Fleetwood Mac 1975: Your favorite songs, grouped by singer

[Villavic]

Let's see what happens with the 1975 "white" album. If you had to choose one group of songs that you like the most, which will you choose? Lindsey’s songs? Stevie’s songs? Christine's songs?

[bwboy]

I went with Stevie here. I mean, Landslide, Rhiannon, and Crystal are hands down some of my all time favorite FM songs ever, and they’re all on this album.

Warm Ways and Blue Letter are also two of my all time favorite FM songs. Over My Head, Monday Morning, and I’m So Afraid are fantastic as well. But I don’t care for Say You Love Me and I really dislike Sugar Daddy and World Turning. So that’s why I gave the win for this album to Stevie.

[Macfan4life]

This is very close between Chris and Stevie. Its a Sophie's choice. I will vote for Chris simply because there are more of her songs. I love all their songs. Flame me all you want but I love Warm Ways too.

Bwboy is under a one week ban for not liking Say You Love Me and Sugar Daddy. I dont know about you but I remember those rules when I signed up.
Rules are rules.

[HomerMcvie]

I guess it's Christine by a nose? My favorite three songs are Sugar Daddy, World Turning, and Rhiannon.

[bombaysaffires]

This is very close between Chris and Stevie. Its a Sophie's choice. I will vote for Chris simply because there are more of her songs. I love all their songs. Flame me all you want but I love Warm Ways too.

Bwboy is under a one week ban for not liking Say You Love Me and Sugar Daddy. I dont know about you but I remember those rules when I signed up.
Rules are rules.

I'm with you re SYLM and SD. Not a huge fan of Warm Ways, it's mostly ok but that "you made me a woman tonight" line is just :eek::confused::distress:
Over My Head is great. World Turning isn't my favorite but it's a nice part of the flow of the album.

Landslide and Rhiannon are stellar. Crystal I love for personal reasons, and for the ending with John's bass and Chris's intertwining keyboards. So it's a Stevie song but I love it in large part for Chris's contribution. This is where picking favorite songs by songWRITER is tricky, because with this band everyone plays such an integral role in making anyone's songs rise to an even higher level than they would on their own.

I'd kind of peg Lindsey's songs as my least favorites on this album. I do skip over them a lot. To me it's a Stevie and Chris album, with the strong foundation going to Chris, with Stevie adding in more of the highlights. :shrug:

[bwboy]

I'm with you re SYLM and SD. Not a huge fan of Warm Ways, it's mostly ok but that "you made me a woman tonight" line is just :eek::confused::distress:

This is where picking favorite songs by songWRITER is tricky, because with this band everyone plays such an integral role in making anyone's songs rise to an even higher level than they would on their own.

I'd kind of peg Lindsey's songs as my least favorites on this album. I do skip over them a lot. To me it's a Stevie and Chris album, with the strong foundation going to Chris, with Stevie adding in more of the highlights. :shrug:

I guess I just really relate to Warm Ways because that song was playing in the background all five times I lost my virginity, while at the same time, I hate Sugar Daddy because I’ve never had or been one :]. Seriously, that line about becoming a woman is pretty cringy, but the song is just so beautiful, I’m able to overlook it.

Your point about the songwriting is valid, too. I love Crystal and always thought it was written by Lindsey until I bothered to look at the credits. I love the song just as much for his vocals as I do the words, but ultimately, since Stevie wrote it, I put it under her name. But boy is his voice beautiful on it. I also love how you describe the album, with Christine being the foundation. Maybe I’d add Lindsey is the frame, and Stevie is the paint or wallpaper.

[HomerMcvie]

I guess I just really relate to Warm Ways because that song was playing in the background all five times I lost my virginity, while at the same time, I hate Sugar Daddy because I’ve never had or been one :]. Seriously, that line about becoming a woman is pretty cringy, but the song is just so beautiful, I’m able to overlook it.

Your point about the songwriting is valid, too. I love Crystal and always thought it was written by Lindsey until I bothered to look at the credits. I love the song just as much for his vocals as I do the words, but ultimately, since Stevie wrote it, I put it under her name. But boy is his voice beautiful on it. I also love how you describe the album, with Christine being the foundation. Maybe I’d add Lindsey is the frame, and Stevie is the paint or wallpaper.

