24kg ~ A "song By Song" Discussion

[sorcerer999]

New thread idea! Now that we know the OFFICIAL track listing, I thought it might be fun to discuss each individual song (since we’ve had the demos in our possession for quite a while now) and give our thoughts and opinions on the demos versus what we hope will end up on the new album. Does that sound like fun? I know I’d be really interested to hear everybody’s opinions.  This is the type of thread that requires a lot of typing (since there’s 13 songs to write about)…so I hope it doesn’t seem too overwhelming.

Obviously, we’ll omit “I Don’t Care”, “Hard Advice” and “Carousel” since it’s probably more than likely we’ve never heard these songs before. If we find out later on down the road that some of these are just re-titles of things we already have, then we can add them in. Also, I’m going to put “Lady” on this list based on the assumption that it’s what we know as “Knocking On Doors”. Again, we can edit if the info is false. I’ll also leave “The Dealer” on this list, even though we’ve heard the finished product and there’s another thread going about it. This will be based on the running order of the Deluxe Edition. I’ll start…

1. “Starshine” – I was really surprised that this made the cut, as it was never a demo that I really enjoyed. I always thought the musical hook sounded too much like Laura Branigan’s “Gloria”. The lyrics were a bit too trite as well. There are too many “I said, he said, she saids” going on here, which is a little grating. I wasn’t too thrilled when I heard Dave Stewart’s video snippit a few months ago, either. Didn’t seem like much had changed. I was impressed with the musicality of it, though ~ especially the banjo. This seems like a weird choice for the first track. Can it hold up to “Wild Heart” or “TISL” I wonder?

2. “If You Were My Love” – ALWAYS one of my favorite PIANO demos. I hope this track isn’t too overproduced on the new album. The Mirage and Street Angel outtakes, sadly, just don’t do it for me. Nothing could ever capture that emotion from the first simple piano/vocal demo. A sparse arrangement with Stevie’s current vocal range could be beautiful.

3. “Mabel Normand” – What to say, what to say? Hmmmm…Well the demo is just a complete hot mess. Cocaine is a hell of a drug! I listen to this demo to laugh more than anything. Writing a book called “Beloved Exile”? WTF, Stevie? I do enjoy the one lyric where she calls out (whoever the hell she’s singing about) about constantly changing sides. I have a feeling this new version will be a complete turnaround from the demo. More structured, more melodic, less “talky”. We can only hope.

4. “Twisted” – The choice to re-record this one still puzzles me, since it’s already in another finished form. I adore her and Lindsey’s version on the Twister soundtrack. It’s perfect! Hell, I even love the demo on Enchanted. The only thing I could see they could improve upon in this new version is maybe making it more like the Live Version from the 1996 tour and Enchanted Tour…with a lot of wailing “you like to be twiiiiiiiiiiiisttttteddddd…by the force…”

5. “24 Karat Gold” - I've been listening to the demo for many years and always thought it was pretty cool, however it was never really one of my favorites. Very dark, witchy and enigmatic. There's a “take” off of the Masters called "23 All Vocals Mix" which basically has the same piano/drum machine like the original demo, but adds a guitar and basically has a "million Stevies" overlapping vocals and harmonies. I LOVE IT!!! There are so many great lyrics added that weren't in the original demo we'd all heard in the years prior to the Master Reels and I'm really hoping some of these crazy lyrics make it on to this new version.

6. “Belle Fleur” – I’ve heard the demo a million times, always in the background of where I was or what I was doing and I never paid it that much attention. Since learning of its inclusion last night, I’ve gone back and listened to it and forced myself to PAY ATTENTION this time, and I’ve got to say, I kind of dig it. Especially the “Sunset Sound Sunrise” lyric that evokes many sessions of recording in L.A. on those late nights/early mornings back in the day. Pretty groovy! I’m more curious about how THIS one is going to turn out more than I am my favorite demos.

7. “All The Beautiful Worlds” – This seems to be a huge favorite amongst a lot of you, but it was always just “meh” to me. I enjoy the lyrics and such, but the music and arrangement of the demo just bores me to tears. The bridge is my favorite part, “You say you’re leavin’…” I feel the new version could benefit from less synth. We’ll see.

8. “Lady” – If we are all assuming that this is “Knocking On Doors”, and it actually turns out to be as such, then I’ll be happy. It used to be a favorite of mine a long time ago, but then I got burnt out on it. Probably because of the repetitive nature of the words, “…and he said, Lady” and the straining high notes. This is yet another example of a song that could benefit from her current voice in a vocal arrangement “change up”. The words and melody were always unique and we can hope that the translation to “real instrumentation” will be successful.

