Stevie's Strongest Recorded Vocals
 

Sorry if this thread has already been created before, but thought it would be a good topic for everyone to share which songs in your opinion showcase Stevie's powerful voice the most...

without a shadow of a doubt it's gotta be 'Sorcerer' from the Buckingham Nicks demo sessions, which incidentally I can't actually find on youtube lol
Anyways I never get sick of hearing that song and Stevie's belts are friggin' AWESOME! Her youthful voice was capable of some serious power back then, "Lady from the mountaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaain!" Urgh, talented betch! :rolleyes:

When I think about Stevie's "powerful" voice, I think of songs like Edge of Seventeen, Nothing Ever Changes, No Spoken Word and Battle Of The Dragon, from her solo songs.

Gold Dust Woman, Gypsy, and Everybody Finds Out show off the power in her voice from her Mac songs, I think.

And, of course, any live Rhiannon before 1982.

Her vocal on Desiree has always blown me away.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BM9VFcq1iJE

Her vocals on Tunnel of Love also kick ass!

Midnight Wind

Ahh, good call! I've always thought her backing vocal on Tunnel Of Love was the coolest vocal she ever recorded.

Pretty much this! Honourable mentions for Nothing Ever Changes and Wild Heart...

Definitely....love this song!

Great find on Tunnel of Love, reminds me of her Green Manalishi ending. Awesome.

Strongest Vocals:

Pre Fleetwood Mac:
Everything, except the start of Long Distance Winner. The demos are all also superbly sung, especially Sorcerer and Nomad. To have been in the audience when she sang Farewell Failure would have been a memory to behold. Amazing.

Fleetwood Mac:
1. Rhiannon: Studio version. Although the end of live Rhiannons gives me chills, still to this day, I would have sacrificed that to maintain the power she lost in the middle of the Rumours tour and only got back in spurts from then on.
2. Gold Dust Woman: I love it when Stevie stands up and takes her place in the classic rock hall of fame, and this song puts Fleetwood Mac in the vein of all the top groups. Gold Dust Woman is the most perfect rock song she has ever recorded.
3. Sisters of the Moon: The vocal is stellar, but the mix is terrible on Tusk, too far back and muffled.

Solo:
1. Edge of Seventeen: That classic rock vocal of hers is back...briefly. On Bella Donna, this track steals the show. I know I'll get clobbered, but I think it sucks live, it drives me crazy when she lowers the white wing dove and she never brings it up to where the song calls for it. The edge walk be damned.
2. Wild Heart: Again, the voice is back, but the lyrics just suck. I try not to listen to the lyrics and concentrate on the voice which is fantastic on this song.
3. Fall From Grace: Her best "modern vocal" song, delivered with the passion that drew me to her as an artist, and frustrated me to no end that she didn't deliver every tune like this one. A moment where Stevie earns her mentor status.

I agree with absolutely every word of this. Welcome to the Ledge, by the way! :wavey:

A tough one to call but solo I'd have to say Sleeping Angel is her strongest vocal on record.

This, Edge of Seventeen, and Outside the Rain are all very powerful.

Great vocals
 

I think Whenever I Call You Friend is pretty great !
I also love the studio Rhiannon and Edge vocals !

Agreed! I thought I was the only one who hated it live. I just cannot bear the way she sings it, why did she sing in a lower key? It's a track I always skip when listening to the Enchanted box set. The album version is perfection, the live version is just irritable!
:sorry:

I think her vocals on both Mirage and The Wild Heart are top notch. However, I think her "strongest" vocal ever is "Seven Wonders." She came out of rehab feeling confident and looking fabulous and I believe that rejuvenated her. Her vocals on the Family Man remixes are some of the sexiest vocals ever by anyone. But back to Seven Wonders, the line, “so it's hard to find someone with that kiiiiiiiind of intensity" - that is a power house vocal delivery.

The "Seven Wonders" vocal that is on Tango was recorded over Halloween weekend in 1986..just before she went into Betty Ford.It is her final pre rehab recorded vocal.

eeks! Seven Wonders is one of the most annoying vocals by her (in my opinion :))

Where is the eye roll emoticon?

jk :) Different strokes for different folks

For me my top 3 will ALWAYS be

Dreams(To me no live version comes close to that studio version)
Edge of 17
Silver springs/Dance version(To me she's never matched that vocal)

I love Wild heart to.....but I can't help but picture a goat in my head:sorry:

Mick

1. Sisters of the Moon live Mirage version = one of my most favorite Stevie performances of all time.
2. Gold Dust Woman = The Dance Version. Best live version of this song. period.
3. Sorcerer = yes, it's overplayed live now, but her and Sheryl's vocals are pretty dam powerful (esp @ the end) and Stevie would be the 1st to agree with me!
4. Edge of 17 = Red Rocks Live version. Yes I do mean this version, anyone who can have a scream like she does and not need immediate hospitalization (or a sanitarium) deserves a best vocal (or should I say best "scream") kudo.
4. I Can't Wait = because this is 80's coked, crazy sounding Stevie, just a plain fun rock and roll song from her.
5. Landslide = white album version = classic song, classic vocal.
6. Silver Springs = Dance Version = emotionally overwrought and powerful, esp the last couple minutes, you can't fake this stuff, she was really FEELING it on this one!
7. Beauty And The Beast = Melbourne Symphony Version. One of her better "modern voice" performances. You could tell she really wanted to nail this one. This version has a very "slow burn" which adds so much drama to her vocal.

