Break down of Mystery to Me

[SteveMacD]

AMAZING: Emerald Eyes, Believe Me, Hypnotized, Keep On Going, Miles Away, For Your Love, Why
GOOD: Somebody, Just Crazy Love
COULD LIVE WITHOUT: Forever, The Way I Feel
GREAT MUSIC, CRAPPY LYRICS: The City

[macmar71]

The Best~~ Why, Hypnotized, Believe Me, Emerald Eyes, Just Crazy Love




Fair~~~ For Your Love, Keep On Going, Miles Away, The Way I Feel, Somebody, Forever





Not My Cup Of Tea~~ The City

[jbrownsjr]

AMAZING: Emerald Eyes, Believe Me, Hypnotized, Keep On Going, Miles Away, For Your Love, Why
EXCELLENT: Somebody, Just Crazy Love, The City(agree that the lyrics are average)
SOLID: Forever, The Way I Feel

This is a solid album, and I think it's reaches amazing heights. Most people say Christine shined during Tango, but I think she shined her too. Bob Welch was just as solid.

Emerald Eyes have jazz harmonies that really please my ear. AAAhhh I love those harmonies and that drum kick!

[stefan]

I create 5 categories for this jewel of an album:

1. These songs are among the best the band-community ever did- I am thrilled listening to: Hypnotized, Forever, Miles away, Keep on going, Emerald eyes (A+)

2. Believe me ledgies - these ones are great: Believe me, Just crazy love, The city, Why (B)

3. I'm not somebody who totally loves: Somebody (C)

4. I`m not feeling too excited listening to: The way I feel (C-)

5. I want to be Miles away when this song starts to play: For your love (D)

Stefan

[Mari]

Seriously addicted to: Believe Me, Why, Hypnotized, Keep on Going, Just Crazy Love, The Way I Feel

.. and the rest is great too



I can't get enough of "Believe Me" since I heard the Rumours Rehearsals versions of it, those are just brilliant.

[Claudia]

Amazing - Why, Hypnotized, Keep On Going, Believe Me, Emerald Eyes, The Way I Feel

Very Good - Miles Away, Forever, Somebody

Good - Just Crazy Love, The City, For Your Love

[snoot]

Gotta love digging up some of these older threads ...

Simply The Best: Bob Welch shines with 14 karat gold!

Great: Hypnotized, Keep On Going, Miles Away, Why, Emerald Eyes, Believe Me, The Way I Feel, Somebody

Good: The City, Forever, For Your Love

Ok: Just Crazy Love

All around * CLASSIC * middle era Mac

Of Note:
- Bob Welch + Bob Weston guitar interplay, and Weston's knockout arrangement of Christie's Why
- Christie's first huge album splash with the Mac, and her dynamite delivery on Welch's Keep On Going - great strings too!
- Mick and John's rhythmic muscle
- For Your Love (the old Yardbird's cover) replaced Welch's Good Things (Come To Those Who Wait) on the album just before official release (too bad too)

[aleuzzi]

I enjoy this record a lot. When I first heard it (back in 1982) I remember comparing it to Penguin and Heroes (which I already owned). I recall thinking some of the raw spark from Penguin was missing but none of the studio murkiness from Heroes was there. In all, I thought it was good: not great.

As I got older, I returned to the record and thought quite differently. At least half of the album is excellent. The rest is good--not exceptional. To my ears, only "For Your Love" and "The City" are genuine duds.

Here's my breakdown:

Excellent: Emerald Eyes, Believe Me, Hypnotized, Keep on Going, Miles Away, and Why

Good: Just Crazy Love, Forever, Somebody, and The Way I Feel

My favorite moments of the record are when Christine backs Bob Welch vocally on his tunes. "Hypnotized" is a classic in large part BECAUSE of her presence on that song. Her harmonies on "Emerald Eyes" are amazing. Her lead vocal on his "Keep on Going" is a revelation.

[nicepace]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

Her lead vocal on his "Keep on Going" is a revelation.

Revelation? I thought that was on 'Penguin.'

(ducks)

[snoot]

Originally Posted by nicepace

Revelation? I thought that was on 'Penguin.'