9. “I Don’t Care” - ???

10. “Watch Chain” – My THIRD favorite demo next to “Lady From The Mountain” and “Blue Water”. It’s R&B Stevie! That bass line in the demo is infectious, as is the electric guitar riff between verses and chorus. The best part is the last verse, “be aware of the danger as you cross the great water…” It really doesn’t bode well that it’s been relegated to a “bonus track” (I’m envisioning the dreadful “Not Make Believe” from SYW) but I’m thinking (or at least hoping) that they’ve kept the cool R&B vibe in this new version and maybe it just doesn’t mesh well with the retro pop rock sound of the other tracks. But who knows? Just hoping that three layered harmony in the chorus is still intact.

11. “Hard Advice” - ???

12. “Carousel” - ???

13. “Blue Water” – This demo has been the “be all and end all” with me for decades. I need this song to be EPIC! I need this song to have strings and horns! I need this song to be the BEST song on the whole freakin’ record! Hahaha!!! I need this song to keep that “I wanna take you on a…(pause…wait for it)…slow riiiiide…” I’m going to be biting my fingernails all the way through this one on first listen. Yep. I can’t talk about it anymore. I’m already getting nervous. ;)

14. “Cathouse Blues” – This tune is like a minute and a half long, right? I bet the only thing different from the old demo will be just a key change to accommodate “mama’s current register.” Plus maybe a musical interlude and a repeat of a verse or chorus at the end just to extend it past the two minute mark. Like “Belle Fleur”, this is another one I never paid that much attention to because of its lack of depth…but it’s a fun song, and I think was a good choice. It will definitely lighten the mood between songs.

15. “The Dealer” – Well, since we’ve heard the brand new version, I’ll just go ahead and repeat what I said in the “Dealer” thread ~ I love how it stayed true to the Heartbreakers version from the "Bella Donna" sessions. She's sounding her age...and I LIKE THAT! The harmonies are always flawless and the production is great. Definitely got that "Nashville" sound! That being said, it's a good song but I'm not as excited about it as a lead single (or a single at all) more than I was when "Secret Love" was released. It’s an okay song, but I doubt it’s one I will be listening to over and over again.

16. “She Loves Him Still” ~ I like this demo a lot, minus the talking “so how are you” part. The sentiment is heartbreaking, and I think it might be the PERFECT choice to close out this album, and then make me wanna listen to the whole thing over again! If she can do a gentle vocal on this track the way she did on "Goodbye Baby" then I think it will be a BEAUTIFUL SONG! Those two tracks have always had a soft spot for me...and ironically they share the same lines, "...and the sands of time, like shattering glass, went past me..."

[markolas]

Starshine - I always thought it was catchy and had potential; I'm not surprised that she chose it. I has the same jangly vibe that 24 Karat Gold and The Dealer have.
The snippet Dave Stewart posted doesn't really tell me much; it always sounded like it was pretty far along in the production process.

If You Were My Love - This was on my wishlist. I love the piano demo and the Mirage version. The Street Angel outtake is...interesting. But ultimately very, very dull. I'm anxious to hear it.

Mabel Normand - Never in a million years would've I have guessed she would pick this to record. I joked about it in another thread, and was shocked beyond belief that when it showed up on the tracklist. The demo is bad (up there with Gypsy Beggar and Night Gallery), but she and Dave must've been able to do something with it.

Twisted - I'm fairly annoyed that she decided to revisit this. I'd rather she had redone Gold and Braid. It was never a favorite of mine, but it obviously means a lot to Stevie.

24 Karat Gold - I always liked this one a lot. Pretty much all of the Bella Donna outtakes are very good and deserve to be revisited.

Belle Fleur - I hadn't listened to this in a long time; it's a pretty song (both the piano demo and the more fleshed out version that I think was recorded during the sessions for The Wild Heart). Not quite a wishlist song, but close.

All the Beautiful Worlds - Everybody loves it, but I wasn't really expecting it. It's a decent enough song, but it sounds very much of it's time. It'll be interesting to see what they did with it.

Lady (Knocking on Doors) - I never paid any attention to this song whatsoever. I'm listening to it now. For some reason I thought it was from the Rock a Little era, but it sounds pre-Fleetwood Mac. Fairly rough. The lyrics are nice.

Watch Chain - Never a favorite. I remembered it being a very short demo that cut off, but I listened to it again recently, and apparently I was wrong. It's got a nice riff, but fairly unsubstantial lyrically.

Blue Water - Another wishlist song. Gorgeous, but very rough. I can't wait to hear it.

Cathouse Blues - Really short, but I always liked it. I always thought it was a very uncharacteristic song for her. Isn't a cathouse a brothel, though?

