Silver Springs Should Have Been a Top 10 Hit

[MikeInNV]

http://stargayzing.com/songs-that-should-have-been-top-10-hits-volume-6/

As most Stevie Nick’s fans well know, “Silver Springs” was written for Rumours in 1977 but left off the album (though it was included as the b-side of the “Go Your Own Way” single). According to lore (and common sense), this pleased Miss Nick’s none too much and contributed to growing tension in the band. Here is what Nicks said about the song:

“I wrote ‘Silver Springs’ about Lindsey. And we were in Maryland somewhere driving under a freeway sign that said Silver Spring, Maryland. And I loved the name … Silver Springs sounded like a pretty fabulous place to me. And, ‘You could be my silver springs…’, that’s just a whole symbolic thing of what you could have been to me.”

Rumours engineer and co-producer Richard Dashut called it the “best song that never made it to an album.” The song finally got its due on the 1997 reunion album The Dance, but I prefer the original 1977 version.

[On Ice]

Hi Mike in NV,
Great post and couldn't agree more, the song is the biggest hit that Fleetwood Mac never had. I also think it's the best song Stevie ever wrote and would've been huge back in the day, heck was probably even ready in summer/fall of '76 and the sound of "you could be my Silver Springs" coming out of the speakers everywhere would have been such sweet sounds indeed.

[WatchChain]

I've always LOVED "Silver Springs", it's one of the BEST recordings from the Buckingham/Nicks lineup of Fleetwood Mac. For me, in the early days, Stevie was at her best when singing California country/rock. "Silver Springs" has a COUNTRY music vibe, much like "After The Glitter Fades", and "That's Alright". I could just as easily hear/envision a 1970's era Dolly Parton or Linda Ronstadt singing "Silver Springs". The song's replacement on the "Rumours" record "I Don't Want To Know" is also, at its core, a little country song. Although it is inferior to "Silver Springs", "I Don't Want To Know" sure is a cute stomping, toe-tapping number! That groove is infectious! This is HIGHWAY music at its finest!

As for the decision to leave "Silver Springs" off "Rumours", I think it just came down to the song being too long for the LP format at the time. Stevie was allowed 3 songs on the album, and "Springs" clocked in at nearly 5 minutes, an EPIC. I'm sure the band felt that "Springs" was the better of the two songs, but there just wasn't TIME, so they opted for the 3 minute "I Don't Want To Know", as there was NO WAY they were bumping "Dreams" OR "Gold Dust" OFF the record. The ONLY alternative: get rid of "Silver Springs". I AM surprised that they released it as a B-SIDE and didn't try to SAVE it for a future record, because it's just that good.

[Macfanforever]

Ditto here.It should of been a hit and it was ignored by radio like I said in other threads in the Stevie forum related to this.The tunes were overlooked and ignored by the jocks and their program and music directors at the stations.They do the same with other artists and bands too as they do those BS audience testing with the tunes to see what they like to hear.I know how radio works since I studied it for almost 40 years and had friends in the business.

[mitzo]

I am eternally grateful for the 1997 Dance version, which is just plain epic. The original from the '70's sounds cheap and thin and so weak in comparison.

[Jondalar]

Like the song but it had the wrong energy for Rumours. More like a Tusk song. Would of been great for Tango in the Night.

[jbrownsjr]

I am eternally grateful for the 1997 Dance version, which is just plain epic. The original from the '70's sounds cheap and thin and so weak in comparison.

I agree. The way she sang it to him during that performance was unreal. I've seen it performed well, but never quite the same as that performance.

[redbird]

I like both tracks of "Silver Springs". I like hearing the song in youthful, relatively innocent Stevie's voice as well as older and experienced Stevie's voice, I like different phrasing choices in both, and I like both outtros for themselves. It's just great song.

[Macfanforever]

One thing here that is the local radio station here goes to the Dance version of SS and also Landslide.I would like to hear the originals on the radio more then the updated versions.I do like both versions anyway.

[BLY]

I like both tracks of "Silver Springs". I like hearing the song in youthful, relatively innocent Stevie's voice as well as older and experienced Stevie's voice, I like different phrasing choices in both, and I like both outtros for themselves. It's just great song.



I agree. I do prefer the studio version over the The Dance version if I had to choose but I still get chills at the end of that song. From the first time I heard that song on a jukebox as the flip side of GYOW in 1977 I was hooked.

