Great Stuff! I hardly can add anything to these ideas.
I agree with Les that this was a follow-up to Go Insane and is about Carol Ann Harris. As she said, it seems to express feelings that are not as painfully fresh as the Go Insane songs and in retrospect is more about the reality of the situation after a passage of time than the in-the-moment emotion of it.
Time recedes with a fatal drop could be the dawning realization of the relationship's finality.
Lindsey presents a more critical look at some aspects of Carol Ann's character. The music is stronger, more confident - there's not such a "wounded" feel.
There wasn't much to be found in the Blue Letter Archives that specifically relates to Caroline, only one reference. Here are a couple of excerpts from reviews of Tango that would be pertinent to this discussion:
Philadelphia Inquirer - 4/87
On both "Caroline" and "Family Man," Buckingham repeats the title phrase until it's nearly meaningless, but he surrounds that meaninglessness with rich, thick layers of guitar and drums to achieve a serene, dreamy sound that's hypnotizing.
New York Times - 5/87
(LB) "When the group left the road after the 'Mirage' tour, there were many issues left unresolved. This album is as much about healing our relationships as 'Rumours' was about dissension and pain within the group. The songs look back over a period of time that in retrospect seems almost dreamlike."
Barbara
I can't resist this new "wavey"!
