FM takes on…

[bwboy]

I know a lot of people don’t like it when the big 3 do covers, but I’ve always enjoyed Blue Letter, Farmer’s Daughter, and Seven Wonders. I’ve read that These Dreams by Heart and I Get Weak by Belinda Carlisle were originally intended for Stevie, which got me thinking about songs Lindsey and Christine could have recorded that would have fit their voice and style.

I can’t help but think Christine would have sounded so good singing We’re All Alone by Bob Scaggs and later Rita Coolidge. I also think she would have nailed Midnight Blue, originally by Melissa Manchester. Both songs feature piano, another plus.

For Lindsey, I could see him singing Stand by REM. In fact, I really think a lot of Michael Stipe’s songs with REM could be performed incredibly well by Lindsey. I just recently noticed that Stipe seems to have been influenced by Lindsey’s music- Shiny Happy People as compared to Holiday Road, for example. Likewise, I could totally see Stipe singing I Know I’m Not Wrong or Book of Love. Lindsey’s writing style is so different from Stevie’s, but he makes Crystal sound so good. I wish he would try more sweeping songs, with an actual story, kind of like Go Your Own Way. I don’t think of Lindsey as a storyteller in that regard, but GYOW is a story. Imagining Lindsey take on Invitation to Life by REM kind of sends a chill up my spine… in a good way, of course!

I just wondered if there were any songs by other folks you could picture FM performing, or the individual members.

[FuzzyPlum]

Ha...REM. That's a really interesting thought. Yes, I think a lot of REM songs would be a great fit for Lindsey's voice....especially a lot of those early songs;

Radio Free Europe, Perfect Circle, Fall on Me, Flowers of Guatemala, Turn You Inside Out. That would be cool.

but...why would he? Interesting thought though!

[Macfan4life]

I can see/hear Lindsey's voice on REM songs. Not sure why. I suppose Stipe's voice is similar to Lindsey. I also think the music is something Lindsey would do too.

I think Heart did a great job on These Dreams. It was perfect for Nancy Wilson. OMG just because it was a hit with Heart does not mean Stevie's version would be. I can see why she passed on the song. The song is a long list of cheezy metaphors. I dont think she could pull off such a song. With Heart's version, you dont notice the cheeze of the lyrics and it works fairly well as a magical song. I think Stevie's voice would have everyone focusing on the lyrics. Many would have thought Stevie was out of ideas and cashing in on her biggest hit Dreams. Her RAL raspy fried voice would not do the song any favors either. As bad as it could have been, I probably would have still taken it over Talk To Me :lol:

Stevie's biggest blunder in passing songs was not taking Love Will Find A Way. It was actually written specially for her to sing. But she passed on it and Yes did it and it sounds great. You just wonder what her version would have been.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hrowi4hHz8A

[Villavic]

I know a lot of people don’t like it when the big 3 do covers, but I’ve always enjoyed Blue Letter, Farmer’s Daughter, and Seven Wonders.

I know SS was written by Sandy Stewart but didn't know it was a cover. If it was a cover does anybody know where to listen the original version?

[UnwindedDreams]

I know SS was written by Sandy Stewart but didn't know it was a cover. If it was a cover does anybody know where to listen the original version?
Stevie has writing credit for 7W for "All the way done to Emmaline."

And didn't Fleetwood Mac record and release Blue Letter before the Curtis Brothers?

[SteveMacD]

And didn't Fleetwood Mac record and release Blue Letter before the Curtis Brothers?
The Curtis Bros. were recording at the same time. Richard was a producer, FWIW.

[SteveMacD]

Eric Clapton w/ George Harrison

Run So Far: Stevie w/ Christine


Robert Pollard/Guided by Voices

Sensational Gravity Boy: Lindsey
Blessed In An Open Head: Christine
Hold On Hope: Christine
Love Is Stronger Than Witchcraft: Stevie
Moses On A Snail: Stevie


Richard Thompson (for Stevie)

Dimming of the Day
For Shame Of Doing Wrong: Rafferty mix
Withered & Died


Tim Finn (or Richard & Teddy Thompson (for Stevie & Neil)

Persuasion


Beatles (for Christine)

Hello, Goodbye
The Long & Winding Road


Tom Petty (for Stevie)

Wildflowers

[bwboy]

Stevie has writing credit for 7W for "All the way done to Emmaline."

And didn't Fleetwood Mac record and release Blue Letter before the Curtis Brothers?

Sorry for the confusion- I was using the terms ‘cover’ and ‘songs written by someone else’ interchangeably. I really meant to say it would be interesting to have heard songs by the main 3 singers written by someone else, whether those songs had been previously recorded or not. Blue a letter, to me, is totally Fleetwood Mac. So it was amazing to me when I realized it was written by someone outside of the band. Blue Letter is also one of my favorite FM songs. I love it just like I love I Don’t Want to Know, both are very catchy.