[Macfan4life]

Silver Springs is too good to be a commercial top 10 radio pop song. Some of rock's biggest songs don't make it to the top 10. Silver Springs is one of them. So is Landslide, Gold Dust Woman, etc
Look at the Eagles song Desperado. Definitely one of their biggest and greatest.
Some of pop's biggest songs hit number one but 5 years later no one hears the song again. You can hear FM Landslide, GDW, and Silver Springs EVERYDAY on classic rock stations, and Sirius-XM 70's and the Bridge.

[sadmabelnormand]

Silver Springs for me is one of those songs that always will be close to my heart. I absolutely adore the Rumours version due to the heartbreak you can hear in her voice. The ending where she sings "You'll NEVER get away from the SOUUND of the WOMAN THAT LOOOVES YOUUUU" never fails to give me chills. However, I love the version from The Dance also because it's kind of like an "I told you so" moment for Stevie. She finally got to tell Lindsey "My voice will haunt you". The song came back and became a hit.

I always wondered why they didn't rerecord it for Mirage. I think with her voice at the time it would have sounded beautiful. In fact, the first time I heard "Wish You Were Here" my little brother and I thought it was the beginning of Silver Springs!

[elle]

Silver Springs is one of the rare SN songs i absolutely love.

i've never heard it before i started looking up LB's and FM's music on youtube few years ago, i don't remember it from 90s even though it was apparently a hit from the Dance.

i adore the Dance version. and their recent live versions, they are beautiful.

i think original Rumours version is dry and boring - kinda like most of the song versions on Fleetwood Mac / white album, at least on CD (maybe vinyl versions have warmer sound?).

[bombaysaffires]

Silver Springs is one of the rare SN songs i absolutely love.

i've never heard it before i started looking up LB's and FM's music on youtube few years ago, i don't remember it from 90s even though it was apparently a hit from the Dance.

i adore the Dance version. and their recent live versions, they are beautiful.

i think original Rumours version is dry and boring - kinda like most of the song versions on Fleetwood Mac / white album, at least on CD (maybe vinyl versions have warmer sound?).

oh elle, one of the things that makes the studio version so exquisite is Lindsey's breathtaking acoustic guitar. It's totally missing from the live version. (the other thing is Stevie's voice in the mid 70s)

The difference between the two is that the studio version is more of a country song and real melancholy until the very end. The live version has more of a rock and roll energy and more anger and of course the visual performance of watching her sing it directly to Lindsey, which you can't see (but can imagine) in the studio version.

I have still my original 45 of GYOW with SS on the b-side and it sounds fantastic on vinyl. Everything sounds ****ter compressed.:mad:

[He's So Unusual]

I am eternally grateful for the 1997 Dance version, which is just plain epic. The original from the '70's sounds cheap and thin and so weak in comparison.

I agree with this. I've never cared for the original studio version. I only listen to The Dance version.

[BLY]

After 43 years I still get the chills listening to end chorus of the studio version of Silver Springs. The 5.1 SS mix even amplifies the chill.😎

[Steviegirl]

It is such a beautiful and rich song. I'm glad it was finally discovered by so many. I first heard it as the b-side to GYOW on a jukebox, and I played it all the time. I also love it on the box set. I love that version so much that I never warmed up to The Dance version and actually cringe every time I hear that beginning, 'Siiiilver Springs' because it sounds super off-key to me. I'm glad everyone else loves it though. It was always one of my favorite FM songs.

[bombaysaffires]

gorgeous song and such an excellent example of LB's production skills on her songs. Her demo is so bare bones and other than the melody nothing at all like the finished product. Another one of those songs where Christine was like "what the hell do I do with this?" until Lindsey came up with a plan.... the slow intro, then the downbeat into the full on song, the gorgeous tinkling acoustic guitar, the gorgeous solo, the big build up at the end. None of that was on the demo. Her original melody line was also more country and was tweaked in places. Far, far better than I Don't Wanna Know.

[cbBen]

They should have kept it in their hip pocket for the next record. See, the band could have said to Lindsey something along the lines of "95% of Tusk can be how you want it. Let's please just include some overtly commercial material to accommodate other concerns." "Silver Springs" could have been held for just such a purpose.

