Why was Family Man the 5th single instead of Isn't It Midnight?

[bwboy]

First of all, Lindsey had left the band by then, so why select a song by a person no longer there? They clearly wouldn't have played it live, either, even if it had been a hit.

Wouldn't the obvious next single have been Isn't It Midnight? Christine had already had 2 hits, and there was no reason to think Midnight wouldn't have continued the trend. Plus they sang it in concert. And on an admittedly subjective level, Midnight is a much better song than Family Man.

Even if the label wanted to release another member's song, why not Caroline? It's catchier than Family Man.

I think Isn't It Midnight would have hit the top 20, at least.

[Fleetwood Jack]

I know right? I mean I actually do like Family Man, but it's always perplexed me that that was actually a single. I mean I guess in some ways it works as a single, it does have a sing-a-long like chorus, and it lends easier to remixes than Caroline I think. My guess has always been that Warner Brothers were under some sort of contract to release another single from Lindsey Buckingham and Family Man seemed the most single worthy of the remaining three Lindsey songs on Tango In The Night.


What do you think of the video for Family Man? It's always bugged me that it's just the Seven Wonders clip re-edited. It also really bugs me that there's no video for Isn't It Midnight!

[Fleetwood Jack]

Also, you may know this already but I figured it was worth pointing out. I believe Isn't It Midnight actually was a single. However, it failed to chart at all. I think it was the last single from the album if I remember correctly.

[Macfan4life]

You are preaching to the choir. I think Isn't It Midnight is the best song on Tango. I think Isn't it Midnight should have been the first single. Let me explain. Everyone waited half a decade for a new Mac song. No matter what it was, it would have been played to death. I think the single would have blown everyone out of the water and charted very well. Then of course they could have released their bubble gum pop songs Big Love, Seven Wonders, Little Lies, and Everywhere.

As Jack pointed out, it actually was released as a single and I believe the only place it charted was Ireland where it cracked the top 40 (or something).

[bwboy]

I never knew Midnight had been released as a single in the US... I'm shocked!

[jcalzaretta]

No clue. Family Man is one of the few songs of theirs I just don't like. Isn't it Midnight was brilliant.

[pattyfan]

I agree with everyone that Isn't It Midnight is a much better song that would appeal to many more people. Do you think maybe some ego was involved (i.e. Two of Chris's songs from this CD have already been hits, so let's see if two of my songs can be as well?)?

Kevin

[jbrownsjr]

The vocal on Isn't It Midnight is so good. It's a shame it wasn't released a bit sooner. I did hear it a lot on the harder rock formats stations, when the album came out.

[elle]

I agree with everyone that Isn't It Midnight is a much better song that would appeal to many more people. Do you think maybe some ego was involved (i.e. Two of Chris's songs from this CD have already been hits, so let's see if two of my songs can be as well?)?

Kevin

haha. wasn't Lindsey out of the band by that point? and isn't Isn't It Midnight a co-write?

if you look at wikipedia, it was released iirc as a 3rd single in UK and Ireland and charted much higher than in the US in both.

[Fleetwood Jack]

I love Isn't It Midnight. I don't know which mix I prefer though. I like The Chain boxset version because it sounds more Tango In The Nightey, but I love the album version because it's such a departure from what they usually did up to that point.


If you actually go on Youtube there's a demo of it up. It resembles the boxset version more than the album version, and the chorus is slightly different than what it ended up being.


I even read the version on the boxset is a frankenstein of songs. The verses come from the demo, but the choruses and the outro guitar solo come from the album version.


Sorry, I'm rambling. I just love Isn't It Midnight!

[jbrownsjr]

haha. wasn't Lindsey out of the band by that point? and isn't Isn't It Midnight a co-write?

if you look at wikipedia, it was released iirc as a 3rd single in UK and Ireland and charted much higher than in the US in both.

It's a I believe the music was a co-write and the lyrics were written by Christine.

BuckVie tune!

[nodmod]

Pure speculation, but maybe Warners committed the remixes of Family Man before Lindsey decided to leave the band, if so they were likely stuck with some remixed tracks that ultimately took the decision to release Family Man as a single and slap together a poorly executed promo video

[elle]

It's a I believe the music was a co-write and the lyrics were written by Christine.

BuckVie tune!

yup! :)

i don't have the love for it that all other people seem to have, but BuckVie co-writes are always a good thing - probably in at least 50 % of cases they end up in something exquisite, so if that is the case with new songs i'd be very happy!

maybe Mac 4/5 should be called Fleetwood Mac-squared Buck? ;)

[elle]

Pure speculation, but maybe Warners committed the remixes of Family Man before Lindsey decided to leave the band, if so they were likely stuck with some remixed tracks that ultimately took the decision to release Family Man as a single and slap together a poorly executed promo video

that would make sense.

although i do agree with people who are wondering why would anyone want to release Family Man as a single. ;)

[FuzzyPlum]

Further to previous responses; I wonder whether there is some sort of agreement between the writers to release singles in an even manner. That is to say, they'd all have a single released in the first instance, then they'd all have a second single released if they felt there was demand, and so on. After Everywhere was released they'd wouldn't have released Isn't It Midnight as it would have given Christine 3 single releases to Lindsey and Stevie's 1. Might be to do with the financial benefit of songwriters credits for singles sales.

(of course, saying that, my theory is somewhat blown out of the water as they'd have needed to release Welcome To The Room...Sara or When I See You Again ahead of Isn't It Midnight anyway).

[Macfan4life]

Record company people always "think" they know best. Just like radio people.
This thread reminds me of the "why was Nightbird" a single? IMHO Nightbird killed the Wild Heart and Nothing Ever Changes with a video could have pumped life into the sagging album (at that time).

[TheWILDheart]

Another perplexing angle to this question...why is "Family Man" on ALL the Greatest Hits compilations and "Isn't It Midnight" gets overlooked?

[Macfan4life]

I think its obvious that Christine is very proud of the song. It was included in the Tango set for the entire tour and also on the Behind the Mask and Farewell tour.

I hope we hear it on the next tour with FINALLY Lindsey on guitar and backing vocals.

[michelej1]

Further to previous responses; I wonder whether there is some sort of agreement between the writers to release singles in an even manner.

I think there is/was something like that going on contractually, when you look at the singles released over the years.

Michele