Oh Well is a song written by Peter Green and recorded by him with Fleetwood Mac as the group's fifth single released September 26th 1969. The song was later appended to the US edition of Then Play On and featured on all CD issues of the album.
The song comes in two parts, the first a blues rock track with two short verses sung unaccompanied with the title phrase sung during a recurring instrumental phase. The second is a lengthy instrumental piece featuring classical guitar, piano, cello and recorder. The piano was played by Jeremy Spencer and the recorder by Green's then-girlfriend Sandra Elsdon. All other instruments, including guitar, bass, cello, timpani and cymbals were played by Green.
Part 1 appeared on the A-side of the single and became a concert favourite in its own right. While other songs composed by Green would disappear from the set in the years following his departure from the group, Oh Well proved a perennial favourite with future live performances featuring vocals from Bob Welch, Lindsey Buckingham, Billy Burnette, Bekka Bramlett and Mike Campbell.
The song peaked at No 2 in the United Kingdom, only held off the top spot by the Archies' Sugar Sugar. It reached No 1 in the Netherlands, the second of Mac's singles to do so following Albatross. They would achieve the Dutch top spot a third time with Go Your Own Way in 1977.
Two former members of Fleetwood Mac would feature the song in their solo projects. Bob Welch covered both parts for His Fleetwood Mac Years and Beyond (2003). A live performance by Billy Burnette featured on his 2006 live album Memphis in Manhattan who would later bring out a studio version on Crazy Like Me (2017). A live version performed by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers featured on that band's 2009 archive release The Live Anthology. Heartbreakers' lead guitarist Mike Campbell would take the lead vocal on live performances of the song after joining Fleetwood Mac in 2018.
Personnel (Part 1)[]
Peter Green - vocal, guitar
Danny Kirwan - guitar
John McVie - bass
Mick Fleetwood - drums
Personnel (Part 2)[]
Jeremy Spencer - piano
Sandra Elsdon - recorder
Peter Green - guitars, bass, cello, timpani, cymbals