Hear previously unreleased Christine McVie song ‘Little Darlin’, shared on the late singer’s 80th birthday

A previously-unreleased song by Christine McVie has been shared – paying tribute to the Fleetwood Mac member on what would have been her 80th birthday. Check it out below.

Shared by Rhino, the track is previously unreleased and recorded by McVie during the sessions for her 2004 solo album ‘In The Meantime’.

Starting with a funk-inspired bass line, the track is one of the more playful and sultry tracks of the singer’s extensive discography. “Little darling, would you come out to play? / Little darling, would you come out to stay with me awhile?” she sings at the start of the love song. “The moon’s full tonight / My senses shining bright / As if you didn’t know / Well, something’s going on here / Shall we make it clear / And let the situation grow?”

The release of the track was made in tribute to the later singer on what would have been her 80th birthday on Wednesday (July 12). Rhino has also confirmed that it will share reissues of both ‘In The Meantime’ and McVie’s self-titled 1984 debut album later this year, with the project being overseen by the singer’s nephew, Dan Perfect. Check out ‘Little Darlin’ below and pre-order the reissues here.

Speaking of the upcoming reissues, Perfect described the 2004 album as being “perhaps her most personal and intimate project”, and stated that he wishes his aunt was around to see the LP reemerge in 2023.

“When my aunt Christine McVie died unexpectedly last year, plans were already afoot for the re-release of this solo album, which is perhaps her most personal and intimate project,” he said (via Rolling Stone).

“Chris and I had been working for some time on remixing the original tracks in Dolby Atmos, and Chris was excited and intrigued by this process, which was bringing fresh life and contemporaneity to the songs… I dearly wish that she could have lived to see this re-release as she would have been delighted.”

News of Christine McVie’s death arrived in November last year, following the artist suffering from a brief illness. She was aged 79.

“On behalf of Christine McVie’s family, it is with a heavy heart we are informing you of Christine’s death,” her family wrote, announcing the news online. “She passed away peacefully at hospital this morning, Wednesday, November 30th 2022, following a short illness. She was in the company of her family.

“We kindly ask that you respect the family’s privacy at this extremely painful time and we would like everyone to keep Christine in their hearts and remember the life of an incredible human being, and revered musician who was loved universally.”

In addition to the release of ‘Little Darlin’, McVie’s longtime bandmate Mick Fleetwood also paid tribute to the singer on what would have been her 80th. This came in the form of an instrumental and spoken word adaptation of her track ‘Songbird’.

“As the songbird sings, now from the heavens, to you Christine, I wish you all the love in the world. But, most of all, I wish it from myself,” Fleetwood says on the track.

Following news of her death, countless artists took to social media to pay tribute – including another Fleetwood Mac bandmate Stevie Nicks.

Garbage, Hayley Williams and soloist/The Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess also shared messages at the time.