Has "Songbird" been cut?

[bombaysaffires]

I guess I was thinking of Chris' interview with Johnnie Walker about Songbird, just before they announced her return.

JW: And another song that often used to end Fleetwood Mac concerts was Songbird.

CM: (makes a kind of quiet laugh/exhale sort of sound). Yeah.

JW: Why do you react to that like that?

CM: Well, because I just felt that…. look, it became absolutely…part of the show that I had to go and do Sonbird at the end of the concert and I could never figure it out why couldn't we do it, sort of … second from last encore and then do… something rousing at the end. But they always thought it was great to end with that. But you could hear a pin drop when I sang that song and uh…. it just seemed to really move people to hear that at the very end. Seemed to calm people down, rather than get them pumped up. They would applaud and the whole band would come back on and bow. And people just left quietly coz it just seemed to be calming.

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by bombaysaffires

CM: Well, because I just felt that…. look, it became absolutely…part of the show that I had to go and do Sonbird at the end of the concert and I could never figure it out why couldn't we do it, sort of … second from last encore and then do… something rousing at the end. But they always thought it was great to end with that. But you could hear a pin drop when I sang that song and uh…. it just seemed to really move people to hear that at the very end. Seemed to calm people down, rather than get them pumped up. They would applaud and the whole band would come back on and bow. And people just left quietly coz it just seemed to be calming.

Yes, I know what she said. I knew what you were referencing. I just don't think she really dislikes the placement that much.

For some reason, they like the calming. I mean SN and LB do the same thing in their solo shows. CM did it in hers. Was that because she thought fans expected it and couldn't deviate?

Michele

[bombaysaffires]

Originally Posted by michelej1

Yes, I know what she said. I knew what you were referencing. I just don't think she really dislikes the placement that much.

For some reason, they like the calming. I mean SN and LB do the same thing in their solo shows. CM did it in hers. Was that because she thought fans expected it and couldn't deviate?

Michele

yes I figured you did.

It just seemed rather unambiguous to me that if not going along with the rest of the band or advisers or whoever else, she would prefer to go with a more rousing song as the very last piece the audience hears. She's made her opinions known to the band, but doesn't feel strongly enough about it to put up a fight about it.

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by bombaysaffires

yes I figured you did.

It just seemed rather unambiguous to me that if not going along with the rest of the band or advisers or whoever else, she would prefer to go with a more rousing song as the very last piece the audience hears. She's made her opinions known to the band, but doesn't feel strongly enough about it to put up a fight about it.

Why didn't she close with an upbeat song on her own tour?

Michele

[bombaysaffires]

Originally Posted by michelej1

Why didn't she close with an upbeat song on her own tour?

Michele

I don't know. You'd have to ask her. That was a long time ago.

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by bombaysaffires

I don't know. You'd have to ask her. That was a long time ago.

Perhaps because she felt that "calming" was best to close her own show too and in keeping with her personality. And, specifically for a live show with the audience leaving, as she described. Which is why they didn't use it at the end of her video album, because it wouldn't have the same effect there.

Michele

[Macfan4life]

I am a bit confused. Are we talking about the Christine McVie video album? If so, Songbird is played at the end. She tells everyone Merry Christmas and will see everyone on the road soon.
Maybe other copies don't have this song? I have the VHS tape and it includes songbird.

Is the injured finger speculation? Does anyone know if anything happened and how?

I think they just wanted to shorten the set a bit and decided to drop one encore and another song.

Songbird solo Country Club December 1983

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9wkh82ceAk