Christine McVie gained her fame as an integral part of the Fleetwood Mac hit-making machine. But she occasionally stepped out on her own with a solo record. In 1984, she scored her biggest hit single with the bouncy “Got a Hold on Me.”
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What is the song about? Who were some of the collaborators who helped McVie with the record? And what made her decide to go out on her own at that time? All the answers and more are on the way as we take an in-depth look at “Got a Hold on Me.”
Taking Advantage of a Mac Break
Christine McVie released a solo album even before she joined Fleetwood Mac when she was still known as Christine Perfect. But she dismissed it later in her career, saying she hadn’t really found her musical strengths until she was in a band for a while. Fleetwood Mac took off, popularity-wise, when Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham joined, and they started shifting from bluesier material to sleek arena rock driven by confessional songwriting.
McVie fit perfectly into the new formula, and she was responsible for writing and performing many of the band’s most beloved songs in the ’70s and early ’80s, including “Say You Love Me” and “You Make Loving Fun.” Her material, which was generally easygoing and direct, served as the perfect compliment to the oft-tortured songs coming from Nicks and Buckingham.
The band kept up a pretty busy agenda for a while, but time opened up after the 1982 album Mirage. Interpersonal relationships among members of the band were severely strained at that time, so there was little chance they’d be doing a quick follow-up. Since Nicks and Buckingham were already headlong into their solo careers, McVie decided she’d get in the studio as well.
A Great Guest List
McVie, who generally wrote solo when coming up with songs for Fleetwood Mac, used a variety of co-writers on her 1984 self-titled album. For “Got a Hold on Me,” she tabbed guitarist Todd Sharp to help out. Sharp also co-wrote four other songs on the record.
Meanwhile, the lineup of players on the song is particularly impressive. Steve Ferrone, who would later go on to join Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, provides the muscular drum beat. Steve Winwood adds the synthesizers that hover around the proceedings. And Lindsey Buckingham joins the party with a few tasteful guitar licks here and there.
But even with all that help, McVie’s musicianship and singing stand out. She had a way with her keyboard work of providing both melodic and rhythmic punch to her songs, and that skill is certainly evident on “Got a Hold on Me.” Then there’s the way she arranges those backing vocals to form a kind of call and response with herself on lead. With production by Russ Titelman, this song just came bursting out of radio speakers in ’84, a good reason why it ended up in the Top 10.
What is “Got a Hold on Me” About?
As was the case with so many of McVie’s finest songs, “Got a Hold on Me” features lyrics that aren’t trying to do anything unnecessarily fancy. And yet they manage to convey the point with no sweat. Listen to how well they adhere to the meter, which helps the singalong quality of the track and makes it that much more catchy.
Check out the second verse for an example of how well she and Sharp keep things concise and still meaningful. Well, I’ve been in love and I’ve lost / I can count the tears but I can’t count the cost, she sings, detailing her rough romantic past. It seems to be continuing in that direction with the next line (Well, I’ve been down, I’ve been used). But then she turns it around with a single line that brightens the outlook considerably: Now I know, I know, I know that I just can’t lose.
Christine McVie released only one more solo album in her career, which is too bad. Her self-titled record shows off all her strengths and, in typical McVie fashion, does so in unassuming fashion. Songs like “Got a Hold on Me” almost sneak amiably by, until you realize down the road just what an impact they’ve left behind.
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