World Turning

"World Turning" is a song written by Christine McVie and Lindsey Buckingham for the British/American rock band Fleetwood Mac's tenth album, Fleetwood Mac.

Background
While the song was written in 1975, its roots date back to 1968. Fleetwood Mac's first album, which was also titled Fleetwood Mac, contained a track titled "The World Keeps 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 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.

Both the studio and live recordings make use of a talking drum, which was given to Mick Fleetwood by a Nigerian musician named Speedy. The instrument has appeared onstage for every Fleetwood Mac tour since 1969.

"World Turning" has appeared in every concert tour from the Fleetwood Mac tour onwards. Starting in 1987, on their Shake the Cage Tour, 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. 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.

Personnel

 * Lindsey Buckingham – Telecaster, Dobro, lead and backing vocals
 * Christine McVie – keyboards, lead and backing vocals, maracas
 * Stevie Nicks - backing vocals
 * Mick Fleetwood – drums, talking drum, tambourine
 * John McVie – bass guitar

Covers

 * The song was covered by former Fleetwood Mac member Bob Welch on his 2006 album His Fleetwood Mac Years and Beyond, Vol. 2.
 * Leo Kottke covered this song on his 1997 album Standing in My Shoes.