I Love It- But "As Long As You Follow" Just Makes Me Sad!

[Musicman408]

Just stating the fact. I don't know you all feel about the song, but there is just something about the vibe that makes me really sad. No kidding. I really do love the song- but every time I hear it, I just kind of start feeling all melancholy. Do you all experience this???

[vivfox]

No, it does not make me sad. It makes me think of Snow. Not just because it is snowing in the video but because the song was released as a single in November, the start of winter.

Ethan, shouldn't you be working on that novel of yours?

[sjpdg]

Doesn't make me sad at all. Makes me think of my wife. It was one of those songs that seemed to come on or happen to be in the CD player at important times early in our relationship. It's actually one of my wife's favourite FM songs.

Great guitar work by Rick as well!!

[skuncles]

No, it does not make me sad. It makes me think of Snow. Not just because it is snowing in the video but because the song was released as a single in November, the start of winter.


Same here, everytime I hear the song I think of snow. It's one of my favorite Christine songs. I remember getting the "Greatest Hits" album (I bought it on cassette originally because there were more songs on it than the LP as I recall). I couldn't wait to hear Stevie's song, "No Questions Asked" which I like, but I think I like "As Long As You Follow" just a bit more.

[StreetAngel95]

I'll never forget, that when i was FIRST just getting into Fleetwood Mac, and i was about 6, my mom found this cassette in the basement and let me listen to it. I didn't know anything about Fleetwood Mac, except that their music was AMAZING, so i assumed that Lindsey was singing on this track! It always struck me as one of those songs that could play during a movie, or a montage, or during the credits. the whole, "Now i know i can't lose - as long as you follow" So much emotion in in that song, and it remains today one of my favorites!

[Musicman408]

No, it does not make me sad. It makes me think of Snow. Not just because it is snowing in the video but because the song was released as a single in November, the start of winter.

Ethan, shouldn't you be working on that novel of yours?

I would've but I had to spend a lot of time today making amends with my mom since we haven't been getting along so well recently.:distress:

[ButterCookie]

i assumed that Lindsey was singing on this track!

:lol: I know someone who used to get Chris and Lindsey confused. I can pick her voice out a mile off though, I listen to Stevie's songs and tune in so much that I sometimes only hear Christine's voice, which is bizzare when I realise what I'm doing.

On topic, it doesn't make me sad, it makes me want to slow dance and smile. The only Chris song that makes me cry is Songbird and I have a good reason for that :nod:

[tilthefirefades]

It is definitely one of my favorite Christine songs. I can feel a touch of sadness in it, but I think it is more a song of joy and reunion, however melancholy the music may sound. A very bittersweet song though: "And the sun went down, never seemed to rise, but now you're here with the light shining in your eyes"

[louielouie2000]

I love, love, love this song... but it makes me very sad to hear it for personal reasons. There was someone I dated some years ago... and it was quite volatile. We parted ways... and the day we decided to try and give it a go again, we were sitting in my living room talking and listening to the radio, and As Long As You Follow came on. We ended parting ways again very shortly after that, and I was devastated for years. But I'll always have the memory of that night, when that song of all songs came on, thinking that the world could be made right again :).

[vivfox]

I love, love, love this song... but it makes me very sad to hear it for personal reasons. There was someone I dated some years ago... and it was quite volatile. We parted ways... and the day we decided to try and give it a go again, we were sitting in my living room talking and listening to the radio, and As Long As You Follow came on. We ended parting ways again very shortly after that, and I was devastated for years. But I'll always have the memory of that night, when that song of all songs came on, thinking that the world could be made right again :).

Aww, how sweet. Do you want me to "kiss it" and make you feel better?:thumbsup:

[Villavic]

It's one of miy favorite Christine songs. Beautiful. Doesn't make me sad.

[mylittledemon]

I was listening to this song a lot in '98 when my parents divorced, so when I hear it now, I think of that time in my life. It doesn't really make me sad... but I would say it's not a "happy" song for me either. ;)

[fringed n fab]

To me it's sort of a sad song, or has that mellow vibe, especially in winter for some reason. Love the video too.

[OldTimer]

I'm surprised to find ALAYF on this forum! ;) It's one of my very favorites. Interesting to hear I'm not the only one who thinks of snow when they hear it. It always makes me imagine a cold snowy day outside and I'm in a warm cozy room with fabulous people singing to me. (I guess you can tell I've watched the video too many times :rolleyes: )

http://music.aol.com/video/as-long-as-you-follow/fleetwood-mac/playlist/diane57/422740/1908423

Isn't it funny how certain songs can be forever linked to a certain time in your life? For me it's Michael McDonald and the Doobs song "What a Fool Believes" because when that was getting tons of airplay, I was in a relationship where I was being an absolute Grade-A fool. And I hate that song to this day!

