"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]
| "Hypnotized" | |
|---|---|
 Cover of the "For Your Love" single | |
| Single by Fleetwood Mac | |
| from the album Mystery to Me | |
| A-side | "For Your Love" |
| Released | 15 October 1973 |
| Recorded | Mid-1973 |
| Studio | Rolling Stones Mobile Studio |
| Genre | |
| Length | 4:48 |
| Label | Reprise |
| Songwriter(s) | Bob Welch |
| Producer(s) | Fleetwood Mac & Martin Birch |
Background and style
editThe 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
editDonald 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] The Guardian praised the instrumentation as "musical gold" and posited that the song could have been commercially successful if it was released as an A-side.[9]
In 1999, Welch received an award from ASCAP recognising 25 consecutive years of airplay for "Hypnotized" and "Sentimental Lady".[10]
Personnel
edit- Bob Welch – lead vocals, acoustic and electric guitar
- Bob Weston – rhythm and lead guitar, backing vocals
- Christine McVie – Hohner Pianet N II, keyboards, backing vocals
- John McVie – bass guitar
- Mick Fleetwood – drums
References
edit- ^ Gleason, Holly (29 May 2014). "The 20 Best Fleetwood Mac Songs of All Time". Paste. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
- ^ Molanphy, Chris (14 January 2023). "Thinking About Tomorrow Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b c Rooksby, Rikky (1 December 2004). Fleetwood Mac: The Complete Guide to Their Music. Omnibus Press. pp. 47–48. ISBN 978-1-84449-427-9.
- ^ "Bob Welch Q&A Session, November 1999". www.fleetwoodmac.net. Archived from the original on 26 October 2017. Retrieved 7 July 2023.
- ^ "Original versions of Hypnotized by The Pointer Sisters | SecondHandSongs". secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
- ^ a b Brackett, Donald (September 2007). Fleetwood Mac: 40 Years of Creative Chaos. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 82. ISBN 978-0-275-99338-2.
- ^ "Hypnotized". Allmusic. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
- ^ Petridis, Alexis (25 July 2024). "Hard rock, ambient weirdness and UFOs: exploring the greatness of early 70s Fleetwood Mac". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
- ^ "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.