Which Angel is your favorite?

[Netter75]

I was debating this a minute ago and was curious to see what others thought. The song Angel (from Tusk) is a song I never seek out but always puts me in a good mood, no matter what variation. It's weird because the renditions are SO different from each other.

The 1979 album version
The 1979 outtake
The 1980 live in St Louis Version (either on Deluxe or in the documentary)
The 1981 Bella Donna Tour live version

On one hand I love the bass heavy album version, but the vocal on the outtake is like nothing I've ever heard out of her before. I can't tell if it's a head cold or she's trying to be sultry or what, but I love it. Lindsey's dual vocal and extra guitar work on the Tusk Tour version really make it stand out, the band sounds like they're having an absolute blast playing the song. And then there's the 81 version, which sounds like a whole nother song to my ears. Even though the bass is stripped out, the keyboardist is just jamming the whole time and Stevie and the girls kick ass vocally. Its strange how she made such a Fleetwood Mac sounding song turn into a Tom Petty song but it really works.

What do you guys think?

[aleuzzi]

The Sausalito soundboard version, 1974. lol

But re: THIS “Angel”, I’d go with the album. Or with the version that was used on the box set of THE CHAIN.

[HomerMcvie]

Bob Welch's version.

[cbBen]

Live 1980.

[Macfan4life]

Bob Welch's version.
Ha! Touche!


To the poll. You forgot 1983 Wild Heart live version. My Wild Heart tour stop had no Sara but Angel instead. She performed Angel at the US Festival and a handful of early Wild Heart dates. But all 1981 tour songs were better than 1983 tour songs.

I like the upbeat and rocking versions of Gold Dust Woman and Angel from 1981. Those are the only FM songs that I think her band did a great job on and sound better than the Mac version. Imitation is rarely better than the original.

[blinker12]

Bella Donna tour. Love the energy.

[aleuzzi]

Ha! Touche!




Please note: I should get the first touché! ;)

[HomerMcvie]

Please note: I should get the first touché! ;)

Don't steal my touche! :mad::mad::mad:

[aleuzzi]

Don't steal my touche! :mad::mad::mad:

You can have yours—as long as yours is second! :)

[sue]

I’ve never heard the Bella Donna live version, is it available on YouTube?
This is just about my favourite Stevie song...(well, this week)
And just wished they had performed it more times than they did.

[HomerMcvie]

You can have yours—as long as yours is second! :)

#disgruntled

[BombaySapphire3]

I’ve never heard the Bella Donna live version, is it available on YouTube?
This is just about my favourite Stevie song...(well, this week)
And just wished they had performed it more times than they did.

It is on the live CD of the Bella Donna remastered and expanded album .A great concert ..caught just before everything started to go south for her.

[sue]

It is on the live CD of the Bella Donna remastered and expanded album .A great concert ..caught just before everything started to go south for her.

Great, thanks for the info, I’ll look it up....sue

[Macfan4life]

Not sure if the 1981's version is on youtube anymore but the 1983 version is and its very similar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCBZHk-9-bg

[MissJanet]

This one, St. Louis:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjXpGPbO7Rw

I don't think that Stevies vocals are good, but for once, she and the whole band are having some simple, carefree fun.
It's my absolute favorite FM moment, especially the part where Stevie is dancing, after 4:20. I love this.

[jbrownsjr]

1, Bob Welch version
2. Tusk Version
3. Alt Version
4. Bella Donna (this version is horrible IMO) ruins the song.

[Dreamz19]

I thought this was going to be between Bob and Stevie's songs lol. I love both, but I give the edge to Bob. In terms of Stevie's versions, I choose the St. Louis version. I think the video made me love it so much because the band seems like they are having a great time. I also enjoy the interaction between Lindsey and Stevie and her little dance towards the end.

[Dragon]

Is The Wild Heart Tour version bad?

[On Ice]

I like the production on the Tusk original, but the sultry vocal on the alternate is sublime and really fits the song nicely. Overall though, I love the "that girl, that girl was me on the live version. Gives me goosebumps when she pushed her voice to that sexy as hell growl and it works beautifully on Angel.

I don't really care for Bob Welch's Angel, I find it kind of boring when placed next to Hypnotized or Future Games.

[jbrownsjr]

I thought this was going to be between Bob and Stevie's songs lol. I love both, but I give the edge to Bob. In terms of Stevie's versions, I choose the St. Louis version. I think the video made me love it so much because the band seems like they are having a great time. I also enjoy the interaction between Lindsey and Stevie and her little dance towards the end.

Great version! I love the ST Louis version.

[aleuzzi]

I don't really care for Bob Welch's Angel, I find it kind of boring when placed next to Hypnotized or Future Games.

HAHTF studio version can get a little tedious but the Sausalito soundboard version is incredible--as is the Hempsted version, both from the HAHTF tour. In fact, both of Bob's Heroes' songs (Bermuda Triangle and Angel) are WAYYYYY better live. The band is cooking on them.