[HejiraNYC]

I'm also a big fan of this song- definitely a song that I've grown to love more through the years. It's the defining Christine song along with "Morning Rain" IMHO. It's an insidiously rebel yell of a song for me ("I'm gonna win, I'm gonna beg, steal or borrow..."). But what puts a lump in my throat is Rick's guitar solo in the middle. It starts out mournful but ends on a playful, optimistic series of notes- absolutely the most perfect guitar solo ever on an FM song. Not to disrespect Lindsey or anything like that, but I couldn't imagine this song could have turned out any better under Lindsey's direction.

[jaycee]

I'm afraid this song makes me sad... it always reminds me of how much more I enjoyed pre-LB-depature FM! :lol: That said, I've always enjoyed "Heart Of Stone" (although I'm not sure the quality of the recording is that great... or is that just me?), and I quite like "Love Shines" and "Paper Doll". :) Also, I champion Rick Vito now that he's part of the MFBB - before that I was a little hesitant about him, and I still feel that way about Billy Burnette...

[vivfox]

I'm afraid this song makes me sad... it always reminds me of how much more I enjoyed pre-LB-depature FM!


But this song was recorded with Rick and Billy after Lindsey had left the group. Im not quite sure you knew that or not. I don't know if I fully understand what you are trying to convey here?

[jeffd8382]

To the OP... I also love this song. It doesn't make me feel sad, but I definitely feel the melancholic vibe in the music. For some reason, it makes me think of sitting, staring out of the window on a long car ride and thinking about life.... go figure! I'm also never one to pay much attention to lyrics.. (considering I listen to a lot of music in other languages as well as instrumental... it's no wonder!) so my emotional attachment to songs almost always has to do with the emotive quality of the music itself. But it is always one of those songs I enjoy singing along with.

[louielouie2000]

But this song was recorded with Rick and Billy after Lindsey had left the group. Im not quite sure you knew that or not. I don't know if I fully understand what you are trying to convey here?

She was backhanding the song saying how bad it was, and how much she wished Lindsey never left the band. :p Which I have to give a resounding:

BOO!!! :laugh:

[louielouie2000]

For some reason, it makes me think of sitting, staring out of the window on a long car ride and thinking about life....

And I think that's the exact kind of emotive quality the song has for me, too. It's one I always reflect back on my triumphs and mistakes, when I hear it. Perhaps because it's one of the earliest Fleetwood Mac songs I've heard. Perhaps because I relate it to a certain time in my life. Maybe it's the music... I don't know. All I do know, is this one holds a special place for me. :wavey:

[PenguinHead]

I love the song. It's classic Christine McVie. I don't equate it with the loss of Lindsey; it stands alone as a solid song. I always pick up hints of the Christmas holidays when I hear it. It's a cozy winter song.

[jaycee]

But this song was recorded with Rick and Billy after Lindsey had left the group. Im not quite sure you knew that or not. I don't know if I fully understand what you are trying to convey here?

It took me a while before I could understand your misinterpretation - now it seems obvious! :laugh:
My point is that I don't like this song very much. After many thrashings of TVBOFM, I could remember all the songs pretty well except "As Long As You Follow" and "No Questions Asked". I also found all four tracks after "Family Man" not so much to my liking whenever I listened to the album. When I found out that LB wasn't a part of these tracks, I found myself understanding why I didn't like them as much - the creative force behind the Rumours-era FM had left, and the new line hadn't been able to match the old standard. So whenever I hear this or "NQA"/"STL", I'm always reminded of how much I preferred FM's music before Lindsey left.
Does this clarify things a bit?

[jaycee]

She was backhanding the song saying how bad it was, and how much she wished Lindsey never left the band. :p Which I have to give a resounding:

BOO!!! :laugh:

Not that I really care about these things (I mean, it's not as if it's an insult! :laugh:), but I'm male. :)
Yeah, actually, that's a much more succinct clarification than the one I gave! :laugh: Damn my lengthy articulations!
Boo me if you will, but I think the couple of new songs written for 25 Years - The Chain, and "Paper Doll" (written in 1988) were the only songs from that line-up that I could say I enjoyed nearly as much as material from the Pre-Rumours and Rumours eras.
Just off topic again, is there any distortion from one of the guitars during the song? It sounds to me like there are occasional random squeaks from a guitar during the song... perhaps Rick Vito's slide or something? :shrug:

[vivfox]

I'm always reminded of how much I preferred FM's music before Lindsey left.
Does this clarify things a bit?


Yes. It made sense to me after Louie explained it to me.