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You Make Loving Fun
View on Wikipedia| "You Make Loving Fun" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Fleetwood Mac | ||||
| from the album Rumours | ||||
| B-side |
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| Released | September 1977 | |||
| Recorded | 1976 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:36 | |||
| Label | Warner Bros. | |||
| Songwriter | Christine McVie | |||
| Producers |
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| Fleetwood Mac US singles chronology | ||||
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| Audio video | ||||
| "You Make Loving Fun (2004 Remaster)" on YouTube | ||||
"You Make Loving Fun" is a song by the British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, written and sung by Christine McVie. It was released as the fourth and final single from the band's 1977 album Rumours. "You Make Loving Fun" peaked at number 9 on the US Billboard Hot 100 to become the album's fourth Top 10 hit.
Background
[edit]"You Make Loving Fun" was inspired by Christine McVie's affair with the band's lighting director, Curry Grant.[2] "To avoid flare-ups", she told her then-husband and fellow band member, John McVie, that the song was about her dog.[3] The song uses descending seconds in its chord progression.[4] In an interview with the New York Post, McVie remarked that she wanted it to be the third US single from the album, but "Don't Stop" was chosen instead.[2]
Early tracking of the song was done, according to Christine McVie, in the absence of Lindsey Buckingham, which gave her the freedom to "build the song on [her] own".[3] For the February 8 session, Fleetwood was on drums, Stevie Nicks played the tambourine, and Christine McVie played a Rhodes piano that was sent through a Stratoblaster, which boosted the instrument's output by 15 decibels. John McVie's bass was re-recorded, and Christine McVie overdubbed a Hohner Clavinet, which was fed through a wah-wah pedal.[3] McVie struggled to play the clavinet in tandem with the wah-wah pedal, so Fleetwood got on the floor and operated the pedal with his hands while McVie played the keys of the clavinet.[5] Buckingham arrived at the studio in the late afternoon and chose to play a Gibson Les Paul for the rhythm guitar parts, which was plugged into a rotating Leslie speaker. A Hammond organ was also overdubbed during the recording session, which lasted until six in the evening.[3]
Buckingham wanted accented tom-tom beats in the chorus, but Fleetwood was unwilling to try this idea. Instead, Buckingham played the instrument himself. Producer Ken Caillat remarked that "Lindsey was the accent king. He could accent with guitars, he could accent with toms [and] he could accent with Naugahyde chairs."[6]
During the tracking of the backing vocals, Caillat recalled that Nicks and Buckingham were engaged in "vicious name calling": "The tape would start rolling and they’d sing, 'Yooooooou make loving fun,' just beautiful, two little angels. The tape would stop and they’d be calling each other names again. They didn't miss a beat."[5]
"You Make Loving Fun" was a concert staple for Fleetwood Mac and was played during every tour that included Christine McVie from 1976 until 1997, a year before McVie's departure from the band and retirement from touring. However, the song was revived for Fleetwood Mac's 2014–2015 tour when McVie rejoined the band,[7] as well as their 2018-2019 tour with new members Mike Campbell and Neil Finn.[8]
Reception
[edit]Cash Box said McVie's "magical words are complemented by angelic backing vocals, strident guitar melodies, and the pulsating backbeat reinforced by her own electric keyboard."[9] Record World called it a "light rocker with a compelling love lyric."[10] Writing for Rolling Stone, John Swenson compared the song structure to some of the musical output from The Byrds, specifically referencing the "sparse instrumental background and the chorus comes on like an angelic choir." He also praised the vocals, saying that McVie sounded "vital" and noting the harmonies working in tandem with the counterpoint guitar during the chorus.[11] Rob Brunner of Entertainment Weekly selected "You Make Loving Fun" as a highlight on the album and said that it "benefits from relative underexposure."[12] The Guardian and Paste ranked the song number 13 and number 14 respectively on their lists of the 30 greatest Fleetwood Mac songs.[13][14]
Personnel
[edit]- Christine McVie – lead vocals, electric piano, clavinet, Hammond B3 organ
- Mick Fleetwood – drums, wind chimes, castanets, tambourine
- John McVie – bass guitar
- Lindsey Buckingham – guitars, tom toms, backing vocals
- Stevie Nicks – backing vocals
Charts
[edit]
Weekly charts[edit]
|
Year-end charts[edit]
|
Certifications
[edit]| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[24] | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
Cover versions
[edit]In March 2024, the American country band Lonestar covered "You Make Loving Fun" in a country rock style, as a tribute to Christine McVie who died in 2022. Mick Fleetwood praised their version, saying "Christine will be smiling!"[25]
As part of the Mick Fleetwood-produced 20th anniversary tribute album Legacy: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac's Rumours, the song was covered in 2024 by American singer-songwriter Jewel.[26]
References
[edit]- ^ Goldsmith, Melissa Ursula Dawn (2019). Listen to Classic Rock!: Exploring a Musical Genre. Bloomsbury USA. p. 1868. ISBN 9798216111931.
