Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac—”Need Your Love So Bad” (1970)

When I posted a link to Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac's recording of "Jigsaw Puzzle Blues" last Thursday, I could not have anticipated that the guitarist and founder of that British Blues and Rock group would die on Saturday. In memory of Peter Green, his version of "Need Your Love So Bad."

This blues was written in 1955 by Mertis John Jr. and it was first recorded by his younger sibling Little Willie John on September 28, 1955. Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac cover was released on August 30, 1968.

Guitarist and singer/songwriter Peter Alan Greenbaum (1946-2020) had been playing with John Mayall, Rod Stewart and Cream, before he founded Fleetwood Mac, named after Mayall's drummer and bassist, Mick Fleetwood and John McVie.

"Peter could have been the stereotypical superstar guitar player and control freak," Mick Fleetwood was quoted by The Irish Times a few years ago, "but that wasn't his style. He named the band after the bass player and the drummer, for Christ's sake!"

Peter was a generous musician, always willing to give as much space and creative freedom to other band members, like guitarist Jeremy Spencer and songwriter Danny Kirwan, at the expensive of his own creativity.

Peter Green preferred to put emotion in his songs, rather than show off with a fast guitar playing technique. "Less is more" earned him the respect from his fans as well as his fellow musicians. B.B. King is quoted on the Fleetwood Mac website, saying Peter had the sweetest tone he ever heard. "He was the only one who gave me the cold sweat."