Farmer's Daughter

[squealy]

Listening to the version of "Farmer's Daughter" on the TUSK reissue, it seems to me the version on the Live album could just be this same recording, remixed and with more vocal overdubs. The sleeve claims it was recorded at a soundcheck but the TUSK recording makes me doubt that. And are Christine and Stevie really on this song or is Lindsey just doing his varispeed tricks? (The TUSK version sounds like it is all Lindsey)

[ELIUD]

I was thinking the same thing, it sounds exactly the same to me. But I hear Christine and Stevie pretty clearly. I don't know where it was recorded but I believe at the end of the FM Live album version you can hear some applause. Or am I thinking Fireflies?

[squealy]

Well, I wondered if Christine and Stevie are overdubbed onto Lindsey's original recording.

[strandinthewind]

La Nicks' harmony on that and the live version is amongst her best ever IMO. I really like that song.

[Moony]

La Nicks' harmony on that and the live version is amongst her best ever IMO. I really like that song.
:nod: I totally agree....the harmonies are gorgeous. I wish they had done more songs in that vein, where the 3 part is going on throughout the entire song.

And I definitely hear Stevie and Christine on it. I don't think Lindsey was doing any studio tricks, but that's just me.

[catinthedark]

I was thinking the same thing, it sounds exactly the same to me. But I hear Christine and Stevie pretty clearly. I don't know where it was recorded but I believe at the end of the FM Live album version you can hear some applause. Or am I thinking Fireflies?

Yeah - the applause are there. Sounds like it was recorded during a rehearsal or something.

I've always loved this song - and I hear Stevie very clearly on it (Chris, too, I guess, but my ear is more attuned to Stevie). I'd love to see them bring this out live again...

[ontheEdgeof17]

Yeah - the applause are there. Sounds like it was recorded during a rehearsal or something.

I've always loved this song - and I hear Stevie very clearly on it (Chris, too, I guess, but my ear is more attuned to Stevie). I'd love to see them bring this out live again...


Nothing compares to Live '80. They tried it on The Dance tour, but it just wasn't the same. For me, it's all about Stevie's airy voice that she had back in the day. It makes the song. :)

[macfan 57]

Nothing compares to Live '80. They tried it on The Dance tour, but it just wasn't the same. For me, it's all about Stevie's airy voice that she had back in the day. It makes the song. :)

I liked it on the Dance tour. It was a different way to end the show. The classic three part harmony of McVie, Buckingham & Nicks made the song, in my opinion.

[xxxmx]

this has been a favorite song for years, i was so surprised to see it come out on the dance and i definitely agree that it was a great way to end a show, with everyone performing, not just chris on Songbird. coming out on the Tusk RI was like a little gift. it goes on every mixed disc i make for my friends, they always ask about the harmonies ;)

[dissention]

Nothing compares to Live '80. They tried it on The Dance tour, but it just wasn't the same. For me, it's all about Stevie's airy voice that she had back in the day. It makes the song. :)

It was cringeworthy on The Dance tour. Their voices matured to the point where it was incredibly strenuous for them to even try harmonizing on that song. It was fun to hear, but in regards to harmonies, it was barfugly.

[SillyDreamer]

It was cringeworthy on The Dance tour. Their voices matured to the point where it was incredibly strenuous for them to even try harmonizing on that song. It was fun to hear, but in regards to harmonies, it was barfugly.

I think that it's reactions like this that make them so wary of bringing out unexpected songs on tour more often.

It's common knowledge that their voices were in better shape in the late 70's than in the late 90's. Even though we know a lesser-played song may not sound as pristine in concert nowadays as it did when they messed around with it and put it on a "live" album twenty years ago, we still enjoy hearing it because it's a break from the Dreams, Rhiannons, and--lest we forget--the drum solos.

It should also be considered that, if they had never played Dreams live until 1997, we would probably think that the harmonies were "cringeworthy" as well. But because it's been drilled into our heads at every concert since 1977, we're used to it. More elusive gems, such as "Farmer's Daughter," don't have the advantage of being ridiculously overplayed, so it's more jarring when we hear it every 20 years instead of every 2.

