Out of the Cradle

Last updated
Out of the Cradle
LindseyBuckingham-OutOfTheCradle.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedJune 16, 1992
Recorded1988–1992
Genre Rock, new wave
Length48:42
Label Reprise [1]
Producer Lindsey Buckingham,
Richard Dashut
Lindsey Buckingham chronology
Go Insane
(1984)
Out of the Cradle
(1992)
Under the Skin
(2006)
Singles from Out of the Cradle
  1. "Wrong"
    Released: June 1992 (US)
  2. "Countdown"
    Released: July 1992 (UK)
  3. "Soul Drifter"
    Released: November 1992
  4. "Don't Look Down"
    Released: April 1993
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [2]
Robert Christgau Rating-Christgau-dud.svg [3]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Los Angeles Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [4]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [5]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [6]
Stereo Review A [7]

Out of the Cradle is the third solo album by American singer/songwriter Lindsey Buckingham. [8] Released in 1992, it was Buckingham's first album after his departure from Fleetwood Mac, in 1987 (though Buckingham rejoined the band in 1997). [8] He named the album after Walt Whitman's poem "Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking." [9] 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.

Contents

Ten of the songs on the album (counting "Instrumental Introduction To") were included on Solo Anthology: The Best of Lindsey Buckingham .

Background

Six months after his departure from Fleetwood Mac, Buckingham began work on Out of the Cradle in his home studio. [10] [11] Richard Dashut, who worked with Buckingham on many Fleetwood Mac albums, helped co-produce and co-write much of the material on Out of the Cradle. [12] Recording sessions took place in Los Angeles at Buckingham's home studio, where he worked on the album for 10 to 11 hours a day, sometimes in the company of Dashut. [11] Dashut served as a "sounding board" for Buckingham during the making of Out of the Cradle and offered input on how to approach some of the songs. Buckingham added that Dashut was "great with broad strokes and seeing the big picture. I tend to get lost in small details, so it's good to have him around." [13]

When making Out of the Cradle, Buckingham decided to pivot away from synthesizers in favor of guitars and stated that he wanted the album to challenge listeners while still remaining accessible. [14] Buckingham specifically gravitated towards acoustic guitars for Out of the Cradle, particularly nylon-string guitars as a means of making some of his denser compositions sound lighter, although he did utilize electric guitars when the song required it. All of the instruments were recorded in mono as opposed to stereo and the guitars were recorded directly into the mixing console. Gated sounds and other effects were generally avoided during the recording process, although Buckingham did double and triple some parts to achieve a "squashed" sound. [13]

One song, "Street of Dreams", had elements that date back to the mid-eighties. The middle section was written around 1985 and the verses were completed six years later. Buckingham said that other songs such as "Soul Drifter" took far less time to write, and noted that the song "was kind of blocked out and completed, words wise, before ever committing it to tape. It was done with a Tin-Pan Alley sensibility in mind". [15] Some of the rhythm tracks on the album were programmed on a drum machine, which Buckingham "tried to keep as human and sloppy as possible." [14]

Out of the Cradle contains multiple instrumental introductions to songs and two covers: "All My Sorrows" and "This Nearly Was Mine", the latter of which was a personal favorite of Buckingham's father. Buckingham took some liberties with "All My Sorrows" by changing the chords and the melody, although the lyrics were retained. [15] On "You Do Or You Don't", an original composition, Buckingham quoted a melodic line from "Theme From A Summer Place" as it matched the emotional tone that he envisioned. [14]

Buckingham said that the album title, which refers to Walt Whitman's 1874 poem "Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking", relates both to his departure from Fleetwood Mac and "the child still rocking around inside of us after we become adults". For some of the lyrics, Buckingham took inspiration from Whitman's poems and the literary work of Dylan Thomas. [16]

Release

The album's woodcuts were done by musician Walter Egan and gifted to Buckingham as a Christmas present prior to the assembling of the album's packaging. [17] Some of Buckingham's family photos were also included in the liner notes. [14] Four promotional music videos were shot for Out of the Cradle: "Wrong", "Countdown", "Soul Drifter", and "Don't Look Down". As of 2019, Lindsey Buckingham has released all four of these videos to his official YouTube Channel. [18] [19] [20] [21]

In support of the album, Buckingham embarked on his first solo tour. [22] Portions of the debut concert in Los Angeles were released on the live album Never Going Back Again in 2023 on Spotify.

