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Fleetwood Mac — Future Games
Album: Future Games
Avg rating:
7.1

Your rating:
Total ratings: 2234









Released: 1971
Length: 8:06
Plays (last 30 days): 1
I did a thing last night
You know those future games
I turned off all the lights
Oh, the future came
You were by my side
Will you explain-oh yeah
Real rhyme or reason for those future games

Now you were there last night
And oh were you afraid
Of things we'd come upon
While playing future games
But baby it's alright and so have faith
Oh yeah, you invent the future that you want to face

How many people sit home at night
Wondering if they will be here tonight
Wondering if children will he bring to the light
Inherit the world, or inherit the night
Wondering if neighbors are thinking the same
All of the wild things tomorrow will tame
Talking of journeys that happen in vain

Well I know I'm not the only one
To ever spend my life sitting playing future games

You better take your time
You know there's no escape
The future sends a sign
Of things we will create
Baby it's alright
And so have faith
Oh yeah, you invent the future that you want to face

How many people sit home at night
Wondering if they will be here tonight
Wondering if children will he bring to the light
Inherit the world, or inherit the night
Wondering if neighbors are thinking the same
All of the wild things tomorrow will tame
Talking of journeys that happen in vain

And I know I'm not the only one
To ever spend my life sitting playing future games

Future games...
Future games...
Future games...
Future games...

I know I'm not the only one...
I know I'm not the only one...
I know I'm not the only one...
I know I'm not the only one...
I know I'm not the only one...
I know I'm not the only one...
I know I'm not the only one...
I know I'm not the only one...
Comments (323)add comment
 stevesaw wrote:

I love how the guitars are trippy and jazzy and at the end the power chords start to come in and then drive the song. So many guitars! 




can you imagine FM live with Green, Welch, Buckingham, Spencer, Kirwan all jamming?

the beginning of this had me thinking Green
 timmus wrote:
I'm always amazed at the kind of music that was coming out around 1970/1971/1972.  That's where things were peaking and taking us into the prog rock era.  You had Traffic, Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, and on and on, and meanwhile Pink Floyd was starting to develop their signature sound.  And this song was among that genre.
 
This is just ten years after the music industry was cranking out sock hop songs like Peppermint Twist, Big Girls Don't Cry, and Blue Moon.  Such massive evolution in the rock music sound in a short time.


A big thank you to psychedelics is in order. They freed their mind and the rest did follow!
this is timeless - coulda been released last week
One thing about this band, if you didn't care for the particular era you were listening to (for me it's the ultra-pop era), you could go back and experience something entirely different. 
 stevesaw wrote:

Buy the whole album - its all good.


I'll just take a half....Please!
I'm always amazed at the kind of music that was coming out around 1970/1971/1972.  That's where things were peaking and taking us into the prog rock era.  You had Traffic, Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, and on and on, and meanwhile Pink Floyd was starting to develop their signature sound.  And this song was among that genre.
 
This is just ten years after the music industry was cranking out sock hop songs like Peppermint Twist, Big Girls Don't Cry, and Blue Moon.  Such massive evolution in the rock music sound in a short time.
I dig listening to old Fleetwood Mac.  It's so different.  Their first album was a solid blues album if I remember correctly.   Great stuff.

If you're looking for an interesting read, check out Mick Fleetwood's autobiography.  Interesting stuff about how the started and who were their contemporaries back then. 
 fraserji wrote:

Yoko?
Ha!
Well played.
c.


Where is the 11 rating? I love this song.
 secretsauce wrote:
 unclehud wrote:

YES!!!
  This is before She Who Shall Not Be Named joined, and ruined, the band.

...
Second, they were invited in by Mick, Christine, and John who apparently welcomed that new direction (and certainly profited from it) -- so if this "ruined" the band, she is hardly solely responsible.  

...
 
From the sound of it, pretty much everyone else had already long left the band, so it's not like they pushed anybody out either.  Everything changes, or becomes irrelevant and dies.  Everything...
 unclehud wrote:

YES!!!
  This is before She Who Shall Not Be Named joined, and ruined, the band.