We are all entitled to our opinion, but I for one am more willing to forgive them a little in the harmony department because I don't want a setlist of all the songs they're comfortable with (read: the same songs we've been hearing every concert for a quarter century). :wavey:

[David]

We are all entitled to our opinion, but I for one am more willing to forgive them a little in the harmony departmentI think you guys are too picky. They sounded fine doing this song in '97!

I think the one on the "Tusk" reissue sounds about the same as the one on "FM Live." So something is fishy.

[SillyDreamer]

I think you guys are too picky. They sounded fine doing this song in '97!

I think the one on the "Tusk" reissue sounds about the same as the one on "FM Live." So something is fishy.

Bear in mind that there were two or three more people singing on The Dance version. It's pretty simple to pull of 3 part harmony with 5 people..

[Dreammms]

La Nicks' harmony on that and the live version is amongst her best ever IMO. I really like that song.

i agree! the harmonies are amazing. i wish they would have done more songs like that...

[Kelly]

I loved this on the Dance tour. To me, it was just different from 1980 but not in a bad way necessarily. It does seem difficult to please alot of fans, when they do the same crap over and over, fans complain. When they try something new, it is not as good as it was twenty years ago. (with the exception of BC) The three part harmony in FD was the perfect way to end a Fleetwood mac concert.
When Smile At You came out on SYW..no one really liked it because we were all used to the Angry version...but is that really fair? They are different and to me, I actually see them almost like two completely different songs. I like what Lindsey did but I know alot of people do not. I wonder though if we did not have demos of SAY..would we have liked it when it came out?

[chiliD]

Bear in mind that there were two or three more people singing on The Dance version. It's pretty simple to pull of 3 part harmony with 5 people..

Actually, not. You get two people singing the identical pitch and if one of them is off, then it MAGNIFIES the dissonance. (taken from personal experience)...if it is a three-part harmony, then three people only should sing them.


I saw 'em twice on The Dance tour...first night, harmonies were perfect-o! The next night...Holy Mother of God, they couldn't find their pitches.

[strandinthewind]

Actually, not. You get two people singing the identical pitch and if one of them is off, then it MAGNIFIES the dissonance. (taken from personal experience)...if it is a three-part harmony, then three people only should sing them.


I saw 'em twice on The Dance tour...first night, harmonies were perfect-o! The next night...Holy Mother of God, they couldn't find their pitches.

I know - three part is a bear when it does not work. I wonder if they can hear each other. Stevie uses the ear device, but CM and LB, I think, do not. Plus, that particular harmony is very very tight and very very low (volume) and subtle. They did hit a few night though and when they did YOUSA YOUSA YOUSA!!!!!

[skcin]

When they try something new, it is not as good as it was twenty years ago. (with the exception of BC)

I'd also like to add Gypsy from the AHI benefit. I thought that performance was 1000 times better than past shows (or future for that matter.)

As far as Farmer's Daughter - eh. I do like the harmonizing, but I'm not a huge fan of the song, from either tour. :shrug:

[tynan88]

I thought the version from the TUSK re-issue was recorded late one-night, they were all mucking around in the studio, and Dennis Wilson came in, and they all quite excitedly rushed him in to the studio to hear the version they had done, or am I thinking of something else?

[PenguinHead]

The version of Farmer's Daughter on the LIVE album was recorded in Santa Monica - along with One More Night and Firelies. None of these were performed in concert. What's really bizzare is that Farmer's Daughter was issued as a single.

I think it was great that they eventually included Farmer's Daughter as the closer for the Dance tour. An inspired choice and nice departure from the usual expected Songbird.

I wish Stevie would be inspired to close her shows with It's Late. "It's late, we gotta get on home...hope this won't be our last date."

[David]

The version of Farmer's Daughter on the LIVE album was recorded in Santa Monica - along with One More Night and Firelies.Ah, but the question is when. I suggest it may have been the July rehearsals for the August leg of the tour.
None of these were performed in concert.That's one of the holes in my hypothesis: it seems illogical for the band to perform several songs in a late-tour rehearsal that they had no intention of performing. The other hole is that there were obviously several run-throughs of those new songs because we have a bunch of versions of "Fireflies" (some with Christine playing piano & some with her playing B3).

