Come A Little Bit Closer (acoustic)

Macfan4life · #1 03-09-2024, 04:31 PM

Simply Brilliant. Stripped down to acoustic. I have always loved this song. A song about longing for that someone that slipped away and you have such regrets. My favorite song on Heroes. It does not get any better than this

I don't know why but I feel I am lonely on this board with my love and devotion to this album. Its such a powerful song that I can see why she used this intro to Why on the 1974 tour.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=422Afb45vuc

I'm dancing, to the music
Of a simple melody
And I wonder are you thinking
Of a single memory
And I know when I see them swaying
I can hear myself say
Come a little bit closer (come a little bit closer)
'Cause I remember the time
When you held me in your arms (come a little bit closer)
And you wanted to be mine
Everything good, everything gold
And now all that's left is a sweet memory
If you love me, let me know
Why don't you show me which way to go?
Please don't leave me all alone
'Cause I can't make it on my own
And I know when I see them swaying
I can hear myself say
Come a little bit closer (come a little bit closer)
'Cause I remember the time
When you held me in your arms (come a little bit closer)
And you wanted to be mine
I might but wrong, but that's where I belong
Why are you just a sweet memory?
Come a little bit closer (come a little bit closer)
'Cause I remember the time
When you held me in your arms (come a little bit closer)
And you wanted to be mine
Everything good, everything gold
Why are you just a sweet memory?

BLY · #2 03-09-2024, 06:22 PM

Amazing…..beautiful……great song and great fiind……and I do love Heroes.

dougl · #3 03-09-2024, 10:21 PM

Wowza! Thanks

Penguin Emeritus · #4 03-10-2024, 12:49 PM

wow. again i sit here crying! beautiful.

--Lis

FuzzyPlum · #5 03-10-2024, 03:18 PM

Wow. This is amazing. I don’t know whether I prefer this raw acoustic version or the final version with all the lush strings. I absolutely love this song but always thought the strings were a bit too much and over powering. This is so beautiful. Like Christine.

Macfan4life · #6 03-10-2024, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FuzzyPlum

Wow. This is amazing. I don’t know whether I prefer this raw acoustic version or the final version with all the lush strings. I absolutely love this song but always thought the strings were a bit too much and over powering. This is so beautiful. Like Christine.

It really does take the song to another level. I dont believe those are real strings because a reviewer back in 1974 criticized them for over playing the synth programmed strings.

Chris's singing seems so heartfelt with so much stripped away. You can feel her emotion. At first listen on the album version it seems like such a happy love song if you dont pay attention to the lyrics so much. But this acoustic version breaks your heart.

"please don't leave me all alone cause I cant make it on my own"

"when you held me in your arms. I might be wrong but that's where I belong"

"Why are you such a sweet memory"

Its almost like this is the Why of Heroes Are Hard to find.

FuzzyPlum · #7 03-10-2024, 04:25 PM

Yes, Come a Little bit Closer and Why are very similar songs. Not in structure but in the feel and emotion.

I’m dancing to the music of a simple melody and I wonder if you’re thinking of a single memory

I can just see her all on her own, putting the record player on and dancing slowly, glass of wine in hand. Maybe a cigarette as well. Thinking of that lost lover. Do you ever think of me or any of those times???

Macfan4life · #8 03-10-2024, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FuzzyPlum

Yes, Come a Little bit Closer and Why are very similar songs. Not in structure but in the feel and emotion.

I’m dancing to the music of a simple melody and I wonder if you’re thinking of a single memory

I can just see her all on her own, putting the record player on and dancing slowly, glass of wine in hand. Maybe a cigarette as well. Thinking of that lost lover. Do you ever think of me or any of those times???

Lets dig deeper into the lyrics. From the first time that I heard the song, I interpreted the "When I see them swaying, I can hear myself say....." as some sort of jealousy feeling. She's watching the guy she loved dance with another girl and she is remembering the old times. But this emotional stripping away of all the glitz has me rethinking this interpretation. I think she is looking back with regret and wishing they got closer. So when she says, "when I see them swaying" she is speaking in third person about herself.

What do you think or anyone else? But I agree with you Fuzzy, its a very deep song like Why but it took the change of music to view it a bit differently.
Its also interesting that she played the intro to this song before going into Why in concert in 1974. Gosh I wish she was around to take questions on this

FuzzyPlum · #9 03-10-2024, 05:01 PM

Yeah….that’s how I interpret it. She’s on her own deep into the music reminiscing about a guy she truly loved. They danced and she’s picturing the memory of those times. Come a little bit closer to me. Hold me in your arms. But now she’s alone.

But maybe you’re right. Maybe she’s literally watching an old flame dancing with somebody else and it’s stirring up the jealousy.

(Martin Birch??? or just a fictitious love song?)

Penguin Emeritus · #10 03-10-2024, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

It really does take the song to another level. I dont believe those are real strings because a reviewer back in 1974 criticized them for over playing the synth programmed strings.

Chris's singing seems so heartfelt with so much stripped away. You can feel her emotion. At first listen on the album version it seems like such a happy love song if you dont pay attention to the lyrics so much. But this acoustic version breaks your heart.

"please don't leave me all alone cause I cant make it on my own"

"when you held me in your arms. I might be wrong but that's where I belong"

"Why are you such a sweet memory"

Its almost like this is the Why of Heroes Are Hard to find.

It does sound more emotional with all those strings stripped away.

1974 was a pretty bad year for the McVies...

-Lis

aleuzzi · #11 03-10-2024, 08:15 PM

This is a spectacular find! I always wished this song were stripped back to an acoustic guitar, piano, and her vocal. She sounds glorious on it.

WatchChain · #12 03-11-2024, 05:14 PM

I LOVE "Come a Little Bit Closer" - it is simply one of the greatest Fleetwood Mac songs ever recorded!

aleuzzi · #13 03-11-2024, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Penguin Emeritus

It does sound more emotional with all those strings stripped away.

-Lis

Her voice sounds so pure. This stripped-down recording of her with Welch’s pleasing acoustic strumming really highlights what a great singer she was. Her voice GLOWS…

Re: the album arrangement: those strings and pedal steel were overkill, and the drums were too heavy. She sounds buried in the mix.

BLY · #14 03-11-2024, 07:33 PM

We really do need a release of Christine’s “Best of ” The Songbird release didn’t cut it.

WatchChain · #15 03-11-2024, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BLY

We really do need a release of Christine’s “Best of ” The Songbird release didn’t cut it.

Yes, there should be an official release to commemorate Christine's brilliant career.
I'm not sure how that would work, since most of her song catalog consists of Fleetwood Mac songs. Would Warner Brothers Records/Rhino release a compilation of only Christine songs with the band - combined with a few solo tracks?

I've made my own Christine playlist on my Spotify account. An official career retrospective would be great.