Fireflies
 

Fleetwood Mac needs to replace Stand Back with Fireflies. This song has obviously a great fit for this tour and I think Stevie can do it justice. Stand Back doesn't belong on a Fleetwood Mac set list. I'm sorry but the hairs on the back of my neck rise when the MAC does this. I love it at a Stevie show but not when I pay to see Fleetwood Mac.

I was just thinking how incredible it would be for them to do this song live now that CM's back when I was listening to it in the car yesterday. Is it a pipe dream? Stranger things have happened...

They can put Fireflies in the setlist, but it doesn't make people jump up and dance, so it's not going to replace Stand Back.

Michele

I could see it replacing "Gypsy".

That wasn't my point. Stand Back doesn't belong in a Fleetwood Mac set. (IMO)

Yes, I know you were saying that it doesn't belong in an FM setlist in another thread, but this time you offered another song as a specific replacement and I responded.

Michele

Am I the only one who just doesn't think "Fireflies" is a very good song?

Yes. :laugh:

Just kidding. I love the song very much, and I believe it would be a wonderful addition~especially since the five fireflies are back together again.

no, you are not.

Thank You!...... Again, love the the song but not at a Fleetwood Mac show.

Yes!! What a great substitute for this overplayed live tune.

This song would mean so much now that the five members are reunited. I'm all for it. They did just tour last year, so they should be more up for a varied/different feeling set.

I absolutely agree. There are many other Stevie solo songs that would fit better than SB, if a Stevie solo song is needed. Now that Christine is back, they really should stick to the FM songbook from ALL eras. SB is out of place and out of time in an FM show, and it always has been (IMO). Fireflies would be a great substitute and so fitting now.

I remember during the Dance tour, they did Fireflies... And at that point of the show, a lot of people were walking out (weirdos who wanted to to get out of the parking early) And I remember standing there, in the middle of a nearly empty venue, lights up, singing along.... With about 50 people, to one of my favorite FM moments of live concerts..... Yes, it was surreal... And it was fantastic! I didn't think I would ever see that again!

I could only wish in a dream that there would be a concert for People who REALLY only wanted to see the magic and songs... Not just a concert for the masses.... However... A concert for ... Us...... Guess that has been the disconcern on this board for...ever!

Are you thinking of Farmer's Daughter.

Michele

Sorry, but, Fleetwood Mac's versions of "Stand Back" are infinitely better than Stevie's own touring band versions. Plus, it's been a "Fleetwood Mac" song since 1987...I could see your point in say, 1988, but it's 2014, GET OVER IT!!!!!

And, they released a live version of the song on the box set in 1992.

You have a point. Plus, when they only have 5 albums to choose from, they need an extra song or two. Wonder if they'll do any SYW.

Wait a second. You're telling me that they have played Fireflies live before and on The Dance tour no less? Are there any recordings of that?

They've performed it live (at least to their crew members, if that small audience counts as "live"), but not during The Dance.

They did Fireflies, One More Night and Farmer's Daughter at the same time.

Michele

Well I would be mightily impressed if Stevie dug out "Fireflies" for the upcoming tour, particularly if it replaced the god-awful "Stand Back". As I've said in other threads, I think "Fireflies" should be recorded for the new Mac album and if this occurred, it would be a natural progression for it to be performed live.
Getting back to "Stand Back", I'm in the camp that believes it should only be performed during Stevie solo shows. I've never thought it worked with the Mac arrangement and it's also one of those tracks that just gets worse with age (in solo shows as well).

I completely understand Stevie needing a fast rock song to do. Never understood why switch it up with stop dragging my heart around. It soundslike a Mac song. Edge of 17 wouldn't work at all. I think they should re record fire flies as a proper studio track. She can still nail it. Don't get me wrong. I love Stand Back. She does it better with the Mac because she doesn't wear down her voice with them. She's 65? We are lucky they are still touring often.
And by the way everyone relax. Stevie will be in the studio! They want drama and us to hang on the edge of our seats. I swear the members or one if their people read in here and other fan sights. They have to. Too busy to talk to fans what other way to see what we want? Which ledge member is the mole?!?! Come forward lol

If they take out "Stand Back" they'd have to take out "Go Insane" for the same reasons.

But Go Insane hasn't been in the setlist in awhile anyway.

