….Fleetwood Mac had their only UK No.1 single with the instrumental ‘Albatross’ which was composed by guitarist Peter Green.
A bit of background…An albatross is a bird that sailors believed brought bad luck, hence the expression “An albatross around your neck.” The albatross appears in the poem The Rhyme Of The Ancient Mariner by Samuel Coleridge. Fleetwood Mac guitarist Peter Green read the poem as a child, which gave him the idea for the song. This ‘idea’ would go onto be the biggest-selling selling rock instrumental of all time in the UK.
A Chuck Berry instrumental from 1957 called “Deep Feeling” has many of the same elements Fleetwood Mac used on “Albatross,” including a call and answer style of guitar playing, and constant bass in the background. Berry was an influence on many British Blues musicians – definitely on Peter Green!
..’Albatross’ is the only Fleetwood Mac composition with the distinction of having inspired a Beatles song, ‘Sun King’ from 1969’s Abbey Road.
However, the Beatles version isn’t on Youtube, so you’re going to have to believe me – it really does sound similar!
Here’s the Mac though….
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