VERY hard to choose
The studio version....(which was the first one I heard) completely blew me away....Stevie's vocal conveyed such beauty and vunerability....and a bit of sadness and it really reflected what she was going through at the time...so on an emtional level...it really does 'tug at you' a bit....especially the "Did you say she was pretty?"..."Did you say that she loved you?"..."Baby I don't wanna know...." I wept the first time I ever heard that sadness in her voice...
The live version, now that Stevie is older, it STILL conveys the sadness and the wistfullness...but NOW there IS an edge to Silver Spring...as if she is saying...."How dare you do this to me!" IMO, there is a slight, very slight hint of anger to the ending of the song...which again, makes it all the more emotional
So ultimately, while I love them both....for sentiment alone, I will say the studio version is my favorite.
Laurie
