Sentimental Lady
Encyclopedia
"Sentimental Lady" is a song written by Bob Welch
. The song 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.
.
The original 1972 version of the song as heard on Fleetwood Mac's Bare Trees album clocked in at 4 minutes 34 seconds, with background vocals by Christine McVie
, then not as well known as she was during the band's peak years with Lindsey Buckingham
and Stevie Nicks
. The original had two verses with a reprise of the first following the instrumental bridge.
A 1977 re-recording, the most well-known version of the song, was a solo hit for Welch when he recorded it on his first solo album, French Kiss, which was released on November 18, 1977. The single was released a month earlier in October 1977 and reached #8 in the U.S. charts. The single remained in the Billboard Top 20 for months and on December 22, 1977 was #18 for Christmas that year.
Mick Fleetwood
was invited to play the drums for this song on Welch's 1977 album. The re-recording of the song featured Christine McVie
and Lindsey Buckingham
of Fleetwood Mac as backing singers and producers (with Buckingham additionally doing the arrangement as well as serving on guitar), but unlike the original which had 2 verses, Welch's solo version only had 1 verse to cut it down to less than 3 minutes for the final radio cut.
According to Welch, "The lyric was probably referencing my first wife (at the time) Nancy." In the song Welch personifies the love of his life as a "sentimental, gentle wind" which he perceives as "blowing through my life again."
The Fleetwood Mac version includes a verse that begins "Now you are here today, But easily you might just go away." This verse is omitted from Welch's solo version, which otherwise has the same lyrics.
Donald Brackett, in his 2007 book, Fleetwood Mac, 40 Years of Creative Chaos has discussed Welch's poetic romantic lyrics in Sentimental Lady and writing and performing style. He describes the featuring of the song on the 1972 album Bare Trees
as the best example of the group's move towards a new, softer and highly commercial style in the early 1970s and describes the essence of the lyrics and nature of the song as "almost too gentle" but describes his voice as like "crushed velvet", in that he believes his voice was simultaneously gentle and threatening in tone, a symbolic balance between the emotions of hope and despair. He later says of Welch's song writing, "Welch had the unique ability to encapsulate in a single song the travails of personal intimacy as well as the larger social picture in which we all lived".
describes this as the "Whitest Song Ever."
Bob Welch (musician)
Robert Lawrence "Bob" Welch, Jr. is a former member of Fleetwood Mac, who had a briefly successful solo career in the late 1970s. His singles included "Hot Love, Cold World", "Ebony Eyes", "Precious Love", and "Sentimental Lady"....
. The song was originally recorded for Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac are a British–American rock band formed in 1967 in London.The only original member present in the band is its eponymous drummer, Mick Fleetwood...
's 1972 album
1972 in music
-Events:*January 17 – Highway 51 South in Memphis, Tennessee is renamed "Elvis Presley Boulevard"*January 20 – The début of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon at The Dome, Brighton, is halted by technical difficulties,...
Bare Trees
Bare Trees
Bare Trees is the sixth studio album by British rock band Fleetwood Mac, released in 1972. This is their last album to feature Danny Kirwan, who was fired during the tour to support this album...
, 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.
History and release
The song was originally written by Welch at the former Gorham Hotel on 55th Street in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
The original 1972 version of the song as heard on Fleetwood Mac's Bare Trees album clocked in at 4 minutes 34 seconds, with background vocals by Christine McVie
Christine McVie
Christine McVie is an English rock singer, keyboardist, and songwriter. Her primary fame came as a member of the British/American rock band Fleetwood Mac, though she has also released three solo albums...
, then not as well known as she was during the band's peak years with Lindsey Buckingham
Lindsey Buckingham
Lindsey Adams Buckingham is an American guitarist, singer, composer and producer, most notable for being the guitarist and male lead singer of the musical group Fleetwood Mac. Aside from his tenure with Fleetwood Mac, Buckingham has also released six solo albums and a live album...
and Stevie Nicks
Stevie Nicks
Stephanie Lynn "Stevie" Nicks is an American singer-songwriter, best known for her work with Fleetwood Mac and an extensive solo career, which collectively have produced over forty Top 50 hits and sold over 140 million albums...
. The original had two verses with a reprise of the first following the instrumental bridge.
A 1977 re-recording, the most well-known version of the song, was a solo hit for Welch when he recorded it on his first solo album, French Kiss, which was released on November 18, 1977. The single was released a month earlier in October 1977 and reached #8 in the U.S. charts. The single remained in the Billboard Top 20 for months and on December 22, 1977 was #18 for Christmas that year.
Mick Fleetwood
Mick Fleetwood
Michael John Kells "Mick" Fleetwood is a British musician and actor best known for his role as the drummer and namesake of the blues/rock and roll band Fleetwood Mac. His surname, combined with that of John McVie, was the inspiration for the name of the originally Peter Green-led Fleetwood Mac...
was invited to play the drums for this song on Welch's 1977 album. The re-recording of the song featured Christine McVie
Christine McVie
Christine McVie is an English rock singer, keyboardist, and songwriter. Her primary fame came as a member of the British/American rock band Fleetwood Mac, though she has also released three solo albums...
and Lindsey Buckingham
Lindsey Buckingham
Lindsey Adams Buckingham is an American guitarist, singer, composer and producer, most notable for being the guitarist and male lead singer of the musical group Fleetwood Mac. Aside from his tenure with Fleetwood Mac, Buckingham has also released six solo albums and a live album...
of Fleetwood Mac as backing singers and producers (with Buckingham additionally doing the arrangement as well as serving on guitar), but unlike the original which had 2 verses, Welch's solo version only had 1 verse to cut it down to less than 3 minutes for the final radio cut.
Lyrical composition
The original placeholder/dummy lyrics for the chorus before the full lyrics were wrtten was, "my legs are sticks and my feet are stones." The song has a notable introduction with a multilayered guitar piece by Lindsey Buckingham.According to Welch, "The lyric was probably referencing my first wife (at the time) Nancy." In the song Welch personifies the love of his life as a "sentimental, gentle wind" which he perceives as "blowing through my life again."
The Fleetwood Mac version includes a verse that begins "Now you are here today, But easily you might just go away." This verse is omitted from Welch's solo version, which otherwise has the same lyrics.
Donald Brackett, in his 2007 book, Fleetwood Mac, 40 Years of Creative Chaos has discussed Welch's poetic romantic lyrics in Sentimental Lady and writing and performing style. He describes the featuring of the song on the 1972 album Bare Trees
Bare Trees
Bare Trees is the sixth studio album by British rock band Fleetwood Mac, released in 1972. This is their last album to feature Danny Kirwan, who was fired during the tour to support this album...
as the best example of the group's move towards a new, softer and highly commercial style in the early 1970s and describes the essence of the lyrics and nature of the song as "almost too gentle" but describes his voice as like "crushed velvet", in that he believes his voice was simultaneously gentle and threatening in tone, a symbolic balance between the emotions of hope and despair. He later says of Welch's song writing, "Welch had the unique ability to encapsulate in a single song the travails of personal intimacy as well as the larger social picture in which we all lived".
Popular culture
This song appears in the movie Grown Ups and Maya RudolphMaya Rudolph
Maya Khabira Rudolph is an American actress, comedienne and singer known for her comedic roles as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 2000 to 2007, and for appearing in films such as Away We Go, Bridesmaids, Grown Ups, A Prairie Home Companion and MacGruber...
describes this as the "Whitest Song Ever."