- ^ a b Furman, Leah (2003). Rumours Exposed: The Unauthorized Biography of Fleetwood Mac. Kensington. pp. 105–106, 133–34. ISBN 9780806524726.
- ^ a b c d Caillat, Ken; Stiefel, Steve (2012). Making Rumours: The Inside Story of the Classic Fleetwood Mac Album. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 101, 106–110, 195. ISBN 9781118282366.
- ^ Stephenson, Ken (2002). What to Listen for in Rock: A Stylistic Analysis. Yale University Press. p. 107. ISBN 978-0-300-09239-4.
- ^ a b Bosso, Joe (2022-12-13). ""Christine Started Playing Something She Had Written on the Piano One Day, and it Floored Me" – Fleetwood Mac Rumours Track-by-Track With Co-Producer Ken Caillat". MusicRadar. Retrieved 2023-07-23.
- ^ "Ken Caillat Revisits Rumours". GRAMMY.com. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
- ^ Kenneth Partridge (October 7, 2014). "Fleetwood Mac Relives Past Peaks & Lows at Madison Square Garden Concert". Billboard. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
- ^ "Fleetwood Mac began NYC-area run at Madison Square Garden (pics, setlist)". BrooklynVegan. United States. March 12, 2019. Retrieved May 27, 2019.
- ^ "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 15 October 1977. p. 22. Retrieved 2021-12-26.
- ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. 22 October 1977. p. 1. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
- ^ Rosen, Jody (13 February 2013). "Rumours: Deluxe Edition". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 26 October 2020. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
- ^ Brunner, Rob (18 April 2003). "Then Play On; Bare Trees; Fleetwood Mac; Rumours; Tusk; Time". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 30 December 2024.
- ^ Petridis, Alexis (19 May 2022). "Fleetwood Mac's 30 greatest songs – ranked!". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
- ^ Mitchell, Matt (7 August 2023). "The 30 Greatest Fleetwood Mac Songs". Paste. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
- ^ "Top Singles - Volume 28, No. 15 & 16" (PDF). Library and Archives Canada. January 14, 1978. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Fleetwood Mac" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
- ^ "Fleetwood Mac – You Make Loving Fun" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
- ^ "Fleetwood Mac – You Make Loving Fun". Top 40 Singles.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart on 23/10/1977 – Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 88.
- ^ "Image : RPM Weekly - Library and Archives Canada". Bac-lac.gc.ca. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 2016-10-13.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (1999). Pop Annual. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. ISBN 0-89820-142-X.
- ^ "British single certifications – Fleetwood Mac – You Make Loving Fun". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
- ^ Staff (March 4, 2024). "Hear Country Vets Lonestar Cover Fleetwood Mac 'You Make Loving Fun'; Mick Fleetwood Says 'Christine Will Be Smiling!'". Rock Cellar Magazine. Retrieved October 2, 2025.
