Missing Links: Demos, Alternates, and Outtakes - With Lots of Descriptions!
The audio is not perfect; sometimes it sounds a little muted, sometimes it cuts from stereo to mono (as it does in Silver Springs for a few seconds), and sometimes the song cuts out abruptly at the end. For the most part, it sounds fine.
Monday Morning - sounds way stripped down. Lindsey's solo at the end is there. Other than that, that's all I have to say about this one.
Say You Love Me - interesting intro. There are people talking in the background (I think it might be Lindsey) throughout the entire song. The majority of the verses and chorus consists of Chris and Stevie going "do do la la la.." Definitely unfinished, or maybe they forgot all of their lines.
The ending has a Stevie "yeaaahhh!" and then a break, then you hear "one, two, three, four" and Lindsey's solo comes in. There is no "fallin' fallin' fallin" at the end; it ends abruptly.
Second Hand News - Starts out with Lindsey counting. The vocals sound a lot like the album version but John's bass is much more prominent. There is no electric solo at the end.
Silver Springs - I've never heard this version before! The guitar sounds so much more country-ish to me. There are no background vocals during the "time cast a spell on you" part. I like this one.
Songbird - Starts out with a guy saying "Songbird." During the first few piano bars, Chris tosses in an "oooooh". I can hear an acoustic guitar, playing softly. I don't know if this is in the album version, to be honest! If it is, I've never noticed it before!
After the "I love you like never before" there is a more piano playing and an extra verse:
You smile
And you make me feel good inside
It's a feeling
And it's so hard to hide
Dreams - This version starts out with Lindsey counting. Everything but the drums on this version sounds a lot more different than the album version. The vocals are missing a few "ooo"s and they exclude background vocals/Stevie harmonizing with herself. Lindsey doesn't do his solo after the first chorus, and Stevie says, "sing the verse" and delves into the second verse. Instead of "crystal visions," it's "crystal changes." When Stevie sings "it's only me who wants to wrap around your dreams," John and Mick don't do the little syncopation as they do in the album version. All in all, an interesting version of Dreams!
Watch Devil - There's quite a bit of tape hiss at the beginning of this, but it subsides.
Sisters of the Moon - Sounds almost the same as the album version, but this has a few differences.
Sara - Another alternate take of Sara.
I Know I'm Not Wrong - This is an instrumental version. Do I hear a glockenspiel? Or is that a music box?
Take A Little Time - This is, essentially, Lindsey playing guitar and mumbling to himself in a falsetto.