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Rating:
The story of Fleetwood Mac is made up of two fundamental periods, very different from each other, that left a burning mark on British and then American music between the 60s and 70s. In this review I will focus on the period I prefer, namely the first one, with Peter Green and Jeremy Spencer leading the group artistically. Green had played in Hard Road by John Mayall and shortly after decided to form a quartet with drummer Mick Fleetwood and Mayall's trusty bassist, John McVie (from which the band gets its name), and with slide virtuoso Spencer, a fan of Elmore James. The band's early albums were characterized by a strong stylistic rigor towards urban blues, almost a philological research, but already in "English Rose" the instrumental "Albatross" and "Black Magic Woman" (which was also made famous by Santana) hinted that Peter Green could go beyond the blues.
The album I am examining, which I consider the great masterpiece of the early Fleetwood Mac, is "Then Play On" from 1970. First of all, it’s important to note the addition of the third guitarist, Danny Kirwan, who contributes his creative support also in composition and the compositional leadership of Green. The change of label is also important, from Mike Vernon's Blue Horizon, one of the great promoters of British Blues, to Reprise.
The creative and most interesting peaks of the album are certainly the experimental "Oh Well" with its bluesy start but that soon transforms into a nine-minute composition of intense acoustic guitar exploring territories beyond blues and beyond rock in an instrumental crescendo joined by Christine Perfect's piano, McVie's wife and future band member. Not to mention the nervous and energetic "Rattlesnake Shake" or "Showbiz Blues" with just Green's slide and voice. The new blond guitarist Kirwan composes the excellent opener "Coming Your Way" with prominent percussion, and the sinuous "Although the Sun is Shining". The instrumentals "My Dream", with its sinuous pace, and the rock "Searching For Madge", composed by Mick Fleetwood, with a superb solo guitar by Green, are particularly noteworthy.
After this album, Peter Green will leave due to a mystical crisis that will last many years and some time later will be followed by Spencer who will join a sect called Children of God and Fleetwood Mac will change course, introducing Fleetwood's wife, Stevie Nicks as singer and Christine Perfect as keyboardist, breaking into rock-pop in America, but this is not the place to talk about that. Ultimately a fundamental album for the British blues movement but not only, given the excellent experimentation seeking a way beyond the faithful transposition of classical blues.
Tracklist Lyrics and Samples
05 Oh Well (08:53)
Can't help about the shape I'm in
I can't sing, I aint pretty and my legs are thin
But don't ask me what I think of you
I might not give the answer that you want me to
Oh well
Now when I talk to God
I know he understands
He said "stick by me and I'll be your guiding hand"
But don't ask me what I think of you
I might not give the answer that you want me to
Oh well
07 Rattlesnake Shake (03:26)
Written by peter green.
Baby, if you got to rock
I got to be your rockin' horse
Baby, think you'd like to roll
Maybe your diggin' it more
They're shakin' the world
When it's time to crash
But when I get home tonight
I guess I got to shake myself
You need some love
You must have the blues
Ain't but the one thing
A good man can do
He do the shake
The rattlesnake shake
Man, do the shake
Yes, and jerk away the blues
Now, jerk it
Break:
Now, I know this guy
His name is mick
Now, he don't care when he ain't got no chick
He do the shake
The rattlesnake shake
Yes, he do the shake
And jerks away the blues
Now, jerk it
10 Like Crying (02:15)
Written by Danny Kirwan.
She's got so much blues
Her best friend can't help her
Her best friends a woman
How can a woman help her
Woman's got the blues
She just feels like crying
She just feels like dying
Woman's got the blues
She just feels like dying
She just feels like dying
Woman's got the blues
Womans got the blues
11 Before the Beginning (03:18)
Written by Peter Green.
So many nights I lay awake
Can't sleep
I lay here thinkin' 'bout a woman
I used to love
Can't sleep but no good to count sheep
I'll just count the worries
That I've got plenty of
And how many times
Must I be the fool
Before I can make it
Oh Make it on home
I've got to find a place to sing my words
Is there nobody listening to my song?
You talk about a life
Been searching for the key
But can't find an answer
To comfort me
I ask myself about love
Can't even find the door
To take me to a place
I've never seen before
But how many times
Must I be the fool
Before I can make it
Oh make it on home
I've got to find a place to sing my words
Is there nobody listening to my song?
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