Spare Me A Little "Don't Stop" Lovin'

[Johnny Stew]

I heard "Don't Stop" on the radio three times yesterday, and it occured to me once again how I never get sick of this song.

I know many people have said that they're totally burnt out on it... from radio play, from concert setlists, from the Clinton Connection... but everytime the sucker comes on the radio, or plays on one of my CDs, a big smile comes over my face. ESPECIALLY when it comes on the radio.

Everything about it is aces for me. The melody, the instrumentation, the production, the blending of Christine's and Lindsey's voices, the harmonies on the chorus, and especially the lyrics. I love the "sunny optimism" Christine's lyrics convey, and her friendly reminder that even when times are bleakest, we always have the promise of a brighter tomorrow.

Any other "Don't Stop" fans? The bashers can sit this one out. :p ;)

[Brwn_eyes0511]

I'm with you! I love it. Christine has a nack for writing the best riffs for piano...ever! Very catchy! I love Don't Stop...I never get tired of it!

[macfan 57]

I agree with everyone here. I love "Don't Stop". I've never gotten tired of it. It's a very positive, uplifting song. I think "Don't Stop" is the most popular & most recognizable Fleetwood Mac song among fans, and even among people who aren't especially fans of the band. I especially love the old live versions from the Rumours, Tusk & Mirage tours. Christine used to play a great, bluesy piano solo during those tours.

[MACFAN]

Always loved Don't Stop and never get tired of it. Great guitar solo also.

[dougl]

I think it's a great group effort, especially live. Love the tack piano overdubs on the album version.

[Songbird4]

I love Don't Stop. It is even the ringtone on my phone!! I enjoy it more when Chris sings it with Lindsey. I don't have anything against Stevie, but I'm not a fan of the lyric changes that she made these past tours.

~Kim

[NicksIllume]

How can you ever get tired of Don't Stop? Oh, I know...listening to Don't Stop from the SYW tour. :sorry: I'll leave Ms. Nicks alone for now.

I love the older versions of Don't Stop where she completely jams out with the whole sliding of the keys and all. I could listen to just that part forever. I think my favourite version has to be from the Dance. It's so pumped. :nod: "We never did this with a brass section before."

What's everyone's favourite lyrics to the song?

As for myself, I love the chorus and...

All I want is to see you smile
If it takes just a little while
I know you don't believe that it's true
I never meant any harm to you

[Johnny Stew]

How can you ever get tired of Don't Stop? Oh, I know...listening to Don't Stop from the SYW tour. :sorry: I'll leave Ms. Nicks alone for now.

See, I thought Stevie put a cool little "stank" on it on the 'Say You Will' tour, and I really liked it a lot... but it goes without saying that "Don't Stop" NEEDS Christine. It's just not the same without her.

Stevie has my favorite voice of the three of them, but Christine's songs need her own lilting alto, and the slightly breathless quality of her voice.
(Though I confess I didn't miss Christine as much on "World Turning"... I loved how Stevie's and Lindsey's voices sounded on that one.)

I have three favorite versions of "Don't Stop"... the album version, the 1980 'Live' album version (from the Paris soundcheck), and 'The Dance' performance with the USC marching band.

Favorite lines? I think mine would have to be, "if your life was bad to you, just think what tomorrow will do." :D

[dissention]

See, I thought Stevie put a cool little "stank" on it on the 'Say You Will' tour


Nice choice of words. :laugh:

I like the song a lot, but I really didn't like it this past tour. The changes were kind of irritating. :sorry: I think the most revolting change was when she sang "If your life isn't good for you, welllllllllllllll, think what tomorrow will do." Her singing the song didn't bother me that much, but the changes, my word. Awful.

[dissention]

(Though I confess I didn't miss Christine as much on "World Turning"... I loved how Stevie's and Lindsey's voices sounded on that one.)

I did. I like when all three of them sing on it, but my, did I miss Chris on that song in particular. Probably because it's one of my very favorites. It wasn't the same without all three of them singing it.

[ontheEdgeof17]

I did. I like when all three of them sing on it, but my, did I miss Chris on that song in particular. Probably because it's one of my very favorites. It wasn't the same without all three of them singing it.


I hate to say this but.....

Tuggle's piano playing on Don't Stop on this past tour was more lively and dare I say, better? :sorry:

[NicksIllume]

Stevie has my favorite voice of the three of them, but Christine's songs need her own lilting alto, and the slightly breathless quality of her voice.
(Though I confess I didn't miss Christine as much on "World Turning"... I loved how Stevie's and Lindsey's voices sounded on that one.)

