Christine McVie, who started her music journey with Chicken Shack as a pianist in the late 1960s, later joined the renowned British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac in 1970 and has served the band as both a vocalist and a keyboardist ever since.
McVie always loved music, and with bands like Chicken Shack and Fleetwood Mac, she inspired many people to love music. Certainly, her bands have several hit albums. She definitely inspired millions of people but what about McVie herself? are there any songs that inspired her? or songs she absolutely loved?
Favorite songs of Christine McVie
Back in 2017 McVie appeared on BBC’s radio program broadcast, Desert Disc Islands where she revealed a few songs that she can not live without. So, what songs are those songs?
1. Second Movement of the Four Seasons Number 4 in F minor
At first, McVie listed Vivaldi’s song Second Movement of the Four Seasons Number 4 in F minor. But why did she love this song? She revealed that her father was a violinist and he would often play Vivaldi. Furthermore, she told that the song reminded her of her father.
2. Ain’t that a Shame
No wonder one of McVie’s favorite songs is ‘Ain’t that a Shame’ because Fats Domino was not only a music star but a huge inspiration to many aspiring musicians including Christine. She mentioned that this song came to her as an inspiration strangely or oddly when everything for her was about classical music.
“Even when my songwriting style had changed, there’s always been a little bit of that boogie bass, so that’s what that’s all about,” she told about the song.
3. Roll Over Beethoven
Originally by the Father of Rock and Roll, Chuck Berry, ‘Roll Over Beethoven’ is another song that is on McVie’s list of songs she can’t live without. Although she seemed to prefer The Beatles’ version of this song more. One of the reasons why she loved this song seems to be because her parents gifted her this album on Christmas.
She told, “My parents bought me this album for Christmas, and it was during Beatlemania. I was one of the Beatlemaniacs. I must have been about 19-20; oh, I played this record until there was nothing left of it, It was all about the melodies, the songs, the harmonies. The voices were so upfront and crystal clear. I think their use of space was so crucial.”
4. Man of the World
One of Fleetwood Mac’s popular songs Man of the World is another song in the list of McVie’s favorite songs. The song was recorded and released in 1969. Written and sung by Peter Green, McVie told that this song also reflected Green’s farewell from Fleetwood Mac.
5. Angel, Come Home
Later on, she mentioned The Beach Boys’ 1979 song Angel, Come Home as one of the songs she could not live without. Carl Wilson’s written song, Angel, Come Home, is from The Beach Boys’ 23rd studio album L.A. The song features Dennis Wilson in the lead vocal.
Wilson who died in 1983, was dating McVie around the time when the song was released so when she heard that Wilson died, she left the US and flew to the UK. She also admitted that she had a “wild image in her mind that she was going to be a country lady” leaving her luxurious lifestyle.
She said, “I think I wanted to settle in a nest. Every single band member, collectively and individually, tried to persuade me from leaving.”
Furthermore, other than these tracks, Christine revealed that The Everly Brothers’ Cathy’s Clown, Ralph Vaughan Wiliams’ The Lark Ascending, and Etta James’ I’d Rather Go Home as her go-to songs that she can’t live without.
Sadly, Christine McVie passed away “following a short illness.”