I'm glad they got commercial success and hopefully made a ton of money, and I do like some of the later stuff. That being said, this middle era FM makes me stop working and I take a break and let the ears and brain have some fun.

 unclehud wrote:

YES!!!
  This is before She Who Shall Not Be Named joined, and ruined, the band.

Meh. Yes, Stevie Nicks' arrival (and Buckingham's) transformed the band into something completely different from its roots. But first, this was not the first time they transformed themselves.

Second, they were invited in by Mick, Christine, and John who apparently welcomed that new direction (and certainly profited from it) -- so if this "ruined" the band, she is hardly solely responsible.  

And third, this transformation most likely saved the band from the fate of other great bands from Buffalo Springfield to the Yardbirds ... slow dissolution as the most bandmates either died, or left to find bigger fame in other bands.   

Bottom line, they may as well have changed the name of the band as it merged with Buckingham & Nicks ... but something about the name still appealed to Mick Fleetwood and the Mac(Vie)s ... (can't put my finger on it).  It's just a different band.
 unclehud wrote:

YES!!!
  This is before She Who Shall Not Be Named joined, and ruined, the band.
 
Yoko?
 Wilfrue wrote:
RIP, Bob Welch. You did some good work in your stint with Fleetwood Mac. 
 
Yessiree, he sure did. 
 lbmoretti wrote:
this is very different from the Fleetwood Mac I know... and good. Thanks Bill
 
YES!!!
  This is before She Who Shall Not Be Named joined, and ruined, the band.
this is very different from the Fleetwood Mac I know... and good. Thanks Bill
I love how the guitars are trippy and jazzy and at the end the power chords start to come in and then drive the song. So many guitars! 
 ScottishWillie wrote:
 jjtwister wrote:
Love the song FUTURE GAMES however, can't seem to find/purchase the individual  song on Amazon Prime and iTUNES doesn't even list the album. Can anyone point me in the right direction to purchase this song?
I had to purchase a second hand CD to get this album as iTunes and Amazon (UK) don’t seem to have digital versions.


 
Buy the whole album - its all good.
 coloradojohn wrote:
This song has always spoken to me of other realms more contemplative and sedate, even long before I went off and found some... I shall eternally dig its trippy, transcendental lyrics, and always worship that blissed-out guitar that dances along the edge of feedback...
 
While I contemplate the reasons to go +1 to 9, I found this CoJo post and decided to round up.  Long Live RP and digging it!!
 aaronm wrote:
Fleetwood Mac is great... but I submit that this is among the very worst of what they have to offer.
 
I do believe you truly intended to write among the very best of what they have to offer. Please confirm.  Thank you. 
 thewiseking wrote:
of historic interest only
 
You can say that about your grandmother's diary but not about this iconic FM-track.
 ToddBradley wrote:
Between the Hammond organ and the guitar solo, I thought this was a long lost CSNY song or something.
 
Bill just m have read your comment.  Wish Ships follows this time.

Couldn't read comments during song.

Someone will find my dessicated corpse in my chair with headphones in place.  Rock on.
Thanks to RP I got to know this album. Their best if you ask me...My favourite song is Show me a smile.
The lead guitar work does sound similar to Stephen Stills of CSN.  That means it sounds excellent.
Great song from a forgotten FM era.
  This came out in '71, but I didn't hear it until '75 and loved it's dreamy character from the first moment.  
It was their first album to feature Christine McVie as a full member. This album was also the first of five albums to feature American guitarist Bob Welch . “He was totally different background – R&B, sort of jazzy. He brought his personality,” Mick Fleetwood said of Welch in a 1995 BBC interview. “He was a member of Fleetwood Mac before we’d even played a note.”  ~WIKI
1971. Wow! The babies born then have definitely inherited the world.
Fleetwood Mac is great... but I submit that this is among the very worst of what they have to offer.
applause to Danny Kirwan lest he be forgotten  {#Clap}
Between the Hammond organ and the guitar solo, I thought this was a long lost CSNY song or something.
 justin4kick wrote:
I see am not the only one who heard a Stills-guitar.