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Legacy: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac's Rumours". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
External links
[edit]You Make Loving Fun
View on GrokipediaOrigins and composition
Background
During the recording of their 1977 album Rumours, Fleetwood Mac endured significant internal turmoil that profoundly shaped the project's emotional landscape. In 1976, bassist John McVie and keyboardist/vocalist Christine McVie, married for nearly eight years, were in the midst of a divorce, communicating minimally outside of musical necessities.[6] Simultaneously, guitarist Lindsey Buckingham and vocalist Stevie Nicks were ending their long-term relationship, which led to heated arguments that permeated the studio atmosphere.[7] Drummer Mick Fleetwood's marriage was also deteriorating, adding to the group's relational fractures.[6] Compounding these issues, rampant substance abuse—particularly cocaine, marijuana, and alcohol—fueled late-night sessions and coping mechanisms, with the band even joking about crediting their dealer in the album liner notes.[7] Christine McVie emerged as a central creative force amid this chaos, serving as the primary songwriter and lead vocalist for several tracks, including "You Make Loving Fun." Her separation from John McVie marked a pivotal personal shift, as she began a new romantic relationship with the band's lighting director, Curry Grant.[7] This affair directly inspired "You Make Loving Fun," which McVie penned as an upbeat reflection of her newfound joy, though she initially misled her ex-husband by claiming the song was about her dog.[8] John's eventual discovery of the true inspiration strained their professional interactions further, yet he continued to contribute on bass.[7] The song's creation was intertwined with the broader Rumours production, where band members' crumbling relationships heavily influenced song selections and lyrical content, transforming personal pain into artistic output.[6] Conceived during pre-production in early 1976 at the Record Plant studios in Sausalito, California, "You Make Loving Fun" exemplified how the group's breakdowns fueled resilient, celebratory tracks amid the sessions' intensity.[7] This tumultuous environment ultimately contributed to Rumours becoming one of the best-selling albums of all time.[6]Writing process
Christine McVie drew inspiration for "You Make Loving Fun" from her extramarital affair with Curry Grant, the band's lighting director, amid the dissolution of her marriage to bassist John McVie. This personal turmoil fueled much of the Rumours album, but the song stands out as an upbeat ode to the joy of a new romance, offering levity against the record's prevailing themes of heartbreak and emotional strife.[8][9][7] The lyrics capture a playful, euphoric essence, highlighted by the recurring chorus declaration "You make lovin' fun," which underscores themes of escapism and delight in love's lighter side. McVie deliberately steered clear of overt allusions to her marital breakdown to prevent further discord within the band, going so far as to assure her estranged husband that the track was actually about her dog, thereby masking its true romantic origins.[8][9] Structurally, the composition follows a straightforward verse-chorus format, propelled by a lively, disco-tinged rhythm that enhances its infectious energy. McVie shaped the melody using clavinet and electric piano, instruments that impart a funky, airy texture aligning with the song's celebratory vibe. Early iterations emerged during the initial Rumours sessions at the Record Plant, where McVie overcame a bout of writer's block to pen the tune; it was then honed through band collaboration and rehearsals to mesh seamlessly with the album's polished pop-rock aesthetic.[10][8][7]Recording and production
Studio sessions
The recording of "You Make Loving Fun" occurred as part of Fleetwood Mac's extended sessions for the album Rumours, beginning with basic tracks captured in February 1976 at the Record Plant in Sausalito, California, and continuing with overdubs and additional work at Sound City Studios in Los Angeles later that year. Background vocals were tracked at Wally Heider Recording in Los Angeles.[11] The process involved multiple takes, exacerbated by the band's physical exhaustion from long hours and the emotional toll of ongoing interpersonal conflicts amid divorces and breakups within the group.[12] Producers Ken Caillat and Richard Dashut focused on preserving the raw energy of the band's live performances, employing 24-track analog tape machines to layer Christine McVie's lead vocals atop a tight rhythm section foundation.[11] Key instrumentation highlighted Lindsey Buckingham's distinctive guitar riffs and solo, which added a punchy, rhythmic drive; John McVie's bass lines, laid down amid personal awkwardness stemming from the song's inspiration; Mick Fleetwood's propulsive drum groove, incorporating tom-toms for added funk; and Stevie Nicks' harmonious backing vocals, which enriched the choruses despite tensions during recording.[13][12][11] Sessions faced notable challenges, including a heated screaming match between Nicks and Buckingham while tracking backing vocals, which Caillat interrupted during a tape rewind, underscoring the volatile atmosphere.[14] Additionally, John McVie's bass part was re-recorded amid the personal awkwardness stemming from the song's inspiration, to achieve the final groove.[12][15] The mixing phase wrapped up in late 1976 at Producers Workshop in Hollywood, with the producers prioritizing the song's concise 3:32 runtime to enhance its radio-friendly appeal.[11][16]Personnel
