Unpopular Christine McVie Opinions

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

For me, she's most impressive on: Crystal, Honey Hi, Friend (acoustic version), Oh Daddy, Sugar Daddy, YMLF, Don't Stop, One in a Million, Smile I Live For, and Spare Me a Little (especially the live versions--but including the organ drenched studio version).

She's a top notch Hammond player. A damn good barrelhouse and twelve-bar blues piano player, a reflective and emotive ballad pianist, and a really sparkling electric keyboard player (ie: "Eyes of the World" live, as well as "Loved Another Woman" from 1974 soundboard). But yes, her understatement is sometimes too understated.

Do I have Loved Another Woman from 1974 soundboard?

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by jbrownsjr

Do I have Loved Another Woman from 1974 soundboard?

You should. It’s incredible-a duet with her and Welch.

[dontlookdown]

Originally Posted by Netter75

DownOnRodeo suggested this as an idea in the "Unpopular Stevie Nicks Opinions" thread and I figured it'd be fun to do the same with Christine!

I'll start.

1. I love her vocals on The Dance more than any other era (Rumours, Tango, etc). Despite her "kill me now" expression, the full, deep voice absolutely floors me. Best vocal performances of Oh Daddy, Everywhere, You Making Loving Fun, etc. That voice is like honey to my ears.

2. I don't get the deal with Think About Me. I REALLY want to like the song but I just can't get into it. I like the lyrics and message fine but I hate the way her and Lindsey harmonize on the chorus. It hits my ear as whiny and I kinda get why it didn't do as well on the charts as they may have hoped.

3. She sounds seamless and great when her vocals are blended with Lindsey on most songs but I like it much more when she harmonizes with Stevie. Straight Back, that second verse on live Rhiannon, live Isn't it Midnight, the Oh Daddy and YMLF outtakes, Heart of Stone, Skies the Limit all showcase this very well. There's a huge contrast between their voices and it's great.

4. Heart of Stone is one of my favorite songs of hers.

5. Honey Hi and Never Forget are lyrical wastelands but the music is amazing and I love them.

6. I think that most of her 1984 album is pretty lame. This is with the exception of One in a Million, which is a fine song, and The Smile I Live For, which is up there as one of her master songs. But all the Todd Sharpe songs... ughhhhhhh they're bland man. Strangely I actually like the songs on his solo album with her backing vocals (We Were Lonely, I Dont Wanna Leave You) in a "so-bad-they're'good" sort of way.

7. In The Meantime, as a whole, is one of the best solo albums related to Fleetwood Mac. The songs are simple and not so notable on an individual basis, but the overall feel of the album and song sequence tells such a relatable story and gives more insight into what Christine's personality and what she is really like than any of her other work. You can tell she poured herself into that album and cashed her check on the 1984 album.

8. All of the daddy songs are amazing, especially when played in sequence with the jarring shift in tones . On the other hand, the more popular "Over" songs don't do much for me, though I have been listening to Only Over You a lot more lately.

9. I would want to meet her before any other band member any day.

10. She sounds TERRIBLE for the Mirage tour video. Lindsey and Stevie don't technically sound good either, but they have a certain energy that I like despite their vocal issues. Chris though... I don't know if she was drunk or what but there's a reason most of her songs got axed from the HBO special. The exception to this is her taking Stevie's place on backing vocals for I'm So Afraid. She sounds bad here too much it adds something new to the song and heightens the strain in the angsty lyrics. Her organ playing is also on point.

Interesting. I thought her songs on The Dance (and the tour) sounded really uninspired and lackluster. For me, her Tusk songs are her greatest - for vocals and melody.

[GypsySorcerer]

Her Tusk material is underappreciated. I love each and every one for various reasons, with "Over & Over" being in my top 5 songs for her.

"Oh Daddy" and "Behind the Mask" are two of the best songs she's written.

I detest "Love in Store" and always skip it. I actually could take or leave most of her Mirage songs, except for "Hold Me."

[vivfox]

I can't stand the song Songbird. Always thought that should have been axed for Silver Springs. The Eva Cassidy version is a billion times better than Christine's.

[singertobe]

I think I Need You by the Beatles sounds like something Christine would write with Lindsey on guitar.

[FuzzyPlum]

Originally Posted by singertobe

I think I Need You by the Beatles sounds like something Christine would write with Lindsey on guitar.

I get you. I can certainly hear her singing it. This was one of the first Beatles songs written by George (maybe the second or third???)

[Murrow]

I like Chris best when she's singing sweetly but the lyrics are twisting the knife (Bad Loser, Behind the Mask, Heart of Stone).

I never much liked Everywhere - and Tango was my introduction to FM when it was new.

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by Murrow

I like Chris best when she's singing sweetly but the lyrics are twisting the knife (Bad Loser, Behind the Mask, Heart of Stone).

.

Then you’ll love the caustic lyrics of many songs on In the Meantime. Bad Journey, Liar, and Sweet Revenge are all in that mode. And there are some nicely ironic lyrics for So Sincere.

But then I’m assuming you haven’t heard the album and you probably have.

[StevieandChris]

Like Stevie’s Landslide I only like to listen to Songbird live.

[jwd]

Chris and Brett Tuggle are twins.

[DownOnRodeo]

Originally Posted by Netter75

All of the daddy songs are amazing, especially when played in sequence with the jarring shift in tones . On the other hand, the more popular "Over" songs don't do much for me, though I have been listening to Only Over You a lot more lately.

"Over Daddy"--the archetypal Chris song that never was (along with Lindsey's "Go This Street" and Stevie's "Room Angel").

[DownOnRodeo]

Here's one--I can't stand Christine's photo shoots for the covers of The Dance and In The Meantime.

[Murrow]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

Then you’ll love the caustic lyrics of many songs on In the Meantime. Bad Journey, Liar, and Sweet Revenge are all in that mode. And there are some nicely ironic lyrics for So Sincere.

But then I’m assuming you haven’t heard the album and you probably have.

I have actually. I love Bad Journey although I find some of the other tracks lyrically weak.

Actually here’s a really controversial one - I think the best tracks on ITM are the ones her nephew wrote by himself (Northern Star/Calumny).

[Netter75]

Originally Posted by DownOnRodeo

Here's one--I can't stand Christine's photo shoots for the covers of The Dance and In The Meantime.

Why is that? I never considered them for very long but theyre not too bad. The smile comes off as plastered-on for ITM I suppose.