World Turning didn't bother me as much as Don't Stop. Of course, Stevie didn't mess with the lyrics, and she's always been cute singing WT. I did miss the sound of those maracas though! :)

[NicksIllume]

I hate to say this but.....

Tuggle's piano playing on Don't Stop on this past tour was more lively and dare I say, better? :sorry:

*gasp*

BLASPHEMY!

[dissention]

I hate to say this but.....

Tuggle's piano playing on Don't Stop on this past tour was more lively and dare I say, better? :sorry:

:eek:

I thought it was garrish beyond belief. But that's the way I feel about recent Mac concerts in general; they're too theatrical. I miss Christine and her reserved presence.

[ontheEdgeof17]

:eek:

I thought it was garrish beyond belief. But that's the way I feel about recent Mac concerts in general; they're too theatrical. I miss Christine and her reserved presence.


I'd rather watch him than the Christine that just stands there and acts like she doesn't want to be performing.

[dissention]

I'd rather watch him than the Christine that just stands there and acts like she doesn't want to be performing.

Eh, I think quiet class trumps tacky any day of the week. My problem is that he just doesn't know when to quit. Showmanship is a great thing, but too much of it borders on the cloying, IMO.

But if you enjoy him, more power to ya. :xoxo:

[Hawkeye]

Nice choice of words. :laugh:

I like the song a lot, but I really didn't like it this past tour. The changes were kind of irritating. :sorry: I think the most revolting change was when she sang "If your life isn't good for you, welllllllllllllll, think what tomorrow will do." Her singing the song didn't bother me that much, but the changes, my word. Awful.

Leave it to Stevie to throw a "Well" into a song that's not hers. I actually LOVED the SYW Don't Stop and seriously think Don't Stop is one of the many highlights of LIB. Stevie really put so much UMPH into the song.

As for the studio version of the song, ehhh it's OK, but not even close to one of her bests, not by a longshot. Now from that very same album, You Make Loving Fun and Oh Daddy are MASTERPEICES.

[Brwn_eyes0511]

I hate to say this but.....

Tuggle's piano playing on Don't Stop on this past tour was more lively and dare I say, better? :sorry:

OH NO! :eek:

[Brwn_eyes0511]

Eh, I think quiet class trumps tacky any day of the week. My problem is that he just doesn't know when to quit. Showmanship is a great thing, but too much of it borders on the cloying, IMO.

But if you enjoy him, more power to ya. :xoxo:

Dissention could we actually be agreeing about something :eek:

I agree with you. I have never seen a "disinterested" Christine on stage. She just has class and at very laid back which is a good balance to Lindsey's "craziness".

[GypsySorcerer]

I hate to say this but.....

Tuggle's piano playing on Don't Stop on this past tour was more lively and dare I say, better? :sorry:


:shocked: :shocked: Well, if you call beating one key on the piano with your elbow exciting....... :p

[HomerMcvie]

:eek:

I thought it was garrish beyond belief. But that's the way I feel about recent Mac concerts in general; they're too theatrical. I miss Christine and her reserved presence.
Words from my own heart. I COULDN'T have said it better....

[macfan 57]

I'd rather watch him than the Christine that just stands there and acts like she doesn't want to be performing.

No way. Class & elegance do it for me. Chris is VERY English & I love her cool English reserve. I despise ego driven showboating.

[David]

:shocked: :shocked: Well, if you call beating one key on the piano with your elbow exciting....... :pEssentially it's the difference between the barrelhouse style of Chicago blues piano & the more reserved, percussive, part-dependent style of Texas piano. As to why the Texas style & not the Chicago style should have influenced British blues pianists like Christine McVie & Bob Hall, I couldn't say -- except that maybe in Christine's situation it was a case of matching style to her personality & her less advanced technique.

Nevertheless, my opinion is that Brett is technically a more proficient player than Chris (as Chris herself would probably admit to), but because of that proficiency, he sounds like hundreds of other players -- I can't discern a "Brett Tuggle style." Whereas Christine, who plays pop parts that lock in to the rhythm section groove, seems to be able to command a very unusual separation between her hands: the left can keep the "Don't Stop" V-VI shuffle going like a metronome (like Mick's drumming, in fact) while the right tosses off casual-sounding little blues & pop riffs with a slight creep (again, just like Mick's drumming). It's interesting to note that Brett (& Dan Garfield & Steve Thoma before him) doesn't bother attempting to duplicate Christine's arrangement for "Don't Stop" -- he & Dan & Steve just barrel through in a far more conventional way.