She Loves Him Still - Another one that I never paid any attention to, although everyone seems to love it. Depressing, like HAEWAFY. Eh.

[Bandon]

I'm just glad "All the Beautiful Worlds" and "She Still Loves Him" made the cut.

I'm also pleasantly surprised that "Twisted" is going to be re-made. When I first heard the song was coming out on the Twister soundtrack, I thought it was great that Stevie and Lindsey were finally back recording together and Lindsey was producing the cut. Had to be great...right? But I thought it was just "okay." My feelings about that version were confirmed when I heard the demo version on the Enchanted CD, which I thought was far superior than the Lindsey-produced version. And I'm one who usually prefers studio cuts to demos. Can't wait to hear the new version of Twisted. :nod:

By the way, I wonder what Lindsey will think about this? Lol

Honestly, I would have preferred that "Smile at You" be remade, but that's life......:o.

[DauphineMarie]

Starshine I remember seeing the demos with Tom Petty from 1980, but never really listened to them until recently. To me this is a great choice for the album.

If You Were My Love - I loved this one, especially the Mirage outtake, and can't wait to see wait she does with it, considering it has that specific "Mac" feel.

Mabel Normand - Poor Mabel Normand.. Nobody loves you except for me, I guess lol. I think if people knew about her life, and her story, it would make more sense. Oh and BTW, Beloved Exile is a book written in 1984, about the death of King Arthur, with the story line being Queen Guinevere learning how to live on her own. (Psst. I think this about Stevie's and Joe Walsh's relationship.)

Twisted - Uhhh, yeah I don't know why she redid this either, but it could be a completely different version without Lindsey's "input" lol.

24 Karat Gold - I love that one demo that sounds very mysterious and witchy, and I'm glad she included this, though not an all-time favourite.

Belle Fleur - This is such a beautiful song, and again I am so glad she included it. It sort of has that Birds of Rhiannon type quality.

All the Beautiful Worlds - This is definitely one of my favourite Stevie demos from the Wild Heart. I can't wait to see how this will turn out. I read the thread wondering how her voice would sound on this, but I think if handled correctly, it could be very pretty.

Lady (Knocking on Doors) - I had this downloaded on my laptop awhile ago, but I can't find it now, so I really don't remember it.

Watch Chain - I think this is from the same time that Storms was recorded, and was a Living Room demo. This one to me is beautiful and mysterious, and I have no idea what it could be about lol.

Blue Water - This song has some of the most beautiful harmonies from Sharon and Lori, and I am so excited to hear what they'll be on this album.

Cathouse Blues - Haha I love this song. And yes, I believe it is a brothel ;) This song is so sexy lol. It makes want to walk around in my new red velvet shoes, and strut around where the women are lazy, and the men are rude :laugh:

She Still Loves Him - I'm listening to this right now, and I think it's so pretty. I know it will fit right in on this new record. I'm pretty sure it's a RAL demo, and that's my favourite era. To me it's also depressing, but you can feel the pain in this one, like you can in I Sing For The Things.

[StreetAngel86]

13. “Blue Water” – This demo has been the “be all and end all” with me for decades. I need this song to be EPIC! I need this song to have strings and horns! I need this song to be the BEST song on the whole freakin’ record! Hahaha!!! I need this song to keep that “I wanna take you on a…(pause…wait for it)…slow riiiiide…” I’m going to be biting my fingernails all the way through this one on first listen. Yep. I can’t talk about it anymore. I’m already getting nervous. ;)

my favorite part :nod:
i literally have anxiety about hearing this song on this album
i want it to be soooooo freaking amazing

strings and horns ... **starts shaking**
i can't even imagine it in Stevie's current voice aaaaaaaaaah i'm so excited :D

[WatchChain]

Starshine—Not what I consider one of Stevie’s more stellar demos. I am surprised that this one was included when so many other classic Stevie demos like “Julia” and “My Sanctuary” did not make the cut. I can only assume that “Julia” is being saved for the next Fleetwood Mac record. Nonetheless, “Starshine”, MEH !!!

If You Were My Love – Classic demo! Love it, so happy it was included.

Mabel Normand – see “Starshine”

Twisted – I LOVE this song, it’s always been one of my Stevie favorites, especially the quiet demo from the box set. While I don’t see a specific reason for producing a third version, I am happy to have it included. Perhaps a different arrangement will take the song to new places.

