Songs that sound better live
 

Hi, I`m new here and this is my first thread.

Anyways, I`m curious, what songs do ya`ll think sound better live than in the studio?
I vote for I`m so Afraid and Not that Funny.

Welcome to the asylum! :thumbsup:

I agree on both counts.

"Not That Funny" because there's an actual BAND playing the song, not various cardboard boxes & infinite LB overdubs on variously tuned guitars that sound like mosquitoes on crack.

"I'm So Afraid" because Lindsey originally recorded the song in a key that was too high for him to really sing (although I do like the original studio arrangement, just the voices are so high, I'm pretty sure only my beagle can hear them)

I like the live power of "Oh Well" over the original studio version (especially the version from the '87 tour that was released as the B-side of the "As Long As You Follow" single)...but, there's just something about that original studio version that is EXTREMELY difficult to top.

And, of course, those 1975-79 versions of "Rhiannon" just blow the studio version out of the water...but, depending on my mood, sometimes the studio version sounds better than other times when I'm listening to it.

Most every song from Heroes Are Hard To Find that was played live during that brief '74 tour seemed to sound better than the studio versions...but, what blew me away was that they faithfully recreated songs like "Angel" & "Coming Home" live that I thought would have to be rearranged to pull off in a concert setting...like what they did with "Bermuda Triangle" (left out the acoustic guitar/conga intro and replaced it with a way cooler piano intro by Christine)

- Sisters of the Moon

- Rhiannon (obviously I'm talking 70's live and not now, no offense FM)

- Landslide (the album version is beautiful, but I definitely prefer it raw)

- Say Goodbye

- I'm So Afraid (I can barely listen to the White album version b/c of the faint vocals, although Stevie's high harmonies always amaze me)

- Gold Dust Woman (although the studio version is practically perfect in every way)

- Come (I don't like the production of the album version)

I can't think of anything else at the moment but I'm sure more will come to me later.

hmm tough..but,

Gold Dust Woman
SEcond Hand News
Go Insane
Isn't it Midnight
World Turning
and
Stand Back (hate me now)

just to name a few....Tusk sounds pretty awesome live, too

Blue Letter, SOTM, Come, Say Goodbye, NGBA (until recently), ISA, Don't stop (more rock n' roll :)), World turning, Why, Big love (though i'm tired of it), ANGEL (this one is a no contest).

Cool choices.I`d also add Black Magic Woman .

Say Goodbye is the only one that really comes to mind as blowing the studio version out of the water. Otherwise, I appreciate both live AND studio versions of most Mac songs. For instance, I prefer the live Go Insane, but the kooky studio version is endearing as well. Sisters Of The Moon is Fleetwood Mac's paramount tour-de-force live song, but it's also a brilliant studio track. The studio production of Say Goodbye is just plain awful, but it's a heartbreakingly beautiful song live. :nod:

Beautiful Child
 

I love both versions but Beautiful Child from live in Boston. Something about Stevie's voice at that time and how she sings it...coupled with just Lindsey. Also love how she ends it...The studio version leaves me wanting more!

Station Man.

I'm going with Gold Dust Woman, Landslide, and the The Chain.

Gold Dust Woman and The Chain are better live due to the more forceful vocals from Lindsey, Stevie and Christine.

Landslide is better as I find the album version tempo too fast and too sappy/bouncy.



*Special shout-out to live Sisters of the Moon and Songbird. :cool:

Let me see, let me see...

I agree with I'm so Afraid, Oh Well, Not that funny, Rhiannon, Come and Say Goodbye.
And maybe not ALWAYS, but listening to some live versions, other songs I can put too are Monday Morning (the Live version), The Chain, Tusk (especially the 1979 versions), and Murrow.
Regards!

Say Goodbye
would love to say Tango in the Night, hope some day it will come true.
Rhiannon
I'm So Afraid
Isn't it Midnight
World Turning
definitely Stand Back
Songbird

thought their live versions sound cool, I go for the studio of Tusk, GYOW, GDW and The Chain.

I found this 1982 setlist. Does anybody has the audio of the Brown Eyes live?
1982 Mirage tour

Eyes of the World!! I think it sounds so much better live. I hope to God they play it on this year's tour!

