In Praise of 'World Turning'
 

First off, this is my first post having lurked here for years! I used to post on Christine's board as McK. So, um, hi :)

I just wanted to post about World Turning because I have to say recently it has really become a favourite of mine, and I wonder how much Chris put into the composition and how much Lindsey put in. (I know Peter Green had a hand in the original lick too.)

Since they didn't collaborate often -- and given their differences -- I wonder how it started off when Chris began it?

Also, I think it always sounds great live, and sort of contradicts Lindsey's assertion that Chris' songs never worked well live. Ugh. :rolleyes:

I remember you, McK. Hi and welcome to the Chris forum here on the Ledge.:)

I don't know who did what in writing this song. Chris' name does come first in the writing credits on the album, so I assume that she may have started things off, especially since the song is based on Peter Green's original song.

I really liked it live in the early days. That 1976 Midnight Special perfomance is terrific!! But when Mick started dragging things out on the Tango & BTM tours, that was bit too much, in my opinion. I guess Lindsey isn't always right, is he?;)

In fact, World Turning sucks so much live, Lindsey even added it into his solo set. Now, how about You Make Loving Fun, Lindsey? :rolleyes:

Let's be fair, that IS the best Christinecomposition in their livesets. It has ALWAYS been, and Lindsey has always loved it. A lot of her fullbandcompositions didn't work THAT well..

WT is one of my top 5 FM songs. I sit around playing the WT lick, almost daily. I love WT!:thumbsup:

What about Think About Me live? I wouldve loved to have seen that.:nod:

To me, the only one of Christine's Fleetwood Mac songs that DIDN'T fare well live was "Hold Me".

I think the best of her tunes live was "Isn't It Midnight". Would've been interesting to hear Lindsey do that one live, since he really nailed the solo on the studio version...Rick really kicked some butt on it in concert, too.

Unsurprisingly, I just don't agree. If you think about it, when they worked on a Chris song for live sets it usually sounded great. I reckon maybe the stuff they tried in rehearsal - and then dumped - is maybe what he was referring to.

For instance, I take the point about 'Hold Me' live. From the stuff I heard, it just didn't work or sound as great. Also, I think I read a brief interview with Chris in 1997 where she was asked why they weren't performing 'Little Lies', and she said 'It just wouldn't work' or something.

However, YMLF, SYLM, Don't Stop, Oh Daddy, World Turning, Songbird, Why, Everywhere are, I think, examples of her stuff working really well live. I even think Over My Head worked well, even though they dropped it after the MTV concert. (Incidentally, I never understood why that audience for The Dance was so lukewarm to Chris, but particularly on that track, which I thought they nailed.)

On the ones I made fat I agree. But most of those WERE in FM sets for a very long time. There were more CM-songs rehearsed that didn't make the set or just few times. Major radiothings like Think about me, Hold Me, LLies. Over And Over was gorgeous on the Tusktour, but also a major tempobreaker in the set.

I liked "Hold Me" from her 1984 solo tour better than the Fleetwood Mac versions on the Mirage tour.

And, I think "Believe Me", "Spare Me A Little Of Your Love" & "Get Like You Used To Be" sounded great live too.

"Just Crazy Love" sounded great on her solo tour as well.

hi! glad to see another poster from the christine board over here. :) i was worried when the board went down that no one would come to the ledge.


absolutely agree about "get like you used to be". . .that song is just fantastic live. i like "world turning", but not as much as "get like you used to be."

I agree that the live version now seems to go on for hours! At least you get a chance to nip to the loo/go for a beer.

Actually with their current set you get three chances - So Afraid, World Turning and Come.

I can't remember which order they come in but during whatever comes first you can go for a beer and by the time they play the second one nature has taken its course and you need the loo. By the time they play the third you need another beer!

I wouldn't like to be near the front when they play World Turning. Apparently the first couple of rows get showered in sweat and spit! Yuck!


Great song though. Wasn't Stevie a bit miffed that Lindsey wrote it with Chris when he'd never written a song with her?

Gail

Yeah, I read that in an interview she did. I think she sort of was surprised (and maybe a bit hurt) that Chris and LB almost immediately clicked musically and wrote something, quite quickly.

I agree about the newer live versions being dragged out a little too long. I like Mick, but the SYW drum solo was just a tad too much! All that mumbling -- hilarious though it was -- about 'hanky panky' and 'leaving (him) alone in my bed' became extremely weird!

I remember "World Turning" from the Tango & BTM tours. I thought it would never end, but I stayed till the bitter end.:laugh:

They didn't do WT on the Dance tour, they did "Not That Funny" instead. As soon as I saw Chris leave the stage, I knew something bad was coming. That was my restroom break.:laugh: And, I wasn't the only one either.;)

"Believe Me" was especially great live--a real crowd pleaser its seemed, and--from the live versions I've heard--much better than the album version.

GLYUB is a classic. They shoudla' kept it around longer.

I love World Turning. It gets me pumped - I actually added it to my workout playlist. :thumbsup:

I think I'm one of the few who did like Mick's solo in this song. Not the band's finest hour but enough cool. Of the 3 concerts I've been to, the only time I skipped a song to go to the bathroom or for a drink, was during Go Insane in 1997.

As someone who dabbles with the drums, I'm more receptive than most when it comes to extended instrumental passages. "World Turning" works well both as a studio cut and a vehicle for Mick's percussion solos. I'm aware that the drum vest portions of the solo are often dismissed out of hand, but it does make for compelling performance art.

In 2014 Mick told he didn't use the vest anymore, cause it kind of hurt, it felt like it was burning. Probably it hurted more since he was sober, I don't know.

The Say You Will Tour was the last time he used the vest to my understanding. He even retired the talking drum portion of the solo for several tours before reviving it in 2018.

He did a drum solo in the Unleashed 2009 tour. But I don't remember if it was with his classic drums or this small drums kit in the picture.

But I'm sure he played a solo, because while he was doing it, Lindsey sat on the floor right in front of me, very close, and laughed as he watched Mick enjoying himself while he played.