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

Then OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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!

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

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