To my disappointment this FM-album is not on Spotify. But it is available on SoundCloud

 
It's awesome. Thanks!
 justin4kick wrote:
I see am not the only one who heard a Stills-guitar.

To my disappointment this FM-album is not on Spotify. But it is available on SoundCloud

  Just heard that too,,never noticed that before


Sublime.
This song has always spoken to me of other realms more contemplative and sedate, even long before I went off and found some... I shall eternally dig its trippy, transcendental lyrics, and always worship that blissed-out guitar that dances along the edge of feedback...
I see am not the only one who heard a Stills-guitar.

To my disappointment this FM-album is not on Spotify. But it is available on SoundCloud
Might just be my favorite FM song, and that covers a lot of ground.  Hypnotized is just about equal to this.
  coloradojohn wrote:
love this! I always thought that Bob had a streak of Stephen Stills-style of guitar-playing, especially in this — a lot like Wooden Ships!

 hayduke2 wrote:

I heard that too, quite excellent sounds  : )

 
super man! DJ followed with C, S and N so excellent
 jjtwister wrote:
Love the song FUTURE GAMES however, can't seem to find/purchase the individual  song on Amazon Prime and iTUNES doesn't even list the album. Can anyone point me in the right direction to purchase this song?

I had to purchase a second hand CD to get this album as iTunes and Amazon (UK) don’t seem to have digital versions.


RIP, Bob Welch. You did some good work in your stint with Fleetwood Mac. 
This song made me realize I had a busted speaker...

Coolio

Woot

WooHoo

 

great chillin song


 timmus wrote:
I wonder what this song would have sounded like if Christine and Stevie were in the band.

 
Christine is in this version of the band.  If Stevie was around in those days, songs like this woulda never happened.
Beautiful!
I wonder what this song would have sounded like if Christine and Stevie were in the band.
Not always but usually, all I hear in this is whining.
ah, 1971. takes me right back. I always loved this Fleetwood Mac song more than any of their later more commercial hits. Buckingham/Nicks in 1973 too. 
 
 sktillman wrote:
Was actually just listening to the hauntingly beautiful "Bare Trees" LP from '72, an all time favorite. I like this line-up. Actually liked all their various bands, but it's nice to hear this gentle side.

 
LOVE "Bare Trees." Thanks for reminding me. 
Always interesting, hard not to like this. 
Was actually just listening to the hauntingly beautiful "Bare Trees" LP from '72, an all time favorite. I like this line-up. Actually liked all their various bands, but it's nice to hear this gentle side.
Great to hear this again.  This used to be one of my favorite albums.
 Proclivities wrote:

That's what was once said about Maria Ouspenskaya - look where it got those naysayers.

 
Maria Ouspenskaya!?! Dude, how'd ya know i dug The Wolf Man?
actually more of a bob welch tune than kirwan but zesty none the less . love it !
One of their best early recordings. Please play when it fits your playlist. Heros are hard to find was another great record.... Thx, rp.
 jjtwister wrote:
Love the song FUTURE GAMES however, can't seem to find/purchase the individual  song on Amazon Prime and iTUNES doesn't even list the album. Can anyone point me in the right direction to purchase this song?

jjtwister/vermont
home of the one and only Bernie Sanders 

 
No. Only covers on iTunes. But the CD (and cassette) available on Amazon, through the link in the header above this forum (and RP benefits a bit from your purchase).

