First Aid Kit pay tribute to Christine McVie with cover of ‘Songbird’
First Aid Kit have paid tribute to the late Christine McVie with a cover of her Fleetwood Mac song ‘Songbird’, originally released on the band’s 1977 album Rumours. The duo, comprising sisters Johanna and Klara Söderberg, performed the rendition backstage at the Cardiff International Arena.
First Aid Kit’s cover of the McVie classic features finger-picked acoustic guitar in place of Fleetwood Mac’s original solo piano arrangment. The Söderberg sisters exchange lines before coming together for that unforgettable chorus, harmonizing on the line: “And I love you, I love you, I love you/ Like never before.”
Penned in roughly half an hour, ‘Songbird’ came to McVie in the middle of the night when she woke up with the song already swirling around her head. Using the small portable electric piano next to her bed, she finished it without even trying. She would come to regard the song as a gift from on high.
Christine McVie passed away on November 30th, 2022, at the age of 79. As of yet, her cause of death has not been confirmed. According to a statement released by her family, the musician’s passing came after a “short illness”.
The keyboardist served with Fleetwood Mac from 1970 to 1996 and then from 1997 to 1998 for the band’s reunion. In 2014, she rejoined once again, performing with the band until her death. She helped record 13 of Fleetwood Mac’s 17 studio albums.
First Aid Kit aren’t the only artists to have paid tribute to the late musician. Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy recently shared a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Little Lies’ in honour of McVie, unveiling his rendition of the 1987 hit at Michigan’s Three Oaks Acord Theatre.
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out Music Newsletter
All the latest music news from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.