24 Karat Gold – OUTSTANDING TRACK !!!

Watch Chain - I have been waiting for this song to make it on a record for at least 14 years. This is one of the most groovy, funky tunes that I’ve ever heard. The drum/bass riff reminds me so much of “Tell Me Something Good” by Rufus. Of all the tunes on the new record, this is the one that I hope stays true to the original demo. Please don’t destroy this one. It’s probably one of my favorite Stevie songs ever, thus my screen name. I was kind of hoping that it would be SAVED for the Fleetwood Mac record to get background vocals from Christine and Lindsey, but I’m glad we’re finally getting the studio treatment.

Blue Water – Beautiful tune!! I’m so glad it made the cut.

Cathouse Blues – This is another one of my all time favorites, and I can’t wait to hear Stevie sing about a house of ill repute. This song reminds me of staying in The French Quarter in New Orleans, I love the jazzy rhythm. Maybe she’ll put some horns on the record. Stevie’s lovelorn tribute to working in a brothel. Working girls get the blues!

She Still Loves Him – PERFECT !!!!

[PenguinHead]

The Dealer - I'm happy with the new recording; very close to the original recording. Can't expect her voice to sound exactly the same, 30 something years later.

Starshine - I'm really interested in how it is rearranged.

If You Were My Love - Nice song. I enjoy both Fleetwood Mac's version and Stevie's "tropical" version.

Mabel Normand - I love that this was so unexpected; wasn't even on our radar; it came out of left field! Can't wait to see how this turns out.

Twisted - Third time could be a charm. Not unprecedented; We have Crystal in three different versions.

24 Karat Gold - Such oblique lyrics. "There is no one to be there" eeh!

Belle Fleur - Canyon dancing all night long. Chill out camping song! Hope Lori's and Sharon's vocals are strong and prominent.

All the Beautiful Worlds - The most fully developed song; prepped for inclusion on Wild Heart. Not sure how it can be improved.

Blue Water - One of the first songs Stevie, Sharon and Lori sang together. Hope it evokes/achieves a similar Landslide-like emotional impact.

Cat House Blues - One of my very favorite demos. Very sassy bar/brothel song.

She Still Loves Him - It has a lot of potential; it could go either way. I hope the spoken word passage is eliminated.

[markolas]

I left out The Dealer! I always sort of liked it, and sort of didn't. I'm enjoying the hell out of the released version, though. Her vocal is ragged, but it's good. I like it way more than I expected to.

[DauphineMarie]

I left out The Dealer! I always sort of liked it, and sort of didn't. I'm enjoying the hell out of the released version, though. Her vocal is ragged, but it's good. I like it way more than I expected to.

Oh lol I copied your list so I forgot it too! :laugh: Yes I love The Dealer. This song was important to me for awhile when I needed it at a time when I was feeling very self-conscious and scared. I really don't know why, it just seemed very empowering.

[markolas]

I don't see Julia as a Fleetwood Mac song. I can't imagine that she doesn't have future plans for it. Ditto the Rhiannon songs. Dave really seems to have lit a fire in her, so I wouldn't be surprised if she does another solo album after she's done with Fleetwood Mac.

[Bandon]

I don't see Julia as a Fleetwood Mac song. I can't imagine that she doesn't have future plans for it. Ditto the Rhiannon songs. Dave really seems to have lit a fire in her, so I wouldn't be surprised if she does another solo album after she's done with Fleetwood Mac.

Agreed. I Don't see Julia as a Fm song as is, but given the true FM magic...oh yeah, for sure.:nod:

[HoursAndHours]

1. “Starshine” – I used to have a very low-quality version of this demo, and so I always wished she would record it so I could find one with better fidelity. Then YouTube solved that problem for me. But if she's doing an album from old demos, I would have always included this one, because I got used to wishing for it, and came to love it for that.

2. “If You Were My Love” – This is such a great song. That opening line, "tonight, there are no saviors," always gives me chills. I am really surprised this wasn't saved for Fleetwood Mac, but maybe they were done trying to figure it out. It deserves a full-scale version, and I'm glad it finally got one.

3. “Mabel Normand” – I had not even heard of this song until I found out about the new record, and started looking at peoples' wishlists. I got a version of it from YouTube. I don't really have the love or hate for it that people seem to have. It does have that late-70s/early-80s rock n' roll swing to it that's common of the Bella Donna and Wild Heart sessions. I think that's part of the theme of this whole record. I'm excited to see what it morphed into.

4. “Twisted” – I was perfectly content with the two versions we have of this song, and can think of several songs that I think would have been more fun to hear revised. But it does have a sorta "rainbow sunset" vibe to it. I know it'll be a great song, I think mostly I'm just confused by it's presence, I always regarded it as "done." I had thought this would be either Gold and Braid or Sweet Girl, to be perfectly honest.

