the 1992 boxed set 25 Years – The Chain, on the 2002 compilation album The Best of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, and on the 2018 compilation 50 Years – Don't Stop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Think About Me</span> 1980 single by Fleetwood Mac

"Think About Me" is a song by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, released in March 1980. The song was composed by Fleetwood Mac keyboardist Christine McVie. "Think About Me" and "Not That Funny" were the first "Tusk" singles released in their remixed form.

"Rattlesnake Shake" is a song by British rock group Fleetwood Mac, written by guitarist Peter Green, which first appeared on the band's 1969 album Then Play On. The track was considered the high point of its parent album, and was one of the band's crowd-favorites in the late 1960s.

References

  1. Gleason, Holly (29 May 2014). "The 20 Best Fleetwood Mac Songs of All Time". Paste . Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  2. Molanphy, Chris (14 January 2023). "Thinking About Tomorrow Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate . Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  3. Bogdanov, Vladimir; Woodstra, Chris; Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (1 June 2002). All Music Guide to Rock: The Definitive Guide to Rock, Pop, and Soul. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN   9780879306533 . Retrieved 1 June 2021 via Google Books.
  4. 1 2 3 Rooksby, Rikky (1 December 2004). Fleetwood Mac: The Complete Guide to Their Music. Omnibus Press. pp. 47–48. ISBN   978-1-84449-427-9.
  5. "Bob Welch Q&A Session, November 1999". www.fleetwoodmac.net. Archived from the original on 26 October 2017. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  6. "Original versions of Hypnotized by The Pointer Sisters | SecondHandSongs". secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  7. 1 2 Brackett, Donald (September 2007). Fleetwood Mac: 40 Years of Creative Chaos. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 82. ISBN   978-0-275-99338-2.
  8. "Hypnotized". Allmusic . Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  9. "Ex-Fleetwood Mac Man Bob Welch Returns from 30 Year Vacation @ Top40-Charts.com - Songs & Videos from 49 Top 20 & Top 40 Music Charts from 30 Countries". Archived from the original on 4 December 2011. Retrieved 23 April 2011.