Chicken Shack - I'd Rather Go Blind

 We might all be forgiven for thinking that Christine Perfect was a stage name but if you believe everything you read on Wikipedia, that was the real name of one of Fleetwood Mac's singers before she married John who provided the Mac to go with Mick Fleetwood's name to make that of the hugely successful mainstream, but none the worse for that, brand.

Fleetwood Mac changed themselves much in the interests of staying fashionable over the years but we can mention that elsewhere in the Rock Show, under Dreams. But as Christine has now reached the end of the 79 years she was allowed, we can remember her and where she and Fleetwood Mac and so many others who were due to do well in more 'commercial' (because that's what we always used to call it) genres, like Rod Stewart mainly, started. Artists are ever likely to abandon integrity, if that's what it is, in favour of two Lamborghinis and life in Los Angeles but maybe in the later 1960's being a blues band didn't look like the attempt at authenticity that it looks like now. It was probably what they thought was their best bet.

Rod was one of several that covered I'd Rather Go Blind when also finding the likes of How Long, This Old Heart of Mine and Tom Traubert's Blues to suit him but if Etta James had the writing credit and was first to record it and Ruby Turner did well before also, it says there, Elkie Brooks, Paul Weller (!!!) and Beyonce, it is Christine with Stan Webb's Chicken Shack that pares it down, is most convincing and takes a step out of its time to become the classic interpretation for those of us who knew this one first. It's entirely possible that some who believe in 'authenticity' will say it will always be Etta James's song and well they might. It's the same story as Oh, No, Not My Baby, Stop ! in the Name of Love and Best Friend's Girl but more heartfelt than any of them.  

Fleetwood Mac was another story but a lot of people do their best, definitive work early on and if Christine is to be remembered for one great performance, I think it should be this.