5. “24 Karat Gold” – I got this demo around the time I got Starshine, so they sorta feel like they belong together to me. Funny that those were the two clips that were released together too. I like that the whole "chain of chains" thing seems to be emphasized in the clip. Can't wait to hear how it finally came together.

6. “Belle Fleur” – This song and The Dealer are the two songs that I think of as belonging to an actual album. This one belonged on The Wild Heart. There's a live clip of Tori Amos talking about her song Honey that was a b-side, and how it should have been on her Under The Pink album, but wasn't because she's "such a ding-a-ling." :laugh: That's what I think about Stevie with this song. It should have opened The Wild Heart.

7. “All The Beautiful Worlds” – This is one of my favorite demos, but I always regarded it as a sort of lost cause. By that, I mean that I really didn't think Stevie would ever revisit this song, even as she was revisiting songs like Nomad and Running Through The Garden (that one surprised me too, btw). It doesn't have the same vibe as the other tracks on The Wild Heart, and I felt like maybe she thought it sounded to dark. But here it is - and for all I just said, how the hell is it going to fit in with these other songs? Or maybe this song simply has to stand out?

8. “Lady” – I had never heard Knockin' on Doors. I was not-so-secretly hoping that this would turn out to be Maker of Birds. But having finally listened to the demo of Knockin' On Doors, I am totally head-over-heels in love with this demo, and really, really hope this is the same song. I love it!

9. “I Don’t Care” – Love the clip, love that I was able to tag it with Shazam and obliterate the credibility of all those fake setlists. :D The feeling of this song, it almost seems like it has to be What Has Rock & Roll Ever Done For You in a new incarnation. I can't think of any other demo of hers that rocks out like that (except maybe You Like Me), and I don't think it's that.

10. “Watch Chain” – OMG. I finally get a studio version of this song, and that makes me really, really happy. I've been waiting forever for the Watchdevil to have it's say, lol. I am so sad that Cecilia won't be on this record too. I feel like those songs are siblings. But this is still great, and it's a point of intense excitement for me.

11. “Hard Advice” – I hope this isn't That Made Me Stronger, part II. Beyond that, as long as it's a good song, I can't wait to hear it.

12. “Carousel” – I seem to remember this being on an old NicksFix list of "all known and referenced songs" or something like that (wasn't there one called Black Cat or something like that too)? I guess it could be a complete version of At The Fair, but I don't think it is. I also don't think it has anything to do with Vanessa Carlton, but time will tell.

13. “Blue Water” – I had such a lame recording of this, and then I found a "fan remaster" on Napster, of all places, lol. And surprisingly, it was exceptionally good quality. I love this song, I love the harmonies, I think it should be a single, with a video, blah, blah, blah... Lol. I hope they kept the harmonies, especially if they lowered the key. Like other people have mentioned, I hope it's epic too, strings, horns, nature sounds, chimes and bells and whistles, lol.

14. “Cathouse Blues” – I'm honestly surprised by this one too. This little song has always been my placeholder at the end of playlists. Whenever I would burn a Stevie CD for the road or something, and only have 2 minutes to spare, this one would go in to close out the disc. Since it's fully realized, I hope there's a noticeable upgrade to it, either instrumentation, or another verse, or something cool, like a drum sequence?

15. “The Dealer” – Like I've said, this is the glaring omission from Bella Donna. It belongs at the end of side one, right "after" After The Glitter Fades "fades." :laugh: I love the new version. I think it's better than the original, and I'm so glad it's the single.

16. “She Loves Him Still” – This is a sad song that I really didn't take seriously as a candidate for this record. But I"m excited to see how it turns out. It's a great song, and I'm sure it'll be even better fully realized.

That's my take. I'm excited to see what turns up on the Mac album too. And then who knows, maybe we'll get: "It's Not A Dream: Songs From The Vault Vol. 2" :D

[sorcerer999]

Oh and BTW, Beloved Exile is a book written in 1984, about the death of King Arthur, with the story line being Queen Guinevere learning how to live on her own. (Psst. I think this about Stevie's and Joe Walsh's relationship.)


She Still Loves Him - I'm listening to this right now, and I think it's so pretty. I know it will fit right in on this new record. I'm pretty sure it's a RAL demo, and that's my favourite era.

Thanks for the info! I had no idea about the King Arthur book. I might have to go pick this one up soon. I love medieval literature. And yes, the RAL era is one of my favorites as well...and probably the BEST era as far as her output of demos. :nod:


Twisted - Third time could be a charm. Not unprecedented; We have Crystal in three different versions.

Touché. That's true. I never thought about that. And I LOOOOVE Stevie's version from "Practical Magic". Hopefully, "Twisted" will turn out to be so completely different than the other two.