Critical reception

The Los Angeles Times wrote that "it’s impossible to miss the meaning of Out of the Cradle: the primacy of the guitar as an expressive instrument." [4] The Rolling Stone Album Guide said that "one catchy song after song, the sonic details flesh out the deceptively simple melodies." [6] The Washington Post declared: "The album's stories are told with music, and only Brian Wilson, Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney and a handful of others have made rock-and-roll as rich and powerful as this." [10] Of "Say We'll Meet Again", Magnet wrote that "Buckingham’s Beach Boys/Les Paul & Mary Ford fascination manifests itself on this spare and breezy ballad, which closes Out Of The Cradle in most gentle fashion." [23] AllMusic wrote that along with Michael Nesmith's Tropical Campfires , Out of the Cradle "may be one of the finest and most underrated albums of the 1990s." [24]

Track listing

All tracks written by Lindsey Buckingham and Richard Dashut except where noted.

No.TitleLength
1."Instrumental Introduction To:" (Buckingham)0:25
2."Don't Look Down" (Buckingham)2:47
3."Wrong"4:19
4."Countdown" (Buckingham)3:21
5."All My Sorrows" (The Kingston Trio)4:01
6."Soul Drifter" (Buckingham)3:27
7."Instrumental Introduction To"0:41
8."This Is the Time"4:49
9."You Do or You Don't"3:37
10."Street of Dreams"4:28
11."Spoken Introduction To"0:46
12."Surrender the Rain"3:36
13."Doing What I Can" (Buckingham)4:05
14."Turn It On"3:50
15."This Nearly Was Mine" (Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein)1:36
16."Say We'll Meet Again" (Buckingham, Robert Aguirre)2:28

Personnel

Main Performer

Additional personnel

Production

Charts

Chart (1992)Peak
position
Canada Top Albums/CDs ( RPM ) [25] 70
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [26] 57
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [27] 28
UK Albums (OCC) [28] 51
US Billboard 200 [29] 128

Related Research Articles

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

Lindsey Adams Buckingham is an American musician, record producer, and the lead guitarist and co-lead vocalist of the rock 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>Rumours</i> (album) 1977 studio album by Fleetwood Mac

Rumours is the eleventh studio album by the British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, released on 4 February 1977 in the United States and on 11 February 1977 in the United Kingdom by Warner Bros. Records. Largely recorded in California in 1976, it was produced by the band with Ken Caillat and Richard Dashut. The recording sessions took place as band members dealt with breakups and struggled with heavy drug usage, both of which shaped the album's direction and lyrics.

<i>Mirage</i> (Fleetwood Mac album) 1982 studio album by Fleetwood Mac

Mirage is the thirteenth studio album by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, released on 2 July 1982 by Warner Bros. Records. This studio effort's soft rock sound stood in stark contrast to its more experimental predecessor, 1979's Tusk. Mirage yielded several singles: "Hold Me", "Gypsy", "Love in Store", "Oh Diane", and "Can't Go Back".

<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, although 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.

<i>Tango in the Night</i> 1987 studio album by Fleetwood Mac

Tango in the Night is the fourteenth studio album by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, released on 13 April 1987. As a result of Lindsey Buckingham's departure later that year, it is the fifth and final studio album with the band's most successful lineup of Buckingham, Mick Fleetwood, Christine McVie, John McVie, and Stevie Nicks, though Christine McVie would make guest appearances on the band's 2003 album, Say You Will. This lineup was not seen again until 1997's live album The Dance.

Richard Charles Dashut is an American record producer who produced several Fleetwood Mac albums including Rumours, Tusk, Live, Mirage, Tango in the Night, and Time.

<i>Law and Order</i> (album) 1981 studio album by Lindsey Buckingham

Law and Order is the first solo album by Fleetwood Mac guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Lindsey Buckingham, released in 1981. "Trouble", featuring drumming by Fleetwood Mac bandmate Mick Fleetwood, reached No. 9 on the U.S. charts; the album itself reached No. 32 on the Billboard 200. Lindsey appeared on Saturday Night Live on February 6, 1982 and performed "Trouble" and "Bwana" with Mick Fleetwood's Zoo.

<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 in the United States. 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.

"The Chain" is a song by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, released on their 1977 album Rumours. It is the only song from the album with writing credits for all five members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tusk (song)</span> 1979 single by Fleetwood Mac

"Tusk" is a song by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac from the 1979 double LP of the same name. The song peaked at number eight in the United States for three weeks, reached number six in the United Kingdom, number five in Canada, and number three in Australia. Lindsey Buckingham wrote the song and is the lead singer on the track.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhiannon (song)</span> 1976 song by Fleetwood Mac

"Rhiannon" (released as a single under the title "Rhiannon (Will You Ever Win)") is a song written by Stevie Nicks and originally recorded by the British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac on their eponymous album in 1975; it was issued as a single the following year. The song's U.S. chart peak was in June 1976, when it hit no. 11. The song peaked at no. 46 in the UK singles chart for three weeks after re-release in February 1978.