Jackson Browne did this with all his pre-Running On Empty albums. Almost all down-tempo introspective stuff that would never make the radio, but one (maybe two) songs on each album that were clearly written for the radio ("Doctor My Eyes" "Redneck Friend" "Road And The Sky" "Here Come Those Tears Again"). He wasn't selling out. He was in fact seeing and navigating the big picture while keeping his artistic integrity in tact.

"Silver Springs" was too good to make a non-album B-side.

[BLY]

Silver Springs got a lot of airplay back in 1977/1978 for a b side.

[Macfan4life]

They should have kept it in their hip pocket for the next record. See, the band could have said to Lindsey something along the lines of "95% of Tusk can be how you want it. Let's please just include some overtly commercial material to accommodate other concerns." "Silver Springs" could have been held for just such a purpose.

Jackson Browne did this with all his pre-Running On Empty albums. Almost all down-tempo introspective stuff that would never make the radio, but one (maybe two) songs on each album that were clearly written for the radio ("Doctor My Eyes" "Redneck Friend" "Road And The Sky" "Here Come Those Tears Again"). He wasn't selling out. He was in fact seeing and navigating the big picture while keeping his artistic integrity in tact.

"Silver Springs" was too good to make a non-album B-side.
True
It would have been great on Tusk

Its amazing the material they had to put Silver Springs on a B side. I always thought Sleeping Angel was too good to give away to a movie soundtrack. It could have been a single off Bella Donna or Wild Heart. What about "All the beautiful worlds" It never made it to an album nor a B side.

However look at the big picture. They were just beginning to peak and gel. They were constantly writing new stuff. In their minds there was better stuff yet to come. Looking back is Monday morning quarterbacking and easy to cast doubt. But when you are churning out endless hits and album sales its easy to lose focus and not appreciate the finer things.

[cbBen]

True
It would have been great on Tusk

Its amazing the material they had to put Silver Springs on a B side. I always thought Sleeping Angel was too good to give away to a movie soundtrack. It could have been a single off Bella Donna or Wild Heart. What about "All the beautiful worlds" It never made it to an album nor a B side.

However look at the big picture. They were just beginning to peak and gel. They were constantly writing new stuff. In their minds there was better stuff yet to come. Looking back is Monday morning quarterbacking and easy to cast doubt. But when you are churning out endless hits and album sales its easy to lose focus and not appreciate the finer things.

Agree 100% on "Sleeping Angel." That song and "Garbo" are better than some of what's on Bella Donna and at least should have been held for Wild Heart. (Don't know "All The Beautiful Worlds.")

But you're right about hindsight. They probably thought the fountain of quality material was not apt to run dry.

[HomerMcvie]

Silver Springs got a lot of airplay back in 1977/1978 for a b side.

I don't remember EVER hearing it on the radio.

[HomerMcvie]

"Sleeping Angel." That song and "Garbo" are better than some of what's on Bella Donna and at least should have been held for Wild Heart.


:cool::cool::cool:
Bella Donna is PERFECT just like it is.

I think the $tevie fans who don't like it, don't like it because it has a couple COUNTRY tinged songs. That's what makes it perfect for me. It sounds like The Eagles are her backing band!

Leave Bella Donna alone! You have my permission to pick on ANYTHING else $he's ever done!:p:p:p

[BLY]

I don't remember EVER hearing it on the radio.

I was in the Philadelphia area at the time and the song was played a lot. They started playing it mostly during around the release of Tusk and before the release of Mirage.

[Macfan4life]

Agree 100% on "Sleeping Angel." That song and "Garbo" are better than some of what's on Bella Donna and at least should have been held for Wild Heart. (Don't know "All The Beautiful Worlds.")

But you're right about hindsight. They probably thought the fountain of quality material was not apt to run dry.
Really? You don't know this song? It almost made Wild Heart. Many years later Stevie flirted with putting it on the B side to Nightbird. She obviously was proud of it. The era 1975-1983 was full of such great songs. Unfortunately some of them never get to shine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ud3nlQPXwD8

[Macfan4life]

I don't remember EVER hearing it on the radio.
You must have been living in the backwoods LOL

It was a staple of classic rock stations in the early 80s at least where I lived and I lived in the sticks. We never even got MTV until 1986 no matter how many times me and my friends called the cable company to say I WANT MY MTV!!!

[Macfan4life]

:cool::cool::cool:
Bella Donna is PERFECT just like it is.

I think the $tevie fans who don't like it, don't like it because it has a couple COUNTRY tinged songs. That's what makes it perfect for me. It sounds like The Eagles are her backing band!

