Demos Better Than Final Tracks?

[bluecalmsea]

Are there any demo versions to Mac or Stevie songs that you prefer to the album versions?

For me, the RAL-era demo of Greta is so much better than what made it to Street Angel. I find the demo fun, upbeat, and just an all around great light song. On SA, ugh, I just don't like it. Maybe it's because I heard the demo version before the album one?

Demo: https://soundcloud.com/cmh772/greta

VS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1Ybl2XulDk

Anyone else have a demo preference?

[Artemis]

In before everyone else: Smile At You.

Also, slightly blasphemous, Lady From The Mountains. Moonlight is a gorgeous song... but so is Lady From The Mountains.

[bluecalmsea]

100% agree with you on all counts! For me, I spent so many years with Lady From the Mountain that Moonlight never really stood a chance to be liked :laugh:

[SteveMacD]

I really can't agree with "Smile At You". In some ways the demos were better, in others the SYW version was better. As a sucker for great bass lines, the SYW version smokes the rest.

[Dreamz19]

I agree 100%. I love the "Greta" demo more than the album version. Same with "Smile At You." I also prefer the "Planets of the Universe" demo (the one on the Rumours 2004 reissue) over the TISL version.

[Macfanforever]

I like the Wildheart dressing room demo better then the studio version.

[WildHearted]

Wild Heart dressing room version and also Planets of the Universe Piano demo.

I do love the songs they respectively turned into, but I still like those earlier incarnations more.

[Jondalar]

Twisted. Love the demo. The final product is a bore.

[HelloMonster]

Planets of the Universe was absolutely perfect as a demo. She ruined it in TISL :distress:

[rubylounge]

Are there any demo versions to Mac or Stevie songs that you prefer to the album versions?

For me, the RAL-era demo of Greta is so much better than what made it to Street Angel. I find the demo fun, upbeat, and just an all around great light song. On SA, ugh, I just don't like it. Maybe it's because I heard the demo version before the album one?

Demo: https://soundcloud.com/cmh772/greta

VS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1Ybl2XulDk

Anyone else have a demo preference?

I agree I like the demo version of Greta better than the one on SA.

[madeline]

This is just too funny. I was thinking about this last night. All the songs that we have been listening to for years, then they finally get recorded and they suck. Now my favorite was always The Tower aka Goodbye baby. I loved the lyrics, the music and the beautiful way Stevie sang it. Then they put it on Say you will and it was like a dagger in my heart. What a mess.

[poetinmyheart]

I prefer Planets of the Universe as a demo, I never listen to it on TISL. I also prefer Lady from the Mountains to Moonlight. I really like Moonlight and do listen to it on IYD but the Lady From the Mountains demos are just beautiful.

[Sanne2]

For me, the RAL-era demo of Greta is so much better than what made it to Street Angel. I find the demo fun, upbeat, and just an all around great light song. On SA, ugh, I just don't like it. Maybe it's because I heard the demo version before the album one?


I agree! I also prefer the demo's from Docklands, Destiny and Thousand Days over the finished Street Angel versions.
And although the SYW version of Running Through The Garden isn't bad at all, the demo is just so much better.

[Jondalar]

Planets of the Universe was absolutely perfect as a demo. She ruined it in TISL :distress:

I like the demo better to Planets of the Universe myself.

[Somegirl60171]

Twisted, not make believe.

[On Ice]

I really like what she did with Planets of the Universe on TISL, but as a piano ballad, it also could have been very powerful on Rumours, even moreso sung in her pre coke wonderful voice. That is had the technology existed at the time to include more tracks, the album could easily have been at least 14 tracks long to include all of the stellar material the band had at the time.

I can say the same for Lady from the Mountain, again a beautiful song in demo form that could have fit nicely on the Wild Heart but also morphed quite nicely to Moonlight, so 6 one, 1/2 dozen to me.

[mitzo]

In what way is "The Tower" better than "Goodbye Baby?"

[TheWILDheart]

All better than the officially released versions:

My Heart (TISL outtake)
Smile At You (demo)
Sleeping Angel (acoustic version w/Lindsey)

I don't agree about POTU AT ALL!! The extended TISL version is perfection.

[rhiannondontgo]

Agreed with mostly everybody when it comes to Smile At You, Goodbye Baby, Moonlight, and Planets. I like the coffee plant demos better than the released versions of Candlebright & Sorcerer, too. But That's Alright and Garbo are favorites of mine whether it's the coffee plant demo or the recorded versions. I think it all comes down to vocals for me :shrug:

Oh and My Heart (the 2001 version) is way better than the IYD version. And I like the Beauty & The Beast demo better than the finished product. (The one where she switches pitch in "Change" at the end. It's amazing.) And The Highwayman demo with the really high notes amazes me too. And I like the Leather & Lace early solo demo better than the released one. So soft & pretty. & I prefer the Secret Love and Running Through The Garden demos to the recorded ones.

In fact I think I almost always like demos better than the album versions. If anything, because the vocals are better the earlier you go. And because I really don't like the over produced way they did TISL & SYW.

[Villavic]

I often listen more the Sara version of disc 2 in the Tusk 2004 remastered edition, than the original from disc 1. Probably because it's longer and I can clearly hear the All I ever wanted.. was to know that you were dreaming...

