The Fleetwood Mac Song Christine McVie Finished in 30 Minutes
Fleetwood Mac member, Christine McVie, is the songwriter behind “Songbird,” creating the Rumours song in 30 minutes. Here’s what we learned about this original song — and some of the meaning behind it.
Christine McVie appeared as a songwriter for Fleetwood Mac
They’re the band behind “Dreams,” “The Chain,” and “Go Your Own Way.” Along with Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, John McVie, and Mick Fleetwood, Christine McVie appeared in Fleetwood Mac. She functioned as a vocalist, keyboardist, and songwriter.
In fact, McVie is one of the songwriters behind “Don’t Stop,” “You Make Loving Fun,” and “Say You Love You.” She’s also the sole songwriter behind “Songbird,” a ballad included in Fleetwood Mac’s Rumour.
Christine McVie wrote ‘Songbird’ in 30 minutes — and it was the only Fleetwood Mac song she wrote in that amount of time
McVie co-wrote “The Chain” with other Fleetwood Mac members. During a Raised On Radio interview, McVie commented on one of her most popular original songs. That was “Songbird,” a track she wrote in record time.
“That’s the one and only song I wrote and finished in half an hour, in the middle of the night — it was the middle of the night,” McVie said. “And I woke up and I happened to have a little piano in my room but no tape recorder. No means to record it on.”
“But I had the lyrics, the melody, the chords — everything [was] done in half an hour,” she continued. “But it was 3 in the morning, so I had to stay up all night playing it so I didn’t forget it.”
She was “terrified” of forgetting, so she called someone at 9 in the morning to get a tape recorder. Not so surprisingly, McVie said that the band loved it. In the final recorded version, McVie sings and plays the piano.
Released with Rumours, this track remains one of the most popular on the album, earning over 80 million Spotify plays. In the same interview, the artist said that “Songbird” wasn’t about a specific person. As a result, it can be an “anthem” for anyone.
What is ‘Songbird’ by Fleetwood Mac about?
According to Song Facts, “Songbird” could be interpreted as a song about self-sacrifice. The lyrics discuss true love between the narrator and another person, with a songbird singing “like they know the score.”
“For you, there’ll be no more crying,” the first verse states. “For you, the sun will be shining / And I feel that when I’m with you / It’s alright, I know it’s right.”
McVie explained she wrote this song from another person’s perspective, adding that it relates to “everybody.” Now, music by Fleetwood Mac, including “Songbird,” is available on most major streaming platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music.
