I would not have imagined in my wildest dreams I would be listening to an album as this when I picked up Fleetwood Mac’s Future Games at the MBH store in Singapore in the late nineties. I am not sure if the store exists but it is one of the best in Singapore where they let you try a zillion CD’s before you can buy.

Future Games, released in 1971 is the album where Fleetwood Mac’s musical offering outlasts vocal performances. Though more acoustic singing and lyrics aren’t compromised. The entire album is beautiful and has a sometimes depressing, sometimes haunting, sometimes happy feel to it all through the album. Even the instruments are played that way. Mind you, this is Pre Lindsey Buckingam-Stevie Nicks – Fleetwood Mac.

The album is released at a time when two of the leading members Peter Green and Jeremy Spencer leave the band and newcomers Bob Welch and Christine McVie join the band. This gives Fleetwood Mac a new makeover in their sound and songs.

A review of the lovely songs

Woman of a Thousand Dreams – Lovely rythm guitar and lovely singing…the line Woman of a thousand years is sung so well by Danny Kirwan who also pens the lyrics. Lovely guitar solo parts from Danny and Bob.

Morning Rain – Time for the pianist of the band and Christine McVie to take over singing in that unmistakable and melancholy voice.

The nice lines of the song are:

..how can you know till you try…
…The futures new and the past is dead..
and
… Cause away from the darkness everything seems bright
Clear as the morning rain
Seeing it very plain
We’ve got to start again…

What a shame – A small bluesy instrumental featuring the saxophone.

Future Games – Bob Welch’s contribution and what stylish singing and guitar playing, “Simply too good” would be an understatement.

The lovely lines:

I did a thing last night
You know those future games
I turned off all the lights
Oh, the future came
You were by my side
Will you explain-oh yeah
Real rhyme or reason for those future games…

…But baby it’s alright and so have faith
Oh yeah, you invent the future that you want to face…

….How many people sit home at night
Wondering if they will be here tonight
Wondering if children will he bring to the light
Inherit the world, or inherit the night
Wondering if neighbors are thinking the same
All of the wild things tomorrow will tame
Talking of journeys that happen in vain
Well I know I’m not the only one
To ever spend my life sitting playing future games

The beautiful haunting guitar takes over giving the nostalgic feeling that only the typical Fleetwood Mac guitar is capable of. Check the lovely singing at …Well I know I’m not the only one….

More nice lines.

…You better take your time
You know there’s no escape
The future sends a sign
Of things we will create
Baby it’s alright
And so have faith
Oh yeah, you invent the future that you want to face..

Sands of time – Another Danny Kirwan beauty and my favorite song of the album. The way the music is played is so smooth and beautiful, no wonder it was an FM staple with lovely vocals.

The colourful lines:

The magic of a blackened night
Can go so far, but not seem right

Although my love, will drive away the sunshine
The magic of, a blackened night
And before you go show me

The song’s pace quickens.

More beautiful lines:

And the falling sands of time
Blow my wind and drifted by
To and fro the trees still bend
Wondering what the host will send
We will go right down to the sea
Bathing in light we will be free to wander…

The musicians take over and revel and entertain beautifully and softly with their instruments.

Sometime A love song from Danny Kirwan not very impressive but not boring either. Nice and sad guitar licks.

Let it all down Faster, heavy rocker with some fiery solos, the only song that seems out of place in mood on this album.

Show me a smile What a sweet song, its lyrics are worth reproducing here. Christine McVie shows you why she could make lovelier songs later on F.Mac’s later popular albums like Fleetwood Mac and Rumours. The mood lost in the previous song is re-generated by this one and a beautiful song to end the album with the signature Feetwood Mac melancholy guitar sound.

Take everything easy
Show me a smile
It doesn’t take much to please me
My little child
Shine me a light from your eyes dear
Don’t let me see a single tear
Take everything easy
Show me a smile
Soon you’ll be a man
My little one
So have fun while you can
Or there’ll be none
Everything’s going fast around you
There will be things to astound you
You’ll be a man in no time
My little one
So take everything easy
Show me a smile
It doesn’t take much to please me
My little child
Shine me a light from your eyes dear
Don’t let me see a single tear
Take everything easy
Show me a smile…

Personnel on the album – Christine McVie fulltime first time on Piano and vocals, Bob Welch on Guitars and vocals, Danny Kirwan on Guitars and Vocals, Mick Fleetwood on Drums and John McVie on Bass.

The lovely album cover of the two children, earlier had yellow instead of green.

Some more information about the band during the release of the album – Jeremy Spencer departed for Christ. He was in India during the 90′s and even confessed that he left Rock after just one reading of The Bible. The famous Santana hit “Black Magic Woman” is in fact a Fleetwood Mac song of the Peter Green Era.

Buy the CD, Future Games by Fleetwood Mac from Amazon.com.

Better still try and see if you can download the album for free at UnlimitedDownloadCenter.com.