"Sentimental Lady" is a song written by

Bob Welch Bob Welch may refer to: *Bob Welch (baseball) (1956–2014), American baseball pitcher *Bob Welch (author) (born c. 1955), American author and newspaper columnist *Bob Welch (musician) (1945–2012), American musician and member of Fleetwood Mac ** ...

. It was originally recorded for

Fleetwood Mac Fleetwood Mac are a British-American rock band, formed in London in 1967. Fleetwood Mac were founded by guitarist Peter Green, drummer Mick Fleetwood and guitarist Jeremy Spencer, before bassist John McVie joined the line-up for their epony ...

's 1972 album ''

Bare Trees ''Bare Trees'' is the sixth studio album by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, released in March 1972. It was their last album to feature Danny Kirwan, who was fired during the album's supporting tour. In the wake of the band's success in ...

'', but was re-recorded by Welch on his debut solo album, '' French Kiss'', in 1977. It is a romantic song, originally written for Welch's first wife. Welch recorded it again in 2003 for his album '' His Fleetwood Mac Years & Beyond''.

History and release

The song was originally written by Welch at the former Gorham Hotel on 55th Street in New York City. The original 1972 version of the song as heard on Fleetwood Mac's ''Bare Trees'' album clocked in at 4 minutes 34 seconds, with background vocals by Christine McVie. It had two verses, with a reprise of the first following the instrumental bridge. A 1977 re-recording, the most well-known version of the song, was a solo hit for Welch when he recorded it for his first solo album, '' French Kiss'', which was released in September 1977. The first single released from the album, "Sentimental Lady" reached the top 10 in both the U.S. Pop and Adult Contemporary charts. Mick Fleetwood also played the drums for the song on Welch's 1977 album. The re-recording of it featured Christine McVie and Lindsey Buckingham as backing singers and producers (with Buckingham additionally doing the arrangement as well as serving on guitar), but unlike the original which had two verses, Welch's solo version only had one verse to cut it down to less than three minutes for the final radio cut.

Lyrical composition

The original placeholder/dummy lyrics for the chorus before the full lyrics were written was, "my legs are sticks and my feet are stones." The solo recording has a notable introduction with a multilayered guitar piece by Lindsey Buckingham. Welch told Songfacts.com: "The lyric was probably referencing my first wife Nancy." In the song, he personifies the love of his life as a "sentimental, gentle wind hat isblowing through my life again." The Fleetwood Mac version includes a verse that begins "Now you are here today, But easily you might just go away." It is omitted from Welch's solo version, which otherwise has the same lyrics. Donald Brackett, in his 2007 book, ''Fleetwood Mac, 40 Years of Creative Chaos '' has discussed Welch's poetic romantic lyrics in "Sentimental Lady" and writing and performing style. He describes the featuring of the song on the 1972 album ''

'' as the best example of the group's move towards a new, softer and highly commercial style in the early 1970s. Brackett suggests that the essence of the lyrics and nature of the song are "almost too gentle", but describes Welch's voice as like "crushed velvet", in that he believes the voice is simultaneously gentle and threatening in tone, a symbolic balance between the emotions of hope and despair. He later says of Welch's song writing, "Welch had the unique ability to encapsulate in a single song the travails of personal intimacy as well as the larger social picture in which we all lived".

Reception

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', was an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

'' described it as being "a startling approach to balladry" with "smooth harmonies abound." ''

Record World ''Record World'' magazine was one of the three main music industry trade magazines in the United States, along with '' Billboard'' and '' Cashbox''. It was founded in 1946 under the name ''Music Vendor'', but in 1964 it was changed to ''Record Wo ...

'' called it "a gentle, floating ballad" with "nice lyrics."

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Personnel

Fleetwood Mac version

–

rhythm guitar In music performances, rhythm guitar is a technique and role that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with other instruments from the rhythm section (e.g., drum kit, bass guitar ...

, lead and backing vocals * Danny Kirwan – lead guitar,

slide guitar Slide guitar is a technique for playing the guitar that is often used in blues music. It involves playing a guitar while holding a hard object (a slide) against the strings, creating the opportunity for glissando effects and deep vibratos tha ...

* Christine McVie – piano, organs, backing vocals * John McVie – bass guitar * Mick Fleetwood –

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

Bob Welch version

– guitars, lead and backing vocals * Lindsey Buckingham – guitars, backing vocals * Christine McVie – backing vocals, keyboards * John McVie – bass guitar * Mick Fleetwood –

, tambourine

References

External links

Listen to the Bob Welch version
on YouTube
Listen to the Fleetwood Mac version
on YouTube {{authority control Fleetwood Mac songs 1972 songs 1977 singles Songs written by Bob Welch (musician) Reprise Records singles Capitol Records singles