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View Full Version : Can anyone post Smiling Islands?


ricohv
07-02-2007, 04:30 PM
I was thinking of how long it had been since I've heard this song and cannot find it to download on Ares or Limewire. I was investigating it online and it is definately out of print. Also, in case anyone is interested, here's more info. I found:

English singer/songwriter Robbie Patton received his break when he toured as a special guest of Fleetwood Mac in 1979 when that act was one of the hottest acts in the music world. The association proved to be even more beneficial when Patton recorded his 1981 release Distant Shores. Not only did Mac keyboardist Christine McVie play keyboards and produce the record, but guitarist Lindsey Buckingham added guitar to the track "Don't Give It Up." While the album wasn't a smash success, petering out in the lower reaches of the chart, "Don't Give It Up" was released as a single and climbed into the Top 30 during the late summer.

He followed Distant Shores with another McVie-produced release, Orders From Headquarters, which was released the following year. This time, Stevie Nicks provided her vocals, performing a duet with Patton on the single "Smiling Islands." Neither the album nor single was able to achieve the same level of success, however, with Orders From Headquarters not even managing to chart.

The failure of his solo release was tempered, though, with the performance of Fleetwood Mac's "Hold Me," which Patton wrote with McVie for the album Mirage. During the '80s and '90s, Patton wrote songs that appeared on albums by Jonathan Cain and Santana.

I didn't remember that he wrote that w/ Christine. I thought it was Lindsey and Chris.
Thanks in advance if someone posts! Ricoh

slvrgrl
07-02-2007, 05:41 PM
Here you go!

http://www.sendspace.com/file/ht32ml

THINKABOUTIT
07-02-2007, 07:33 PM
Smiling Islands is soo pretty. My personal fave, of the "rarity" songs, is "Midnight Wind"...if no one knows it, someone needs to post it! I have it on cd, and I'm not able to upload it. But someone post it so others can enjoy! ;

strandinthewind
07-02-2007, 07:40 PM
I've never understood why Smiling Islands was not a hit. Her voice is positively splendid in it.

ricohv
07-02-2007, 09:51 PM
Thank you thank you Slvrgrl! And to think I was just reading a post on the Chrisitine board saying we're not friendly or generous over here in Stevieland!

catinthedark
07-02-2007, 10:17 PM
I've never understood why Smiling Islands was not a hit.

because the lyrics are retcheriffic?



:wavey:

strandinthewind
07-02-2007, 10:18 PM
because the lyrics are retcheriffic?



:wavey:

I am such I sap - I love them.

Macfanforever
07-02-2007, 10:24 PM
Thats a nice song.It could of been a hit for him.pop or country .

catinthedark
07-02-2007, 10:24 PM
I am such I sap - I love them.

omg. and i think i love you just because you admit that!! :xoxo:

i do agree about her voice. the song is very pretty - and i admit a mainstay on my demo and rareties playlists. i just cringe and bear the words. barely.

ricohv
07-02-2007, 10:52 PM
I'm generally critical of sappy lyrics but for some reason these don't rub me wrong. Chrisitne could be accused of sappy lyrics, too, but in the same way as Smiling Islands, her's don't bother me. Plus there is something very Stevie-ish (and sweet) about the title.
Ricoh

gldstwmn
07-03-2007, 12:29 PM
because the lyrics are retcheriffic?
:wavey:

Yeah. I mostly listen to the song when it pops up on iTunes for sentimental reasons. Her voice will never sound like that again. :(

darklinensuit
07-05-2007, 03:32 PM
I 1st heard this in 1997 when the lyrics were pretty poignant for me. IMO they're still okay, as are the vocals. It's the production that creates the problem, beginning with those awful muzak opening keyboard notes. Guitar and piano would be so much better and far less dated.

- Jake

SpyNote
07-05-2007, 04:03 PM
Are there two versions of this song? Someone once told me that there was an album version and a 7" version, on which Stevie sang all throughout the song even during Patton's verses.

strandinthewind
07-05-2007, 04:09 PM
I 1st heard this in 1997 when the lyrics were pretty poignant for me. IMO they're still okay, as are the vocals. It's the production that creates the problem, beginning with those awful muzak opening keyboard notes. Guitar and piano would be so much better and far less dated.

- Jake

I agree - but it was the 80's and those cheesey keyboards were the rage. I bet ole Robbie sported a teal Members Only jacket and soft sided boots :laugh:

gldstwmn
07-05-2007, 05:22 PM
Too slow. No hook. But I wasn't around to hear what got radio play back then.

Dude, I think I actually hear an accordion on it. Accordion and no hook = no airplay. :laugh:

darklinensuit
07-05-2007, 08:04 PM
I agree - but it was the 80's and those cheesey keyboards were the rage. I bet ole Robbie sported a teal Members Only jacket and soft sided boots :laugh:

No idea what those boots are, but I did have a black Members Only jacket. Along with a Chams one.:o :laugh:

- Jake

strandinthewind
07-05-2007, 08:05 PM
No idea what those boots are, but I did have a black Members Only jacket. Along with a Chams one.:o :laugh:

- Jake

Lord Child - I miss the 80's!!!!!

UndoingTheLaces
07-06-2007, 02:18 AM
It does have cheese written all over it now, but at the time I'm sure it was a really great song. The lyrics border on cheesy but there's a something really sorrowful about hearing Stevie sing "I don't want to live forever... I don't want to die alone". I really like this. I'm surprised I'd never heard of it before. Thank you so much for posting about it and for posting the song. This is going in my list of favorites.

UndoingTheLaces
07-06-2007, 02:24 AM
by the way, get it while it's HOT!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ROBBIE-PATTON-Promo-ORIG1982-OrdersFromHead-New_W0QQitemZ300126235388QQihZ020QQcategoryZ306QQcmdZViewItem

Musicman408
07-06-2007, 06:46 AM
Thank you for postin. Just downloaded it, and I think it's great.:nod: