Moments that bring down good songs

[KenB]

I'm curious to hear others' thoughts on parts they don't like on Mac songs they otherwise enjoy. I thought of this topic while listening to "Temporary One," from The Dance -- see below. I'm more interested in musical moments than lyrical ones.

1. "Temporary One" -- I understand that a lot of fans aren't crazy about this new tune of Christine's on The Dance. I like it a lot. But that very cliched-sounding ascending bass riff John plays just after the second chorus (at right about the 1:30 mark)? It makes me cringe. It just sounds so generic and uncreative, like "I need to play something here, but I'm not sure what."

2. "Dreams" -- any live version after the mid-'80s. When Stevie sings that high C during the "It's only right" and "It's only me" lines on the studio recording, it's magical. When she plays it safe and avoids that high note live, it's flat and dull.

3. "As Long as You Follow" -- the brief guitar solo in the middle (don't know if it's Rick or Billy). Again, it sounds cliched to me and takes me out of the mood on a song I really like a lot.

4. "Everybody Finds Out" -- the weird compression effect Lindsey puts on Stevie's first couple of vocal lines. It seems purposeless. How does it benefit the song? (Please tell me and help me like this song better!)

5. "Book of Love" -- Lindsey's sped-up "Oh oh oh oh-oh" at the very beginning and repeated before verse two. I generally like Lindsey's '50s genre exercises, but this particular bit of music takes "Book of Love" into the realm of parody, for me.

Anybody agree or disagree? Or have their own moments?

[sanders8323]

"Over My Head": In the single version...the way that the guitar is brought so up front into the mix in the choruses is jarring. The album version is much more pleasing to the ear.

"I'm So Afraid": Studio version...just as the jam is getting hot at the end, the song starts to fade...Could've been longer.

"Oh Daddy": That little "blip blip blip blip" Chris does after the very last chorus is, again using this word, jarring. I recall reading that she did that because she wasn't sure what melody Lindsey was playing with his guitar and she was trying to bring that to his attention by playing some distorted chords. It ruins the atmosphere of the song.

"Silver Springs": The studio version that appears on the Rumours re-issues and Very Best Of...the way that they brought Stevie's vocals way up front into the mix in the choruses just about takes all of the beauty out of the harmonies in the choruses. The emotional impact is diminished. Go for the original B-side and Chain box set version.

"Oh Diane": Again another song that fades too early. A longer guitar solo at the end would've made the song better.

"When I See You Again": Pretty much Stevie's whole vocal to be honest. Lindsey is the saving grace of this song when he starts to sing.

"In the Back of My Mind": The intro is too long. The song would make more of an impact with a shorter intro.

[Kubrick2788]

Stevie backing off of belting and high notes in general irks me, but drawing out a 'Sara' instead of belting that last 'hooooooooooome, Sara' is what I think brings that song down anymore. It works at different speeds, but that last punch of lyric is missed

[san-l-bar]

Originally Posted by Kubrick2788

Stevie backing off of belting and high notes in general irks me, but drawing out a 'Sara' instead of belting that last 'hooooooooooome, Sara' is what I think brings that song down anymore. It works at different speeds, but that last punch of lyric is missed

Is it possible that Stevie just can't reach those notes anymore? I've noticed in studio recordings that her voice almost sounds speeded up when she's reaching high notes- like a modulator's being used? So if that's the case, I can understand why she wouldn't try it in concert night after night after night.

[On Ice]

2. "Dreams" -- any live version after the mid-'80s. When Stevie sings that high C during the "It's only right" and "It's only me" lines on the studio recording, it's magical. When she plays it safe and avoids that high note live, it's flat and dull.

Agreed...I think she can reach the note, but only on occasion. It would not be sustainable on a long tour. When the best part of the song is missing, is loses steam and it seams most times she just wants to get it over with, which is a shame, in that it totally deserves a modern rearrangement. I do give her kudos for the modern slower Rhiannon Intros and think she should stop there and ditch the rock version because of being unable to sing the chorus the way it's intended. I'm not really interested in the back up singers doing it for her.

Although not Mac, it's the same issue with Edge of Seventeen live, because she won't up the "winged" dove, the song falls flat and no attempt to outdo the wail makes up for that. I've always been disappointed with the song live for that very reason.

Lindsey: Most live versions of Not That Funny. While a quirky fun little song on Tusk, it's not a show stopper and doesn't deserve to be drawn out in shows. The 2013 tour was more what this song was intended to be.

Christine although close to "perfect" in my books, loses ground with Only Over You, with the too obvious Beach Boys imitation with Out of my Mind. Those words don't work with what's she's trying to achieve.

[Villavic]

Originally Posted by sanders8323

"I'm So Afraid": Studio version...just as the jam is getting hot at the end, the song starts to fade...Could've been longer.

The live versions are really Lindsey's wise move. The falsetto in the studio version was not the best way.