Leave Bella Donna alone! You have my permission to pick on ANYTHING else $he's ever done!:p:p:p
I agree its perfect. But like Rumours no doubt there were incredible songs left over which are way better than anything Stevie put out again in her career. In some odd way, Bella Donna is like Rumours in that it must have been really hard to pick 10 songs.

[HomerMcvie]

You must have been living in the backwoods LOL

It was a staple of classic rock stations in the early 80s at least where I lived and I lived in the sticks. We never even got MTV until 1986 no matter how many times me and my friends called the cable company to say I WANT MY MTV!!!

We listened to Indianapolis radio stations. ALTHOUGH I usually was busy wearing out cassettes, instead of listening to the radio.

We did live in the sticks enough that they STILL don't have cable in many places there(not populated enough to justify the expense), so most use satellite. But there was a place I went every day for lunch, and they always played MTV. So I might have only getting a 30-60 minute fix a day, but it was better than nothing.

[Macfan4life]

We listened to Indianapolis radio stations. ALTHOUGH I usually was busy wearing out cassettes, instead of listening to the radio.

We did live in the sticks enough that they STILL don't have cable in many places there(not populated enough to justify the expense), so most use satellite. But there was a place I went every day for lunch, and they always played MTV. So I might have only getting a 30-60 minute fix a day, but it was better than nothing.
Then you were like me staying up late for Friday Night Videos and TBS's Night Tracks

[HomerMcvie]

Then you were like me staying up late for Friday Night Videos and TBS's Night Tracks

We couldn't get TBS due to no cable, but yes to Friday Night Videos!:wavey:

I grew up on 4 antenna channels. CBS, NBC, ABC, and one independent station. When I first moved away for college, I watched Nick At Night all the time. I'd never seen many of the shows they had.:lol:

[BombaySapphire3]

Agree 100% on "Sleeping Angel." That song and "Garbo" are better than some of what's on Bella Donna and at least should have been held for Wild Heart. (Don't know "All The Beautiful Worlds.")

But you're right about hindsight. They probably thought the fountain of quality material was not apt to run dry.

Garbo was held and recorded for the Wild Heart it. Much like Silver Springs before it the song ended up as the b-side to the first single.

[cbBen]

Garbo was held and recorded for the Wild Heart it. Much like Silver Springs before it the song ended up as the b-side to the first single.

The musician credits suggest it was recorded at the Bella Donna sessions.

[BombaySapphire3]

The musician credits suggest it was recorded at the Bella Donna sessions.

Again it was the b-side of the Stand Back single :shrug: so it was recorded for but left off of the Wild Heart as was Violet and Blue.

[cbBen]

Again it was the b-side of the Stand Back single :shrug: so it was recorded for but left off of the Wild Heart as was Violet and Blue.

Yes, but if you look at the musician credits on Enchanted, it's the Bella Donna band. It's possible (likely, given the musicians) that the recording was an outtake from BD that they decided to use as a WH B-side two years later. That's what I'm suggesting.

[James Kirk]

Wonderful song.

I remember back in the day when I was trying to get my friend into Fleetwood Mac, I had just gotten the DVD of The Dance and we sat down to watch it.

During Silver Springs she turns to me and said that the song was making her feel uncomfortable as it felt like it was a private conversation between two people that we should not be intruding on. 😊

I loved that reaction and thought it was very sweet.

She is now a full blow fan with Silver Springs and Sara being her two favorites.

Unreal to think The Dance was 23 years ago, where does the time go?

[HomerMcvie]

Wonderful song.

I remember back in the day when I was trying to get my friend into Fleetwood Mac, I had just gotten the DVD of The Dance and we sat down to watch it.

During Silver Springs she turns to me and said that the song was making her feel uncomfortable as it felt like it was a private conversation between two people that we should not be intruding on. ��

I loved that reaction and thought it was very sweet.

She is now a full blow fan with Silver Springs and Sara being her two favorites.

Unreal to think The Dance was 23 years ago, where does the time go?
I would convert my friends with the Mirage concert(on Betamax, shut up). :lol:

Although I quickly learned that Not That Funny had to be fast forwarded through, every time. If I didn't, man I'd hear about it! "This sucks, turn it off!"

As long as I skipped NTF, I converted quite a few people.

