Penguin cover art

  Studio Album · No. 7

Penguin Songwriting Credits by Fleetwood Mac

1973 Reprise 9 tracks 36 min

Produced by Fleetwood Mac, Martin Birch  ·  Engineered by Martin Birch

Reprise RockSoft Rock
89%
Authorship
Artist

Holds writing credit on 8 of 9 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 8 / 9 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 9 tracks with documented writers, by whether Fleetwood Mac carries a lyricist or composer credit.

89%
8 trackswritten by Fleetwood Mac 1 trackoutside writers
Fleetwood Mac's roles on this album

Share of the 9 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist89%
Composer89%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

9
Tracks
7
Lyricists
2
Producers
1973
Released
Data Insight

Penguin spread its songwriting across Bob Welch and Christine McVie, with single contributions from new members Bob Weston and Dave Walker plus a Holland-Dozier-Holland cover. It is a transitional record from the band's mid-1970s lineup before the classic era.

Penguin is the seventh studio album by Fleetwood Mac, released in January 1973 on Reprise Records. It is the first album without Danny Kirwan, who had been dismissed during the previous tour, and features two new members: Dave Walker on lead vocals, who had previously sung with the British band Savoy Brown, and Bob Weston on guitar. Walker's tenure was short; he left before the next album was completed, and his contributions to Penguin are limited to a small number of tracks, with Christine McVie and Bob Welch carrying most of the songwriting. McVie's 'Did You Ever Love Me' was released as a single and reached the UK charts, and her compositional presence on the album is stronger than on any previous record, with several tracks demonstrating the polished, keyboard-led pop-rock style that would become central to the band's later sound. Welch contributed several atmospheric pieces that continued the direction he had established on Future Games and Bare Trees. The album performed modestly in both the UK and US, with the band still searching for the combination of personnel and style that would produce a commercial breakthrough.

Track Listing & Credits 9 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Remember Me
Christine McVie Christine McVie Fleetwood MacMartin Birch Bob Welch (Lead Vocals)Christine McVie (Lead Vocals)
2
Bright Fire
Bob Welch Bob Welch Fleetwood MacMartin Birch Bob Welch (Lead Vocals)Christine McVie (Lead Vocals)
3
Dissatisfied
Christine McVie Christine McVie Fleetwood MacMartin Birch Bob Welch (Lead Vocals)Christine McVie (Lead Vocals)
4
(I'm a) Road Runner
Brian HollandLamont DozierEdward Holland Jr. Brian HollandLamont DozierEdward Holland Jr. Fleetwood MacMartin Birch Bob Welch (Lead Vocals)Christine McVie (Lead Vocals)
5
The Derelict
Dave Walker Dave Walker Fleetwood MacMartin Birch Bob Welch (Lead Vocals)Christine McVie (Lead Vocals)
6
Revelation
Bob Welch Bob Welch Fleetwood MacMartin Birch Bob Welch (Lead Vocals)Christine McVie (Lead Vocals)
7
Did You Ever Love Me
Christine McVieBob Welch Christine McVieBob Welch Fleetwood MacMartin Birch Bob Welch (Lead Vocals)Christine McVie (Lead Vocals)
8
Night Watch
Bob Welch Bob Welch Fleetwood MacMartin Birch Bob Welch (Lead Vocals)Christine McVie (Lead Vocals)
9
Caught in the Rain
Bob Weston Bob Weston Fleetwood MacMartin Birch Bob Welch (Lead Vocals)Christine McVie (Lead Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 9 contributors

More from Fleetwood Mac

Frequently Asked Questions Penguin

Who wrote the songs on Penguin?
Bob Welch and Christine McVie wrote most of the album, with Bob Weston and Dave Walker each contributing a track and a Holland-Dozier-Holland cover, (I'm a) Road Runner, included.
Why is the Fleetwood Mac album called Penguin?
The penguin became the band's mascot through bassist John McVie's fondness for the birds, and it gives the album its name.
Who were the new members on Penguin?
Guitarist Bob Weston and vocalist Dave Walker joined for this period, expanding the lineup around Welch and the McVies.
How did Penguin perform?
It reached number 49 on the US Billboard 200.
Who produced Penguin?
Fleetwood Mac produced it with Martin Birch, who also engineered.
What era of Fleetwood Mac is Penguin from?
It is from the Bob Welch era of the early 1970s, before Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joined.

Sources