Maybe they were recorded during the September 1979 rehearsals, but vocally & instrumentally they don't sound like it to me -- they sound like mid-year 1980.

[shackin'up]

Ah, but the question is when. I suggest it may have been the July rehearsals for the August leg of the tour.
That's one of the holes in my hypothesis: it seems illogical for the band to perform several songs in a late-tour rehearsal that they had no intention of performing. The other hole is that there were obviously several run-throughs of those new songs because we have a bunch of versions of "Fireflies" (some with Christine playing piano & some with her playing B3).

Maybe they were recorded during the September 1979 rehearsals, but vocally & instrumentally they don't sound like it to me -- they sound like mid-year 1980.

maybe a late tourrehearsal with the back of their minds: the decision of the release of a live-album in december 1980. Warner B's: Some new gems would do good saleswise...
Lindsey: well that only makes sense if we record them Live since it's a live-album...

[PenguinHead]

maybe a late tourrehearsal with the back of their minds: the decision of the release of a live-album in december 1980. Warner B's: Some new gems would do good saleswise...
Lindsey: well that only makes sense if we record them Live since it's a live-album...

A logical theory. I think it was probably decided to add some new songs on the LIVE album in order to issue singles (Firelies and Farmer's Daughter). Speaking as a fan who eagerly anticipated this album, it was nice to have some new songs on it (as well as Oh Well and Don't Let Me Down Again!).

With regard to their tour dates, they were in LA for shows in December 1979 and September 1980. It's totally feasible that during either of these times, they recorded the new songs...in anticipation of the LIVE album. After such a long tour, I'm sure the band scattered in seperate directions.

These songs are unique and atypical of the band, as they we're probably written and recorded during a tour. Too bad they never thought to include them in their set list..well, except for Farmer's Daughter...seventeen years later!

[David]

A logical theory. I think it was probably decided to add some new songs on the LIVE album in order to issue singles (Firelies and Farmer's Daughter). Speaking as a fan who eagerly anticipated this album, it was nice to have some new songs on it (as well as Oh Well and Don't Let Me Down Again!).It's definitely possible. They planned to do this live album back during the tour sometime. They recorded both nights at the Bowl at the end of the tour because the Bowl was gonna be the live album, according to the L.A. Times.
With regard to their tour dates, they were in LA for shows in December 1979 and September 1980. It's totally feasible that during either of these times, they recorded the new songs...in anticipation of the LIVE album. After such a long tour, I'm sure the band scattered in seperate directions.Yeah, actually they went home to Los Angeles during all their time off -- like January 1980 (when Stevie did a guest appearance in Los Angeles with Walter Egan), April 1980 (Stevie did a lot of recording with the Heartbreakers for her solo album) & July 1980, which is when I think they did the rehearsals at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. A band on such a long tour would probably rehearse a little during these month-long breaks, before each new leg of the tour, especially since the set list changed a little each time.

They did scatter mostly after the end of the tour, but I think they must have taken the live album tracks into the studio & done some track-overs. Plus, Stevie & Lindsey showed up at a John Stewart show at the Palomino & Stevie, Lindsey & Mick did the halftime thing at the Coliseum for the USC-AZ State game in October (I got lucky & saw both of those unpublicized things).

Then I think Stevie went to South America to refresh before starting official sessions for "Bella Donna." Does anyone have any more info on that S. America trip?

[shackin'up]

These songs are unique and atypical of the band, as they we're probably written and recorded during a tour.

I think they are special, but one was written already, but not by them, one was in the can for a while, I think (fireflies), and OMN is a very typical Chrissong, that could have been written in whatever era or situation. What makes them so special is the way of recording: a way that had less risk to overproduction because it was not recorded in a studio. The feel of those recordings are still very special to me. They catch a direct interaction of the 5 individuals that prove that together they are alot more than the sum of the parts.