You lost your virginity FIVE TIMES? :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

[aleuzzi]

I chose Christine (surprise, surprise!) because of the one-two punch of Say You Love Me and Sugar Daddy. Man, both of those songs are great! Of course, Over My Head and Warm Ways are good, too. Close call with Stevie though. Rhiannon is Rhiannon. Landslide is Landslide. Crystal has a jaw-dropping organ outro.

I doubt many would chose Lindsey here. Monday is fun. So Afraid has a great backing track with a weak vocal. But his best song is the collaboration with Christine.

I’ve said it before: Say You Love Me is as iconic, in a different way, than Rhiannon.

[HomerMcvie]

I couldn't give a flying f*ck about the WORDS to Sugar Daddy. BECAUSE IT'S THE BEST MUSIC EVER(after Think About Me).

[Macfan4life]

Let me stick up for Chris for a minute. When a man says, you made me a man people dont think its sexual. Its about a man learning something about himself about being a man. While its easy to think sexual in a mushy song like Warm Ways but she could be singing about something her lover did to her that she learned. Its easy to think sex but it may not be such a literal meaning.
Every boy must learn to be a man. Maybe I can help you yes I can.
Was Stevie singing that she was going to screw him to make him a man?
Even though she did not write those lyrics I doubt her or the writer meant that in a sexual way. There are other ways to become a man just like there are other ways to become a woman.

Lastly I would like to leave all of you with something warm.

[UnwindedDreams]

Has Stevie ever spoken publicly with disappointment about Lindsey singing Crystal?

I vote Stevie because Crystal is one of her top five best lyrics. I love Blue Letter and I'm So Afraid. Never tire of those songs.

[aleuzzi]

Has Stevie ever spoken publicly with disappointment about Lindsey singing Crystal?

I vote Stevie because Crystal is one of her top five best lyrics. I love Blue Letter and I'm So Afraid. Never tire of those songs.

Lindsey’s tenor vocal on Blue Letter is so pleasing. A great performance. He didn’t write the song, but he made it his own.

[aleuzzi]

I couldn't give a flying f*ck about the WORDS to Sugar Daddy. BECAUSE IT'S THE BEST MUSIC EVER(after Think About Me).

I actually DO care about the words to Sugar Daddy because they are fun and smart and very clever. They were written with a bit of tongue-in-cheek spirit. Those who are offended by them are missing the point entirely. And they lack a sense of humor.

[bombaysaffires]

Let me stick up for Chris for a minute. When a man says, you made me a man people dont think its sexual. Its about a man learning something about himself about being a man. While its easy to think sexual in a mushy song like Warm Ways but she could be singing about something her lover did to her that she learned. Its easy to think sex but it may not be such a literal meaning.
Every boy must learn to be a man. Maybe I can help you yes I can.
Was Stevie singing that she was going to screw him to make him a man?
Even though she did not write those lyrics I doubt her or the writer meant that in a sexual way. There are other ways to become a man just like there are other ways to become a woman.

Lastly I would like to leave all of you with something warm.

Umm....it's literally a song about the man in bed next to her.... who has had his warm way with her and has rolled over and gone to sleep....:wavey:

Sleep easy by my side
Into gentle slumber you can hide
I am waiting for the sun to come up
I can't sleep, with your warm ways
Forever, forever love
Together, together love

You made me a woman tonight
Dream until the morning light
I am waiting for the sun to come up
I can't sleep, with your warm ways
Forever, forever love
Together, together love

[DownOnRodeo]

Forever, forever love
Together, together love

That part of the song sounds like a bad 70s/80s sitcom theme.

[HomerMcvie]

That part of the song sounds like a bad 70s/80s sitcom theme.

I agree. The cheese factor is too high on WW.

[HomerMcvie]

I actually DO care about the words to Sugar Daddy because they are fun and smart and very clever. They were written with a bit of tongue-in-cheek spirit. Those who are offended by them are missing the point entirely. And they lack a sense of humor.

Then OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!

