"Then Play On" is the third studio album by Fleetwood Mac, released on September 19, 1969. It marked the introduction of guitarist Danny Kirwan to the band, while also being the last album to feature Peter Green as a member. Notably, Jeremy Spencer contributed only minimally to the album, appearing on just a couple of tracks.
This album showcased a significant stylistic evolution for Fleetwood Mac, moving beyond their earlier electric blues roots to incorporate elements of folk rock, hard rock, art rock, and psychedelia. It achieved commercial success, reaching No. 6 on the UK Albums Chart, making it the band's fourth Top 20 LP and third Top 10 album.
The album's title, Then Play On, derives from a line in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, emphasizing the importance of music in love. It was Fleetwood Mac's first release under Reprise Records, following their departure from Blue Horizon.
The initial US release differed from the UK version, omitting two tracks that were included in the compilation English Rose. Subsequent pressings altered the tracklist further by adding the hit single "Oh Well." In 2013, a remastered edition was released, restoring all previous tracks and including additional singles, offering a comprehensive collection of the album's material.
Then Play On marked a significant shift for Fleetwood Mac, incorporating extensive editing and overdubbing techniques for the first time, moving away from their previous live-in-studio recording style and strict blues formula. Peter Green, as the de facto leader, began to explore improvisation and jamming in the studio, compiling several tracks from hours of jam sessions. Notably, he delegated a substantial amount of songwriting to Danny Kirwan, demonstrating a generous and collaborative spirit.
While Jeremy Spencer did not contribute to the original album tracks, he and Green had ambitions to create a concept album about the life of Jesus Christ, which ultimately never materialized. Following Then Play On, the band quickly released the non-album single "Oh Well," which achieved notable success, reaching No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart. Initially, "Rattlesnake Shake" was planned as the US single, but after it failed to chart, "Oh Well" was released instead, becoming Fleetwood Mac's first entry on the Billboard Hot 100.
The album's US release was reissued in January 1970, replacing some tracks with "Oh Well," while the first CD release in the 1980s included all variations. The 2013 remastered edition restored the original UK tracklist as the main feature, adding "Oh Well" and other non-album singles as bonus tracks. This evolution reflects Fleetwood Mac's transition into a more experimental and varied sound, paving the way for their future success.
The album cover for Then Play On features a mural by English artist Maxwell Armfield. This artwork was originally created for the dining room of a London mansion and was later highlighted in the February 1917 edition of The Countryside magazine. Armfield's mural adds a rich visual element to the album, reflecting the artistic sensibilities of the era and complementing Fleetwood Mac's evolving sound.
