Sisters Of The Moon

celestenadia · #1 09-09-2002, 01:49 AM

I've never known what the big deal was about this song... Don't get me wrong...I think it's good...I just don't get it though...A song like "Smile At You" got booted in favor of??? I have the piano demo of it...Maybe it shoulda stayed that way? More piano oriented...as opposed to Lindsey wailings??? Help me! What do YOU think about "Sisters"?

Gypsy-Rhiannon · #2 09-09-2002, 03:26 AM

Sisters of the Moon is one of my favourites.....

Pip

DownOnRodeo · #3 09-09-2002, 07:24 AM

I agree with both of you!

I'm such a cop-out.

Meanwhile I completely agree with Celestinadia on both counts:
- original demo arrangement was more powerful (obviously not just as it was, but the Tusk cut is a bit washy and laboured).
- Smile at You...Where are You??? Angel, Storms and Sara are out of this world; but whereas I like Sisters and Beautiful Child as much as anyone, Smile At You is IMHO the good stuff. Anyway, it will be great to hear it on the new album hopefully.....

David · #4 09-09-2002, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by celestenadia
I've never knew what the big deal was about this song... Don't get me wrong...I think it's good...I just don't get it though...A song like "Smile At You" got booted in favor of??? I have the piano demo of it...Maybe it shoulda stayed that way? More piano oriented...as opposed to Lindsey wailings??? Help me! What do YOU think about "Sisters"?

I think the track is one of the very few Fleetwood Mac tracks that were designed specifically to be performed live -- as showstoppers. It has that anthemic quality that sometimes obliterates more interesting subtleties. Musically, the track has "encore" written all over it. Sure enough, that was its purpose on tour. But I think it's an invigorating workout on vocals & lead guitar, & its sultry beat is something the rhythm section does so well. I'm glad it was part of the set a long time ago.

I don't think it specifically displaced "Smile at You" (which was written & first recorded a couple of years before "Tusk"), but if you know something we don't, we're all ears.

chiliD · #5 09-09-2002, 10:51 AM

As David said, definitely seems to be a live vehicle, for sure. A real rocker for Stevie...and, I think (just a big supposition here) that they might have originally thought of it as a replacement for "Rhiannon" in the live set (since Stevie blew her voice out on "Rhiannon" during those early years and "Sisters..." would be less taxing on Stevie's voice), but alas they ended up doing BOTH in concert.

Actually, I've heard two or three different versions of "Smile At You" and I just must be missing something because I just don't hear what all the fuss is about. To me, it's definitely better left to the vault.

DownOnRodeo · #6 09-09-2002, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by David
if you know something we don't, we're all ears.

Not quite. I was just referring to how 'Smile At You''s copyright was recently renewed, and that the band has said at least one old song will be presented on the new album.
Without You, If You Were My Love.... Hmmm Smile at You's looking pretty likely.

rhiannon1119 · #7 09-09-2002, 11:53 AM

I love Sisters of the Moon.. its one of my favorites. I totally agree that it was definitely meant to be sung live. The version on the Mirage video kicks ass!!

Michelle

Sorcerer386 · #8 09-09-2002, 06:46 PM

Well, I might start a debate here, but Smile At You not being on an FM album yet might have something to do with it being very mean toward Lindsey. It just seems that there was a line that the band, or Lindsey kept for Stevie's songs, and if she crossed that line, it didn't go on an album. I often wonder why, if they loved Silver Springs enough to almost put it on Rumours, why it was never on another album. Why didn't they place it on Tusk? Planets of the Universe, while it is claimed that Lindsey didn't know what to do with it (which could very well be the case), I'm sure was partly pushed aside due to the intense bitterness in it. I'm not BLAMING Lindsey at all...with such an intense relationship, I wouldn't want Stevie singing Smile At You or Planets to ME on stage KNOWING that it was based toward me. But when Stevie says on the Behind the Music (not a direct quote) -- I couldn't have Lindsey telling me that this song I wrote wasn't that good, knowing that he said it because he was mad at me because of our relationship -- I get the feeling that the songs that were most hurtful toward him were the songs that weren't very good to him. Again, I wouldn't really blame him, I just think that has at least a LITTLE something to do with leaving Smile At You among other songs off the albums. Now, I hope this was objective enough to not start a flaming war...

David · #9 09-09-2002, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sorcerer386
Well, I might start a debate here, but Smile At You not being on an FM album yet might have something to do with it being very mean toward Lindsey. ... Again, I wouldn't really blame him, I just think that has at least a LITTLE something to do with leaving Smile At You among other songs off the albums. Now, I hope this was objective enough to not start a flaming war.

You shouldn't get flamed. One of the old print interviews reported that "Smile at You" was considered for "Mirage," but was nixed in favor of something else. One of the band members said the song was a little too bitter, & added, "It's just not where we're at right now."

I wanted to add something about "Sisters of the Moon," too, but I can't remember what.

Les · #10 09-09-2002, 08:08 PM

One of the band members said the song was a little too bitter, & added, "It's just not where we're at right now."

Wasn't it even Stevie who said it? I remember the sentiment, but not the article it came from.

DownOnRodeo · #11 09-09-2002, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Les
"It's just not where we're at right now."

Wasn't it even Stevie who said it? I remember the sentiment, but not the article it came from.

I guess it was Stevie! Here's Lindsey's version:

"Well, I think it's important to get back to the real things at this stage of the cycle, and focus on what we all feel is the....right....um, cycle!"

j/k

ChiliD that's a really good point - Sisters engineered as a Rhiannon replacement because of Stevie's voice. But then she goes and starts screming in tongues!! At least, that's the live version I have

Maybe the whole on-stage invocations was a one off..?

chiliD · #12 09-10-2002, 10:23 AM

True, but the intensity & length of those "screaming in tongues" was momentary, rather than for two minutes straight at the end of the song, like on those early "Rhiannons".