<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>Live</i> (Fleetwood Mac album) 1980 live album by Fleetwood Mac

Live is a double live album released by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac on 5 December 1980. It was the first live album from the then-current line-up of the band, and the next would be The Dance from 1997. The album was certified gold by the RIAA in November 1981. A deluxe edition of the album was released on 9 April 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Family Man (Fleetwood Mac song)</span> 1987 single by Fleetwood Mac

"Family Man" is a song by the British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac from their 1987 studio album Tango in the Night. The song was written by Lindsey Buckingham and producer Richard Dashut. In the US, the song was released as the fifth single from the album as the follow-up to "Everywhere". It charted in April 1988, and reached No. 90 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love in Store</span> 1982 single by Fleetwood Mac

"Love in Store" is a song by British-American rock group Fleetwood Mac. The song is the opening track on the 1982 album Mirage, the fourth album by the band with Lindsey Buckingham acting as main producer with Richard Dashut and Ken Caillat. "Love in Store" was written by Christine McVie and Jim Recor and it became the album's third single in the US. Released in November 1982, it went on to peak at No. 22 for three weeks as the follow-up to Top 20 hits "Hold Me" and "Gypsy". It also peaked at number 11 on the Adult Contemporary chart. The song features lead vocals by Christine McVie with prominent vocal harmonies by Stevie Nicks and background vocals by Lindsey Buckingham.

"Paper Doll" is a song by the British-American band Fleetwood Mac. It was also released as a single exclusively in North America with "The Chain" as its B-side. The song's chord progression was written by Rick Vito and John Heron and the melody and lyrics were composed by Stevie Nicks. While "Paper Doll" achieved only minor success in the United States, it reached the top ten in Canada, peaking at number nine in February 1993.

"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.

<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. 1 2 Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 2. MUZE. p. 41.
  2. "Out of the Cradle - Lindsey Buckingham | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" via www.allmusic.com.
  3. "Robert Christgau: CG: Lindsay Buckingham". www.robertchristgau.com.
  4. 1 2 "ALBUM REVIEW : *** LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM "Out of the Cradle" Reprise". Los Angeles Times. June 14, 1992.
  5. MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 168.
  6. 1 2 The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 93.
  7. 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.
  8. 1 2 "Lindsey Buckingham | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  9. Wild, David (1992-06-25). "Lindsey Buckingham: Post-Mac Attack". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2020-07-31.
  10. 1 2 Himes, Geoffrey (June 21, 1992). "FLEETWOOD MAC ALUMNI, ON THEIR OWN" via www.washingtonpost.com.
  11. 1 2 "Long Beach Press-Telegram (06/17/1992), This Mac is Back...Out of the Cradle". June 17, 1992. Archived from the original on December 30, 2015. Retrieved July 7, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  12. "Deep Dive: Lindsey Buckingham, OUT OF THE CRADLE Rhino". www.rhino.com. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
  13. 1 2 Trost, Isaiah; Tolinski, Brad (September 1992). "Guitar World (09/1992), The Cradle Will Rock". The Blue Letter Archives. Archived from the original on December 30, 2015. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
  14. 1 2 3 4 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.
  15. 1 2 "Songwriters On Songwriting, Expanded Edition (1997), (Book Excerpt)". The Blue Letter Archives. 1997. Archived from the original on December 30, 2015. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  16. 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 October 8, 2023.
  17. "Walter Egan, October 13 - 26, 1999: Section 1". The Penguin. Archived from the original on March 13, 2016. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  18. "Lindsey Buckingham - Soul Drifter (Official Music Video)". Archived from the original on 2021-12-15 via www.youtube.com.
  19. "Lindsey Buckingham - Countdown (Official Music Video)". Archived from the original on 2021-12-15 via www.youtube.com.
  20. "Lindsey Buckingham - Don't Look Down (Official Music Video)". Archived from the original on 2021-12-15 via www.youtube.com.
  21. "Lindsey Buckingham - Wrong (Official Music Video)". Archived from the original on 2021-12-15 via www.youtube.com.
  22. Boehm, Mike (1992-12-10). "LIFE AFTER MAC : At the Coach House, Lindsey Buckingham Will Be Playing His First Concert Since His Old Band Broke Up". L.A. Times. Retrieved 2024-05-10.
  23. "MAGNET Makes A Lindsey Buckingham Mix Tape". September 15, 2011.
  24. "Michael Nesmith - Tropical Campfires", AllMusic, retrieved 2023-05-19
  25. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 1924". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  26. "Dutchcharts.nl – Lindsey Buckingham – Out of the Cradle" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  27. "Swedishcharts.com – Lindsey Buckingham – Out of the Cradle". Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  28. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  29. "Lindsey Buckingham Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 28 January 2023.