[bwboy]

Has Stevie ever spoken publicly with disappointment about Lindsey singing Crystal?

I vote Stevie because Crystal is one of her top five best lyrics. I love Blue Letter and I'm So Afraid. Never tire of those songs.

I was curious what you meant by that question. I guess I always just assumed Stevie and Lindsey were in complete agreement that he would sing Crystal; otherwise she would have sang it. I can’t imagine she was disappointed with how he sang it, or that he was the one who sang it. Personally, I find the ethereal lyrics take on a deeper meaning because it’s sang by Lindsey. His vocal is beautiful and I wish he would have performed it live, especially early on.

It’s interesting that they re-recorded Crystal with FM, after it appeared on their Buckingham Nicks album. I have always wondered how it came about that Lindsey sang it. It’s pretty much the only time I can think of that a song was sang by one of the other songwriters. Blue Letter, another one of your favorites and mine, is different because the writers weren’t in FM. It sounds like a song Lindsey would have written, lyrically it reminds me a little of Monday Morning and Second Hand News. Blue Letter is a song I would have loved to have heard Billy and Neil perform when they toured with FM.

[UnwindedDreams]

I was curious what you meant by that question. I guess I always just assumed Stevie and Lindsey were in complete agreement that he would sing Crystal; otherwise she would have sang it. I can’t imagine she was disappointed with how he sang it, or that he was the one who sang it. Personally, I find the ethereal lyrics take on a deeper meaning because it’s sang by Lindsey. His vocal is beautiful and I wish he would have performed it live, especially early on.

It’s interesting that they re-recorded Crystal with FM, after it appeared on their Buckingham Nicks album. I have always wondered how it came about that Lindsey sang it. It’s pretty much the only time I can think of that a song was sang by one of the other songwriters. Blue Letter, another one of your favorites and mine, is different because the writers weren’t in FM. It sounds like a song Lindsey would have written, lyrically it reminds me a little of Monday Morning and Second Hand News. Blue Letter is a song I would have loved to have heard Billy and Neil perform when they toured with FM.
I heard Keith Olsen said Lindsey should sing it both times. When Stevie recorded Crystal for Practical Magic, I thought she was making a statement by singing her song.

As an aside, I'd like to hear I Don't Want To Know with Stevie's vocals only.

[bwboy]

I heard Keith Olsen said Lindsey should sing it both times. When Stevie recorded Crystal for Practical Magic, I thought she was making a statement by singing her song.

As an aside, I'd like to hear I Don't Want To Know with Stevie's vocals only.

Wow, thank you for sharing that. I had no idea. As much as I love the rest of the albums by Fleetwood Mac, a part of me thinks it was healthy for the band to have an objective voice in the studio with them. What I mean is, someone like Keith Olsen early on could make a suggestion like that, and they would listen to him; after Rumours, they wouldn’t have listened to him. I wonder if that’s one of the reasons Blue Letter made it on the album? Because I can guarantee you after Rumours, FM would never have recorded Blue Letter.

Another observation I just noticed about the 1975 album- how much music is on it. The long endings of Crystal, I’m So Afraid, and Warm Ways, for example.

There really is a lot to love and appreciate about this album.

And regarding Stevie singing Crystal, I really don’t think that was a statement. She’s said Crystal was one of her father’s favorite songs, and she also recorded If You Ever Did Believe along with Crystal for the Practical Magic soundtrack, and that, too, was a song someone else had recorded first. Both songs seemed to fit the soundtrack, plus it wouldn’t surprise me if Stevie was unable to come up with new material herself, so maybe she went back into the vault instead, so to speak.

[DownOnRodeo]

Wow, thank you for sharing that. I had no idea. As much as I love the rest of the albums by Fleetwood Mac, a part of me thinks it was healthy for the band to have an objective voice in the studio with them. What I mean is, someone like Keith Olsen early on could make a suggestion like that, and they would listen to him; after Rumours, they wouldn’t have listened to him. I wonder if that’s one of the reasons Blue Letter made it on the album? Because I can guarantee you after Rumours, FM would never have recorded Blue Letter.

