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1987 single by Fleetwood Mac

"Big Love" is a song written by Lindsey Buckingham and performed by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac. The song first appeared on the band`s 1987 album Tango in the Night. The song was the first single to be released from the album, reaching number 5 in the US[3] and number nine in the UK. The single was also a hit on the American dance charts, where the song peaked at number 7.[4]

A 12-inch version featured an extended dance mix, with added vocals by Stevie Nicks. While the 12-inch version in some territories included "You & I, Part II" from the Tango in the Night album, the 7-inch version and 12-inch version in other territories included a non-album track, "You & I, Part I". A limited edition 12-inch picture disc was released in the UK, as well as a double 7-inch pack that included the "Big Love" single, and an exclusive 7-inch featuring "The Chain" as an A-side. "Big Love" became a standard of the Balearic beat dance sound,[5][6] and the object of an extended remix by the DJ Arthur Baker.[7]

Background

In 1985, Buckingham began compiling material for a third solo album and eventually amassed around 50 songs during this time. One of those songs was "Big Love", which Buckingham intended to include on his solo album. However, Fleetwood Mac was also creating a new album at the time, so Buckingham abandoned his solo project and transferred "Big Love" to Tango in the Night.[8] "My choice was to keep making the solo record and walk in as a cameo and have cameo producers, or just surrender to the situation and say there will be more songs later. And I chose the latter."[9]

"Big Love" was nearly complete by the time Fleetwood Mac began work on Tango in the Night, so the band largely left Buckingham`s demo untouched for the final release.[8] Buckingham performed the oh-ah vocals himself by sampling his voice through the use of a variable speed oscillator (VS0). "It was odd," he said, "that so many people wondered if it was Stevie on there with me."[10] The song possesses a I-VII-VI-VII chord progression in the verses and a IV-V-I dominant sequence in the chorus.[11]

Acoustic version

After Buckingham left Fleetwood Mac in 1987 (shortly after Tango in the Night was released), the band did not perform "Big Love" live until his return in 1997. It was in 1993, on his first solo tour, that Buckingham performed a guitar-only version of the song.[12] When Buckingham played "Big Love" live, he used a gutted Gibson Chet Atkins SST with a capo on the fourth fret and a synth pickup.[13] In 1997, he performed "Big Love" in the same style on Fleetwood Mac`s live album The Dance.[14] The song also appeared on the second volume of Cameron Crowe`s Elizabethtown film soundtrack.[15] Buckingham has performed the song on solo tours as well as Fleetwood Mac tours, including the band`s 2014–2015 On With the Show Tour.[16] During Fleetwood Mac`s performance on 27 May 2015 at The O2 Arena, Leonie Cooper of NME reported that drops of blood were present on Buckingham`s guitar due to the intensity of his playing.[17]

Music video

The video opens on a shot of a mansion. Then the camera slowly pans back and continues to pan back nonstop throughout the video as Buckingham sings with the band featured playing instruments in various settings while Nicks dances around wearing different outfits during the video. During the last segment of the song, the video is then played backwards in a fast forwarded sort of form.

Reception

Cash Box called it a "perfect blend of rock experimentation and pure pop sensibility."[18] The Guardian and Paste ranked the song number 18 and number 19 respectively on their lists of the 30 greatest Fleetwood Mac songs.[19][20]

Track listings

UK 7" single (Warner Brothers Records W 8398)

1. "Big Love" – 3:37
2. "You and I, Part I" – 3:09

UK 12" single (Warner Brothers Records W 8398 T)

1. "Big Love" (Extended Remix) – 6:42
2. "You and I, Part I" – 3:09

US 12" single (Warner Brothers Records 0-20683)

1. "Big Love" (Extended Remix) – 6:42
2. "Big Love" (House on the Hill Dub) – 3:03
3. "Big Love" (Piano Dub) – 6:36
4. "You and I, Part II" – 2:40

Personnel

• Lindsey Buckingham – vocals, guitars, Fairlight CMI Synthesizer, keyboards, drum and percussion programming
• Mick Fleetwood – drums
• John McVie – bass guitar
• Stevie Nicks – vocals (12" single extended remix only)

Charts

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "Big Love"