I love the St. Louis version of Angel, a rousing, pumping version. The three singers are all a touch below their notes in the best possible way (I do not mean this ironically) and the energy is incredible.

[sue]

I wonder why, given how popular this song is, it was performed so little?
About 150 times according to “setlist”
And never, by the band, after 1980..

[jbrownsjr]

HAHTF studio version can get a little tedious but the Sausalito soundboard version is incredible--as is the Hempsted version, both from the HAHTF tour. In fact, both of Bob's Heroes' songs (Bermuda Triangle and Angel) are WAYYYYY better live. The band is cooking on them.

I love the St. Louis version of Angel, a rousing, pumping version. The three singers are all a touch below their notes in the best possible way (I do not mean this ironically) and the energy is incredible.

It's funny how Christine's piano helps these songs come alive. She's so good!

[jeets2000]

I wonder why, given how popular this song is, it was performed so little?
About 150 times according to “setlist”
And never, by the band, after 1980..

I think I've seen speculation around here that one of the reasons that "Angel" hasn't been resurrected during the post-Dance era is because it's difficult to sing. I don't know if there's any truth to that, but I could see it being true.

It's become one of my favorites too, and I wish I could have heard it prior to the events of 2018.

[David]

Have you guys heard Angel from other stops on the 1979–80 tour, like Los Angeles or Mobile? The St. Louis performance isn't the only good one. It was a long tour with plenty of great Angel performances.

I've wondered, too, why no performance of it by Fleetwood Mac since 1980. I really have no clue. But the electronic keyboard Chris used onstage (the Yamaha CP30) was such an essential layer in the track — with a sort of squawky jazz-guitar attack — that its absence (she ditched the board after her 1984 solo tour) may account for the band's decision not to resurrect.

[jbrownsjr]

Have you guys heard Angel from other stops on the 1979–80 tour, like Los Angeles or Mobile? The St. Louis performance isn't the only good one. It was a long tour with plenty of great Angel performances.

I've wondered, too, why no performance of it by Fleetwood Mac since 1980. I really have no clue. But the electronic keyboard Chris used onstage (the Yamaha CP30) was such an essential layer in the track — with a sort of squawky jazz-guitar attack — that its absence (she ditched the board after her 1984 solo tour) may account for the band's decision not to resurrect.

Well gosh, now I'll have to research my old CD's and cassette tape bootlegs.

....to the attic I go!!

[aleuzzi]

It's funny how Christine's piano helps these songs come alive. She's so good!

And Bob's voice is warmer, less nasal in the live performances.

[aleuzzi]

Have you guys heard Angel from other stops on the 1979–80 tour, like Los Angeles or Mobile? The St. Louis performance isn't the only good one. It was a long tour with plenty of great Angel performances.

I've wondered, too, why no performance of it by Fleetwood Mac since 1980. I really have no clue. But the electronic keyboard Chris used onstage (the Yamaha CP30) was such an essential layer in the track — with a sort of squawky jazz-guitar attack — that its absence (she ditched the board after her 1984 solo tour) may account for the band's decision not to resurrect.

I loved her playing on that song, simple yet self-assured, even jaunty.

[jbrownsjr]

And Bob's voice is warmer, less nasal in the live performances.


I do love his voice on most of these live versions. Although, his album voice is great on the FM albums.

[aleuzzi]

I do love his voice on most of these live versions. Although, his album voice is great on the FM albums.

Particularly on the first four. Something about his delivery on Heroes doesn’t sound right—I blame the engineering.

[jbrownsjr]

Particularly on the first four. Something about his delivery on Heroes doesn’t sound right—I blame the engineering.

Hmmm.... I'll have to listen to it again. I've never had that opinion.

[bombaysaffires]

I think I've seen speculation around here that one of the reasons that "Angel" hasn't been resurrected during the post-Dance era is because it's difficult to sing. I don't know if there's any truth to that, but I could see it being true.

It's become one of my favorites too, and I wish I could have heard it prior to the events of 2018.

Didn't she do it on the Bella Donna tour? I forget if she's done it on other solo tours or not.... Her solo versions were never as good as the FM versions. The BD version was too piano-based; I love the more stripped bass-heavy version with FM

[jeets2000]

Didn't she do it on the Bella Donna tour? I forget if she's done it on other solo tours or not.... Her solo versions were never as good as the FM versions. The BD version was too piano-based; I love the more stripped bass-heavy version with FM

Yeah, the original post mentioned that one, but it was news to me she did it during The Wild Heart tour. I, too, love the bass on the studio version. I don't really have any issue with the alt version on the Tusk remasters, but I prefer the studio version's vocal. Along with Hold Me, this has become one of my favorites in my later fandom but wasn't so much on my radar in the earlier years.

[aleuzzi]

Hmmm.... I'll have to listen to it again. I've never had that opinion.

Maybe it’s just the difference between those recordings and the live versions, which I very much prefer.

[jbrownsjr]

Maybe it’s just the difference between those recordings and the live versions, which I very much prefer.

Yea, those live performances are amazing. The band sounds amazing.

They are a BAND. lol