Bernie's the man.
Love the song FUTURE GAMES however, can't seem to find/purchase the individual  song on Amazon Prime and iTUNES doesn't even list the album. Can anyone point me in the right direction to purchase this song?

jjtwister/vermont
home of the one and only Bernie Sanders 
Decent. Must get me this album.
great track and very good album overall one of the macs best !
 thewiseking wrote:
of historic interest only

 
That's what was once said about Maria Ouspenskaya - look where it got those naysayers.
My Favorite Fleetwood Mac Album!
Early and mid FM was eclectic and creative. Fabulous music that was more interesting than the later years' pop hits.
 thewiseking wrote:
of historic interest only

 
Well, it's no Tusk.
;-) 
of historic interest only
Future games ...
 twoplain2sea wrote:
A token beyond one's ken.
Now grokking neighbors the same.
Just as robot named 'crack the pot' 
And  Is in its dress code petting
with the backbone Teddy the shy bear;
I am in a mango plantation
For  our tomorrow parties.
 
Hey, I was gonna say that!
A token beyond one's ken.
Now grokking neighbors the same.
Just as robot named 'crack the pot' 
And  Is in its dress code petting
with the backbone Teddy the shy bear;
I am in a mango plantation
For  our tomorrow parties.
Bob was such a weirdo (check out his website sometime). But, man, great music.
The only version of Fleetwood Mac that I love.  I love it when he whispers "listen" at the end of the guitar solo.  Damn song gives me shivers every time I hear it.  R.I.P. Bob.
Thanks to RP I've really been exploring early and mid period Fleetwood Mac.

I found a copy of Peter Green's "In The Skies" album on vinyl and picked it up.

What a fantastic album! 
 coloradojohn wrote:
I love this! I always thought that Bob had a streak of Stephen Stills-style of guitar-playing, especially in this — a lot like Wooden Ships!

 
Bill must be watching.   Wooden Ships just followed this! :-)
Yeah, hard to beat everything they had going here; the Welch-style breathing rhythms, the Wakeman-style keyboards, the jamming guitars, the appropriately spooky and ethereal vocals, the excellent, brilliant lyrics... Truly a masterpiece, a keystone in their legacy... 
From sucko-barfo Buena Vista Social ClubCandela to this brilliant piece. I just don't understand i guess :^ /
 coloradojohn wrote:
I love this! I always thought that Bob had a streak of Stephen Stills-style of guitar-playing, especially in this — a lot like Wooden Ships!

 
I heard that too, quite excellent sounds  : )
 Lazarus wrote:
big stud Romeo Tuma wrote:
Bob Welch wrote this one, the title song of the album... of course, on this album, Fleetwood Mac still had Danny Kirwan with them, before he took LSD before a concert one day and decided to quit the band...  Kirwan wrote "Woman of a Thousand Years", "Sands of Time", and "Sometimes" on this album...  each Fleetwood Mac album has its own special tidbits, and they are all good...
 
Everybody in my alien space craft loves this song...  we love this album...  we love to see sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll at the top of the RAFT...

 
What's interesting about this band is that their various versions from Peter Green to Danny Kirwan to Bob Welch to Lindsey Buckingham—to use the guitar players as benchmarks—serve as a microcosm of the progression of rock music during that time. I'm not sure there was any other rhythm section (Fleetwood and McVie) who were as open to the myriad possibilities of rock and pop. Each version of the band had a distinctive sound, yielded hits, and established a unique musical and vocal identity.
Brilliant guitar work. Danny Kirwan is magical and Bob Welch is not too shabby either.
Bumping from 7 > 8.  I'm suddenly transported by a vivid flashback of listening to this on uber-classic FM radio at 2 a.m. in my Back Bay Boston dorm on a bitterly cold winter 1976 night as I gazed from the 4th floor down on nearly deserted Storrow Drive along the half frozen Charles River. After I had spliffed and beered and laughed all through the evening.  I will never again exult in such days of nearly carefree dreamy indulgence. That WAS an education. 
As my college roommate used to say: "that's some tasty guitar work!"
Also, FWIW, Welch was friends with Spirit's Randy California who also had an album called "Future Games - a Magical-Kahauna Dream" that came out in '77 that has kind of a similar vibe to this.