[Phil]

Ken B, I agree with everything you have said, except for live versions of "Dreams" post mid 1980's. Whilst I understand why those high notes are missed by many, I actually like the more tortured, mature versions. My only problem with the live versions post mid 1980's is that Stevie sometimes sounds bored, but this is true of just about everything she performs these days.
Regarding "Everybody Finds Out", I'm certain there's a half decent song in there somewhere, but the production is so clunky, it just saps the life out of proceedings. Stevie's vocal is also strained to the point of being unlistenable in my opinion. (This also applies to many of her songs on the Say You Will album.)
Sanders8323, I agree with most of your comments except for "Silver Springs" and "When I See You Again". I do think "When I See You Again" is jarring in parts, but this is due to the arrangement more than Stevie's vocal in my opinion. I really dislike the percussive element as well as those awful backing vocals courtesy of Christine and Lindsey. If the song had been an acoustic reading all the way through, I think it would be improved. Whilst I kind of enjoy Lindsey's vocal towards the end, I would have preferred Stevie's harmony vocal to have remained intact.
I would like to add "Illume" to the list because the finished version frustrates me. I believe this could have benefited from a more melodic arrangement, perhaps featuring piano, and a less monotone vocal from our girl. In other words, Christine should have been present. Such a waste.

[mitzo]

I think Everybody Finds Out is quite a masterpiece as recorded, including the surprising vocals, but it is brought down by a too-enthusiastic bass track that comes through at inopportune moments and makes the drama of the song fade to goofy.

[aleuzzi]

FM is usually good about minimizing such moments. They usually make the right choices, be they instinctive or calculated. But I will concur with the previous comment about the single version of "Over My Head," which does not match the subtlety and magic of the album version--and, for that matter, all of the single remixes from the white album, which sound odd in comparison to the originals. But I understand that they were trying to craft a sound that would play well on a car radio, so...

I also think Lindsey made a HUGE mistake not accepting John's bass parts for Second Hand News. If you listen to the Rumours reissue, the earlier version sounds so much more buoyant because of the bubbling bass. LB's decision to replace it with his own flat bass line is inexplicable to me.

On a pre-BN song, I think "Come a Little Bit Closer" is one of greatest lost opportunities in the band's catalogue. The overblown drums, the pedal steel, horns, and strings--it's all so horrifying. The song is a delicate ballad with a great melody that should have been stripped down to piano, acoustic guitar, a soft bass, and some brushes--that alongside Christine's lovely voice.

[bethelblues]

A few I can think of that haven't been mentioned:

- Family Man...not by any means a standout song, but it probably would be infinitely better with different lyrics and meaning. I always liked the guitar part/instrumentation and pay very little to the lyrics.

- Sisters of the Moon...the recent version from last year. I have no idea why they decided to take so much life out of the song by not rocking the chorus section, shortening the guitar solo, and then Stevie singing "Sister" over the guitar. It would've been nice if they had rewatched the Tusk and Mirage tour versions---or maybe there was a deliberate intent on taking a different path.

- Bleed to Love Her...the Say You Will album version. I think the production choices, the beat added to the song, takes away much of the magic of the Dance live performance.

[WildHearted]

The absurd tempo of the album version of Say Goodbye.

[drzubritsky]

Originally Posted by On Ice

2. "Dreams" -- any live version after the mid-'80s. When Stevie sings that high C during the "It's only right" and "It's only me" lines on the studio recording, it's magical. When she plays it safe and avoids that high note live, it's flat and dull.

Agreed...I think she can reach the note, but only on occasion. It would not be sustainable on a long tour. When the best part of the song is missing, is loses steam and it seams most times she just wants to get it over with, which is a shame, in that it totally deserves a modern rearrangement. I do give her kudos for the modern slower Rhiannon Intros and think she should stop there and ditch the rock version because of being unable to sing the chorus the way it's intended. I'm not really interested in the back up singers doing it for her.

Although not Mac, it's the same issue with Edge of Seventeen live, because she won't up the "winged" dove, the song falls flat and no attempt to outdo the wail makes up for that. I've always been disappointed with the song live for that very reason.

She was already altering the melody to "Dreams" by the time of the HBO concert, although I'm sure she could still hit that high "C" without too much trouble at that time. I agree that skipping the high note really hurts the melody; "Dreams" is so simple from a chord structure standpoint that it needs the dynamics in the melody of the verse.

Interestingly, it seems like she altered the live version of "Edge of Seventeen" right from the git-go, since she sings the lower harmony line on the chorus for the HBO special. IIRC, there is one moment in the Red Rocks concert where she sings the higher melody, so clearly she was still able to hit those notes.

I think she is so focused on vocal control and preserving her voice that she got too cautious in her live performances starting in the early 80s.

[SadAngel86]

Originally Posted by WildHearted

The absurd tempo of the album version of Say Goodbye.

YES! I cringed so bad when I heard the studio version for the first time. The live versions are so much better and much more emotive!

[MikeVielhaber]

Originally Posted by SadAngel86

YES! I cringed so bad when I heard the studio version for the first time. The live versions are so much better and much more emotive!

You heard the studio version after the live version? I heard the studio version first....long before SYW came out when it was part of Lindsey's unreleased solo album.....and so I prefer it that way,

[sodascouts]

Originally Posted by Phil

I would like to add "Illume" to the list because the finished version frustrates me. I believe this could have benefited from a more melodic arrangement, perhaps featuring piano, and a less monotone vocal from our girl. In other words, Christine should have been present. Such a waste.

The thing that ruins this song for me are the weird echoing of "what I saw on this journey" etc. using a distorted version of Lindsey's voice overemphasizing the words until it sounds almost mocking. One of his most bizarre and destructive production choices, I think, because it takes away from the honest emotion of a natural vocal and makes it something contrived.

If he wanted to make Stevie's tune less monotonous, he could have added a natural and melodic vocal counterpart. He could have added so much if he had just resisted the urge to make it unnatural through studio manipulation... His choice is inexplicable to me.

Another song, Say You Will, was ruined by Stevie adding cutesy kid vocals repeating that chorus ad nauseum at the end.