(ducks)

Ducks? Don't you mean Penguins?

(ducks)

[snoot]

aleuzzi: To my ears, only "For Your Love" and "The City" are genuine duds.

The City?? With those great guitar licks, and novel talk box guitar, all circa 1973? Move over Peter Frampton, Welch and Weston rip! Then there's the put down of NYC. That should count for extra points!

aleuzzi: My favorite moments of the record are when Christine backs Bob Welch vocally on his tunes. "Hypnotized" is a classic in large part BECAUSE of her presence on that song. Her harmonies on "Emerald Eyes" are amazing. Her lead vocal on his "Keep on Going" is a revelation..

We can thank one Mr. Kirwan for introducing harmony to Fleetwood Mac. Christy did it additional justice, working so well with the guys in the band right to the very end, to include Bob Welch.

Keep On Going is one of the few times you'll see a Mac song composed by one but handed over to another for vocal treatment. Bob tried his voice at it initially, felt it didn't hit the intended mark, and asked Christie to give it a go. Instant magic!

[chriskisn]

Actually I can't separate the songs on this album, they are all great. I just love the Bob Welch stuff from this album, Penguin and Heroes. I think he really started doing great stuff once Danny had gone.

I bought this album (along with Penguin and HAHTF) from a second hand shop many years ago and played them until my parents were sick of hearing them! Maybe thats why they wanted me out of home?

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by snoot

aleuzzi: [I]
We can thank one Mr. Kirwan for introducing harmony to Fleetwood Mac. Christy did it additional justice, working so well with the guys in the band right to the very end, to include Bob Welch.

This may be true, but Bob Welch's experience with soul music in the 60s definitely helped him shape vocal arrangements. You can hear interesting harmonies on "Lay it All Down," "Future Games," "The Ghost," and of course "Sentimental Lady"--and none of these appear to have been shaped or guided by Kirwan's hand. In fact, the presence of harmonies increases once Kirwan leaves.

[michelej1]

I liked Christine's cyberchat when she observed, "The nature of the beast, singing with them in 3 part harmonies, along with Stevie and Lindsey, created some chemical reaction that, even to this day, I don't know what it really is. With Bob Welch, there was not as much chemistry. It was harder work. Not that the sound was not as good, but just a different sensation altogether."

I've also seen her discuss how in the earlier days singing with another person would throw her off key, but then it began to feel natural SnL.

Michele

[snoot]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

This may be true, but Bob Welch's experience with soul music in the 60s definitely helped him shape vocal arrangements. You can hear interesting harmonies on "Lay it All Down," "Future Games," "The Ghost," and of course "Sentimental Lady"--and none of these appear to have been shaped or guided by Kirwan's hand. In fact, the presence of harmonies increases once Kirwan leaves.

My only point was that Danny introduced that element to the band, as further proof of his impact on Mac history (and not that he was the ringleader in each instance of it). The others in the front line all added substantially, that goes without saying. Bob was a master of it, like you said, having that expansive and unique rock & soul & funk background to tap from. Not sure if it really increases after Kirwan's departure, considering the Kiln House example from early on, but it certainly didn't decrease!

Christine always found it harder to work directly with Danny, so that may attribute to the seeming tailing off you're perceiving (she was also not as sure of herself, or her place, as she was later). We have to remember, Kirwan came to FM for Peter, and not Christie or Jeremy - or to front the unit! His only true failing in the group was not being able to go front and center with confidence, shades of Green and Spencer before him. Varying degrees of insecurity got to them all, much of it drug or substance fueled. Kirwan was also innately shy and reserved (except with the guitar), which didn't help -- nor did the abrupt departure of his mentor Green.

Danny also kept the great instrumental card on the table after Peter left. Welch and Weston kept it alive during their tenures, but I'm drawing a blank as to whether Buckingham added much to it, or at all. I remember Stephanie from B&N, but surely there was more. Someone set me straight!

The Mac kind of lost me somewhere around Tusk city (and beyond). Not fully mind you, they still turned out some pleasant (and at times inspired) stuff, just as a willing accomplice.