Eyes of the World
Landslide (sometimes)
Everywhere (Dance version)
Not That Funny
Angel (album version drags)
Why
Rhiannon
Bleed to Love Her

Rhiannon until just after the Mirage Tour. Although, every now and then she does a version that still makes me go "wow"
The Chain... but only on the Mirage Tour.
Ditto Sisters Of The Moon.
Gold Dust Woman is tricky, I'd say the album version matches the live performances - even though GDW is the song Stevie always knocks outta the park.
Eyes of the World.
Big Love.
Everywhere.
Isn't It Midnight.

There are some live versions of Brown Eyes on Youtube. While I think Brown Eyes is the most perfect song Fleetwood Mac ever recorded, it unfortuntely transferred to stage very poorly.

World Turning for sure. Sisters of the Moon is another one. Landslide is great live also.

Eyes of the World. The studio version sounds too constricted musically much like many of Lindsey-produced songs. Another more resent example is SYW's Smile at You where he appears to over do it in the studio until the song gets boiled down to a mechanical sounding shell of a song without any real depth. I think he did it to a certain degree with Hold Me (I do like to demo version for the full chorus much like the live Eyes of the World chorus). The live version of Eyes of the World sounds like a full-harmonious song. :thumbsup:

good topic!

i agree with many here and as i read responses i keep remembering more and more songs that sound better live:

ISA definitely - any live version is spectacular (and there are so many different ones), while album version is just plain boring
Come - album version is not bad, but different live versions are spectacular - same as ISA, real show-stopper
Murrow - Soundstage version is much better than album
World Turning (if we could just get rid of the 10-min drum solo :p)
Eyes Of The World - Live in Boston version is pure perfection (live Mirage one not so much)
Big Love - no comparison there! showpiece live
The Chain
Beautiful Child - hormonies live are beautiful, i miss them on the album
Storms - see BC
Gold Dust Woman (although i think Courtney Love's version gives it interesting, deep, rocking, and great twist)

I disagree with Second Hand News being better live - there are tons of crappy live versions and just some more recent versions were good, while i can never tire of the studio version - pure pop perfection.
Similar with Hold Me (neither demo or live versions can even approach the perfect pop album version).

I have never heard a bad version of Bleed to Love Her - on the album, demo, live with the band, live solo, it's always perfect and always slightly different.

My choices would be

1. Landslide- Most live versions are much better then the album version
2. Rhiannon- Also a song where the live versions were much better.
3. Say Goodbye- I thought the album version was alright but the guitar music was a distraction as the temp was too fast. The live version invokes more emotion.
4. Bleed To Love Her- I never cared for the album version but I love the live versions.
5. Eyes of The World- Say You Will tour version was great. I always thought the album version was just average.
6. Everywhere- The live versions blow the album version out of the water. I never liked the original version but the live performances were really good (especially the Dance version)
7. Silver Springs - The original version is good but for some reason I find it too fast. The slowed down version from the Dance was a masterpiece. You could feel the emotion in the music.
8. The Chain- Not all of the live versions worked (I dislike the Mirage video version with Stevie's wailing) but most of the time it sounds great live.
9. Beautiful Child- The album version is good but when it was done live in 03-04 it was great.
10.Tusk - I was not a fan of the album version but some of the live versions such as the Dance version are really good.

If I had to chose songs that sound terrible live

Little Lies- Great album version but the live versions were not that good. I just don't think it translates well to the stage

Seven Wonders- I would love to hear this song live but I worry because the Tango Tour version was not the greatest.

Never Going Back Again- On one hand it is a pleasure to watch live but yet when you think of the album version I don't like how he has really slowed it down.

World Turning- I was never a big fan of this song and watching Mick act all Tarzan banging his chest is a sight I hope to never to see again.
Matt

On the one hand, I agree with this. The pace that Lindsey has been playing it recently really drags the song down, literally. It feels like it's in slow motion, and every syllable is held out and emphasized and I personally find it quite tiresome.

That said, I think earlier live versions that were more up-tempo were truly awesome. The versions with John on acoustic bass especially really gave it something neat. The song can be incredible live - it's really a shame.

Thank You. I think I'm in for John and Lindsey fandom.
:]:D ;) :p

Ok I went overboard with the similes :sorry:

From the Pre-Rumors lineup I'd say:

Like Crying, Station Man, Spare Me a Little, Bermuda Triangle, Believe Me (1973-74 live versions), and Why.

From the Rumours line up, I'd say:

Tusk, Eyes of the World, Angel, Isn't it Midnight, Silver Springs, Big Love, and (sometimes) The Chain.

I agree with this 100 percent. Those live versions of the Heroes songs have real energy and are at the same time slick. The album versions sound a tad sapped of energy.

The ones I think sound the best live are...