I don't think Welch plays on it, but he is on some Spirit material from around that time. 
Sublime
 kingart wrote:
Late '70s Buckingham Nicks Fleetwood Mac was quite likable. But these earlier albums (for me, particularly Bare Trees) was quintessential. This album, too, calls up fond memories. I didn't appreciate the 2 - 3 LPs I had and got rid of them for weed money. Dumb. 

 
The "mid career" albums with Welsh, Kirwan, Weston, et al, are favorites of mine. Great music, but they also remind me of undergrad days of skateboarding on the street in front of my place in the student ghetto, speakers in the windows and "Miles Away" blasting away.
 Steely_D wrote:
Totally love the Welch sort of swaying feel of this tune. Great stuff.
Sounds a lot like the Big Towne 2061 music that he'd do later (which was the precursor to Bowie's Tin Men project...) 

 
I enjoy the Paris albums.
I like that Wes Montgomery bit at the end
 Tana wrote:
My college roommate used to play this to go to sleep by, back in the early 70s. Nice, relaxing memory. Makes a great lullaby.

 
I can totally see/feel this ... {#Sleep}
Saw them in concert last night.  Fun show!
 
My college roommate used to play this to go to sleep by, back in the early 70s. Nice, relaxing memory. Makes a great lullaby.
Totally love the Welch sort of swaying feel of this tune. Great stuff.
Sounds a lot like the Big Towne 2061 music that he'd do later (which was the precursor to Bowie's Tin Men project...) 
big stud Romeo Tuma wrote:
Bob Welch wrote this one, the title song of the album... of course, on this album, Fleetwood Mac still had Danny Kirwan with them, before he took LSD before a concert one day and decided to quit the band...  Kirwan wrote "Woman of a Thousand Years", "Sands of Time", and "Sometimes" on this album...  each Fleetwood Mac album has its own special tidbits, and they are all good...
 
Everybody in my alien space craft loves this song...  we love this album...  we love to see sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll at the top of the RAFT...
Wow.... NEVER EVER would have guessed this was Fleetwood.... sounds incredibly contemporary.
I love this! I always thought that Bob had a streak of Stephen Stills-style of guitar-playing, especially in this — a lot like Wooden Ships!
Randy California/Spirit also had a very strange album called "Future Games".

Not sure Bob Welch guested on it, but he did guest on some later Spirit albums. 
Didn't know that song, but I like it quite a bit  :)
Future Games, Bare Trees, and Kiln House were perhaps their best.

The guitar work sound a bit Crosby Stills and Nash to me (this is a complement).


Nice!!
PG rated.

 

Great song, great album.


 df1489 wrote:

 
I love this station! Enjoy your 4th! Thanks Bill....


Meeh...
ho-hum 
Wonderous Stories from Yes resembles this tune a lot.
While I, too, love the early Fleetwood Mac, this song was not among my choices.  I have always loved their guitar sound, and while this song had some of that quality, the lyrical portion of this song rubbed me the wrong way.  Just too damn angelic.  Didn't they bill themselves as a blues band back then?
 
 kingart wrote:
Late '70s Buckingham Nicks Fleetwood Mac was quite likable. But these earlier albums (for me, particularly Bare Trees) was quintessential. This album, too, calls up fond memories. I didn't appreciate the 2 - 3 LPs I had and got rid of them for weed money. Dumb. 

 
A good case for why it is called "dope".
Late '70s Buckingham Nicks Fleetwood Mac was quite likable. But these earlier albums (for me, particularly Bare Trees) was quintessential. This album, too, calls up fond memories. I didn't appreciate the 2 - 3 LPs I had and got rid of them for weed money. Dumb. 
Love the pre-Nicks/Buckingham Fleetwood Mac.
{#Notworthy} I miss this Fleetwood Mac.
 LizK wrote:
 This is before Stevie, yes?  Completely different sound. Wonderful in it's own way.

 
Yep. It's pre-Buckingham/Nicks. And post-Peter Green. Fleetwood Mac had three distinct stages, all wonderful in their own way. 


