Question on Fireflies

[catinthedark]

Originally Posted by Sorcerer386

I used to have a demo/outtake/whatever it was of Fireflies with the actual ending listed at Nicksfix:

Like a sailing ship, not one of us runs
Everyone stays, and the fire never fades

I don't know if this is the same one everyone else is talking about. It's on my old computer...I wish it still worked.

this sounds like the FM Live version - i believe the end lyrics on it are:

Like a sailing ship, not one of us runs
Everyone stays, and the fire flies...

but i could be wrong. i love this song, too. i love what it's about.

[amber]

I have this gross version where Lindsey starts out singing for to help Stevie, then she takes over. Everyone already has that, yeah? To me, it's not so good.
I have a regular good one, but I assume it is from Live album (although I don't know for sure, as I don't have Live. Bad fan, no cookie!)

[Beachwood Mac]

Originally Posted by Sorcerer386

I used to have a demo/outtake/whatever it was of Fireflies with the actual ending listed at Nicksfix:

Like a sailing ship, not one of us runs
Everyone stays, and the fire never fades

I don't know if this is the same one everyone else is talking about. It's on my old computer...I wish it still worked.

This is the version Amber is talking about. Such a different vocal from Stevie than on the released track. Someone was high on something... I have it on my hard drive but for some reason yousendit.com is not working right now. I'll try again later. I love the song and remember always having to get up and set the needle back on the vinyl to hear it over and over when it first came out on the live album. Thank God for replay on cd's!

Terry

[Beachwood Mac]

Okay I got yousendit to work. Here are the 3 versions I have. 2 are from a file I have labeled Tusk demos. The other is the released version.


This is the version with the ending Sorcerer386 mentioned.

http://s5.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2S...Y19G77IZI8E96B



This is another version in the file labeled Fireflies-alt.

http://s23.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2...Y3W53IJ9QW12UQ



and this is the released version.

http://s5.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2C...G1UEQFGPL97630

[jannieC]

Originally Posted by JazmenFlowers

do you have the Live CD? well, nevermind...that was a stupid question I guess.

Actually, I used to- years ago, so I don't know why I'm blanking. Anyway, I'm downloading it now. Listening---okay yes, I know this song. Thanks!

[johnny4406]

The first version is the "single mix"..

The second version is... im guessing a "live demo".. them working through the song to get the sound that they wanted.. or a rehearsal. But Stevie's voice is bad in this second version which leads me to believe that it wasn't a rehearsal close to the recording date of the live album cut. Maybe they rehearsed it two weeks prior.. who knows.

[David]

Originally Posted by amber

I have a regular good one, but I assume it is from Live album (although I don't know for sure, as I don't have Live.

You should get it, amber. I think you'd like that album.

The one here labeled firefliesalt sounds like a single mix, which I think they released on a 45 or even on a 33 (like "Think About Me"). There are two Stevie vocal tracks (just like the track on the album) so it's had some post-Santa Monica Civic studio work.

The one labeled firefliesdemo (fans sure love that word "demo") was probably done about the same time (Lindsey is playing exactly the same riffs & Stevie is singing essentially the same melody line & doing her gangster thing that she did only in the last half of the 1980 tour), but it's not a properly compressed, mixed track for an album. It sounds like a raw soundboard recording: direct through the cables, similar to all our soundboard concert recordings.

We still don't know how many times they ran through "Fireflies" at the Santa Monica Civic (the date for which I want to stick to my guess of July 1980) -- or even what they were doing there exactly. All we have are guesses. But it seems a safe bet that the initial recordings were made in this hall, as a live band (everybody playing together), & were then patched up a bit for the live album with both traditional mixing & mastering as well as some doubletracking.

Chris plays only organ on both of these. There's still another "Fireflies" going around where you can hear both acoustic piano & organ. It's been so long since I've heard that one. That in itself isn't necessarily proof of doubletracking in Christine's case (there are occasions when she played electric piano & organ together, like on "Dreams" chorus) but it highly suggests it. The acoustic piano is different because it isn't close enough in proximity to the organ. It would be very unusual for Chris to handle both simultaneously (Benmont Tench manages to do it in concert but he must have his own secrets & his own setup for the rig).

So I think that Fleetwood Mac recorded all these "Fireflies" at the Santa Monica Civic -- either on a single day (possibly for dress rehearsal & also intending to record songs for the upcoming live album) or on multiple days -- all at some later break in the tour (which would mean April or July). Then they took the "Fireflies" they wanted & mixed it & tracked a little more (as they did with many live tracks on the album). Hence the differences in the way they all sound.

[MirrorInTheSky]

Love, love, love Fireflies. It's like one of those rare gems. It's so hidden and secret that it's not overplayed, but it's one of her best songs ever.

[vermicious knid]

Does anyone remember it being played on the radio long ago?

[priestofnothing]

There is also a nice version of Farmers Daughter on the Tusk re-issue disc 2, so I assume they were working on this song during the Tusk sessions.

[Sorcerer386]

Originally Posted by catinthedark

this sounds like the FM Live version - i believe the end lyrics on it are:

Like a sailing ship, not one of us runs
Everyone stays, and the fire flies...

but i could be wrong. i love this song, too. i love what it's about.

The FM Live version ends like this:

Like a sailing ship, not one of us runs
No (or "oh"), no (or "oh" again)
Of our love affair
Like a whip through the air
I would love to believe
I believe what you say
(inane sort of "yeah," I always replace it with "la bete" for some reason).

Anyway, she doesn't do that line "Everyone stays, and the fire never fades."

[goldustsongbird]

I love Fireflies. It's just one of those songs that you hear and like instantly.
There's something about it that makes it so pleasing to the ear.

Anyone have the rest of the Live 80 album they'd like to share?

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by goldustsongbird

Anyone have the rest of the Live 80 album they'd like to share?

It's FOR SALE. I can't believe that EVERYONE here doesn't own it.
For shame. I mean REALLY. You a FAN, but you don't own the definitive live recording of the band, IN THEIR PRIME!?





And not that damned Live in Boston orchestra crap....

[HomerMcvie]

http://product.half.ebay.com/Fleetwo...emZ12615955260
Here it is for $12. Giddyup!

[elie]

Originally Posted by David

Stevie is singing essentially the same melody line & doing her gangster thing that she did only in the last half of the 1980 tour),

I am sorry if this is a stupid question-what do you mean by that? ( (the gangster thing that is)