They did have their Famer's Daughters and Seven Wonders moments, and the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan songs that were considered for SYW (only the latter of which was included, albeit as a bonus track). Maybe if they did Blue Letter after the 75 album it would have been made a co-write somehow.
Agreed it's unlikely to have been an album opener, though.

[HomerMcvie]

It’s pretty much the only time I can think of that a song was sang by one of the other songwriters.

Bob wrote Keep On Going on Mystery To Me, yet Christine sang it.

[On Ice]

I went with Stevie's songs, although it would've been great at the time to have had at least one more (Sorcerer anyone?) given that Lindsey sang Crystal. That said, Stevie's harmony/background vocal makes the song just as great as Lindsey's lead. What sets her songs apart is that these two became live staples for decades and are signature tunes. Both Christine and Lindsey had their signatures come on Rumours, not to say that Dreams and Gold Dust Woman aren't, but Rhiannon and Landslide are the tunes. It comes down to the vocals though- captured on record is a tone that was never to be repeated, that's what makes them standouts in her career.

[sleepless child]

Regarding Crystal, in the beginning Stevie didn't think she had a good voice and said her main roll was backing up Lindsey. That may be why he sang lead. They recorded it for the White album because John wanted it. He loved the song and wanted it on the album. Stevie wasn't crazy about the idea but couldn't tell him no. She loved what he an Chris did with the ending though.

[bwboy]

Bob wrote Keep On Going on Mystery To Me, yet Christine sang it.

Good call. I don’t have any FM albums from before Buckingham Nicks joined, so I didn’t know about this particular example.

[bwboy]

Regarding Crystal, in the beginning Stevie didn't think she had a good voice and said her main roll was backing up Lindsey. That may be why he sang lead. They recorded it for the White album because John wanted it. He loved the song and wanted it on the album. Stevie wasn't crazy about the idea but couldn't tell him no. She loved what he an Chris did with the ending though.

Thanks for the great info! I love hearing little behind the scenes info like that. That’s neat that John, of all of them, heard Crystal and wanted to record it as a band, and that they listened to him. It is an unusual song, lyrically and musically.

[jbrownsjr]

Good call. I don’t have any FM albums from before Buckingham Nicks joined, so I didn’t know about this particular example.

Wow, you're in for a treat if you ever explore the Welch and Kirwan era.

[HomerMcvie]

Wow, you're in for a treat if you ever explore the Welch and Kirwan era.

Oh, Moses smell the roses! They don't spin around like drunken sailors! Ain't gonna happen!

[FuzzyPlum]

I guess I just really relate to Warm Ways because that song was playing in the background all five times I lost my virginity,


Ummmm…..an explanation might be in order :shocked:

[jbrownsjr]

Ummmm…..an explanation might be in order :shocked:

He lost it at the night of 1000 Stevie's. :laugh:

[Macfan4life]

He lost it at the night of 1000 Stevie's. :laugh:
Chiffon was all over the floor. It was dark but someone was yelling.. Bwboy, are you in there? He soon emerged with a tambourine around his neck and exclained "They were poets yet they were priests of nothing. His Sister Honey was stretched to the limit that night.

[jbrownsjr]

Chiffon was all over the floor. It was dark but someone was yelling.. Bwboy, are you in there? He soon emerged with a tambourine around his neck and exclained "They were poets yet they were priests of nothing. His Sister Honey was stretched to the limit that night.

Don't forget he emerged from the stairs, and everyone stared.

[Villavic]

I guess I just really relate to Warm Ways because that song was playing in the background all five times I lost my virginity, .

I am calculating towards how many body parts a virginity can be lost. I only find 3. ;)

[bombaysaffires]

I went with Stevie's songs, although it would've been great at the time to have had at least one more (Sorcerer anyone?) given that Lindsey sang Crystal. That said, Stevie's harmony/background vocal makes the song just as great as Lindsey's lead. What sets her songs apart is that these two became live staples for decades and are signature tunes. Both Christine and Lindsey had their signatures come on Rumours, not to say that Dreams and Gold Dust Woman aren't, but Rhiannon and Landslide are the tunes. It comes down to the vocals though- captured on record is a tone that was never to be repeated, that's what makes them standouts in her career.

