Silver Springs Should Have Been a Top 10 Hit

[MikeInNV]

http://stargayzing.com/songs-that-sh...hits-volume-6/

As most Stevie Nick’s fans well know, “Silver Springs” was written for Rumours in 1977 but left off the album (though it was included as the b-side of the “Go Your Own Way” single). According to lore (and common sense), this pleased Miss Nick’s none too much and contributed to growing tension in the band. Here is what Nicks said about the song:

“I wrote ‘Silver Springs’ about Lindsey. And we were in Maryland somewhere driving under a freeway sign that said Silver Spring, Maryland. And I loved the name … Silver Springs sounded like a pretty fabulous place to me. And, ‘You could be my silver springs…’, that’s just a whole symbolic thing of what you could have been to me.”

Rumours engineer and co-producer Richard Dashut called it the “best song that never made it to an album.” The song finally got its due on the 1997 reunion album The Dance, but I prefer the original 1977 version.

[On Ice]

Hi Mike in NV,
Great post and couldn't agree more, the song is the biggest hit that Fleetwood Mac never had. I also think it's the best song Stevie ever wrote and would've been huge back in the day, heck was probably even ready in summer/fall of '76 and the sound of "you could be my Silver Springs" coming out of the speakers everywhere would have been such sweet sounds indeed.

[WatchChain]

I've always LOVED "Silver Springs", it's one of the BEST recordings from the Buckingham/Nicks lineup of Fleetwood Mac. For me, in the early days, Stevie was at her best when singing California country/rock. "Silver Springs" has a COUNTRY music vibe, much like "After The Glitter Fades", and "That's Alright". I could just as easily hear/envision a 1970's era Dolly Parton or Linda Ronstadt singing "Silver Springs". The song's replacement on the "Rumours" record "I Don't Want To Know" is also, at its core, a little country song. Although it is inferior to "Silver Springs", "I Don't Want To Know" sure is a cute stomping, toe-tapping number! That groove is infectious! This is HIGHWAY music at its finest!

As for the decision to leave "Silver Springs" off "Rumours", I think it just came down to the song being too long for the LP format at the time. Stevie was allowed 3 songs on the album, and "Springs" clocked in at nearly 5 minutes, an EPIC. I'm sure the band felt that "Springs" was the better of the two songs, but there just wasn't TIME, so they opted for the 3 minute "I Don't Want To Know", as there was NO WAY they were bumping "Dreams" OR "Gold Dust" OFF the record. The ONLY alternative: get rid of "Silver Springs". I AM surprised that they released it as a B-SIDE and didn't try to SAVE it for a future record, because it's just that good.

[Macfanforever]

Ditto here.It should of been a hit and it was ignored by radio like I said in other threads in the Stevie forum related to this.The tunes were overlooked and ignored by the jocks and their program and music directors at the stations.They do the same with other artists and bands too as they do those BS audience testing with the tunes to see what they like to hear.I know how radio works since I studied it for almost 40 years and had friends in the business.

[mitzo]

I am eternally grateful for the 1997 Dance version, which is just plain epic. The original from the '70's sounds cheap and thin and so weak in comparison.

[Jondalar]

Like the song but it had the wrong energy for Rumours. More like a Tusk song. Would of been great for Tango in the Night.

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by mitzo

I am eternally grateful for the 1997 Dance version, which is just plain epic. The original from the '70's sounds cheap and thin and so weak in comparison.

I agree. The way she sang it to him during that performance was unreal. I've seen it performed well, but never quite the same as that performance.

[He's So Unusual]

Originally Posted by mitzo

I am eternally grateful for the 1997 Dance version, which is just plain epic. The original from the '70's sounds cheap and thin and so weak in comparison.

I agree with this. I've never cared for the original studio version. I only listen to The Dance version.

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by mitzo

I am eternally grateful for the 1997 Dance version, which is just plain epic. The original from the '70's sounds cheap and thin and so weak in comparison.

After all these years, this is still my favorite comment in this thread. You say exactly what I feel about the two versions. I gave never been a fan of the original, which sounds anemic to my ears. (“I Don’t Wanna Know” was the RIGHT replacement and choice: it fits into the running order perfectly and sustains the up-tempo momentum of YMLF. Then, it is followed by the saddest, most anguished moment on the album. An example of expert track sequencing.)

But the 1997 version of “Silver Springs” marks a triumphant return to form for its singer and band. At this stage of her career, her voice wraps around the melody in all the right ways. And she has the age and experience that give the performance the weight it deserves.

[BLY]

After 43 years I still get the chills listening to end chorus of the studio version of Silver Springs. The 5.1 SS mix even amplifies the chill.😎

[Steviegirl]

It is such a beautiful and rich song. I'm glad it was finally discovered by so many. I first heard it as the b-side to GYOW on a jukebox, and I played it all the time. I also love it on the box set. I love that version so much that I never warmed up to The Dance version and actually cringe every time I hear that beginning, 'Siiiilver Springs' because it sounds super off-key to me. I'm glad everyone else loves it though. It was always one of my favorite FM songs.

[bombaysaffires]

gorgeous song and such an excellent example of LB's production skills on her songs. Her demo is so bare bones and other than the melody nothing at all like the finished product. Another one of those songs where Christine was like "what the hell do I do with this?" until Lindsey came up with a plan.... the slow intro, then the downbeat into the full on song, the gorgeous tinkling acoustic guitar, the gorgeous solo, the big build up at the end. None of that was on the demo. Her original melody line was also more country and was tweaked in places. Far, far better than I Don't Wanna Know.

[cbBen]

They should have kept it in their hip pocket for the next record. See, the band could have said to Lindsey something along the lines of "95% of Tusk can be how you want it. Let's please just include some overtly commercial material to accommodate other concerns." "Silver Springs" could have been held for just such a purpose.

Jackson Browne did this with all his pre-Running On Empty albums. Almost all down-tempo introspective stuff that would never make the radio, but one (maybe two) songs on each album that were clearly written for the radio ("Doctor My Eyes" "Redneck Friend" "Road And The Sky" "Here Come Those Tears Again"). He wasn't selling out. He was in fact seeing and navigating the big picture while keeping his artistic integrity in tact.

"Silver Springs" was too good to make a non-album B-side.

[BLY]

Silver Springs got a lot of airplay back in 1977/1978 for a b side.

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by cbBen

They should have kept it in their hip pocket for the next record. See, the band could have said to Lindsey something along the lines of "95% of Tusk can be how you want it. Let's please just include some overtly commercial material to accommodate other concerns." "Silver Springs" could have been held for just such a purpose.

Jackson Browne did this with all his pre-Running On Empty albums. Almost all down-tempo introspective stuff that would never make the radio, but one (maybe two) songs on each album that were clearly written for the radio ("Doctor My Eyes" "Redneck Friend" "Road And The Sky" "Here Come Those Tears Again"). He wasn't selling out. He was in fact seeing and navigating the big picture while keeping his artistic integrity in tact.

"Silver Springs" was too good to make a non-album B-side.

True
It would have been great on Tusk

Its amazing the material they had to put Silver Springs on a B side. I always thought Sleeping Angel was too good to give away to a movie soundtrack. It could have been a single off Bella Donna or Wild Heart. What about "All the beautiful worlds" It never made it to an album nor a B side.

However look at the big picture. They were just beginning to peak and gel. They were constantly writing new stuff. In their minds there was better stuff yet to come. Looking back is Monday morning quarterbacking and easy to cast doubt. But when you are churning out endless hits and album sales its easy to lose focus and not appreciate the finer things.