Michele

They did Farmer's Daughter not Fireflies on The Dance Tour. And I'm also one of the people who thinks Fireflies is not a good song. In fact, it's rather weak imo. I also used to think Stand Back didn't belong in an FM set but since as someone pointed out that it has been performed since 1987, most people I know go to see FM with me now fully expecting Stand Back to be performed. It is as essential as Landslide or Gypsy which is my mom's favorite. At 80 years old, she would be heartbroken to not hear her favorite song Gypsy - which I must add I think was performed beautifully during the last tour. I'd say put in Seven Wonders, Love Is Dangerous, Paper Doll. No Questions Asked or some other rare track that has never been or seldom been performed. Or put in Say You Will, Thrown Down or Straight Back!

StevieNicksfann, they are all great alternate choices, but I must disagree with you regarding "Fireflies" vs "Stand Back".

I have, coincidentally, been listening to Fireflies a lot lately. The message of the song seems befitting for the moment so I say it would be cool if they performed it.

Although they do a good job with it, I never liked Stand Back in the FM set, never will. Period.

http://i1361.photobucket.com/albums/...ps5f1cdb52.jpg

"Fireflies" is on the "Fleetwood Mac Live" album (recorded at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium for crew and friends) and was the flip side of the "Over My Head" ( I have both the OMH/Fireflies 45 & the "Sara/Farmers Daughter Maxi disc) single from the "Fleetwood Mac Live" album...

It's a decent song, which could have been a great song if it had gotten the studio treatment of Gypsy, Sisters of the Moon or any number of Stevie tracks from that era.

The reason it sounds outdated at this point owes more to a lack of imagination than anything else. It could be rearranged to reflect a more contemporary sound. Think about how Lindsey rearranged Everywhere for The Dance. To me, it sounded better than the original.

However, the point may be moot. In hearing HAIM and several other newer bands, I notice 80s-type synthesizer tracks are coming back.

I've always thought it sounded a bit like filler, to be honest. However, I do like the sentiments the song is conveying, though. This tour would seem like a very appropriate time to resurrect the song, with the 5th firefly returning & John's ailing health.

Regarding it replacing Stand Back in the set... I just don't know. I get the contention that a solo song should not be in the Mac set, and fully agree with that assertion. That being said, Stand Back is one of the few songs left in the setlist that is really high energy, and gets people to their feet. If I had my way, Fireflies would replace something tired, like Landslide... or Rhiannon, which is just plain awful these days. However, neither of these will happen. And I don't really want Fireflies to replace Gold Dust Woman, Dreams, or Gypsy... so I'm not sure where it would find a home.

I agree that Stand Back needs to be dropped. If Fleetwood Mac needs songs with more energy, then they should have been recording them in years past. Fleetwood Mac's rendition of Stand Back are horrible anyway, and sound nothing like the song on The Wild Heart.

Everybody Finds Out and Second Hand News have loads of energy - if they need energy, there are other choices. Running Through The Garden. Big Love (album version). Seven Wonders. Love Is Dangerous. Save Me.

I'd love Fireflies to be back in the set.

I guess it all depends on how you look at it. If you want to please the masses, then Stand Back is in. Probably most casual fans don't know or even distinguish between Stevie's solo song and Fleetwood Mac songs. I personally never liked the live version of Stand Back very much. Also, I know when I go to a Fleetwood Mac show that I am only going to get 6-8 Stevie songs, so I sure in the heck do NOT want one of them to be Stand Back. :) I personally love Fireflies and think that it would be such an appropriate song for this tour.

My two cents. :)

Kevin

They need to go back to the way they used to perform Stand Back if it's going to stay in the set (The Dance tour or SYW tour) as the SYW version of the song is hands down the best they've ever done it with The Dance version a close second. The album version of the song is so incredibly dated now that I can't even listen to it anymore without cringing and I actually fully consider it a Mac song now.

I agree that they could replace it with something along the lines of Running Through The Garden or Everybody Finds Out but most casual concert goers don't know those tunes and in the world of rock radio, Stand Back is more universally known to people and will thus stay in the Mac set until the band is done. It's pretty much just fact at this point and I know a lot of people hate acknowledging it. However, Fireflies (imo) was never that strong of a song. Always felt a bit B-Side-ish to me.

Nah. The Rick Vito version was the best.

Oh, my bad. I haven't been to a Mac or Stevie show in a few years, shows what I know. :) Now if they still played it, my argument against it vs. Stand Back would be that at least Stand Back is a band effort. Lindsey even sings on it. Go Insane was just him and his guitar.

Lindsey doesn't sing on Stand Back. He is mouthing the words, which is what you see on camera, but he's not at his mic actually singing. He's just gesturing, pantomiming for the audience and is not audible.

But yes, he's on stage for Stand Back.

Michele

They actually did Go Insane as an ensemble piece on the Unleashed tour in 2009.