Hypnotized

Album: Mystery to Me (1973)
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Songfacts®:

  • This was written by Bob Welch, who was a guitarist and vocalist in Fleetwood Mac from 1971-1974. Welch, who died in 2012 at age 65, gave us the story behind the song. Welch wrote: "'Hypnotized' was first a 'shuffle-time blues rocker' for singer Dave Walker (ex-Savoy Brown lead singer) when Fleetwood Mac had Dave on board as a band member for a (very) short while. When we realized that Dave was not fitting in musically with what we were trying to do, I hurriedly re-wrote the lyrics in Christine McVie's upstairs living room at 'Benifolds,' the 'mansion' south of London where we all lived and recorded at the time - it was a 20 room house. The 'playing field' mentioned in one of the verses made a reference to the large grass tennis court which was part of the property... and kind of spooky at night.

    I was (and still am) interested in the paranormal - UFO's, the Carlos Castaneda books about the Yaqui Indian 'sorcerer' Don Juan - so I incorporated a lot of these themes and references into the song. The 'place down in Mexico' refers to Castaneda's Yaqui sorcerer, Don Juan, who is presumably doing 'astral' travel ;-). The 'strange, strange pond' with 'sides like glass' refers to a strange anomalous depression in the North Carolina woods near Winston-Salem, North Carolina which a friend told me about, which, at the time, freaked him (and his dirt-biking buddies) out."
  • Released as the B-side to Fleetwood Mac's cover version of "For Your Love," "Hypnotized" proved to be the more popular song and endured on FM radio. It won an ASCAP award for 35 years on consecutive worldwide radio airplay.

Comments: 7

  • Rodney Cross from Los Angeles, CaOne of my favorite F Mac songs post-F Mac blues era (RIP Bob & Peter). To me, I like the funny gorilla cover. It doesn’t bother me at all & I think goes with “Hypnotized”.
  • Michelle from Alameda, CaA forever enduring, evocative song. One of Fleetwood Mac's most underrated gems & among their most haunting from a band who made their name making haunting music. One thing for sure, the music on this album sure deserved a better record cover! One of the most god-awful album covers of all time. Who the heck OK'd that design?
  • Ytownboy from Youngstown OhioIts sounds like it would be a song about the rendlesham forest incident
  • Tony from San Diego, CaMothman, totally! Just a perfect song. Love the eeriness of it, listening to it now with headphones, candles, 2:57 am bit of wind in living room and smokin out. NICE.
  • Oldpink from Farmland, InSad to say that Bob Welch only yesterday took his life.
    At least his music lives on in this classic, not to mention his solo "Sentimental Lady."
    RIP Bob
  • Lisa from Marietta , OhI have wondered about this one so many times. I always think of the Mothman when I hear something flies by the window. Such a cool song.
  • Ed from San Antonio, TxOne of my Fav songs from the 70's. The way the song starts, Bob's voice, and the UFO references make for a classic song. I never get tired of it. My only complaint: The CD needs to be remastered. It deserves a better treatment.
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