[starshine]

As a side note just remember not everything is a 'demo' there are outtakes/alternate versions/some are demos but not everything is really a demo. Finished versions are outtakes or alternates. A demo would be a version of the song in its beginning. With Stevie it can be hard to tell since like say with the Rhiannon versions that are out there I just think those are for the 'movie' she was gonna do (which hasn't happend) so it was for the sountrack but as far as I know we have really NO demo for the original version of Rhiannon or than the early 'live' version that she perform with Buck/Nicks for there short tour. Theres so many songs we have no demos for some I can think of right now are: Edge of 17/Standback/Nightbird/Blue Lamp/Wild Heart etc the list really is endless.
Now the Wild Heart dressing room thing I guess is sort of a 'demo' it was when she started to write it in NY during the Rolling Stone photo shoot for the 81 cover it says so in the WH Violet /press kit explaining when the songs were created and about each one. Its very good if anyone can post it. Sorry , I'm not sure how though. Anyway, I just wanted all to realize that not every version of songs we have on Stevie/Fmac are demos they are alternates tracks /extended versions etc. Just keep that in mind. But yes I do like the alternates/outtakes better than what is on the LP/cds etc as well.:shrug::D

[vivfox]

In what way is "The Tower" better than "Goodbye Baby?"

The Tower contains Stevie's little girl like voice so sweet and tender and Goodbye Baby is an older woman desperately trying to sound like a sweet little girl. It just doesn't compare to the original.
I have always loved Stevie's demos over most of her released music. IMHO Stevie's best producer is Stevie herself. Even though I am the first to say I want her to ditch her slow songs and sing only fast rockers, I only feel this way when she has a band backing her. I would LOVE an album of just Stevie singing and playing the piano with Stevie overdubbing background vocals over her own. Even Sharon and Lori would have to sit this one out.

[bluecalmsea]

The Tower contains Stevie's little girl like voice so sweet and tender and Goodbye Baby is an older woman desperately trying to sound like a sweet little girl. It just doesn't compare to the original.
I have always loved Stevie's demos over most of her released music. IMHO Stevie's best producer is Stevie herself. Even though I am the first to say I want her to ditch her slow songs and sing only fast rockers, I only feel this way when she has a band backing her. I would LOVE an album of just Stevie singing and playing the piano with Stevie overdubbing background vocals over her own. Even Sharon and Lori would have to sit this one out.

I feel this exact same way. :cool:

Out of curiosity, can I ask what some of your favorite tracks are?

On the Planets of the Universe topic:

For me, this is memorable and beautiful:
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/kBkgATuIVgE?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

While I find this generic. It's okay, but it doesn't make me feel anything/connect:
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7ZqeGqdU3EE?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Nathan]

I love the EXTENDED version of Planets of the Universe.

Welcome to the Room Sara - demo beats the original by far. :nod:

[bluecalmsea]

Welcome to the Room Sara - demo beats the original by far. :nod:

Oh, absolutely!! :nod:

[vivfox]

Out of curiosity, can I ask what some of your favorite tracks are?


Remember what Starshine said in her post about the demos being alternates, outtakes and demos? That's why I can name demos I like but it may not be the take you have been used to hearing. But here are the names of some of my favorites:
Smile At You, If You Were My Love, 24 Karat Gold, Forest Of The Black Roses,Joan Of Arc,The Tower,Baby Doll, Bell Flower, If You Ever Did Believe, Running Through the Garden and several hundred more. I really prefer the demos recorded between 1973 and 1986.

[Macfanforever]

I wish the Wildheart dressing room video made the CV DVD collection like the Civil War Stand Back video and the others.

[aleuzzi]

I love every version of Planets I've ever heard.

I think "That's Alright" is WAY better in demo form.

[RavenOfRhiannon]

I'm happy to see 'Planets' being defended. I love the piano demos, but when TISL was released (and especially when I got the extended version), 'Planets of the Universe' was my Summer 2001 song. If anything, I think it was a missed concert staple. If she'd done the extended version live and really let loose, it would still be in the set today (and would dovetail nicely with 'Moonlight')

That being said, I am going to join the chorus of 'Smile At You' detractors. I actually forget there is an official release much of the time. The angry higher key version is just blistering.

[bluecalmsea]

Remember what Starshine said in her post about the demos being alternates, outtakes and demos? That's why I can name demos I like but it may not be the take you have been used to hearing. But here are the names of some of my favorites:
Smile At You, If You Were My Love, 24 Karat Gold, Forest Of The Black Roses,Joan Of Arc,The Tower,Baby Doll, Bell Flower, If You Ever Did Believe, Running Through the Garden and several hundred more. I really prefer the demos recorded between 1973 and 1986.

I think we are on the same Stevie wavelength- Smile At You, If You Were My Love, 24 Karat Gold, Forest Of The Black Roses, and Bell Flower sit right at the top of my personal faves list. Thanks! :cool:

[vivfox]

I think we are on the same Stevie wavelength- Smile At You, If You Were My Love, 24 Karat Gold, Forest Of The Black Roses, and Bell Flower sit right at the top of my personal faves list. Thanks! :cool:


Also wanted to add the remastered version of Blue Water. Every time I go to the beach it's my top played song.

[seekerj]

In before everyone else: Smile At You.

Also, slightly blasphemous, Lady From The Mountains. Moonlight is a gorgeous song... but so is Lady From The Mountains.

Yes. I actually prefer Lady from The Mountains. I was disappointed that Moonlight didn't have my favorite verse ("go with her, you know you want her") with my favorite line ("you could use a dreamer somewhere on your side"). I guess Moonlight is OK, but I love Lady From the Mountains. And I especially love the slow Fleetwood Mac outtake version.

[seekerj]

The Tower contains Stevie's little girl like voice so sweet and tender and Goodbye Baby is an older woman desperately trying to sound like a sweet little girl. It just doesn't compare to the original.
I have always loved Stevie's demos over most of her released music. IMHO Stevie's best producer is Stevie herself. Even though I am the first to say I want her to ditch her slow songs and sing only fast rockers, I only feel this way when she has a band backing her. I would LOVE an album of just Stevie singing and playing the piano with Stevie overdubbing background vocals over her own. Even Sharon and Lori would have to sit this one out.

YES!!!!!!!