Song Title » |
Hypnotized |
Authors » |
Bob Welch |
Year Written » |
1973 |
This Performance » |
Date Performance |
1973-00-00 | Running Time |
4:48 | Sound Clip |
| Performers |
Mick Fleetwood (Percussion), John McVie (Bass), Bob Welch (Guitars), Bob Welch (Vocals), Bob Weston (Lead Guitar), Bob Weston (Slide), Christine McVie (Keyboards), Christine McVie (Vocals), Martin Birch (Produced By), Fleetwood Mac (Produced By), Mick Fleetwood (Produced By), John McVie (Produced By), Christine McVie (Produced By), Bob Welch (Produced By), Bob Weston (Produced By) | Appears On | |
|
Lyrics » |
It's the same kind of story
That seems to come down from long ago
Two friends having coffee together
When something flies by their window
It might be out on that lawn
Which is wide, at least half of a playing field
Because there's no explaining what your imagination
Can make you see and feel
Seems like a dream
(They) got me hypnotized
Now it's not a meaningless question
To ask if they've been and gone
I remember a talk about North
Carolina and a strange, strange pond
You see the sides were like glass
In the thick of a forest without a road
And if any man's ever made that land
Then I think it would've showed
Seems like a dream
(They) got me hypnotized
They say there's a place down in Mexico
Where a man can fly over mountains and hills
And he don't need an airplane or some kind of engine
And he never will
Now you know it's a meaningless question
To ask if those stories are right
'Cause what matters most if the feeling
You get when you're hypnotized
Seems like a dream
(They) got me hypnotized
|
Fan Interpretation » |
Hypnotized was written by Robert Welsh in the early 1970’s, reportedly after having a very intense dream while living in a house by the name of Benifold where he resided with rest of the then members of Fleetwood Mac. The song was originally intended for the then front man Dave Walker , upon his leaving Welch rewrote the song for himself with some help from Christine McVie. Other influences for this song were Welch’s extreme interest in the writings of Carlos Castaneda, paranormal experiences, and possibly the use of medicinal plants such as Peyote, which is used in the religious ceremonies of the Navajo Indians of the southwest U.S.
The First verse of the song has to do directly with the dream. The dream it appears was about the landing of a UFO in the large field behind the Benifold house. Dreams are a wonderful and mysterious part of the psyche, "Because there’s no explaining what your imagination can make you see and feel".
The second verse is very mysterious, and seems to deal with another landing of a UFO or possibly an abduction. "Now it’s not a meaningless question to ask if they’ve been and gone." There is a story of three men out fishing in a pond when they were supposedly abducted. This may be the "strange, strange pond" he refers to.
The third and final verse was influenced by the writings of Carlos Castaneda and deals with "Astral Projection" which can theoretically be achieved either through hypnosis or the use of Peyote. "Where a man can fly over mountains and hills/And he don’t need an airplane or some kind of engine/And he never will."
The chorus line ties the whole song together "Seems like a dream/(They) got me hypnotized." This can mean anything anyone wants it to mean, of course the literal interpretation, he is talking about dreaming and how it feels like being hypnotized.
(The interpretations to these lyrics were compiled through discussions on the message boards of the Penguin, The Ledge. It is entirely possible that the artists had something completely different in mind.)
|
Tabs » |
If you would like to submit tabs for this song, click here.