Always loved her vocals on 'Gold'

I barely understand the goat comparisons at the best of times, but, I really don't get how you link Wild Heart with Goat. Sorry, I'm just not seeing it at all :shrug:

When she doe the build up....Blame it on my wild....wild.....WIIIIIIIILD HEARRRRRRRRRT!!!!!!!. Sorry I can't get it out of my head. Granted it's not the whole song, but that one part sent me into convulsions the first time i heard it. Very unintentionally funny ad-lib. I love love the song though.

Mick

I think everyone has mentioned my favorites, but I'd like to add "That's Alright" to the list. I think Stevie's voice just soars on that song!

Talk to Me
Seven Wonders
Midnight Wind
Whenever I Call You Friend
Mirror Mirror
Silver Springs (the dance)
Edge of Seventeen
Leather and Lace
Has Anyone Ever Written
Dreams

Are the ones that stand out to me

Stevie's strongest vocal?

Hmm....

I guess I'd say that No Spoken Word is probably one of them, and Talk To Me. And the vocal on Trouble In Shangri La is quite strong. Oh, and the alternate Silver Springs from the expanded Rumours. Those would be my choices.

If I Were You.

So much passion and drive in her vocals. When she reaches the bridge, you can just feel the intensity.

Wild Heart is one of my favorite Stevie songs but I totally get the goat comparison. Also, I hate to say it (but yep, I'm gonna say it and somebody's gonna get me for it) but I thought she sounded rather goaty on most of the Live in Chicago disc. Especially on Circle Dance...I don't know whhhhhy (bahhhh). It seemed like her voice never got fully warmed up...for most of the songs.

But goat or no goat, I lurve this woman...and if she turned into a goat I'd still love her :)

South Park turned her into one. :lol:

http://www.southparkstudios.com/guid...s/afghani-goat

I think she did really awesome hitting the high notes on Beautiful Child i'm surprised that no one has mentioned this song!

I think lot of here background and duet-vocals are most awesome and strong.

Gold, Smiling Islands, Sorcerer (with Marilyn Martin), Whenever I call you friend for example.

Also songs like Violet & Blue and Blue Lamp. One off songs (dunno in which sessions they were recorded) and not part of a whole recordingsessions for an album...

As far as album songs I would say: Straight Back, Angel and Sisters of the Moon.

I'm not much for her early (BN, FM album) vocals. She was young and didn't seem to entirely know her own voice, as is often the case. I don't think she was anything special, as a vocalist, until Rumours.

Sew, here's my list:

Dreams
Bella Donna
Storms
Gold & Braid (live version from Enchanted)
Sable on Blond
Gypsy
Wild Heart

Rock a Little
I Sing for the Things
(Yes, her voice was going on these two, but she rocked what she had, which is what makes them great, IMO)

Beauty & the Beast
Sisters of the Moon
Silver Springs (The Dance)

Best AND most emotional...
 

Sara...cleaning lady...especially the long version ending.
Storms...acoustic un mixed vocal guitar and drum...the one that ends in trail...uuuuhahu...ahhhh...oohhh.
but the most stellar from Fleetwood Mac...
Gypsy. Long version. ...I can't find you..."

Solo...
I Sing for the things...fragile, emotional,,,
Highway man...same as above reason
Beauty and the beast...same reason..
Listen To The Rain...pure rock grit...stellar vocals.

Cheaper Than Free...ahhh another great example of lush vocals...
The End Of That Cheesy Song...Smiling Islands. Ps...what was that whole deal about? It is never really discussed...but...I love her emoting vocals as she closes the song.

All Time Favorites...
After The Glitter Fades...my all time favorite song...and started the love affair when I was a kid and it was playing on headphones piped in airline music in flight.

Gypsy...the whole deep gravity in her vocals...to the soaring parts...all started with MTV and the video.

My favorites
 

Gypsy
Enchanted
Angel
Beauty and the Beast
Rhiannon slow acoustic

I see this thread says RECORDED vocals but I have enjoyed her voice the most live because there are more possibilities for nuance. Strong to me doesn't just mean a belted vocal, but the feeling projected by the instrument. Live performances have brought tears to my eyes on more than one occasion. I think the actress in her comes out strongly during concerts, especially solo tour.