[GypsySorcerer]

Tom Petty (for Stevie)

Wildflowers


That's a good one.

I know Courtney Love originally intended "Malibu" for Stevie but ultimately decided to record it herself. I'd love to hear a Stevie version, as it's really suited for her current voice. I'd like to hear a Christine take on "Rainy Days and Mondays" (Carpenters). And a Lindsey version of "Hurt" (Reznor/Cash) could be interesting.

[Macfan4life]

Stevie has always loved and performed Petty's I Need To Know but I think when she would have sounded great doing his "Change of Heart" instead. For some reason, I can hear her sing it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0Zxs5TspQA

[demonchaser]

Stevie's biggest blunder in passing songs was not taking Love Will Find A Way. It was actually written specially for her to sing. But she passed on it and Yes did it and it sounds great. You just wonder what her version would have been.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hrowi4hHz8A

I've always loved this song and looked into this. From the article I found, Trevor Rabin wrote the song for Stevie and she actually went in to record it back in 1982. She was pretty far along and even changed around some of the lyrics. While Stevie was working on it, Trevor played his version for the drummer from Yes. The drummer thought the song sounded like a big hit and was furious that Trevor gave it to Stevie. He convinced Trevor to go back to Stevie and ask her for the song back.

The timing in the article seems odd since Yes released the song in 1987. I always thought it was meant for Rock A Little but if the article is correct it would have been for the Wild Heart.

[aleuzzi]

I've always loved this song and looked into this. From the article I found, Trevor Rabin wrote the song for Stevie and she actually went in to record it back in 1982. She was pretty far along and even changed around some of the lyrics. While Stevie was working on it, Trevor played his version for the drummer from Yes. The drummer thought the song sounded like a big hit and was furious that Trevor gave it to Stevie. He convinced Trevor to go back to Stevie and ask her for the song back.

The timing in the article seems odd since Yes released the song in 1987. I always thought it was meant for Rock A Little but if the article is correct it would have been for the Wild Heart.

It’s more likely it was Rock a Little. She had so many original songs saved up for The Wild Heart. But I suppose it could have been for TWH.

[aleuzzi]

I’d love to hear Christine sing an album of songs originally sung by Bobby Bland. She’s already covered two of them (“Too Far Gone to Turn Around” and “I’m On My Way”). But an entire record would be just lovely.

I’d also like to hear her sing Gamble and Huff’s songs “Lost” and “Silly Silly Fool” from Dusty Springfield’s Brand New Me.

[UnwindedDreams]

The Curtis Bros. were recording at the same time. Richard was a producer, FWIW. I see. Curtis released Blue Letter on their album in 1976.

I just found out from researching that Lindsey heard it played by Curtis Brothers when they opened for Buckingham Nicks.

[Macfan4life]

I've always loved this song and looked into this. From the article I found, Trevor Rabin wrote the song for Stevie and she actually went in to record it back in 1982. She was pretty far along and even changed around some of the lyrics. While Stevie was working on it, Trevor played his version for the drummer from Yes. The drummer thought the song sounded like a big hit and was furious that Trevor gave it to Stevie. He convinced Trevor to go back to Stevie and ask her for the song back.

The timing in the article seems odd since Yes released the song in 1987. I always thought it was meant for Rock A Little but if the article is correct it would have been for the Wild Heart.
I've heard that story too. It was written for her during a time Stevie did not have much interest in music (unfortunately). Her RAL era was a disaster. She still had a vault of incredible songs but no one to shape them because few could tolerate the all party no work philosophy. It was a sincere gift to her and she blew it. Instead the record company found these cheezy sugar pop songs for her to sign instead, just to finish a record that was long over due.
The story of the sound man that was posted here several months ago about the ham sandwiches really crystalizes this era. They waited all day for Stevie to show up late at night to sing HAEWAFY. The studio had to be ice cold and she shows up in a giant mink coat late at night and then sends someone out to some convenance store for wonder bread and deli meat. There are no good delis open that late so they got the cheap stuff and she made sandwiches for everyone at 1am. She could have catered a nice affair. But her point of reference was when the Mac was being creative and staying up all night recording and she made sandwiches. In her mind, she was going through the same process. But sadly this was just her mind rationalization. She just was high and the album was almost an inconvenience for her.
Its probably a good thing Yes got back the song. She probably could not see or care what the song was. That was not her interest during this time.

