The Chain Harmonies Live

aleuzzi · #1 07-13-2012, 03:02 PM

I was just listening to the band's 1977 Paris soundboard version of The Chain for millionth time and marveling at how rich the harmonies are. You can really hear Christine (who takes the very audible high parts) as opposed to the studio version where her voice is either mixed out or not recorded at all (save for the an overdubbed "You must never" that appears in some of the choruses).

This mix sounds so damn good! So devastating. I always wonder why the band didn't choose to mix all three voices into the record version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALHqyk1PQ0A

MacShadowsBall · #2 07-13-2012, 03:37 PM

I have thought the same exact thing, aleuzzi.

Where are Christine's vocals on The Chain(studio version)? Vocally to me its all Buckingham/Nicks sounding. I was surprised when I heard my first live version of The Chain that the vocals are fairly split each taking about 1/3 of the overall vocal output. I know sometimes her and Lindsey voices meld together that it almost creates another "voice".

Christine is a co-writer along with everybody else and this song is often times described as their true "band" song.

Something to think about...

WildHearted · #3 07-13-2012, 04:04 PM

I hear Christine's vocals a lot in the verses of the studio versions. She's singing the high part above Stevie's.. And she does the "Still hear you saying" descant thing during the choruses.

Maybe they're just blending so well combined with the instrumentals that it's hard to hear her for some people?

The vocal parts are pretty clear when you listen to center channel mixes:

aleuzzi · #4 07-13-2012, 04:33 PM

Thank you so much for that central channel mix! For the first time I can actually hear Christine there. Her voice isn't mixed down as it is on the official version.

Thanks!

chiliD · #5 07-13-2012, 05:12 PM

Her voice in "blends" with Stevie & Lindsey is a lot like David Crosby in CSN. When he's singing harmonies, I can RARELY pick him out in the mix (even though he's obviously "there"), but I can pinpoint with almost laser-like accuracy both Stephen Stills' & Graham Nash's voices.

MacShadowsBall · #6 07-13-2012, 06:50 PM

Awesome mix there. I can't really isolate Christine's voice, but I feel its there adding to Stevie and Lindsey's voices. There voices do blend nicely.

WildHearted · #7 07-13-2012, 07:24 PM

I don't think it's that Christine's voice is mixed down (the center channel mixes are, as far as I know, merely the center channel of the studio version isolated from the left and right? If I'm wrong, someone correct me)... it's still very noticeable to my ear when you're listening to her part... it's just that she's doing a very good job of blending with them, meaning that you can hardly distinguish the separate voice at all, but the note she is singing is still coming through, if that makes sense. It's a good thing. That's how harmonies are meant to work.

Very much like Crosby Stills & Nash, as someone above said.

In choir, you strive for a perfect 'blend,' where hundreds of people can sound like one voice.

aleuzzi · #8 07-13-2012, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WildHearted

I don't think it's that Christine's voice is mixed down (the center channel mixes are, as far as I know, merely the center channel of the studio version isolated from the left and right? If I'm wrong, someone correct me)... it's still very noticeable to my ear when you're listening to her part... it's just that she's doing a very good job of blending with them, meaning that you can hardly distinguish the separate voice at all, but the note she is singing is still coming through, if that makes sense. It's a good thing. That's how harmonies are meant to work.

Very much like Crosby Stills & Nash, as someone above said.

In choir, you strive for a perfect 'blend,' where hundreds of people can sound like one voice.

I get what you're saying. I was listening to the studio version of The Chain at the gym today and "heard" her voice--or sensed its presence--softening Lindsey's tenor and Stevie's twangy alto. But when they sing live, I can REALLY hear Christine--and I wonder why this is not the case on record. IN live performance, her high harmonies really stand out in a way they do not on the record. Perhaps it's because the other two voices sound different live as well...

WildHearted · #9 07-13-2012, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

I get what you're saying. I was listening to the studio version of The Chain at the gym today and "heard" her voice--or sensed its presence--softening Lindsey's tenor and Stevie's twangy alto. But when they sing live, I can REALLY hear Christine--and I wonder why this is not the case on record. IN live performance, her high harmonies really stand out in a way they do not on the record. Perhaps it's because the other two voices sound different live as well...

Studio magic. There's often a sort of... mystical, ethereal, sparkly kind of sound to their harmonies on the records that I suspect is just a result of something they've done in production. And then, it's probably double-tracked too which can make it sound a lot different.

Plus, it's easier to 'blend' when you're listening to something and singing over it, like they would be in the studio. It's not so easy to blend live when you don't know how what you're blending with (their voices) are going to sound, which makes the 3 voices a lot more distinct in live settings.

aleuzzi · #10 07-14-2012, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WildHearted

Studio magic. There's often a sort of... mystical, ethereal, sparkly kind of sound to their harmonies on the records that I suspect is just a result of something they've done in production. And then, it's probably double-tracked too which can make it sound a lot different.

Plus, it's easier to 'blend' when you're listening to something and singing over it, like they would be in the studio. It's not so easy to blend live when you don't know how what you're blending with (their voices) are going to sound, which makes the 3 voices a lot more distinct in live settings.

Agreed. In the case of The Chain, I prefer that live dynamic much more.

MacFan92 · #11 07-14-2012, 01:30 AM

I think the best live versions of The Chain took place during the Mirage Tour. It's so intense and passionate. The version on the Mirage Video is amazing.

michelej1 · #12 07-14-2012, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

I get what you're saying. I was listening to the studio version of The Chain at the gym today and "heard" her voice--or sensed its presence--softening Lindsey's tenor and Stevie's twangy alto. But when they sing live, I can REALLY hear Christine--and I wonder why this is not the case on record. IN live performance, her high harmonies really stand out in a way they do not on the record. Perhaps it's because the other two voices sound different live as well...

It's funny, but the opposite seems to be true with OMH. I was talking about Stevie's voice on that a friend asked me, "Oh is she singing background." I'm like, what??? How can you not hear her? But her voice is different on the live boots than it is on the studio version.

As for The Chain, I always say that that's what I loved most about Lindsey being with Little Big Town. Kimberly's voice reminded me of Christine. None of FM's back up singers bring back Christine on that song for me, but Kimberly from LBT did, just a smidgeon.

Michele

iamnotafraid · #13 07-15-2012, 04:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michelej1

As for The Chain, I always say that that's what I loved most about Lindsey being with Little Big Town. Kimberly's voice reminded me of Christine. None of FM's back up singers bring back Christine on that song for me, but Kimberly from LBT did, just a smidgeon.

Michele

Lindsey and LBT sounded more like Fleetwood Mac
than Fleetwood Mac.

michelej1 · #14 01-04-2015, 03:02 PM

This is from a NYT article on Courtney Love's work with songwriter Todd Almond:

Jan 04 2015 03:13:23 By JON PARELES

Ms. Love heard something else. After working on one of Mr. Almond's more dramatic songs, she said, she insisted he listen to "The Chain" by Fleetwood Mac. Its crescendo of intimacy and anger plays a man's sweet tenor voice (Lindsey Buckingham) against a woman's rasp (Stevie Nicks) -- the same vocal contrast that runs through "Kansas City Choir Boy."

Macfan4life · #15 01-04-2015, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacFan92

I think the best live versions of The Chain took place during the Mirage Tour. It's so intense and passionate. The version on the Mirage Video is amazing.

I agree! Mirage has lots of best live versions besides the Chain. Sisters of the moon is off the chart then too.

Chris's deep voice sounds better backing Stevie and Lindsey on the Chain. I listened to the live and studio version and I like to hear Chris more on the song.
Check out the version Mirage live and that is the best!