33 years ago Christine McVie (1984) released

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

I, too, was 13 when the album was released. I had known it was coming for months (thx to a commercial for it on MTV) and waited what seemed like an interminable amount of time for it to come out (some things never change).

I remember thinking all the songs were solid but hated the production, which struck me as glossy and dull like the inside of the JC Penney home section. There were two exceptions--"One in a Million" and "Smile I Live For." I felt both of these songs were not only the strongest on the record but among her best work in any context. Even with the passing of 33 years, I still feel the same way. Today, I'm a little kinder towards the rest of the record. I always liked the catchiness of the verses for "Got a Hold on Me" and was pleasantly surprised at how well it did. I also think "So Excited" and "Ask Anybody" really work, and might have been even better with more imaginative arrangements.

The rest bores me. "Love Will Show Us How" and "Keeping Secrets" are lot like "Got a Hold on Me" insofar as the verses work really well but the choruses don't really catch fire.

But "One In a Million" and "Smile" are exciting to me. They stand a head taller than anything else.

We didn't get MTV until 1986 so you can imagine what a deprived teenager I was I agree that Smile, Ask Anybody, and One in a Million are the album's best cuts. My local paper liked the album but stated the songs lacked "musical muscle." It said the songs are not wimpy at all but lack some punch. I understand that criticism. The Todd Sharpe interview on youtube was interesting to me. Christine did not want to do a solo album. Warner Brothers must have given her a nice incentive to do it. She was also afraid to do it and relied on good friends...two of them from Mick's 1981 solo outing. Todd would go over to Christine's house with Mick and Christine liked the way he composed for Mick so she invited him to do her solo album with her. My local rock station that did not play much pop rock and was only playing classic rock, hard rock and metal put One In A Million in heavy rotation. I was floored and so happy. I have/had 4 copies of this album. One my parents bought me for my 14th birthday, I won a copy on the radio, I won another copy on the radio and I gave it to my friend who gave it back to me, and I eventually bought the CD.
Love Will Show Us How is a good song. It unique that is only has one verse and also has a long chorus. I think if the song was cleaned up some it would have made a better single for the radio. I love that Christine did not embrace the 80's synth pop and stuck to real drums and guitar. My least favorite song is Who's Dreaming this dream. I love on One in a Million sometimes you forget Stevie Winwood is singing because his voice and Christine's voice are so similar.
To sort of quote Christine... they are not the most adventurous songs in the world but they are pleasing to the ears. I gave up on looking but I always wanted to know if this album was ever certified gold. I don't think it has which is a shame. If Buckingham/McVie tour, I will be in the front row with this solo album. I want to see the look on Christine's face when I hold it up. It drove me nuts to see fans putting copies of Rock A Little in front of Christine to sign I mean......really!