Dave really seems to have lit a fire in her, so I wouldn't be surprised if she does another solo album after she's done with Fleetwood Mac.

I agree. I think these next 5 years are gonna be busy ones for Miss Nicks. With the exclusion of the Rhiannon songs (yet again) I have a feeling that "album 9" might be just that. It makes more sense for her to just record the songs (maybe with an orchestra) and do a "concept album", instead of trying to finance some sort of film project.

Thanks for all the cool responses, everyone! I enjoyed reading them and would love to hear from more of you! :wavey:

[gldstwmn]

3. “Mabel Normand” – What to say, what to say? Hmmmm…Well the demo is just a complete hot mess. Cocaine is a hell of a drug! I listen to this demo to laugh more than anything. Writing a book called “Beloved Exile”? WTF, Stevie? I do enjoy the one lyric where she calls out (whoever the hell she’s singing about) about constantly changing sides. I have a feeling this new version will be a complete turnaround from the demo. More structured, more melodic, less “talky”. We can only hope.

Whenever I think of this demo I think of Stevie speak/singing the line "What are you talking about?" That pretty much sums it up for me. :laugh: Still I love it though. I'm very intrigued to see what she, Dave and Waddy have done with this.

[michelej1]

When we were trying to guess what I Don't Care was, Viv reminded us that we'd already heard the snippet, but really that snippet doesn't prevent it from being a song we already know. Just hearing the Everybody Loves You snippet, didn't give me a real sense of what that song was.

Michele

[Phil]

Originally posted by michelej1

When we were trying to guess what I Don't Care was, Viv reminded us that we'd already heard the snippet, but really that snippet doesn't prevent it from being a song we already know. Just hearing the Everybody Loves You snippet, didn't give me a real sense of what that song was.

True - if we'd only heard the verses of "Planets Of The Universe" or the chorus of "Moonlight" prior to their release, we wouldn't have necessarily known these to be what we thought were "No Light" and "Lady From The Mountain".

[HoursAndHours]

Originally posted by michelej1



True - if we'd only heard the verses of "Planets Of The Universe" or the chorus of "Moonlight" prior to their release, we wouldn't have necessarily known these to be what we thought were "No Light" and "Lady From The Mountain".

^^This. But... the melody and rhythm are soooo familiar in that clip. I feel like I'm going to have a giant facepalm welt for like a week after we finally get to hear it. :D

[KarmaContestant]

1. “Starshine” – This has been a favorite of mine for many years, and was the very first song I thought of when I first heard about this album. I'm thrilled to see it included on 24 Karat, and hope that the energy of the song is upheld.

2. “If You Were My Love” – Never really been a big fan of this song; there is a BD outtake of it that I'm fond of, though. I do wonder if this new version will be more like the Bella Donna, Street Angel or Mirage outtake - or possible something totally new that Stevie and dave came up with.

3. “Mabel Normand” – Never paid this song much heed until recently. I wouldn't even consider the version we've heard to be a demo in the traditioanl sense - it's more stream of conscienceness poetry set to a beat, which is how Stevie starts a lot of her songs - just listen to those rambling "My Love Is Never Lost" sessions, and then compare them to "Love You Enough". Not even comparable, really. What we hear on 24 Karat Gold will be far removed from the Mabel Normand 'demo'.

4. “Twisted” – Stevie has said before she feels like soundtrack songs are lost songs, so I'm not really surprised that she wants to re-do this one. It did not get the attention she wants it to have.

5. “24 Karat Gold” - Love the demo - the snippet sounded great. Not much else to say.

6. “Belle Fleur” – Not a favorite, but a good song. I don't really have an opinion on this one, much like If You Were My Love.

7. “All The Beautiful Worlds” – Like The Dealer, I don't expect this to have any of the magic or mystery of the Wild Heart outtake we know and love. I am expecting disappointment.

8. “Lady” – If this is Knocking On Doors, cool. Obviously it will be in a much lower register - but maybe - just maybe - Stevie will falsetto in the appropriate places, like in Sorcerer.

9. “I Don’t Care” - ?

10. “Watch Chain” – I've always considered to be one of those demos with non-sense lyrics that sound good but don't say anything coherent. I like the 'keeper of time' verse about crossing the water, but other than that - wtf is a watch devil?

11. “Hard Advice” - ?

12. “Carousel” - ?

13. “Blue Water” – One of the very first Stevie demos I ever heard. A lifelong favorite, I'm pretty sure that no matter how Stevie sings it, no matter how it turns out, it will be great, to me.

14. “Cathouse Blues” – Um..ok.

