Let's Talk About...ANGEL

[Dodfather]

I thought it was time to resurrect this thread and I don't think this one has been discussed yet (apologies if I'm wrong and should have hit search first!)...

Anyway, I loooooove this track. Believe it or not it wasn't an immediate favourite when I started getting into Tusk but after seeing the following incredible performance from the documentary (possibly my fave Stevie live performance ever) I finally got the song and it;s been one of my faves every since!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPoZTolLmik

So what are everyone's thoughts on this song? I know the popular interpretation is that it's all about Lindsey and how she still loves him, gets the same "wide eyes" when he walks in the room etc but I think it could also be about Mick, and not just because of Carol Ann Hariss's comments in Storms (I take everything in that book with a bucketload of salt!)

"It's funny that you understood"... This could be the surprise at their affair beginning

"we both pretend"... obviously if you're interpreting this as about Mick then it's about them hiding it...

I think the song could equally be interpreted as being about both men, which perhaps was Stevie's intention. Parts of it fit both Mick and Lindsey too well (especially the "look up" lines...she has to look up to everyone, she's very small after all hahaha!)

John really kicks ass on this tune too. That bass line is just fantastic. Really drives the song forward and oproves yet again how underrated he is. Other than The Chain, he gets forgotten!

Have to say I prefer live versions to the one on the album, and I still love that one, purely because of the energy Stevie brings to it. The Tusk tour performances are wonderful, with great interaction between her and Lindsey.

So, thoughts...?

[Nikolaj]

LOVE it! Love the 'Tusk' version, love love the '80 Warner Home Video recording of 'Angel' in the studio, harmonizing with Lindsey at the piano ( I think she sounds so great right before she shakes her head 'no' and laughs!) and the live performance of it is just great, everything about it. It's about 1o minutes or 11 minutes total of the Warner Video that only runs about an hour, so 'Angel' really is the centerpiece, if you will, of that home video release. 'Angel' was also great at the US Festival in '83. Yet, I assume you are referring to the '79 'Tusk' version of 'Angel'...and it's fantastic. I once had a UK import 45 with a pic sleeve of 'Angel' backed with 'Sisters of the Moon'. I foolishly gave it away.
All of Stevie's "Tusk" songs are just amazing.

[Dodfather]

LOVE it! Love the 'Tusk' version, love love the '80 Warner Home Video recording of 'Angel' in the studio, harmonizing with Lindsey at the piano ( I think she sounds so great right before she shakes her head 'no' and laughs!) and the live performance of it is just great, everything about it. It's about 1o minutes or 11 minutes total of the Warner Video that only runs about an hour, so 'Angel' really is the centerpiece, if you will, of that home video release. 'Angel' was also great at the US Festival in '83. Yet, I assume you are referring to the '79 'Tusk' version of 'Angel'...and it's fantastic. I once had a UK import 45 with a pic sleeve of 'Angel' backed with 'Sisters of the Moon'. I foolishly gave it away.
All of Stevie's "Tusk" songs are just amazing.

What was this?! How fantastic! I didn't know that Angel was a UK single! I'd love to see this picture disc...anyone know anything about it?

[Nikolaj]

Oh, this may be a good thread to put this reference in: Creem was an American rock music magazine in the 70s and 80s, and shortly after 'Tusk' was released, there was a wildly sarcastic 'roundup' of sorts, of Stevie's lyrics from 'Tusk' and I remember this small amount about what had been written about 'Angel':

"Exactly what part of the wind is it that we all long for sometime?-- and, do we?"
- 'you feel good, it's funny that you understood, I knew you would'---- "If you knew that you would, why was it funny that you understood?"

Maybe Creem did this more than once, because I am certain in '83 they also commented about 'Stand Back'-- "how do you DO someone's attention?"

Creem's photo captions were usually quite hilarious, though at times could be needlessly unkind, but the photos were always fun, and in many ways, it was more rock and roll than Rolling Stone had become.

[Nikolaj]

Hi, Dodfather. It wasn't an actual picture disc 45 of 'Angel' bw 'Sisters Of The Moon', it was a photo sleeve with a regular black vinyl 7" 45 inside of the paper photo sleeve. The photo had all of Fleetwood Mac, if I recall right, Stevie had her arms folded, and I believe was wearing a red blouse, LB had his short-cropped hair, I don't recall much else about it, but I believe the same photo was on both sides of the paper sleeve.

[louielouie2000]

This is actually one of my least favorite of Stevie's Mac tracks. The lyrics are cliche and the vocal is boring. The song just never really goes anywhere. I know this is a perennial favorite of Stevie fans, but it just does NOTHING for me. :sorry:

[FMlex]

The Tusk doc performance of this song is so cute! Stevie and Lindsey are just presh. Stevie's all smiley and everything.

I prefer +FM "Angel" over -FM "Angel"...

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See what I mean? Doesn't have the same appeal to me.

I still look up... I try hard not to look up... that girl was me...

[thatgirlwasme]

Love this song as you can probably tell from my screen name. I think her lyrics "I still look up/when you walk in the room/I've got the same wide eyes/now they tell the story/I try not to reach out when you turn around and say hello/we both pretend/You're no great pretender" are some of the most spot on about relationships, forbidden love, and breakups that she has ever written.

