Got a Hold on Me

Not to be confused with Love's Gotta Hold on Me.

"Got a Hold on Me" is a song by Christine McVie, released as the lead single from her eponymous second solo album in 1984.

"Got a Hold on Me"
Single by Christine McVie
from the album Christine McVie
B-side	"Who's Dreaming This Dream"
Released	January 1984
Recorded	1983
Length	3:52
Label	Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s)	Christine McVie, Todd Sharp
Producer(s)	Russ Titelman
Christine McVie singles chronology
"When You Say" (1969) "Got a Hold on Me" (1984) "Love Will Show Us How" (1984)
Audio
"Got a Hold on Me" on YouTube

The song reached number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and topped the Billboard Adult Contemporary and Rock Tracks charts for four and two weeks, respectively.^[1] In the 10 March 1984 edition of Billboard, Paul Grein noted that it was the first time any member of Fleetwood Mac had achieved a number one hit on the Adult Contemporary chart.^[2] In 1985, "Got a Hold on Me" received a most-performed-song citation at BMI's 33rd annual award dinner, which commemorated songs licensed by BMI that received heavy airplay in 1984.^[3]

Synthesizers on the track were played by Steve Winwood,^[1] while the guitars were played by Todd Sharp (the song's co-writer) and McVie's Fleetwood Mac bandmate Lindsey Buckingham.^[4] George Hawkins handled some of the song's background vocals.^[5] Sharp recalled that he wrote the song with McVie section by section over the course of thirty minutes and had identified the song's commercial viability upon hearing the first verse.^[6] McVie stated that the song's subject matter was fictional, saying that "at the time I wrote it, no one did have a hold on me."^[7]

The video for the song was produced by Jon Roseman and directed by Mike Brady.^[8] Shot in both black-and-white and color, it is a pseudo-performance video showing Christine McVie in a mansion-like room singing at her piano while a backup band appears in silhouette shadows on the walls around her.^[9]

Critical reception

Billboard identified influences of Fleetwood Mac infused within "Got a Hold on Me".^[10] Music Week was critical of the "rather ordinary" verses and said that they were "to some extent, merely a build for what follows" in the chorus, where they identified "texture changes" and the entrance of "hard-edged female vocals."^[11] Rolling Stone called "Got a Hold on Me" a "pleasant enough" song with hit-potential.^[12]

Personnel

• Christine McVie – lead and backing vocals, keyboards, percussion
• Steve Winwood – synthesizers
• Lindsey Buckingham – guitar
• Todd Sharp – guitar, backing vocals
• George Hawkins – bass, backing vocals
• Steve Ferrone – drums, percussion

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1984) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[13] 55 Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[14] 1 Canada RPM Top Singles[15] 30 US Billboard Hot 100[16] 10 US Billboard Adult Contemporary[17] 1 US Billboard Top Rock Tracks[18] 1 US Cash Box Top 100 11

Year-end charts Chart (1984) Rank US Billboard Hot 100[19] 91 US Billboard Adult Contemporary[20] 9 US Cash Box[21] 90

See also

• List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1984 (U.S.)
• List of Billboard Mainstream Rock number-one songs of the 1980s