The Fleetwood Mac Song Christine McVie Dedicated to Beach Boy Dennis Wilson
Fleetwood Macās Christine McVie performed on hits like āThe Chain,ā āLove In Store,ā and āGo Your Own Way.ā Following her relationship with The Beach Boys member Dennis Wilson, McVie dedicated one Mirage track to her ex, giving him āspecial thanksā for the āinspirationā behind the 1982 release.Ā
The Beach Boysā Dennis Wilson and Fleetwood Macās Christine McVie started their relationship in the 1970s
As one of the founding members of The Beach Boys, Wilson performed drums on chart-topping songs for the rock group. Wilson also started a whirlwind romance with Fleetwood Mac member Christine McVie.Ā
āDennis walked into the studio one night and whisked me off my feet,ā McVie said during an interview with Rolling Stone. āIt was probably the experience of a lifetime. Dennis was such a character. Half of him was like a little boy, and the other half was insane. A really split personality.ā
āOnly Over Youā by Fleetwood Mac is dedicated to Dennis Wilson
Wilson performed āYou Are So Beautifulā at McVieās birthday party, complete with a full orchestra. As two award-winning artists, the duo often wrote and performed music together.Ā
McVie even dedicated a song on Fleetwood Macās last LP, Mirage, to her partner. Thatās āOnly Over You,ā with the record sleeve stating āwith special thanks for inspiration to Dennis Wilson.ā The song currently holds over 2 million Spotify plays.
āIām out of my mind / But itās only over you,ā the lyrics state. āPeople think Iām crazy / But they donāt know / Thought love had failed me / But now, theyāre watching it grow.ā
Dennis Wilson and Christine McVie broke up in 1981
This relationship was overshadowed by Wilsonās drug and alcohol consumption, particularly his coke use followed by excessive drinking. This strained his time with McVie, as noted by other people close to the performers.
āHe used her place like a hospital,ā Steve Goldberg said during the same Rolling Stone article. āThen heād call me, Iād go and pick him up, and she wouldnāt see him for a week. When he was totaled out ā he wouldnāt sleep for a week ā heād go back. Over and over again. He cared about her, but his priority was having a good time.ā
By 1981, the couple had officially separated. McVie later reflected on the relationship, particularly after the death of Wilson in 1983.
āWhy do people stay with people? āCos they love them, I guess. And I loved him for a while,ā she said in 2004, per the book Fleetwood Mac on Fleetwood Mac. āHe was very charismatic, great looking, very charming, very cute ā if you can call a guy with a beard and a voice like Satan ācuteā. He used to draw people into his life, strangers off planes and off the streets, and theyād become his best friends.ā
Music by Fleetwood Music is available on most major streaming platforms.Ā