A

[Ghost_Tracker]

IAnyway, I loooooove this track. Believe it or not it wasn't an immediate favourite when I started getting into Tusk but after seeing the following incredible performance from the documentary (possibly my fave Stevie live performance ever) I finally got the song and it;s been one of my faves every since!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPoZTolLmik

So what are everyone's thoughts on this song? ?

I'm planning to write a manifesto about it some day but I'm a little worried there aren't enough trees in the world to provide enough paper for it.... :D

[Lala]

You feel good
It's funny that you understood
I knew you would
When you were good
You were very...very good

Pretty much sums up my favourite part of the song. The last verse (I still look up...) is amazing. Any song about the feelings that remain after something or someone is gone get to me. Also, I love that it's not all down in the dumps...kind of bittersweet. The harmonies are amazing.

This spring I showed my best friend the Tusk doc performance of Angel and I'm pretty sure it was what sealed the deal to convince her that Fleetwood Mac is an amazing band. Later, in the summer we were drinking beer on my old roommate's trampoline and listening to the song on repeat.

Oh, and it's for SURE about Lindsey

[GoldDustWoman87]

I love this song. I watch the Angel from the 1979 Tusk tour at least 3 times a day (you know the up tempo version, which I think is always how it should be played!).

I always thought it was about Mick but according to other threads, Mick thinks most songs are about him! :rolleyes:

'And to those that I love like a ghost through a fog, like a charmed hour and a haunted song, and the angel... of my dreams.' - these lyrics always make me swoon.

[CADreaming]

Love "Angel". It's got a great groove. The Tusk rehearsal version is a fav of mine. I can't help it - Lindsey raising his eyebrows at Stevie when she's at his mic is just cute.

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Lyrically, I like the line that says, "we both pretend but you're no great pretender".

[bellagypsy79]

I love this song! It's fun song to listen too when your day is going just right.:angel:

[GypsySorcerer]

I like the song, especially live. I ain't no shipper, nor am I one who believes everything she writes is about Lindsey, but "Angel" is an exception. I think it's unequivocally about him.

My favorite line is "so I close my eyes softly, til I become that part of the wind, that we all long for sometimes."

[FMlex]

Love "Angel". It's got a great groove. The Tusk rehearsal version is a fav of mine. I can't help it - Lindsey raising his eyebrows at Stevie when she's at his mic is just cute.

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Yep I like that part, too!

I'm just glad in the end they decided to have Lindsey go over to her mic instead of making her run back and forth!

[seekerj]

Help me out here...

In a concert bootleg (can't remember if it's video or just audio) from maybe the Wild Heart Tour (?), after "Angel" is played by her solo band, Stevie says something along the lines of "that's what my song sounded like before SOMEBODY got a hold of it".

I always took that to mean that Stevie wasn't happy with how Lindsey arranged it for Tusk.

Anyone remember which show this was?

[David]

Help me out here...

In a concert bootleg (can't remember if it's video or just audio) from maybe the Wild Heart Tour (?), after "Angel" is played by her solo band, Stevie says something along the lines of "that's what my song sounded like before SOMEBODY got a hold of it".

I always took that to mean that Stevie wasn't happy with how Lindsey arranged it for Tusk.

Anyone remember which show this was?I don't remember which show that was. But I don't believe Stevie Nicks for a minute that her demo in any way resembled the rollicking Roy Bittanesque production of the solo renditions.

[michelej1]

Yep I like that part, too!

I'm just glad in the end they decided to have Lindsey go over to her mic instead of making her run back and forth!

It seems like she was always anxious, looking around wondering if Lindsey was going to come or not.

Michele

[David]

This is actually one of my least favorite of Stevie's Mac tracks. The lyrics are cliche and the vocal is boring. The song just never really goes anywhere. I know this is a perennial favorite of Stevie fans, but it just does NOTHING for me. :sorry:Oh noooooo!!!!!!!!

[seekerj]

I don't remember which show that was. But I don't believe Stevie Nicks for a minute that her demo in any way resembled the rollicking Roy Bittanesque production of the solo renditions.

You may not, but I really doubt that her demo in any way sounded like what Lindsey did to it, either.

So anyway, does anyone know which show this was?

[Haunted_Song]

I originally posted this link in the Rumours forum, but I thought it appropriate to put it here, too:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPn0U7qnXaY

[goldustsongbird]

I love everything about the way it was performed on the Tusk doc. That is all.

[grace_face]

I love this song...I ADORE watching that behind the scenes thing where they were playing around with the song. Lindsey at the piano, Stevie and him harmonising...then they showed Stevie talking about the song, which was so cute, and then they show them performing the fast version live, and Stevie's dancing and bouncing. God, that's so hot.

[daniellaaarisen]

I love everything about the way it was performed on the Tusk doc. That is all.

Exactly Lisa.

