The Smile I Live For

[Tusky]

Interesting that this early version comes from '79
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzEzPviwyzY
Does anyone when the other songs from her 84 solo album date from?

[Penguin Emeritus]

Interesting that this early version comes from '79
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzEzPviwyzY
Does anyone when the other songs from her 84 solo album date from?

I think many of them were written when she got to Switzerland to start working on the album, with George Hawkins and Todd Sharpe.

--Lis

[Wdm6789]

Nice find. I do love that song from her solo album. It would have been nice on the Tusk album too. Tusk is Christine’s weakest album out of the Rumours era. Her songs on Tusk lacked the catchy, poppy sound that her songs provided for the other 4 Rumours era albums. I don’t know if she let Lindsey have too much power over her songs on Tusk or what, but her Tusk songs are too Tusky. Stevie’s Tusk songs managed to keep her signature Fleetwood Mac Stevie Nicks vibe, but Christine songs on Tusk just don’t sound Christine McVie enough, in my opinion. Christine’s Tusk songs are good, but they needed to be popped up way more to stand up to songs like Say You Love Me, You Make Loving Fun, Hold Me, Everywhere, and Little Lies.

[Macfan4life]

I think many of them were written when she got to Switzerland to start working on the album, with George Hawkins and Todd Sharpe.

--Lis
Yes that is what I remember too. Clearly the piano riff for the song existed many years before the song. I remember her telling the story how the song was written. Its one of the few songs where she had the title and wrote a song around the title. She was in developing her solo album and in someone's office was a photo of this woman's husband. Chris commented on the photo and the woman exclaimed "that's the smile I live for." Chris loved that phrase and wrote the song based on that phrase. I just wish I could recall who the couple was. Clearly it was someone close to her. Anyone remember?

[aleuzzi]

Interesting that this early version comes from '79
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzEzPviwyzY
Does anyone when the other songs from her 84 solo album date from?

Yeah, this came out of an informal piano/vocal session she had with Stevie.

In terms of date of composition, Christine has often said, she and Todd wrote the core four songs ("One in a Million," "Got a Hold on Me," "Love Will Show Us How," and "The Challenge") immediately before she gave an official commitment to the solo project. This would have been mid-to-late 1983. Next came "So Excited," which she and Sharp wrote with Burnette and possibly someone else. The last two songs she completed were "Ask Anybody" (which she and Winwood wrote when he came to the studio rather late in the process) "Smile I Live For" which, though begun in 1979, wasn't completed until after she and Todd wrote the other core material. Sharp said "she went off and finished that song by herself."

I am not sure of the date of composition for the three cover songs on "side 2."

[aleuzzi]

Nice find. I do love that song from her solo album. It would have been nice on the Tusk album too. Tusk is Christine’s weakest album out of the Rumours era. Her songs on Tusk lacked the catchy, poppy sound that her songs provided for the other 4 Rumours era albums. I don’t know if she let Lindsey have too much power over her songs on Tusk or what, but her Tusk songs are too Tusky. Stevie’s Tusk songs managed to keep her signature Fleetwood Mac Stevie Nicks vibe, but Christine songs on Tusk just don’t sound Christine McVie enough, in my opinion. Christine’s Tusk songs are good, but they needed to be popped up way more to stand up to songs like Say You Love Me, You Make Loving Fun, Hold Me, Everywhere, and Little Lies.

In terms of hit singles, this might be true, but the quality of her Tusk songs is, to my way of thinking, as intriguing and strong as elsewhere. Her voice was in terrific form, and the melodies and low-fi production on several of her tunes really adds a distinct color to the album. I believe "Never Forget," which is already a fine song, might have made a great single had it been arranged as one. The song has a strong commercial ring to it, but the production choices are modest. In all cases, the decision to keep her songs pretty bare exposes their lovely simplicity.

I was never a fan of "Over and Over" but I don't hate it, and everything else of hers on Tusk is delicious to me.

[Macfan4life]

I bet much of the inspiration from the song is about Eddy who she was madly in love with during the recording of the album. He toured with her and eventually they got married. I love how songs come together piece by piece over the years. She had a piano part, she probably had some lyrics. Then she heard this phrase and thought it would be a great name for a song. In the end, it really is a fantastic song.

[Wdm6789]

In terms of hit singles, this might be true, but the quality of her Tusk songs is, to my way of thinking, as intriguing and strong as elsewhere. Her voice was in terrific form, and the melodies and low-fi production on several of her tunes really adds a distinct color to the album. I believe "Never Forget," which is already a fine song, might have made a great single had it been arranged as one. The song has a strong commercial ring to it, but the production choices are modest. In all cases, the decision to keep her songs pretty bare exposes their lovely simplicity.

