Say You Love Me
 

In Canada, Shirley Eikhard covered "Say You Love Me" and released it as a single several weeks in advance of Fleetwood Mac in early June 1976. Eikhard took the song into the Canadian top 40, peaking at #34; Fleetwood Mac's version, released only a few weeks later, peaked at #29 in September.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqaDqFCLIA8


In the fall of 1979, singer Stephanie Winslow scored the only Top 10 country hit of her career, with her cover reaching number 10 on the country charts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYQoWfDMtS8

Singer Lynda K. Lance spent five weeks in the fall of 1976 on the American country singles chart with her version, peaking at #93.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoXAg_jp9q4

How was Shirley Eikhard allowed to do that?! I can't imagine why Fleetwood Mac or Christine McVie would sign off on one of their potential singles from their new "comeback" album being released by someone else beforehand.

I never wholly understood the story behind this. My assumption is Christine published the song and it was therefore able to be picked up by someone. Given that FM weren't popular on the radio, they were willing to take what they could get...whatever $ came from the use of the song and, hopefully, whatever airplay.

The interesting thing for me is that this cover of "SYLM" is good--but it lacks the inimitable quality of Christine's voice. So much of the success of this song--and all her songs--depends on how SHE sings them.

I'm not surprised that "Spare Me" was covered so many times: its melody and chords are a little more ornate than most Christine songs and require the vocalist a bit more range, thereby appealing to a wider range of singers. (Ironically, I don't think Christine sang it very well until 1973-74.) But with a song like "SYLM," you either possess that special voice to carry it off or you don't.

All you need to do to understand this post is: Sing a Christine song. Whether playing piano, or karaoke. It's a lot harder than it appears.

I was not aware of any of this. Very interesting and incredibly rare but it makes sense to make money where you can make it right before they hit it huge. I remember Stevie commenting that she became a millionaire during the White album tour. To be a millionaire in 1976 was an insane amount of money put in perspective.

Yes, it is! The singer has to possess impeccable timing and, as Flynn says, character: "Christine has that in spades."