[mitzo]

I would convert my friends with the Mirage concert(on Betamax, shut up). :lol:

Although I quickly learned that Not That Funny had to be fast forwarded through, every time. If I didn't, man I'd hear about it! "This sucks, turn it off!"

As long as I skipped NTF, I converted quite a few people.

A normal human reaction to 99% of Lindsey's tunes.

[HomerMcvie]

A normal human reaction to 99% of Lindsey's tunes.

I love 99% of Lindsey tunes, and love the album version of NTF.

There's a reason I love FM and The Eagles. I love harmony. Beautiful harmony. Things that are pleasant to the ears.

I've never been a fan of screaming. Go to the 9:10 mark, and also the 3:00 mark.:sorry:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbrCeJdyPqE

[Macfan4life]

I would convert my friends with the Mirage concert(on Betamax, shut up). :lol:

Although I quickly learned that Not That Funny had to be fast forwarded through, every time. If I didn't, man I'd hear about it! "This sucks, turn it off!"

As long as I skipped NTF, I converted quite a few people.
Funny you say that. I equally thought Mirage was magical that it could convert anyone. Had my friends walk out halfway through. They were more into metal.
The only good thing about Mirage's NTF is Christine's upright piano playing and clapping.
Was shocked he pulled NTF out for The Dance tour. I was like really...he's still obsessing about this song LMAO

[HomerMcvie]

Funny you say that. I equally thought Mirage was magical that it could convert anyone. Had my friends walk out halfway through. They were more into metal.
The only good thing about Mirage's NTF is Christine's upright piano playing and clapping.
Was shocked he pulled NTF out for The Dance tour. I was like really...he's still obsessing about this song LMAO

My friends were always into harder rock that I was. Although I had my AC/DC/Led Zep stage of life.

He has always obsessed on NTF. I'd a 1000 times rather hear What Makes You Think You're The One. But no, he doesn't obsess on that!

[Villavic]

I love NTF Mirage concert version. Far more than the Tusk album version.

And I love SS from The Dance. But also those long versions, the one included in the Rumous Deluxe (Early take 5:32), and the one included in the Rumours Expanded (6:08)

[tabruns]

Agreed, and if Mac wasn't a legacy band at the time, the live version of "Silver Springs" from THE DANCE probably *would* have been a Top Ten hit on Hot 100.

[jcalzaretta]

the Perfect Song. It should have been number 1. It should have won the grammy.

[aleuzzi]

I am eternally grateful for the 1997 Dance version, which is just plain epic. The original from the '70's sounds cheap and thin and so weak in comparison.

After all these years, this is still my favorite comment in this thread. You say exactly what I feel about the two versions. I gave never been a fan of the original, which sounds anemic to my ears. (“I Don’t Wanna Know” was the RIGHT replacement and choice: it fits into the running order perfectly and sustains the up-tempo momentum of YMLF. Then, it is followed by the saddest, most anguished moment on the album. An example of expert track sequencing.)

But the 1997 version of “Silver Springs” marks a triumphant return to form for its singer and band. At this stage of her career, her voice wraps around the melody in all the right ways. And she has the age and experience that give the performance the weight it deserves.

[tabruns]

After all these years, this is still my favorite comment in this thread. You say exactly what I feel about the two versions. I gave never been a fan of the original, which sounds anemic to my ears. (“I Don’t Wanna Know” was the RIGHT replacement and choice: it fits into the running order perfectly and sustains the up-tempo momentum of YMLF. Then, it is followed by the saddest, most anguished moment on the album. An example of expert track sequencing.)

But the 1997 version of “Silver Springs” marks a triumphant return to form for its singer and band. At this stage of her career, her voice wraps around the melody in all the right ways. And she has the age and experience that give the performance the weight it deserves.

I can't agree with this. Granted THE DANCE "Silver Springs" has a real emotional heft to it - the "never get away! never get away!" is chilling - but the original is pretty damn good, particularly the choruses.

[aleuzzi]

I can't agree with this. Granted THE DANCE "Silver Springs" has a real emotional heft to it - the "never get away! never get away!" is chilling - but the original is pretty damn good, particularly the choruses.

However good the original might be on paper, I’m not convinced by her vocal. I’m just not. All that changes with THE DANCE version, a miraculous gesture of strength and renewal.

[kenzo]

I'm partial to the 6:08 slightly rough version on some of the remastered releases. The emotional commitment in that extended outro - wow.