Silver Springs Should Have Been a Top 10 Hit

[BLY]

After 43 years I still get the chills listening to end chorus of the studio version of Silver Springs. The 5.1 SS mix even amplifies the chill.😎

[Steviegirl]

It is such a beautiful and rich song. I'm glad it was finally discovered by so many. I first heard it as the b-side to GYOW on a jukebox, and I played it all the time. I also love it on the box set. I love that version so much that I never warmed up to The Dance version and actually cringe every time I hear that beginning, 'Siiiilver Springs' because it sounds super off-key to me. I'm glad everyone else loves it though. It was always one of my favorite FM songs.

[bombaysaffires]

gorgeous song and such an excellent example of LB's production skills on her songs. Her demo is so bare bones and other than the melody nothing at all like the finished product. Another one of those songs where Christine was like "what the hell do I do with this?" until Lindsey came up with a plan.... the slow intro, then the downbeat into the full on song, the gorgeous tinkling acoustic guitar, the gorgeous solo, the big build up at the end. None of that was on the demo. Her original melody line was also more country and was tweaked in places. Far, far better than I Don't Wanna Know.

[cbBen]

They should have kept it in their hip pocket for the next record. See, the band could have said to Lindsey something along the lines of "95% of Tusk can be how you want it. Let's please just include some overtly commercial material to accommodate other concerns." "Silver Springs" could have been held for just such a purpose.

Jackson Browne did this with all his pre-Running On Empty albums. Almost all down-tempo introspective stuff that would never make the radio, but one (maybe two) songs on each album that were clearly written for the radio ("Doctor My Eyes" "Redneck Friend" "Road And The Sky" "Here Come Those Tears Again"). He wasn't selling out. He was in fact seeing and navigating the big picture while keeping his artistic integrity in tact.

"Silver Springs" was too good to make a non-album B-side.

[BLY]

Silver Springs got a lot of airplay back in 1977/1978 for a b side.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by BLY

Silver Springs got a lot of airplay back in 1977/1978 for a b side.

I don't remember EVER hearing it on the radio.

[BLY]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

I don't remember EVER hearing it on the radio.

I was in the Philadelphia area at the time and the song was played a lot. They started playing it mostly during around the release of Tusk and before the release of Mirage.

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

I don't remember EVER hearing it on the radio.

You must have been living in the backwoods LOL

It was a staple of classic rock stations in the early 80s at least where I lived and I lived in the sticks. We never even got MTV until 1986 no matter how many times me and my friends called the cable company to say I WANT MY MTV!!!

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by cbBen

They should have kept it in their hip pocket for the next record. See, the band could have said to Lindsey something along the lines of "95% of Tusk can be how you want it. Let's please just include some overtly commercial material to accommodate other concerns." "Silver Springs" could have been held for just such a purpose.

Jackson Browne did this with all his pre-Running On Empty albums. Almost all down-tempo introspective stuff that would never make the radio, but one (maybe two) songs on each album that were clearly written for the radio ("Doctor My Eyes" "Redneck Friend" "Road And The Sky" "Here Come Those Tears Again"). He wasn't selling out. He was in fact seeing and navigating the big picture while keeping his artistic integrity in tact.

"Silver Springs" was too good to make a non-album B-side.

True
It would have been great on Tusk

Its amazing the material they had to put Silver Springs on a B side. I always thought Sleeping Angel was too good to give away to a movie soundtrack. It could have been a single off Bella Donna or Wild Heart. What about "All the beautiful worlds" It never made it to an album nor a B side.

However look at the big picture. They were just beginning to peak and gel. They were constantly writing new stuff. In their minds there was better stuff yet to come. Looking back is Monday morning quarterbacking and easy to cast doubt. But when you are churning out endless hits and album sales its easy to lose focus and not appreciate the finer things.

[cbBen]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

True
It would have been great on Tusk

Its amazing the material they had to put Silver Springs on a B side. I always thought Sleeping Angel was too good to give away to a movie soundtrack. It could have been a single off Bella Donna or Wild Heart. What about "All the beautiful worlds" It never made it to an album nor a B side.

However look at the big picture. They were just beginning to peak and gel. They were constantly writing new stuff. In their minds there was better stuff yet to come. Looking back is Monday morning quarterbacking and easy to cast doubt. But when you are churning out endless hits and album sales its easy to lose focus and not appreciate the finer things.

Agree 100% on "Sleeping Angel." That song and "Garbo" are better than some of what's on Bella Donna and at least should have been held for Wild Heart. (Don't know "All The Beautiful Worlds.")

But you're right about hindsight. They probably thought the fountain of quality material was not apt to run dry.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by cbBen

"Sleeping Angel." That song and "Garbo" are better than some of what's on Bella Donna and at least should have been held for Wild Heart.

Bella Donna is PERFECT just like it is.

I think the $tevie fans who don't like it, don't like it because it has a couple COUNTRY tinged songs. That's what makes it perfect for me. It sounds like The Eagles are her backing band!

Leave Bella Donna alone! You have my permission to pick on ANYTHING else $he's ever done!

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by cbBen

Agree 100% on "Sleeping Angel." That song and "Garbo" are better than some of what's on Bella Donna and at least should have been held for Wild Heart. (Don't know "All The Beautiful Worlds.")

But you're right about hindsight. They probably thought the fountain of quality material was not apt to run dry.

Really? You don't know this song? It almost made Wild Heart. Many years later Stevie flirted with putting it on the B side to Nightbird. She obviously was proud of it. The era 1975-1983 was full of such great songs. Unfortunately some of them never get to shine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ud3nlQPXwD8

[BombaySapphire3]

Originally Posted by cbBen

Agree 100% on "Sleeping Angel." That song and "Garbo" are better than some of what's on Bella Donna and at least should have been held for Wild Heart. (Don't know "All The Beautiful Worlds.")

But you're right about hindsight. They probably thought the fountain of quality material was not apt to run dry.

Garbo was held and recorded for the Wild Heart it. Much like Silver Springs before it the song ended up as the b-side to the first single.