"World Turning" is a song written by

Christine McVie Christine Anne McVie (; Perfect; 12 July 1943 – 30 November 2022) was an English musician. She was the keyboardist and one of the vocalists and songwriters of the rock band Fleetwood Mac. McVie was a member of several bands, notably Chic ...

and

Lindsey Buckingham Lindsey Adams Buckingham (born October 3, 1949) is an American musician, record producer, and the lead guitarist and co-lead vocalist of the Rock music, rock band Fleetwood Mac from 1975 to 1987 and 1997 to 2018. In addition to his tenure with ...

for the British/American rock band

Fleetwood Mac Fleetwood Mac are a British-American Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1967 by the singer and guitarist Peter Green (musician), Peter Green. Green named the band by combining the surnames of the drummer, Mick Fleetwood, and the bassis ...

's tenth album, ''

''.

Background

While the song was written in 1975, its roots date back to 1968. Fleetwood Mac's first album, which was also titled ''

'', contained a track titled "The World Keep on Turning", written by founding member Peter Green. The band reworked the song, and the title was later truncated to "World Turning". Unlike other songs on the album, "World Turning" was a collaboration with two Fleetwood Mac members: keyboardist Christine McVie, and guitarist Lindsey Buckingham. Producer Keith Olsen claimed that

Stevie Nicks Stephanie Lynn Nicks (born May 26, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter, known for her work with the band Fleetwood Mac and as a solo artist. After starting her career as a duo with her then-boyfriend Lindsey Buckingham, releasing the album ...

was initially jealous over her lack of involvement in the writing process, but eventually "got over it". Buckingham used two guitars on the track: a Fender Telecaster electric guitar and a Dobro, a resonator guitar that produces sound through one or more metal cones. He also had his low E string tuned down to a D. Mick Fleetwood played a talking drum on both the studio recording and subsequent live renditions of the song. A Nigerian musician named Speedy made a red talking drum for Fleetwood, which he brought with him onstage for every Fleetwood Mac tour since 1969. "World Turning" has appeared on most of the band's concert tours from the Fleetwood Mac tour onwards. Starting with their Shake the Cage Tour in 1987, the band performed an extended live version that showcased Fleetwood's drumming. Up until the Say You Will Tour, he also played a solo on a "drum vest" utilising

MIDI Musical Instrument Digital Interface (; MIDI) is an American-Japanese technical standard that describes a communication protocol, digital interface, and electrical connectors that connect a wide variety of electronic musical instruments, ...

. The vest, which was connected to an amplifier, had five touch-activated pads that produced various sampled noises such as bells, screams, horns, and shattering glass. Performances on the 2018–2019 An Evening with Fleetwood Mac Tour lasted over ten minutes that featured both a talking drum solo and a call and response section.

Personnel

– guitars, Dobro, lead and backing vocals *

– keyboards, lead and backing vocals *

– backing vocals * Mick Fleetwood –

drums The drum is a member of the percussion instrument, percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel–Sachs classification system, it is a membranophones, membranophone. Drums consist of at least one Acoustic membrane, membrane, c ...

, talking drum, tambourine *

John McVie John Graham McVie (; born 26 November 1945) is a British bass guitarist. He is best known as a member of the rock bands John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers from 1964 to 1967 and Fleetwood Mac since 1967. His surname, combined with that of drummer ...

–

bass guitar The bass guitar (), also known as the electric bass guitar, electric bass, or simply the bass, is the lowest-pitched member of the guitar family. It is similar in appearance and construction to an Electric guitar, electric but with a longer nec ...

Covers

*The song was covered by former Fleetwood Mac member Bob Welch on his 2006 album '' His Fleetwood Mac Years and Beyond, Vol. 2''. * Tony Trischka covered this song on his 1993 album '' World Turning'' featuring Alison Krauss on vocals. * Leo Kottke covered this song on his 1997 album '' Standing in My Shoes''.

References

{{Fleetwood Mac Fleetwood Mac songs 1975 songs Songs written by Lindsey Buckingham Songs written by Christine McVie