Second Hand News
I Know I'm Not Wrong
Save Me a Place (if my memory serves me well)
Gold Dust Woman
Rhiannon (in the '70s)
Landslide
All of Stevie's Tusk songs
Eyes of the World
Blue Letter
Goodbye Baby
Say Goodbye
Farmer's Daughter
Silver Springs
I'm not including Chris's songs since, well, it would just make me sad :)

Songs I don't like so much live are...
World Turning
Dreams
I'm so Afraid
Rhiannon (not bad but pales with her older versions)
Gypsy
Tusk (I liked it with Christine on accordion, though)
Stand Back
Go Your Own Way (I liked it live in the '70s, not so much anymore)


Kevin

Welcome to The Ledge! You'll love it here... we're crazy in the best way :)

The song that comes to mind as being better live is Eyes Of The World from the Say You Will tour. The drums in the intro, the great vocal - just fantastic! I agree with Louie about Say Goodbye too.

I agree with some of your opinions. Not with others...
- Yes, I think the only good things of the 1982 version of The Chain were both solos, at the start and at the end, not the possessed Stevie... :sorry:
- Come on, the studio versions of Everywhere and Big Love are the best!! Even when I really love the Dance performance of the first one.
- Soundstage version of Murrow rocks!!
- I can feel the emotion on the original Silver Springs too...
- Stevie's voice in Eyes of the World sounds like a B52s' female voice. It's ok with Kate, Cindy, and the B52s, but I don't like the Boston version. (don't kill me!!! hehehe)
Regards!

Yeah! And I would say exactly the same thing about the White Album songs.

I agree with the person who said World Turning if we could get rid of Mick`s drum solo.Mick, after the 3rd time, its super bad and annoying. :p

About the Chain, I still really miss the way that the pre-"The Dance" live versions continued on beyond the "Chain ... keep us together" tag lines, with Lindsey continuing the guitar solo and tearing up the place. In fact, one of my favorite examples of this is the 1979 St Louis version. I was very disappointed in many things when I first heard "The Dance" (most of all the tepid, sterile, "un-live-like" production), but I was especially surprised that they performed The Chain this way with the abrupt stop at the last tag line, which was exactly how Lindsey performed it on the Out of The Cradle tour. I wanted the old FM version.

But considering that Mick has to have a drum solo, is there another song that you would nominate for him to have it in?

Since I really don't like World Turning, I don't mind having it there, but I've been thinking of other places it could go.

If Christine were here, I'd actually select an off kilter song like Honey Hi, because it's simple and he could break it up and do an expansive solo after the real body of the song was over which, if done right, could actually enhance the song when the rest of the band came back and fell in.

Michele

Memory is not serving right....did they actually perform WT during Unleashed? I could have swore his solo was during Tusk last time.

Yes they did...drum solo and all.

ok, thx....I remember this now. Hmm I say not bad version and I still like Mick's solo (if he laid off the mike...alot)

that said...with LB's overdubs from this last one, it got me thinking wouldn't BL done in this style (of course electric) be a great spot for his solo?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uQTZGGCmxQ

I think that just a regular drum solo would be cool, but its that body suit drums I don`t like. I don`t like Mick beating the crap out of his chest for 5+ minute s. Just my opinion though.

Hm, I've always thought that version of The Chain from the Mirage Video is by far the best version of that song that they ever played live. It surpasses the studio version, The Dance, and any bootleg from any year that I've heard.

I thought the World Turning drum solo was MUCH better in 2009 without the body pad nonsense that Mick had been doing for years. But I do think it's time for a change...World Turning, eh, I've always seen it as a stinker in particular without Christine. I'm also not sure I'm keen on resurrecting Not That Funny as the drum solo location either...so who knows. Tusk is an interesting idea actually..

And I don't like hearing Mick chant incoherently, while sputtering and spitting into the mic, but I guess given everything he's created, I have to indulge him just a wee bit and hope it's over with quickly.

Michele

Sister's of the Moon
Rhiannon (up until like '89 no offense FM it's still sounds great)
I'm So Afraid- classic show stopper
Everywhere- The Dance Version is better than the studio one
Not That Funny
Tusk- especially with the marching band
Go Your Own Way- I love it when Stevie Sings in that because i get the feeling she's not a fan of that songs and I think you know why.
World Turning- Sounds pretty awesome
Monday Morning
Say You Love Me- I loved the banjo version from the Dance
All in all Fleetwood Mac has a reputation for being practically flawless live so...