|
Other Performances » |
Performance #1: | |
|
Performers |
Lindsey Buckingham (Guitar), Mick Fleetwood (Drums), John McVie (Bass), Christine McVie (Keyboards), Stevie Nicks (Background Vocals) | Appears On | | Performance #2: | |
|
Running Time |
4:22 | Performers |
Bob Welch (Vocals) | Appears On | | Performance #3: | |
Date Performance |
1981-11-19 | Running Time |
6:55 | Performers |
Christine McVie (Tambourine), John McVie (Bass), Mick Fleetwood (Drums), Christine McVie (Background Vocals), Bob Welch (Vocals), Bob Welch (Guitar), David Adelstein (Keyboards), Joey Brasler (Guitar), Robin Sylvester (Background Vocals), Robbie Patton (Percussion), Robbie Patton (Background Vocals) | Comments | Recorded at the Roxy, Los Angeles, CA, second show | Appears On | | Performance #4: | |
|
Running Time |
4:19 | Performers |
Gerry Conway (Drums), Gerry Conway (Percussion), Brian Hodgson (Bass Guitar), Rupert Parker (Harp), Nicky Payne (Flute), Mel Simpson (Keyboards) | Appears On | | Performance #5: | |
|
Running Time |
4:32 | Performers |
Chris Daltry (Guitar) | Comments | by Purple Ivy Shadows | Appears On | | Performance #6: | |
|
Performers |
Lindsey Buckingham (Guitar), Mick Fleetwood (Drums), John McVie (Bass), Christine McVie (Keyboards), Stevie Nicks (Background Vocals) | Appears On | | Performance #7: | |
|
Performers |
Mick Fleetwood (Drums), Christine McVie (Keyboards), John McVie (Bass), Bob Welch (Guitar), Robert (Bobby) Hunt (Keyboards) | Appears On | | Performance #8: | |
|
Performers |
Lindsey Buckingham (Guitar), Mick Fleetwood (Drums), John McVie (Bass), Christine McVie (Keyboards), Stevie Nicks (Background Vocals) | Appears On | | Performance #9: | |
|
Performers |
Mick Fleetwood (Drums), Christine McVie (Keyboards), John McVie (Bass), Bob Welch (Guitar), Robert (Bobby) Hunt (Keyboards) | Appears On | | Performance #10: | |
Date Performance |
1981-11-19 | Running Time |
6:55 | Performers |
Christine McVie (Tambourine), John McVie (Bass), Mick Fleetwood (Drums), Christine McVie (Background Vocals), Bob Welch (Vocals), Bob Welch (Guitar), David Adelstein (Keyboards), Joey Brasler (Guitar), Robin Sylvester (Background Vocals), Robbie Patton (Percussion), Robbie Patton (Background Vocals) | Comments | Recorded at the Roxy, Los Angeles, CA, second show | Appears On | | Performance #11: | |
|
Performers |
Lindsey Buckingham (Guitar), Mick Fleetwood (Drums), John McVie (Bass), Christine McVie (Keyboards), Stevie Nicks (Background Vocals) | Appears On | | Performance #12: | |
|
Performers |
Mick Fleetwood (Drums), Christine McVie (Keyboards), John McVie (Bass), Bob Welch (Guitar), Robert (Bobby) Hunt (Keyboards) | Appears On | | Performance #13: | |
|
Performers |
Lindsey Buckingham (Guitar), Mick Fleetwood (Drums), John McVie (Bass), Christine McVie (Keyboards), Stevie Nicks (Background Vocals) | Appears On | | Performance #14: | |
|
Running Time |
4:09 | Performers |
Bil Ringgenberg (Keyboards), Bil Ringgenberg (Vocals), Bil Ringgenberg (Background Vocals), Andrew Frank (Bass), Andrew Frank (Guitar) | Appears On | | Performance #15: | |
|
Running Time |
5:02 | Performers |
Anita Pointer (Vocals), June Pointer-Whitmore (Vocals), Ruth Pointer (Vocals) | Appears On | |
|
Comments » |
(C) 1973 WB Music Corp. ASCAP/Rachel Music Ltd. PRS Lyrics reprinted by permission.
|
Reviews » |
Add your review of Hypnotized here.
great song Review written by Anonymous, August 16th, 2009 Both Fleetwood Mac and Pointer Sisters do a great job. Very interesting lyrics... makes you stop and think about a lot of happenings. Great for your head shop days.
The strange strange pond Review written by (madbadrabbit@yahoo.com), May 18th, 2008
might be Lake Drummond, located in the thick of the roadless Great Dismal Swamp on the N. Carolina border. There are numerous reports going back to colonial times of strange beams of light, ghosts, and other paranormal activity.
Been searching for it a long time. Review written by Anonymous, March 24th, 2006
I played this song on my headphones over and over crossing the ocean from New York to Barcelona in the early '80s. I had just discovered it and it was like walking into another world. Then I forgot about it and then I couldn't remember what it was called or who did it. I was pretty sure it was the Pointer sisters but I couldn't find the song on any of the records or cds that were available anywhere. Then I found it on this site. As the Pointer Sisters would say "I'm So Excited!". Can't wait to hear it again. Did not know it was infuenced by Casteneda who I had done a lot of reading of at that time. This is an under recognized masterpiece.
|
Last Modified » |
2011-01-21 |
Discography Credits » |
Lyrics contributed by Jeff Kenney and Marty Adelson. Interpretation prepared by Thom Abeles, Lisa Wellman, Gretchen, K. E. Gil, Derik, chili D, and Fox Mulder. |