Bare Trees cover art

  Studio Album · No. 6

Bare Trees Songwriting Credits by Fleetwood Mac

1972 Reprise 10 tracks 37 min

Produced by Fleetwood Mac  ·  Engineered by Martin Birch

Reprise RockSoft Rock
90%
Authorship
Artist

Holds writing credit on 9 of 10 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 9 / 10 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 10 tracks with documented writers, by whether Fleetwood Mac carries a lyricist or composer credit.

90%
9 trackswritten by Fleetwood Mac 1 trackoutside writers
Fleetwood Mac's roles on this album

Share of the 10 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist90%
Composer90%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

10
Tracks
4
Lyricists
1
Producers
1 million
US Copies Sold
1972
Released
Data Insight

Bare Trees is led by Danny Kirwan, who wrote five of its songs, with Bob Welch and Christine McVie contributing the rest. It includes Welch's Sentimental Lady, which he later re-recorded as a solo hit, and it slowly became a US platinum seller years after release.

Bare Trees is the sixth studio album by Fleetwood Mac, released in April 1972 on Reprise Records. It was the last studio album to feature Danny Kirwan, who had been with the band since 1968; Kirwan was dismissed during the subsequent tour after an incident in which he refused to perform and reportedly damaged his guitar, and his erratic behavior had become increasingly disruptive during the recording sessions as well. The album continued the melodic rock direction established on Future Games, with Kirwan and Bob Welch sharing most of the songwriting duties alongside Christine McVie, whose compositional contribution grew noticeably compared to the previous record. Kirwan contributed several tracks including 'Bare Trees' and 'Dust,' which show him at his melodic peak despite his deteriorating mental state; McVie contributed 'Homeward Bound' and 'Spare Me a Little of Your Love,' and Welch contributed 'Sentimental Lady,' later re-recorded as a solo hit. The album reached the US top 70 and performed better in the United States than in the UK, signaling the band's slow shift toward the American market that would accelerate with Bob Welch's continued influence over the next two records.

Track Listing & Credits 10 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Child of Mine
Danny Kirwan Danny Kirwan Fleetwood Mac Bob Welch (Lead Vocals)Danny Kirwan (Lead Vocals)Christine McVie (Lead Vocals)
2
The Ghost
Bob Welch Bob Welch Fleetwood Mac Bob Welch (Lead Vocals)Danny Kirwan (Lead Vocals)Christine McVie (Lead Vocals)
3
Homeward Bound
Christine McVie Christine McVie Fleetwood Mac Bob Welch (Lead Vocals)Danny Kirwan (Lead Vocals)Christine McVie (Lead Vocals)
4
Sunny Side of Heaven
Danny Kirwan Danny Kirwan Fleetwood Mac Bob Welch (Lead Vocals)Danny Kirwan (Lead Vocals)Christine McVie (Lead Vocals)
5
Bare Trees
Danny Kirwan Danny Kirwan Fleetwood Mac Bob Welch (Lead Vocals)Danny Kirwan (Lead Vocals)Christine McVie (Lead Vocals)
6
Sentimental Lady
Bob Welch Bob Welch Fleetwood Mac Bob Welch (Lead Vocals)Danny Kirwan (Lead Vocals)Christine McVie (Lead Vocals)
7
Danny's Chant
Danny Kirwan Danny Kirwan Fleetwood Mac Bob Welch (Lead Vocals)Danny Kirwan (Lead Vocals)Christine McVie (Lead Vocals)
8
Spare Me a Little of Your Love
Christine McVie Christine McVie Fleetwood Mac Bob Welch (Lead Vocals)Danny Kirwan (Lead Vocals)Christine McVie (Lead Vocals)
9
Dust
Danny Kirwan Danny Kirwan Fleetwood Mac Bob Welch (Lead Vocals)Danny Kirwan (Lead Vocals)Christine McVie (Lead Vocals)
10
Thoughts on a Grey Day
Mrs. Scarrott Mrs. Scarrott Fleetwood Mac Bob Welch (Lead Vocals)Danny Kirwan (Lead Vocals)Christine McVie (Lead Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 5 contributors

More from Fleetwood Mac

Frequently Asked Questions Bare Trees

Who wrote the songs on Bare Trees?
Danny Kirwan wrote five tracks, with Bob Welch and Christine McVie contributing two each, plus a spoken poem by a neighbor, Mrs. Scarrott.
Is Sentimental Lady on Bare Trees?
Yes. Bob Welch's Sentimental Lady first appeared here, and he later re-recorded it as a US top-ten solo hit in 1977.
How well did Bare Trees sell?
It became a slow-burning success and was certified platinum by the RIAA in 1988 for over a million US copies.
Who produced Bare Trees?
Fleetwood Mac produced it with Martin Birch engineering.
What era of Fleetwood Mac is Bare Trees from?
It is from the early-1970s lineup with Danny Kirwan, Bob Welch, and Christine McVie, before the Buckingham and Nicks era.
How did Bare Trees chart on release?
It peaked at number 70 on the US Billboard 200 in 1972 but kept selling for years afterward.

Sources