Let's Show Some love For... "Straight Back"!

[Phil]

I've always liked "Straight Back" however I would have preferred that the the song it replaced been left where it was. Back when the "Mirage" album was being recorded Stevie was asked what she had on the new album. She said "I have three songs, one called "Gypsy", one called "That's Alright" that goes back to the Buckingham Nicks days and another called "Smile At You"."
"Smile At You" was dropped when Lindsey decided that the song was too angry and that wasn't the direction they wanted to take the album. Too bad, because the version of "Smile At You" recorded then is vastly superior to the "Say You Will" version. I think too much time had passed and the anger was gone.

I agree. I never knew Stevie had spoken about her contributions to Mirage prior to it's release, but her comments would indicate that a finished version of Smile At You from that period exists. Of all the versions I have heard, from 1976 to 2003, the Mirage sessions were definitely the best. Nothing matches the power of her vocals at that time - as ragrsrocalot says, they just sounded effortless.

It's also a shame the band didn't wish to pursue this direction for the album - I think a little anger would have humanised the sterility of proceedings. There are good to great songs aplenty but overall, it's all too subdued and ultimately, not satisfying.

This discussion just makes me pine all the more for a remastered reissue of the Mirage album. If it followed the style of the three reissues from 2004 and had a second disc of alternate versions and outtakes, it would most certainly have to include both Smile At You and the original version of Straight Back.

Why oh why won't Mick milk this opportunity that is right under his nose? The same goes for the 1980 Live album and Tango In The Night. For very little outlay, these reissues could easily recoup whatever costs were involved. Even in this digital, illegal downloading age, these could sell well, especially given the correct marketing strategy. The group's apathy concerning this matter truly mystifies me.

The lyrics actually remind me of Daedalus and Icarus a bit.

But my favorite part of the song is the "hours and hours of waiting". Waiting is as heartbreaking and compelling a component of unfulfilled love as loss is, but I don't think it gets the same representation in poems, music or literature. There's something about this song that captures both the hope and emptiness of waiting. Anticipation can buoy you one minute and then turn around and stab you in the chest, when nothing comes of it. Yet, you'd do it again, open yourself up for the same disappointment. You'll continue to wait.

I love the feelings this song stirs up. Love Christine on it. Loved the way this song preceded Hold Me on the album. Stevie talked about a rumpled ball of tuskness, but Mirage is like a rumpled ball of yearning. It's like a wound you don't feel yet, because you're still drugged. So, you're drifting in a dreamlike state, floating in gauze, anesthetic and pretty orchestration. Feels really good now, but you know the pain is coming down the line.

Michele, I love your posting - the sense of yearning contained within Mirage is apparent but could have been better exploited with a little more fire and energy.

I also always liked Christine's harmony vocal on Straight Back (particularly the "like a wolf on the run" line) and the way her piano wove around Stevie during the second verse. I agree, the sequencing from Straight Back to Hold Me was quite inspired.

By the way, I would not have omitted Straight Back, I simply would have included Smile At You as well. If the vinyl time constraints had made it necessary to ditch one track, I would have opted for either Only Over You or Oh Diane (both rubbish in my opinion).

Come to think of it, why was Stevie only relegated three songs again for this album? She was at the peak of her powers, both creatively and commercially (on the back of Bella Donna) yet she only garnered a quarter of the songs? From what I understand, she was present during the entire recording sessions, unlike what was to occur with Tango, so was she simply being punished for having made a successful solo record?

Why was this done, especially with no explanation? Is it not unheard of, to release an album, then go back and change a track, then keep releasing it? I wonder if the first pressing was rushed, to make a release date, or something....

The same thing happened with I Know I'm Not Wrong when the Tusk album was first issued on cd - different version and no explanation (I actually prefer the cd version with more prominent vocals from Stevie - it almost becomes a duet).

Of course, the single edit of Sara was also included on the first cd version but this was obviously done to conserve space and at least we already knew it existed as the single version.

Just noticed your post chiliD after I'd submitted mine. Hahaha - we seem to disagree about which particular version is the best!

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by Phil

I think a little anger would have humanised the sterility of proceedings. There are good to great songs aplenty but overall, it's all too subdued and ultimately, not satisfying.

Mirage sterile??? To me, Tango is the STERILE album! I know Mirage doesn't get much respect, but I much prefer it to Tango! Tango sounds to me, like Lindsey tinkering with digital recording and editing, for years, until every note is perfect. Tango doesn't sound like a BAND, playing! I think Tango stands the test of time, less than ALL the other albums.
I love me some Mirage. Why they don't remaster it, only shows how bad FM's business sense truly is!

[Phil]

Mirage sterile??? To me, Tango is the STERILE album! I know Mirage doesn't get much respect, but I much prefer it to Tango! Tango sounds to me, like Lindsey tinkering with digital recording and editing, for years, until every note is perfect. Tango doesn't sound like a BAND, playing! I think Tango stands the test of time, less than ALL the other albums.

HomerMcVie,

Please don't misunderstand me - I am fond of Mirage and I agree that Tango is definitely the most sterile, synthetic offering this quintet ever issued but that said, Mirage lacks the soul of Tusk, which of course preceded it.

That was my reaction upon first hearing Mirage and as unfair as it was to do, I guess I compared the two. Nothing could ever eclipse Tusk for me because it is my all time favourite album and of course, the styles of the albums are distinctly different but in my opinion, Mirage definitely didn't match it for quality.

