Let's talk about... THAT'S ALRIGHT
 

[I don't know where singatnight has been lately :shrug:, but I figured we should go ahead and start in on another song.]

That's Alright.

This is definitely a country-rooted song. As most of us know, it was called "Designs of Love" (a demo) waaay back in the BN era.

I love this song. I'll admit, when I first heard it on Mirage, I thought it was kind of... out of place. (It's sandwiched between two (odd) Lindsey songs. It's kind of funny -- out of the first five tracks, I lovelovelove 1, 3, and 5 (Love in Store, That's Alright, Gypsy, respectively).)
I've grown to love it and it's one of my favorite Stevie songs.

This has got to be about Lindsey, right? There's no doubt in my mind about that.

I really love "I decided yesterday that I would leave you... I'm alright" which then turns into "I hope you find a love, your own designs of love... that's alright"
It's like she's leaving him but she still wants the best for him.

Your turn. Love it? Hate it? Favorite lyrics?

I don't associate this song with Lindsey, but I do think the "I don't know why I always trusted" dovetails nicely with the sentiment that would come later in FFG and Thrown Down.

I had faith in you. I took what you said as the truth only. I believed in you and believing made me a fool. Again.

Indeed, you can parallel her turning around and getting pushed down in That's Alright, to being thrown down like a barricade years later.

To me "your own designs of love" suggests that the other person is looking for something out of a relationship that's unrealistic. She can't give it to him, but maybe he's created something in his head that no one else can give him either. She says she can't define love like it should be, but the implication is she knows what they have is not the way it should be, even though she doesn't know how to change it.

Maybe he asked her for another chance. She gave it time, "been taking my time," but nothing has changed. He knows that leaving has been on her mind and now she's made the final decision to do it.

Also, when she starts off waiting at the railway station, I can't help linking it to lyrics from another song on the album, "hours and hours of waiting this way."

Lyrically, I find "That's Alright" one of the least interesting of Stevie's songs and, for me, the vocal arrangement doesn't necessarily help the flat lyrics, as it usually does in FM/SN songs. The song is too straightforward. I don't dislike it though. I just don't get excited about it.

Michele

I absolutely LOVE this song! From the very first listen back in 1982 until right now, I feel the same way about it. Love all it's demos too. Man I really wish she would do an all country album some day.

I have to log in to respond and say that I love this song too.

I think it;s just about perfect as it is on Mirage - what I mean to say is that I really prefer the album cut to the demos and outtakes, not like with so much of the rest of FM stuff.

"Designs of love" was one of the phrases that always struck me as being telling and pretty.

I agree that the lyrics don't have enough of those uniquely "Stevie" qualities to rank with her classics, but it is a nice song. It has a pretty melody and the chorus harmonies on the Mirage version are quite rich.

I think it fits the mellow rock vibe of Mirage very well.

Very interesting connection there, Michele. Hadn't really connected it to "Thrown Down" before, but you're exactly right.

And Vivfox, I want to hear a Stevie country album too! "Red River Valley" and "It's Late" plus this one and a couple other countryish ones are great from Stevie.
Then I want a big band album, a la "At Last" .... I know, I'm a silly dreamer. ;)

Yes, I can see why it was a title. The phrase suggests to me something that is beautiful, but manufactured and artificial. A love that exists in dreams and theory, but not in life. In that way, it reminds me of "reinvent the pleasure," because it's as if you think love is something you can shape and control, but then you find it's not.

Michele

As a title, you're right. I read the same thing.

Musically... here's what I love..

Sometimes I think...

that I must have (all three blending their melodies and harmonies)
I must have been crazy.....

Lyrically... I think a lot revolves around the line...

The train sings the same kind of blues....

I know exactly what she means by this.. because ultimately we sometimes get the same blues only you're dating someone different and realize damn I've been here before....

Sounds good to me. And after the big band recording I want an entire rock-n-roll album with NO ballads.

Yes, I like that. And I like the way her voice gets high on "Ple- EASS -e" and then comes down for "I've been taking my time." It kind of does make the "please" a plea.

Michele

I adore this tune... I think it's as Fleetwood Mac as it gets... and the musicians give it that train / semi-country feel... a true team effort... driven by Stevie..

How did I not notice this thread?! I love this song. It's one of my favourite Stevie tracks with the Mac and is an underrated gem.

Then again, I suppose I would say that as I love country music and am a big fan of all of Stevie's country related tracks (After The Glitter Fades and Too For From Texas among others).

I'm not actually sure who this is about. Lindsey is the obvious choice because the song talks so much about waiting and hanging around for a relationship to get better. The things is though, this song may actually be about herself more than anyone else. As unusual as it is for Stevie to use the first person when talking about herself in songs (she usually uses the 3rd ("her/she"), the sparse arrangement of this song kind of makes it appropriate for a far more direct form of address. Am I being a bit too serious with this?! haha!

As for the lyrics that others have described as "flat" etc I think that they work well with the country arrangement, They fit with how straight to the point most country lyrics are. There's often not much room in country music for such mystical lyrics as she often writes! It's a great blend of style and lyric.

Has everyone heard the Nora O'Connor version? It's excellent. Commercially available, on itunes.

By the way, did they ever perform this live? I haven't heard anyive versions of this song and it's sadly missing from the Mirage show.

I love this song. And, I don't think it's about anyone. It's just a straight up country song. I'm glad it saw the light of day for Mirage, and the cleanliness of that recording is nice with LB's harmony, but I do prefer the demo.