"You Make Loving Fun" was recorded by the core members of Fleetwood Mac, with no additional guest musicians contributing to the track, distinguishing it from other songs on the Rumours album that featured outside performers. Christine McVie handled lead and backing vocals, as well as playing clavinet and electric piano, showcasing her multi-instrumental role in the song's funky, upbeat sound. Lindsey Buckingham provided guitars and backing vocals, while also contributing significantly to the arrangement as a co-producer. Stevie Nicks contributed backing vocals. John McVie played bass guitar, and Mick Fleetwood performed on drums and percussion. The production team included co-producers Ken Caillat and Richard Dashut, alongside the band itself. Engineering duties encompassed remixing by Ken Caillat, additional engineering by Ken Klinger, second engineering by Bill Dover, and mastering by Ken Perry.Release
Single details
"You Make Loving Fun" was released as the fourth single from Fleetwood Mac's album Rumours in October 1977 by Warner Bros. Records.[17] The single was issued primarily in the U.S. and UK markets in the 7-inch vinyl format, with a runtime of 3:31 matching the album version for radio play.[18] In the UK, the B-side was the Rumours track "Never Going Back Again," while the U.S. version featured "Gold Dust Woman" on the flip side.[18] The single's packaging utilized a standard picture sleeve from the Rumours era, showcasing black-and-white photographs of the band members, without a unique cover design to align with the album's promotional aesthetic.[18] Later reissues of the track appeared on CD and digital formats as part of the 1997 and 2004 remastered editions of Rumours.[19]Promotion and album context
"You Make Loving Fun" appears as the eighth track on Fleetwood Mac's eleventh studio album, Rumours, released by Warner Bros. Records on February 4, 1977.[1] Positioned toward the latter half of the record, the song offers an upbeat, funky contrast to the album's prevailing themes of heartbreak and relational strife, as captured in tracks like "Go Your Own Way" and "Dreams."[20] This lighter tone aligns with Rumours' overall narrative of love's multifaceted complexities, drawn from the band's internal dramas during its creation.[21] Released as the fourth and final single from Rumours on October 5, 1977, "You Make Loving Fun" was marketed by Warner Bros. as a buoyant, radio-friendly extension of the album's hit streak, following successes like "Go Your Own Way" and "Don't Stop."[22][23] Promotional efforts emphasized its pop accessibility, with the single backed by "Gold Dust Woman" and supported through Warner Bros.' trade advertising and press outreach to sustain the album's momentum.[24] No official music video was produced, but the band featured the track in live television performances, including a 1977 appearance captured for promotional use.[25] The song was integrated into Fleetwood Mac's Rumours World Tour, which launched in February 1977 and ran through 1978, where it was performed regularly after high-energy openers to energize audiences.[26] Christine McVie, the song's writer and lead vocalist, often took a prominent position during these renditions, highlighting her central role in the band's dynamic.[27] The tour's setlists, including shows at venues like Madison Square Garden and the Fabulous Forum, placed "You Make Loving Fun" amid core Rumours material, reinforcing its place in the live repertoire from 1977 to 1980.[28]Commercial performance
Weekly charts
"You Make Loving Fun" achieved moderate success on weekly music charts worldwide following its release in late 1977, with its strongest performance in North America. The song's chart trajectory reflected the album Rumours' overall popularity, driven by radio airplay and physical single sales during that era.[29] In the United States, the single debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 73 on October 15, 1977, climbed steadily, and reached its peak of number 9 on December 17, 1977, holding that position for one week before descending; it spent a total of 14 weeks on the chart, exiting at number 77 on January 14, 1978. It also received notable airplay on adult contemporary radio, peaking at number 28 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.[30] On the UK Singles Chart, "You Make Loving Fun" entered at number 47 on October 22, 1977, rose to a peak of number 45 the following week, and charted for only two weeks total, hampered by the emphasis on album sales over singles promotion in the UK market.[31] The song performed better in other territories, peaking at number 7 on Canada's RPM Top Singles chart.[32] In Australia, it reached number 65 on the Kent Music Report. It attained number 22 on the Dutch Single Top 100, entering the chart on January 21, 1978.[33] Despite these placements, the single did not achieve a major breakthrough in Europe beyond the Netherlands.| Chart (1977–1978) | Peak Position | Weeks on Chart |
|---|---|---|
| Canada Top Singles (RPM) | 7 | — |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 9 | 14 |
| Australia (Kent Music Report) | 65 | — |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100) | 22 | — |
| US Billboard Adult Contemporary | 28 | — |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 45 | 2 |