[On Ice]

MacFan you sum up the RAL period nicely. I describe it as my pivotal "in hindsight" reflection on my Idol's career and where I took off the Blue Denim glasses and saw her in a new and different light. Although there are some flourishes throughout RAL where it could've been great, as a cohesive unit album it is a stinker- mostly because of her ragged vocals and poor song selection and development. I can't understand, at all, how anyone can say this is her best album. It has the feeling of putting lipstick on a pig- I recall a reviewer when it just came out said it was like she slapped that 1985 sound on her music and it just doesn't work- I was in shock that he said this because of course, everything she did was a classic and she could do no wrong. You are right about the treasure chest of great material she had at her disposal, but even Jimmy Iovine bailed on the disaster she was quickly becoming. How awful it must have been to be around her. At least even she neglects most of the album now and except HAEWAFY nothing has made it to a set list in decades and that is not a bad thing.

[Macfan4life]

I forgot to add besides the Timespace songs, I think Stevie did a great job on Maybe Love Will Change Your Mind. It just sounds so authentic for her the way that she sings it. Its a rare song written by someone else that I like how she sings it.

[bwboy]

I can't understand, at all, how anyone can say this is her best album. It has the feeling of putting lipstick on a pig- I recall a reviewer when it just came out said it was like she slapped that 1985 sound on her music and it just doesn't work-

At least even she neglects most of the album now and except HAEWAFY nothing has made it to a set list in decades and that is not a bad thing.

It may have been a pig but what can I say- I love bacon! :laugh:

Seriously though, I see your points, but people who love RAL may do so because it was their first exposure to her music, or maybe they didn’t care for Bella Donna or Wild Heart because they were more rock oriented, while RAL is more pop oriented.

I think Talk to Me, I Can’t Wait, and If I Were You would be great additions to her set, along with Rooms on Fire, but she chooses to ignore them for whatever reasons. I Can’t Wait, I know she said in the past was too hard to perform live, and it probably is really challenging to perform live, but she was so high on the tour she did perform the song, I figure that was the reason it was so hard for her. Sober, I bet she would do it great.

[HomerMcvie]

It may have been a pig but what can I say- I love bacon! :laugh:

Seriously though, I see your points, but people who love RAL may do so because it was their first exposure to her music, or maybe they didn’t care for Bella Donna or Wild Heart because they were more rock oriented, while RAL is more pop oriented.

I think Talk to Me, I Can’t Wait, and If I Were You would be great additions to her set, along with Rooms on Fire, but she chooses to ignore them for whatever reasons. I Can’t Wait, I know she said in the past was too hard to perform live, and it probably is really challenging to perform live, but she was so high on the tour she did perform the song, I figure that was the reason it was so hard for her. Sober, I bet she would do it great.

The only people I can imagine not liking Bella Donna are disco queens, who can't appreciate the fact that it's (country ish sometimes) CLASSIC ROCK sound is the REASON that it's still revered today.

It's a F*CKING CLASSIC because of that sound. That's why people love and respect it to this day, 42 years after it's release.

No one feels that way about OSOTM. Well, no one with taste! ;)

[bwboy]

Two things- has anyone else been struck by the similarities between Lindsey and 21 Pilots? I’ve been enjoying Level of Concern and Saturday by 21 Pilots, and they sure seem like something Lindsey could have recorded.

Second, I know Lindsey and his music has inspired people, which is why I wish he would sing songs written by other people. The Killers and Halsey have included him in their music, now I wish he would include others in his music. Considering how well Lindsey sang Crystal and Blue Letter, wouldn’t it stand to reason he would do just as well occasionally singing other people’s songs? Not necessarily 12 songs worth, but how about 3 or 4?

[lbfan]

Two things- has anyone else been struck by the similarities between Lindsey and 21 Pilots? I’ve been enjoying Level of Concern and Saturday by 21 Pilots, and they sure seem like something Lindsey could have recorded.

Second, I know Lindsey and his music has inspired people, which is why I wish he would sing songs written by other people. The Killers and Halsey have included him in their music, now I wish he would include others in his music. Considering how well Lindsey sang Crystal and Blue Letter, wouldn’t it stand to reason he would do just as well occasionally singing other people’s songs? Not necessarily 12 songs worth, but how about 3 or 4?