I was never a fan of "Over and Over" but I don't hate it, and everything else of hers on Tusk is delicious to me.


I actually think Over & Over is Christine’s best song on Tusk, but I like the live versions much better than the album version. Never Make Me cry is also a great Christine Tusk song. But I’m generally not a fan of the modest production on Christine’s Tusk songs. They all needed to be popped up more. I’m kind of in the Tusk should have been Rumours 2.0 club. I can appreciate Lindsey’s creativity and artistry, but Tusk could have been a much better album if it was a Rumours 2 and was only 11 or 12 songs.

[jbrownsjr]

I'm in the camp of loving Christine's Tusk songs.

Brown Eyes
Over and Over
Think About Me
Never Forget
Never Make Me Cry
Honey Hi

These don't belong anywhere else but Tusk. And her keyboard work is pretty damn sharp on this album.

[aleuzzi]

I'm in the camp of loving Christine's Tusk songs.

Brown Eyes
Over and Over
Think About Me
Never Forget
Never Make Me Cry
Honey Hi

These don't belong anywhere else but Tusk. And her keyboard work is pretty damn sharp on this album.

Agreed. I do not think there is any "dip" in quality. Merely a change in how her songs have been treated. The sparseness with which Lindsey arranges them may mean they don't have, as Mick says of "Don't Stop," "all that cream on top," but this means her voice is centered more. "Never Make Me Cry" is a persuasive argument for "less is more."

That said, I DO prefer the 1978 "Think About Me" without Lindsey's lead guitar and vocals. Her organ work is up front and the earlier, sassy "With me, that's why you're around" instead of the pleading "Maybe that's why you're around" is pretty awesome.

[jbrownsjr]

Agreed. I do not think there is any "dip" in quality. Merely a change in how her songs have been treated. The sparseness with which Lindsey arranges them may mean they don't have, as Mick says of "Don't Stop," "all that cream on top," but this means her voice is centered more. "Never Make Me Cry" is a persuasive argument for "less is more."

That said, I DO prefer the 1978 "Think About Me" without Lindsey's lead guitar and vocals. Her organ work is up front and the earlier, sassy "With me, that's why you're around" instead of the pleading "Maybe that's why you're around" is pretty awesome.

I'll have to go back and take a peek at that one.

I wonder: Homer, do you like the early version?

[HomerMcvie]

I'll have to go back and take a peek at that one.

I wonder: Homer, do you like the early version?

The single remix is my Favorite. Song. Of. All. Time.

I've been sitting in my car just now, eating a Cuban torta. When I start this car in 30 seconds, Imma JAM THE F*CK outta my favorite song of all time.

[jbrownsjr]

The single remix is my Favorite. Song. Of. All. Time.

I've been sitting in my car just now, eating a Cuban torta. When I start this car in 30 seconds, Imma JAM THE F*CK outta my favorite song of all time.

As long as it's NOT AGAINST THE LAW!!

[aleuzzi]

I'll have to go back and take a peek at that one.

I wonder: Homer, do you like the early version?

Hey there: I got the date wrong: it's the 2/18/79 version. I'm listening to it right now. So goooood!

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

[aleuzzi]

The single remix is my Favorite. Song. Of. All. Time.

I've been sitting in my car just now, eating a Cuban torta. When I start this car in 30 seconds, Imma JAM THE F*CK outta my favorite song of all time.


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

I'm really hoping you'll dig it...

[HomerMcvie]

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

I'm really hoping you'll dig it...

Finally home to listen... I DO dig it. I do prefer the album version chorus with Lindsey singing, too. But I enjoy how much more prominent her vocals are. Thanks for sharing it! :xoxo:

[dougl]

That said, I DO prefer the 1978 "Think About Me" without Lindsey's lead guitar and vocals. Her organ work is up front and the earlier, sassy "With me, that's why you're around" instead of the pleading "Maybe that's why you're around" is pretty awesome.

Here’s another nice version without backing vocals…

https://youtu.be/JusdbBcFcxA

[aleuzzi]

Here’s another nice version without backing vocals…

https://youtu.be/JusdbBcFcxA

Cool. I miss Stevie's backing vocal and the organ flourish (which gets covered up by LB's guitar inb the version here) but otherwise, it's a very good indication of what she dreamed up before Lindsey hogged the mic!

[bombaysaffires]

John's bass part on this is, not surprisingly, sublime.