Actually, THE big song from the white album that really broke the band with radio was Over My Head. That's the song that got tremendous radio play and drove people to the album. Rhiannon came after that... and was big on radio but even bigger live which helped cement Stevie as a performer. Over My Head live was never, ever going to do that for Chris. She followed by giving them Say You Love Me as another smash single. So Chris really has to get major credit for breaking the band and the success of that album especially on radio.

Landslide was always a concert staple and was never a big radio song. It was like those movies that don't make a ton of money when first released but end up becoming massive classics over time. So, our feelings about Landslide based on what we know now, sure, big important song. Not really at the time though. And, frankly, when Stevie first sang it with FM live it was NOT good. She eventually found her footing. Listen to some of those early shows before the white album even came out, and even after. Ray Lindsey talked about that in that documentary/interview he did with a group of other roadies for other bands. Those early shows for some reason she was just NOT good and had a really hard time dealing with it.

[Macfan4life]

Don't forget he emerged from the stairs, and everyone stared.
I think this was the night it happened. Do you even understand the word pleasure?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRRYkGAd0as

[bwboy]

I am calculating towards how many body parts a virginity can be lost. I only find 3. ;)

To quote my favorite Stevie song- Show Them the Way. Or Not Make Believe. :lol:

[aleuzzi]

I am calculating towards how many body parts a virginity can be lost. I only find 3. ;)

In fairness, there are numerous ways losing one’s virginity can be applied. Not just with regards to acts you perform with your own body (or are performed upon you) but WHOM you perform them with.

[jbrownsjr]

In fairness, there are numerous ways losing one’s virginity can be applied. Not just with regards to acts you perform with your own body (or are performed upon you) but WHOM you perform them with.

Don't you I'm only human? ahhhh ahhhhhh

[FuzzyPlum]

He lost it at the night of 1000 Stevie's. :laugh:

Only 995 virginities left to go then :laugh:

[jbrownsjr]

Only 995 virginities left to go then :laugh:

Now that's funny! :laugh:

[WalkAThinLine.]

This is the first time I voted for Stevie Nicks, although I could have easily gone with Christine McVie. "Crystal", "Rhiannon", and "Landslide" are all great, although the latter two might be victims of overexposure. I wasn't sure whether to count "World Turning" as a Lindsey song or a Christine song, but I should have just counted it as both when I made my decision. I also decided to only rate the album versions of the songs as opposed to the single mixes. Had the single mixes been factored in, I would have likely given it to Christine McVie instead. There aren't any songs from her that I dislike, although the album version of "Over My Head" is quite underwhelming compared to the single remix. Even album cuts like "Warm Ways" and "Sugar Daddy" have grown on me slightly. As s the case with several of these votes, I am feeling compelled to switch my vote to Christine McVie, but my first instinct was to vote for Stevie.

Lindsey has hardly gotten a mention here, but his songs are fine as well, but he was only given two with sole- songwriting credits, so it didn't feel right giving him the edge over the other two songwriters. The studio version of "I'm So Afraid" often gets cast aside, but I find the understated and restrained playing to be appealing. "Monday Morning" was a fine album opener and could have worked well as a single, but alas, it was not meant to be.

[mitzo]

Stevie wins this one. She was what was new and unique with this album. Also, Christine created the commercial hit and Lindsey worked hard in the background.

[bombaysaffires]

Stevie wins this one. She was what was new and unique with this album. Also, Christine created the commercial hit and Lindsey worked hard in the background.

Lindsey crafted the arrangements of the Stevie material (which to be overly technical wasn't new at all... though I take your point that it was new to FM). Her songs sparkled the way they did in significant part because Lindsey had worked on them already ... certainly at least as part of the second BN album which they were working on. Now, John and Chris and Mick added magic to those songs, but what was handed to them to work on was a much more polished and beefed up product than whatever they were like in Stevie's songwriting demos. So his contribution includes her songs for sure.

[UnwindedDreams]

So his contribution includes her songs for sure. I made this comment about Soldier's Angel once and was called a misogynist:laugh:

[jbrownsjr]

I made this comment about Soldier's Angel once and was called a misogynist:laugh:

Yes, you Soldier'ed on!