...be the future you want to face...
RIP, Bob Welch. Miss that breezy voice of yours and wonderful, hypnotic guitar......very underrated you were, sir. Underrated, indeed.
 This is before Stevie, yes?  Completely different sound. Wonderful in it's own way.
Surprised this isn't rated higher, great tune.
Typically awesome and incredible! I was just craving hearing this mind-bending meditative trip today, and -- voila! Thanks, RP! Bob gave us some of the coolest, most laid-back subtle guitar jamming ever; his voice was often pure silk, to boot; his songwriting alive and divine...
 sajitjacob wrote:
It's all a bit depressing today, I dunno why, probably post Christmas blues, 2nd day back at work, yuck. This song is really not helping. which probably means its a good song.

Sigh, wish the sun would come out. it's supposed to be summer. 
 
{#Good-vibes}
It's all a bit depressing today, I dunno why, probably post Christmas blues, 2nd day back at work, yuck. This song is really not helping. which probably means its a good song.

Sigh, wish the sun would come out. it's supposed to be summer. 
 oldviolin wrote:
singularity 
 


 nagsheadlocal wrote:
Ah, still feeding my jones for mid-career FM. I've been listening to "Future Games" "Kiln House" "Mystery to Me" and "Heros Are Hard to Find" recently. Funny how a craving for certain albums comes upon you.

I've always thought Christine McVie and Bob Welch complemented each other very well, wish we had some insight into their work together in the studio as we do for Lennon/McCartney.
 
These are good comments-this album in particular is very trance-like and, I hate to say this, somewhat new-ageish{#Eh} 
Ah, still feeding my jones for mid-career FM. I've been listening to "Future Games" "Kiln House" "Mystery to Me" and "Heros Are Hard to Find" recently. Funny how a craving for certain albums comes upon you.

I've always thought Christine McVie and Bob Welch complemented each other very well, wish we had some insight into their work together in the studio as we do for Lennon/McCartney.
 Stingray wrote:

What version of Mac is that...?

To me it does not sound like any MAC at all!

 

 
Hang on Stingray, you'll be surprised at what I'm going to say... YOU ARE CORRECT!! You nailed it, don't let anyone tell you otherwise, OK?
People, I have to agree with Stingray, this doesn't sound like Fleetwood Mac at all! I can say that for sure, I've listened to (probably) all their albums and I couldn't find 2 albums (or even 2 songs) that are alike. So yes, Stingray, if you listened to ALL the other songs by Fleetwood Mac EXCEPT this one, you won't know it's theirs.
This band was so creative and changed their sound so often that it doesn't have a sound of their own. Pretty impressive, huh? They shaped music as we know it. This song is from the pre-Rumours era, Rumours being their most successful album to date. But don't let the numbers fool you, I like Future Games at least as much as Rumours.
They are not your regular Bieber pill, but a very resourceful musical band. That's why they were so successful both in the early 70s as in the late 80s... continuing with the 90s to the present day.
 coloradojohn wrote:
YES!  There it is again, that spooky ebb and flow, like breathing, that infuses every song Bob Welch ever put his mind into. It comes in, weaves around, dances from side to center and then to side again, and then sneaks off into something else, someplace else, but still keeps us attached, with choruses and chants and whispers that call to us, and then our own minds begin to wait and long for that jam again, and then there it comes, here it goes, and there it goes, and here it comes, and it is always so nice to hear it and be in touch with it again and that is thanks to RP...
 
Yes, what coloradojohn just said. Awesome comment as always! Great guitar work and a great feel to this song.
YES!  There it is again, that spooky ebb and flow, like breathing, that infuses every song Bob Welch ever put his mind into. It comes in, weaves around, dances from side to center and then to side again, and then sneaks off into something else, someplace else, but still keeps us attached, with choruses and chants and whispers that call to us, and then our own minds begin to wait and long for that jam again, and then there it comes, here it goes, and there it goes, and here it comes, and it is always so nice to hear it and be in touch with it again and that is thanks to RP...