I just really really love this song. I've always liked it but only within the last few months has it become a big favorite for me. It's just.... ahhhh. And then you see the live version from the Tusk Doc and the world turns a little more merrily. I love how much Stevie loved to perform this song on that tour-- I think that is what makes it special for me. I feel like she was emotionally invested in it, but not in the same way as "Rhiannon," for example. Stevie just loved to perform it because she liked the way it made her feel. Nothin' more to it. I love that.

I love how "Angel" is upbeat and happy and yet the lyrics are still so totally whimsical, ethereal Stevie. Like most of her work on Tusk ("Storms" excluded, I think), the words to this song aren't carefully chosen and it shows. It's much more about throwing together a bunch of images Stevie liked that weren't quite as dark and serious as usual.... and then having the vision of a more upbeat song. And then Lindsey just made it awesome.

Ah, so much love for "Angel." And the part of the Tusk Doc where she's recording the song and all of a sudden, the background music is gone and its just Stevie's raw vocal.... aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!

[thatgirlwasme]

I originally posted this link in the Rumours forum, but I thought it appropriate to put it here, too:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPn0U7qnXaY

I just love that she gargles before she sings in this clip!

A

[hippilil86]

You may not, but I really doubt that her demo in any way sounded like what Lindsey did to it, either.

So anyway, does anyone know which show this was?

Really, it wouldn't have sounded the same without Lindsey's help. In my opinion, he always does what's best for Stevie's songs (with maybe one or two exceptions on SYW) I think that it's great and couldn't have been done better, but who knows what Stevie thought. Angel is one of my favorites that she doesn't do live. It may be a little too uptempo for her to keep up with these days, but she does Stand Back, which can be pretty fast moving, so who knows.

[goldustsongbird]

Exactly Lisa.

I just really really love this song. I've always liked it but only within the last few months has it become a big favorite for me. It's just.... ahhhh. And then you see the live version from the Tusk Doc and the world turns a little more merrily. I love how much Stevie loved to perform this song on that tour-- I think that is what makes it special for me. I feel like she was emotionally invested in it, but not in the same way as "Rhiannon," for example. Stevie just loved to perform it because she liked the way it made her feel. Nothin' more to it. I love that.

I love how "Angel" is upbeat and happy and yet the lyrics are still so totally whimsical, ethereal Stevie. Like most of her work on Tusk ("Storms" excluded, I think), the words to this song aren't carefully chosen and it shows. It's much more about throwing together a bunch of images Stevie liked that weren't quite as dark and serious as usual.... and then having the vision of a more upbeat song. And then Lindsey just made it awesome.

Ah, so much love for "Angel." And the part of the Tusk Doc where she's recording the song and all of a sudden, the background music is gone and its just Stevie's raw vocal.... aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!

When she trails off " yeah..... but you'll nevuh catch mee, yeaaah...", it's so cute. :D

Still, I don't know what it was about that Tusk doc performance. Maybe the fact that there were cameras on her? Whatever it was, she totally sold it. I think the first time I saw it, I might have shed a little tear. :laugh: All Angel's were good (especially the man-Stevie delivery on Live '80 :lol: ), but none of them captured Stevie looking/sounding as genuinely happy as she did there.

[Ghost_Tracker]

I love this song...I ADORE watching that behind the scenes thing where they were playing around with the song. Lindsey at the piano, Stevie and him harmonising...then they showed Stevie talking about the song, which was so cute, and then they show them performing the fast version live, and Stevie's dancing and bouncing. God, that's so hot.

I love the way Stevie's flirting with him while she's at it -
"couldn't help it," I bet! . . . :nod:

And the harmony really is incredible i.m.o.

P.S. - I never understood exactly what Lindsey was saying right before he started playing piano though - - -
It's as if he's saying that they might "leave her part out" or something? . . . :shrug:

[AncientQueen]

Angel remains my favorite FM Stevie song.

The music is so "groovy" and for once, it is a FM Stevie song that at least doesn' sound like it is trying to hard to be mysterious - or dead serious.

A bunch of great musicians and an ever so slightly whacked singer, what is not to love?

That said, every Stvie solo live version is just crap, because the Mac understand that Stevie needs restriction, where her hired helpers hamm it up with the results you really don't want to hear, and yes, I'm looking at you Roy Bitton, it is not always good to play 8 notes when one would do.

[grace_face]

I love it when they're at the piano and Lindsey says to Stevie to sing the melody, and then he's singing the upper harmony but she starts singing that too, and he's like "But that's not the melody..." and she's like "Well, I just added a new bit" or "Well, I just changed the song" or something. lol

I think working with Stevie on a song would be SO MUCH FUN...but also if you're someone like Lindsey, it could be a tad...frustrating at times, heheh.

[TheWILDheart]

Angel remains my favorite FM Stevie song.
That said, every Stvie solo live version is just crap, because the Mac understand that Stevie needs restriction, where her hired helpers hamm it up with the results you really don't want to hear, and yes, I'm looking at you Roy Bitton, it is not always good to play 8 notes when one would do.

I'm sorry, but the White Wing Dove performance is my fav "Angel" ever. It just makes me wanna PAAARRTTTTYYYY :woohoo:. I love love love LOVE it.

I loved the arrangement at US Fest as well, but her vocals were messy on that one.