Covers by LB (he took co-songwriting credit on Stars Are Crazy, Shut Us Down and Swan Song):
September Song - L&O
A Satisfied Mind - L&O
It Was I - L&O
Django - BN
Blue Monday - Mirage Outtakes
Cool Water - B-side
Teen Beat - FM 25 Years
All My Sorrows - OOTC
This Nearly Was Mine - OOTC
Say We’ll Meet Again - OOTC
Love Minus Zero/No Limit - SYW Deluxe
I Am Waiting - UTS
To Try For The Sun - UTS
Gotta Get Away - GOS Demo
Blue Turns To Gray - GOS Demo
She Smiled Sweetly - GOS Demo/SWS
Singer Not The Song - GOS Demo
Blue Letter - FM
Farmers Daughter - FM Live
Big Yellow Taxi - unreleased
Shut Us Down - Elizabethtown Soundtrack
Here Comes The Sun - Live TV show
Louie Louie - live radio show
Stars Are Crazy -SWS
Swan Song - LB
Time - LB

[elle]

Covers by LB (he took co-songwriting credit on Stars Are Crazy, Shut Us Down and Swan Song):
September Song - L&O
A Satisfied Mind - L&O
It Was I - L&O
Django - BN
Blue Monday - Mirage Outtakes
Cool Water - B-side
Teen Beat - FM 25 Years
All My Sorrows - OOTC
This Nearly Was Mine - OOTC
Say We’ll Meet Again - OOTC
Love Minus Zero/No Limit - SYW Deluxe
I Am Waiting - UTS
To Try For The Sun - UTS
Gotta Get Away - GOS Demo
Blue Turns To Gray - GOS Demo
She Smiled Sweetly - GOS Demo/SWS
Singer Not The Song - GOS Demo
Blue Letter - FM
Farmers Daughter - FM Live
Big Yellow Taxi - unreleased
Shut Us Down - Elizabethtown Soundtrack
Here Comes The Sun - Live TV show
Louie Louie - live radio show
Stars Are Crazy -SWS
Swan Song - LB
Time - LB

also Unreleased The Singer Not The Song, and of course Deep Dense (cowrite)

i was just listening in the car to some of these on my way driving back from LB's Kent show, and To Try For The Sun is such as spectacular and typical LB cover - as is Love Minus Zero.

he does really well covering some relatively obscure songs he likes.

i so wish he'd do TTFTS live, but i guess no chance of getting any requests any more. he's now too old and set in his ways. we can just be grateful he still wants to be out there putting on a great show, but unfortunately the days of anything unexpected are gone now.

[lbfan]

also Unreleased The Singer Not The Song, and of course Deep Dense (cowrite)

i was just listening in the car to some of these on my way driving back from LB's Kent show, and To Try For The Sun is such as spectacular and typical LB cover - as is Love Minus Zero.

he does really well covering some relatively obscure songs he likes.

i so wish he'd do TTFTS live, but i guess no chance of getting any requests any more. he's now too old and set in his ways. we can just be grateful he still wants to be out there putting on a great show, but unfortunately the days of anything unexpected are gone now.

Lindsey hasn’t done many impromptu songs. During the OOTC radio circuit, he would occasionally play one at the request of the DJ/host. I used to hand write Rock Away Blind at the bottom of his setlist, and he played it a few times. He addressed this during a spoken interview that he treats the shows like Broadway productions, well rehearsed, even down to the spoken segments. I agree with you that he could easily substitute some “deep cuts” for some of the lesser known songs for the ardent fans. Finally saw ensemble version of Soul Drifter, he could easily substitute Countdown. I also would love to see TTFTS, Walk A Thin Line, Rock Away Blind with the full outro, ensemble Big Love, and I think Johnny Stew would be incredible in a live setting. During a Meet and Greet (pre-pandemic), I mentioned that the acoustic Big Love was over 25 years old, and that he should challenge himself to come up with additional live renditions of classic favorites, but I don’t think he will ever change.

[bwboy]

lbfan, thank you so much for that comprehensive list. I didn’t realize how often Lindsey had recorded songs written by other people. I mean, those are a lot of songs! I appreciate you took the time to do that, thank you.

[DownOnRodeo]

Although there are some flourishes throughout RAL where it could've been great, as a cohesive unit album it is a stinker- mostly because of her ragged vocals and poor song selection and development. I can't understand, at all, how anyone can say this is her best album. It has the feeling of putting lipstick on a pig.

<a href="https://ibb.co/cXq05wS"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/jZtmKzP/Oink-A-Little.jpg" alt="Oink-A-Little" border="0"></a>

Go Ahead, Piggy!

[DownOnRodeo]

<a href="https://imgbb.com/"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/jRJVDjb/muppet-mac.jpg" alt="muppet-mac" border="0"></a>

Fleetwood Muppet

[HomerMcvie]

<a href="https://ibb.co/cXq05wS"><img src="https://i.ibb.co/jZtmKzP/Oink-A-Little.jpg" alt="Oink-A-Little" border="0"></a>

Go Ahead, Piggy!

Straight Back(into my archives). Thank you! :angel: