Mystery to Me
Fleetwood Mac's final album with Bob Weston.
Mystery to Me is the eighth studio album by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, released on 15 October 1973. It was the band's final album to feature guitarist Bob Weston and marked a shift toward pop rock, with most songs written by Bob Welch and Christine McVie. Though it peaked at number 67 on the US Billboard 200, the track "Hypnotized" became a lasting FM radio staple.
Quick Facts
- Artist
- Fleetwood Mac
- Released
- 15 October 1973
- Recorded
- Spring–Summer 1973
- Studio
- Rolling Stones Mobile Studio at Benifold
- Hampshire; mixed at Advision Studios
- London
- Genre
- Rock
- soft rock
- psychedelic rock
- Length
- 47:49
- Label
- Reprise
- Producer
- Fleetwood Mac & Martin Birch
Facts from the source article.
Track listing
Side one
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Emerald Eyes | Bob Welch | 3:37 |
| 2 | Believe Me | Christine McVie | 4:12 |
| 3 | Just Crazy Love | C. McVie | 3:22 |
| 4 | Hypnotized | Welch | 4:48 |
| 5 | Forever | Bob Weston, John McVie, Welch | 4:04 |
| 6 | Keep On Going | Welch | 4:05 |
Side two
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The City | Welch | 3:35 |
| 2 | Miles Away | Welch | 3:47 |
| 3 | Somebody | Welch | 5:00 |
| 4 | The Way I Feel | C. McVie | 2:43 |
| 5 | For Your Love | Graham Gouldman | 3:44 |
| 6 | Why | C. McVie | 4:55 |
Track listing from the source article.
Background
Mystery to Me was Fleetwood Mac's last album recorded in England, the last to feature two guitarists in the line-up until Behind the Mask, and the last co-produced or engineered by Martin Birch. The group recorded at Benifold, their communal house in Hampshire, using the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio. Mick Fleetwood later noted that this arrangement was cost-effective and gave the band flexibility to record when they chose. Recording equipment was set up in two first-floor rooms, with cables running to the mobile studio's front door; Fleetwood described the outdoor acoustics as "just massive, like a concert hall." Dave Walker was asked to leave during the sessions and did not appear on the final release. The album's title comes from a line in the chorus of "Emerald Eyes." "Hypnotized" became a minor US radio hit and continued receiving airplay after Welch's departure. "Forever" is one of only two Fleetwood Mac tracks with Bob Weston as a composer and one of few with John McVie as a composer. "Keep On Going" was written by Bob Welch but sung by Christine McVie because Welch felt her voice suited it better. The cover of "For Your Love," originally by The Yardbirds, replaced a Bob Welch song called "Good Things (Come to Those Who Wait)" late in production; some copies still listed "Good Things" on the lyric sheet and outer sleeve. Fleetwood Mac's version of "Good Things" remained unreleased until 2020, though Welch later re-recorded it with different lyrics as "Don't Wait Too Long" on his solo album Three Hearts. "Why" and "Hypnotized" were played on the band's 1975 tour; "Just Crazy Love" was performed by Christine McVie on her 1984 solo tour; early shows of the 2018–19 An Evening with Fleetwood Mac tour also featured "Hypnotized."
Critical reception
Billboard called Fleetwood Mac "one of the most melodic groups" and highlighted "Just Crazy Love" and "The City" as superb. Cashbox described Mystery to Me as "another smash LP" that "packs punch and prettiness side by side," praising Christine McVie's vocals and keyboards, Bob Weston's guitar playing, and the rhythm section. Record World deemed the vocals and instrumentation "free and breezy" and singled out "Just Crazy Love," "Emerald Eyes," and "Somebody" as part of a "super set" of material.
Tour
In 1973, Fleetwood Mac played The Midnight Special during their American tour. Mick Fleetwood learned that guitarist Bob Weston was having an affair with Fleetwood's wife, Jenny. After a show in Lincoln, Nebraska, Fleetwood told the McVies and Bob Welch he could no longer perform with Weston. Road manager John Courage fired Weston and sent him back to the UK. The tour ended early, and the band returned to England to tell manager Clifford Davis. Record World magazine blamed "internal differences" for the cancellation and said the band planned to restart the tour in January 1974. Fleetwood Mac had been set to play with Canned Heat and War on November 24, 1973, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Later, Davis sent a different group of musicians on the road as Fleetwood Mac, claiming he owned the band's name.
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