Over My Head (Fleetwood Mac song)

Last updated
"Over My Head"
Over My Head single.jpg
Single by Fleetwood Mac
from the album Fleetwood Mac
B-side "I'm So Afraid"
Released
  • September 1975 (US)
  • 27 February 1976 (UK) [1]
RecordedFebruary 1975
Genre Soft rock
Length3:38 (Album Version)
3:09 (Single Version)
Label Reprise
Songwriter(s) Christine McVie
Producer(s)
Fleetwood Mac singles chronology
"Warm Ways"
(1975)		"Over My Head"
(1975)		"Rhiannon"
(1976)

"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.

Contents

Background

Christine McVie composed the song using a portable Hohner electric piano in a small apartment in Malibu, California, where she and then-husband John McVie (Fleetwood Mac's bassist) resided after completing a concert tour to promote Heroes Are Hard to Find , the previous album. [2]

The lyrics were inspired by her relationship with bandmate Lindsey Buckingham. “I think that was based on a sort of fantasy about Lindsey, really. I think that was a sort of an ode to the gorgeous Lindsey at the time.” [3] [4] The original rhythm track consisted of just vocals, drums and a Dobro. Other instruments were added later to embellish the song, including McVie's Vox Continental organ. [5] Buckingham used open D tuning on the studio version and also kept a Fender Stratocaster with the same tuning onstage for early live performances. [6]

In the U.S., Reprise Records selected "Over My Head" as the lead single from the 1975 LP Fleetwood Mac, a decision that surprised McVie, who believed that "Over My Head" was an unlikely choice for a single. [5] Nevertheless, the song reached No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1976. The single's success helped the group's eponymous 1975 album sell 8 million units. [7]

Single remix

The 45 RPM single version of the song released for radio airplay was a remixed, edited version that differed from the version on the Fleetwood Mac album. The single version is distinguished by a cold start rather than the fade-in intro on the LP version, louder guitar strums in the choruses, and different vocal harmonies. [2] Additionally, the single version fades during its three-bar instrumental outro [8] whereas the album version tape-loops it to six bars upon fade-out. Further, while the album version has a relatively wide stereo image, the single version is mixed narrowly (essentially mono) with stereo reverberation effects on some bongo passages and select guitar flourishes. The single remix was completed by Deke Richards, who had previously worked with The Jackson 5 on some of their earlier hits. [2]

The aforementioned remixed/edited version is the one included on the compilation album The Very Best of Fleetwood Mac . The single version is also available as a bonus track on the 2004 remastered CD release of the album Fleetwood Mac. [9]

Critical reception

Cash Box wrote that "versatility is again demonstrated with a boiling rhythm subtly driving a soft McCartney-like vocal, shaded by organ and sweet, answering harmony." [10] Record World said the song has a "clean, confident folk-rock sound" and that "Christine McVie takes the lead here over a network of jangly acoustic guitars, singing in a rich, deep voice." [11] In a 1975 review, Billboard described McVie's vocal performance as "a completely distinctive voice, with a sexy huskiness that is unique in pop today." [12] The Guardian and Paste ranked the song number 17 and number 11 respectively on their lists of the 30 greatest Fleetwood Mac songs. [13] [14]

Personnel

Chart performance

Related Research Articles

<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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christine McVie</span> British musician (1943–2022)

Christine Anne McVie was an English musician and singer. She was the keyboardist and one of the vocalists and songwriters of Fleetwood Mac.

<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">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 keyboard player 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">Got a Hold on Me</span> 1984 single by Christine McVie

"Got a Hold on Me" is a song by Christine McVie, released as the lead single from her eponymous second solo album in 1984.

"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">You Make Loving Fun</span> 1977 single by Fleetwood Mac

"You Make Loving Fun" is a song by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, written and sung by Christine McVie. It was released as the fourth and final 45 rpm single from the band's 1977 album Rumours. "You Make Loving Fun" peaked at No. 9 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and became the album's fourth top-ten hit.

<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. The song's lyrics deal with a frequent theme in Fleetwood Mac songs. The singer suspects his partner of being unfaithful, asking "Why don't you tell me what's going on? Why don't you tell me who's on the phone?" 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Little Lies</span> 1987 single by Fleetwood Mac

"Little Lies" is a song by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac from their 14th studio album, Tango in the Night (1987). It was written by band member Christine McVie and her then-husband, Eddy Quintela, with lead vocals performed primarily by McVie; the chorus features backing vocals by Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. The song was released in August 1987 by Warner Bros. Records, as the third single from Tango in the Night.

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

"Everywhere" is a song by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac from their 14th studio album, Tango in the Night (1987). The song was written by Christine McVie, who also performed lead vocals, and produced by Lindsey Buckingham and Richard Dashut. In the United States, "Everywhere" was released in November 1987 as the album's fourth single, while in the United Kingdom, it was issued on 21 March 1988 as the album's fifth single.

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

"Sara" is a song written by singer-songwriter Stevie Nicks of the British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, which was released as a single from the 1979 Tusk double LP. The vinyl album version length is 6 minutes 22 seconds, and the edited single version length is 4 minutes 37 seconds. The song peaked at No. 7 in the US for three weeks, No. 37 in the UK for two weeks, No. 11 in Australia, and No. 12 in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hold Me (Fleetwood Mac song)</span> 1982 single by Fleetwood Mac

"Hold Me" is a 1982 song by the British-American rock group Fleetwood Mac. It was the first track to be released as a single from the band's thirteenth album Mirage. Written by Christine McVie and Robbie Patton, McVie and Lindsey Buckingham shared lead vocals on the song. The single reached #4 on the US Billboard Hot 100, the band's first to break the top five since 1977.

<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">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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isn't It Midnight</span> 1988 single by Fleetwood Mac

"Isn't It Midnight" is a song by the British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, from their 1987 studio album Tango in the Night. The song was co-written and sung by Christine McVie, with contributions from Lindsey Buckingham and McVie's then-husband Eddie Quintela. "Isn't It Midnight" was the sixth and final single to be released from Tango in the Night in 1988. The cover art for the single features the portrait of Mademoiselle Caroline Rivière. The verse is in E Aeolian with a i-bVII-i-i progression, while the bridge and chorus are in B Aeolian, with a i-bVI-bVII-i progression.

<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 #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.

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

"Silver Springs" is a song written by Stevie Nicks and performed by British-American band Fleetwood Mac. It was originally intended for the band's 1977 album Rumours, but became a B-side to the song "Go Your Own Way". A live version was released as a single from the 1997 album The Dance; this version of the song was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals in 1998.

<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.

"Tango in the Night" is a song by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac from their album of the same name. Although "Tango in the Night" was not released as a single, it received airplay and reached No. 28 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart. However, the title track was overshadowed by the album's hit singles.

References

  1. ↑ Hung, Steffen. "Fleetwood Mac - Over My Head". Hitparade.ch. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 Fleetwood, Mick (2014). Play On: Now, Then, and Fleetwood Mac: The Autobiography. Little, Brown. pp. 169, 179. ISBN   978-0316403405.
  3. ↑ "BBC Four - Fleetwood Mac's Songbird - Christine McVie". BBC.
  4. ↑ DeMain, Bill (4 January 2023). "How Christine McVie wrote the song that gave Fleetwood Mac their future". Louder. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  5. 1 2 "From the Archive: Christine McVie - KeyboardMag". www.keyboardmag.com. Archived from the original on 10 July 2015. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  6. ↑ "Guitar Player (01/1977), Fleetwood Mac's Lindsey Buckingham". The Blue Letter Archives. 1 January 1977. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  7. ↑ "News". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 17 January 2007. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  8. ↑ Everett, Walter (May 2010). "'If you're gonna have a hit': intratextual mixes and edits of pop recordings". Popular Music. 29 (2): 239. doi:10.1017/S026114301000005X. JSTOR   40926920. S2CID   162240986.
  9. ↑ Puterbaugh, Parke (2004). Fleetwood Mac (2004 Remastered Edition) (Liner Notes). Fleetwood Mac. Los Angeles: Reprise Records. p. 8.
  10. ↑ "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 11 October 1975. p. 27. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  11. ↑ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 11 October 1975. p. 1. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  12. ↑ "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. 11 October 1975. p. 78. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  13. ↑ Petridis, Alexis (19 May 2022). "Fleetwood Mac's 30 greatest songs – ranked!". The Guardian . Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  14. ↑ Mitchell, Matt (7 August 2023). "The 30 Greatest Fleetwood Mac Songs". Paste . Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  15. ↑ "RPM Top Singles - 17 January 1976" (PDF). Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 17 January 1976. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  16. ↑ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 14 February 1976. Retrieved 21 December 2018.
  17. ↑ "Fleetwood Mac Hot 100 Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  18. ↑ "Fleetwood Mac Adult Contemporary Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
  19. ↑ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, January 10, 1976". Archived from the original on 18 October 2018. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
  20. ↑ "Top Singles – Volume 26, No. 14 & 15, January 08 1977". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Archived from the original on 10 June 2016. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  21. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (1999). Pop Annual. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. ISBN   978-0-89820-142-0.

Bibliography

The Great Rock Discography. Martin C. Strong. Page 378. ISBN   1-84195-312-1

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.