15. “The Dealer” – One of my favorite unreleased Stevie songs, ever. I like that it stayed true to the BD versions...but ultimately, I would have prefered a release of said BD version on an expanded Bella Donna. Maybe that will still happen.

16. “She Loves Him Still” - Another lifelong favorite of mine, from the same cassette that had Blue Water I got in 1989. One of the last outtakes I ever expected Stevie to formally release, so I'm pleasantly surprised. My only fear - that she'll "Goodbye Baby" it with a sterile vocal and remove any trace of real feeling.



I'm excited for this album. That doesn't change the fact that I would have preferred a compilation of unreleased material, instead of a reinvention of unreleased material. Perhaps Stevie can't find some of these songs in her own vault, necessitating the re-recording of them, but given the story behind the album, given the old Polaroids and the old stories, a release that compiled high-quality recordings of the original demos and outtakes would have been my own personal preference.

[markolas]

Oh, get over yourself.

[sorcerer999]

The cynicism, negativity and hyper-critical analysis expressed here is rather disturbing. It has less to do with Stevie, and more about navel gazing personal preferences (hello social media!). Of course everyone has their right to an opinion, but I feel there is a serious lack of respect and appreciation for what Stevie giving us, and this new phase of her life.:( You're already knocking down the album without even hearing it.

If you feel the need to make unfair comparisons of 30 year old demos to a twenty-first century Stevie, well you have those demos to enjoy for free! Save your money and avoid the album if you can't handle your perception of the (apparently egregious) way in which she has rendered the songs. Stevie is only human and her work should be judged by where and who she is now. Understanding and objectivity comes with age. I see so little of it here. Try to have some gratitude for what it is -not what you want it be.

I'm not sure you're understanding the purpose of this thread. Have you actually read all of our responses? I'm also not sure you're picking up on all of our excitement (and yes, GRATITUDE) about this upcoming project. Our opinions of certain songs and what we love versus what we're going to get is something fun and interesting to talk about while we wait. Apparently, what you consider as "hyper critical" and "negative" is merely all of us speculating and wondering why Stevie made certain choices with this project. All of our questions and speculations are valid, regardless of what we end up hearing on this new record, which I'm sure we will all be happy with, no matter how we "speculate" or "would prefer" them to sound.

I'm really not understanding the NEGATIVITY on YOUR PART, PenguinHead. If you don't want to participate in thread speculation, or fan boy/girl excitement, then simply DO NOT participate. But getting on this thread and telling us that we don't respect or appreciate what Stevie is giving us (when it is so obviously far from the truth) is neither wanted nor welcome.

[Dex]

Really, though. Are we all just supposed to go "Oh! Well! I really don't enjoy listening to song X! But bless her heart, she's Stevie and she tried! And she's so old, now! Way to go, Stevie!" all day every day on this forum? Who honestly is interested in discourse like that? Who honestly would appreciate hearing that about their own work? It's patronising at best.

[HoursAndHours]

Who honestly is interested in discourse like that?

People who put art/ists on a pedestal safe from critical review, evidently. Because, you know, criticism never helps anyone, and is certainly never useful. :shrug:

[PenguinHead]

I'm not sure you're understanding the purpose of this thread. Have you actually read all of our responses? I'm also not sure you're picking up on all of our excitement (and yes, GRATITUDE) about this upcoming project. Our opinions of certain songs and what we love versus what we're going to get is something fun and interesting to talk about while we wait. Apparently, what you consider as "hyper critical" and "negative" is merely all of us speculating and wondering why Stevie made certain choices with this project. All of our questions and speculations are valid, regardless of what we end up hearing on this new record, which I'm sure we will all be happy with, no matter how we "speculate" or "would prefer" them to sound.

I'm really not understanding the NEGATIVITY on YOUR PART, PenguinHead. If you don't want to participate in thread speculation, or fan boy/girl excitement, then simply DO NOT participate. But getting on this thread and telling us that we don't respect or appreciate what Stevie is giving us (when it is so obviously far from the truth) is neither wanted nor welcome.

An overwrought, misplaced emotional thought and mistake that I own up to. Sorry for that. I think the personal challenges I've been dealing with resulted in a lack of judgement. I deleted the post. Hope all evidence of this can be removed.

[sorcerer999]

An overwrought, misplaced emotional thought and mistake that I own up to. Sorry for that. I think the personal challenges I've been dealing with resulted in a lack of judgement. I deleted the post. Hope all evidence of this can be removed.

No worries. We all have personal challenges to fight through. Hopefully the Ledge and Stevie's music can be used as an escape from all these challenges. :)

[markolas]

Who honestly is interested in discourse like that?

Ivory Keys.

[KarmaContestant]

An overwrought, misplaced emotional thought and mistake that I own up to. Sorry for that. I think the personal challenges I've been dealing with resulted in a lack of judgement. I deleted the post. Hope all evidence of this can be removed.

:xoxo:

I still like you.

[michelej1]

Really, though. Are we all just supposed to go "Oh! Well! I really don't enjoy listening to song X! But bless her heart, she's Stevie and she tried! And she's so old, now! Way to go, Stevie!" all day every day on this forum? Who honestly is interested in discourse like that? Who honestly would appreciate hearing that about their own work? It's patronising at best.

I'm not much into being grateful to celebrities, myself. Michele

[blonde]

I was truly hoping mistaken love would be in there somewhere I am so disapointed

[DauphineMarie]

I was truly hoping mistaken love would be in there somewhere I am so disapointed

This could be a Fleetwood Mac holdover, if she decides to go that route. If not, there's always the hotly anticipated Vault Part Deux :p

[HoursAndHours]

This could be a Fleetwood Mac holdover, if she decides to go that route. If not, there's always the hotly anticipated Vault Part Deux :p

Her omission of Rhiannon songs seems quite deliberate to me. Except possibly, was Blue Water from the Rhiannon tapes?

[Jondalar]

Her omission of Rhiannon songs seems quite deliberate to me. Except possibly, was Blue Water from the Rhiannon tapes?

no it was not, it seems deliberate to me too. The Rhiannon Songs, Love You Enough, China Doll, Baby Doll.

She may do another album.

[DauphineMarie]

no it was not, it seems deliberate to me too. The Rhiannon Songs, Love You Enough, China Doll, Baby Doll.

She may do another album.

Hopefully she actually completes her Rhiannon project as the movie/play thing she wanted to do, because it could be very beautiful. But the likelihood of that happening is slim to nothing.

[HoursAndHours]

Hopefully she actually completes her Rhiannon project as the movie/play thing she wanted to do, because it could be very beautiful. But the likelihood of that happening is slim to nothing.

Tbh, I would rather have nicely done versions of her singing those songs, and not wind up with someone else doing them as part of a theatrical performance or something. So if she does do it, I hope it's either a concept album or a movie with a soundtrack by Stevie. Let other people do them as covers once her version is done.

[DauphineMarie]

Tbh, I would rather have nicely done versions of her singing those songs, and not wind up with someone else doing them as part of a theatrical performance or something. So if she does do it, I hope it's either a concept album or a movie with a soundtrack by Stevie. Let other people do them as covers once her version is done.

Yeah that's a good point. I would prefer a movie/short-film/soundtrack more than anything as well. It could be really great, but most importantly, for her, she would be able to represent a story she's been telling us for almost 40 years. How great would that be...

[HoursAndHours]

Yeah that's a good point. I would prefer a movie/short-film/soundtrack more than anything as well. It could be really great, but most importantly, for her, she would be able to represent a story she's been telling us for almost 40 years. How great would that be...

It would be great. Actually, if they did something like IYD (the album plus a DVD)... Stevie could co-direct, it could be a really fantastic art piece. It in no way has to be a major motion picture.

[DauphineMarie]

It would be great. Actually, if they did something like IYD (the album plus a DVD)... Stevie could co-direct, it could be a really fantastic art piece. It in no way has to be a major motion picture.

Exactly. It could be one of those films they premiere at Cannes.... :nod:

[StreetAngel86]

no it was not, it seems deliberate to me too. The Rhiannon Songs, Love You Enough, China Doll, Baby Doll.

She may do another album.

with all the GOOD songs on it .... :D
the LADY is holding out on us dammit.

speaking of "Lady" what if it's actually "Rich Old Lady" and not Knocking on Doors like you all have assumed it to be :laugh:
or China Doll? ("Lady I adore") which would be cool

[HoursAndHours]

with all the GOOD songs on it .... :D
the LADY is holding out on us dammit.

speaking of "Lady" what if it's actually "Rich Old Lady" and not Knocking on Doors like you all have assumed it to be :laugh:
or China Doll? ("Lady I adore") which would be cool

Oooooh... Good point. I like that song too, so I don't think I'll be disappointed, but I"d still prefer Knocking...

[DauphineMarie]

with all the GOOD songs on it .... :D
the LADY is holding out on us dammit.

speaking of "Lady" what if it's actually "Rich Old Lady" and not Knocking on Doors like you all have assumed it to be :laugh:
or China Doll? ("Lady I adore") which would be cool

I was thinking it could be Rich Old Lady as well. Stevie said they found all of the demos on youtube, so we have to know it lol