I happen to adore all three of Stevie's tracks on Mirage and like most of the remaining tracks but don't consider them to be amongst the greatest of Lindsey's and Christine's output. Much of the album sounds half-hearted to these ears and yet Stevie's impassioned vocals and intense compositions lend an air of authenticity to proceedings.

[louielouie2000]

Originally Posted by Phil

HomerMcVie,

Please don't misunderstand me - I am fond of Mirage and I agree that Tango is definitely the most sterile, synthetic offering this quintet ever issued but that said, Mirage lacks the soul of Tusk, which of course preceded it.

That was my reaction upon first hearing Mirage and as unfair as it was to do, I guess I compared the two. Nothing could ever eclipse Tusk for me because it is my all time favourite album and of course, the styles of the albums are distinctly different but in my opinion, Mirage definitely didn't match it for quality.

I happen to adore all three of Stevie's tracks on Mirage and like most of the remaining tracks but don't consider them to be amongst the greatest of Lindsey's and Christine's output. Much of the album sounds half-hearted to these ears and yet Stevie's impassioned vocals and intense compositions lend an air of authenticity to proceedings.

I agree with everything you said. To me, Mirage is just sterile, formulaic, and soulless. I even prefer Tango to Mirage, simply because it's a better album, and because Lindsey and Christine's songs on Tango are exceedingly high quality. Lindsey's Mirage songs just plain stink in my opinion (sans Eyes Of The World), and Christine's aren't much better (sans Hold Me). Stevie's songs were good... but don't quite match the emotion of her songs on Tusk, or even Tango for that matter. People may blast Stevie's Tango contributions, but she was staggeringly raw and honest in her lyrics for Welcome To The Room... Sara, and When I See You Again. As a whole, Mirage just comes across to me as disingenuous. The kids were at the top of all of their respective games (just watch videos from the Mirage tour!!), but the album was just a phoned in middle of the road effort by burned out, spoiled rockers.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by louielouie2000

Lindsey's Mirage songs just plain stink in my opinion (sans Eyes Of The World), and Christine's aren't much better (sans Hold Me).

ARGGGHHHH! I love Can't Go Back, and Book of Love, and EVEN Empire State!!!

I'll give you, that Love in Store is fairly bland, even though I like it.......I blame Lindsey's production!!!

Okay, I'm willing to admit, that my love for Mirage, probably has more to do with the fact that I was a kid, when it came out. I LOVED Mirage! I still have vivid memories, of making my friends listen to it!

When I make a FM "MY hits" cd, Can't Go Back, That's Alright, and Book of Love, must ALWAYS be sequential!

[jaycee]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

ARGGGHHHH! I love Can't Go Back, and Book of Love, and EVEN Empire State!!!

I'll give you, that Love in Store is fairly bland, even though I like it.......I blame Lindsey's production!!!

Okay, I'm willing to admit, that my love for Mirage, probably has more to do with the fact that I was a kid, when it came out. I LOVED Mirage! I still have vivid memories, of making my friends listen to it!

When I make a FM "MY hits" cd, Can't Go Back, That's Alright, and Book of Love, must ALWAYS be sequential!

To be honest, I can't see why many FM fans don't like "Empire State". It bewilders me. That said, I wouldn't say I love it like most other LB songs.
I must say I don't like "Can't Go Back" or "Book Of Love" as much as I used to, at least at the moment... I still quite like them though...
I also quite like "Oh Diane", except if anyone else is listening to it with me - all I want to do then is die! I mean, it's not as if I can skip the track, because it feels like too much of a concession, seeing as their my favourite band! And if I don't, then it probably tarnishes their view of FM anyway! I remember listening to "Mirage" one time, and Dad just happened to come in, hand me dinner, sit down next to me with his own, and start listening to the end of "Hold Me"... which proceeded to the beginning of "Oh Diane"! I would've preferred Dad to have never had to endure that during his lifetime. That said, he didn't say anything, but I'm confident that he would've thought it was rubbish. Also unfortunately, I played the first disc of (Selections from) 25 Years - The Chain in the car during a trip in New Zealand, which contains "Oh Diane"... someone should've slapped Lindsey across the face when he decided to include it in the compilation (assuming it was his fault)! (Sorry Lindsey! )
As for "Eyes Of The World"... well, I don't like it as much as I used to, because I recently listened to it with headphones, and I heard all these extra annoying vocal noises at the start, which seemed silly to me.
(That reminds me - I listened to "Tango In The Night" two nights back, and what I originally thought was merely a long pause in the song was actually filled with similarly annoying noises... except these ones didn't annoy me! )
Having said all this, I actually still love his Mirage songs! Just not as much as his other ones, of course!
And I think all of Christine's and Stevie's songs are excellent on this album! I really don't understand why some people don't like "Only Over You". It's got me mystified...

[Artemis]

Empire State is probably in my top 5 Lindsey songs >_>

I wish they would re-release Mirage and put in Smile At You and If You Were My Love, then it would be a really really amazing album. It annoys me how Stevie's songs are (in my opinion) the best on the album, yet she only gets three, while Lindsey gets more songs and most of them are horrific (Oh Diane, anyone? Awful song)

Smile At You is best in the Mirage-era demos. I think it's totally, utterly, ruined in Say You Will. I like to pretend it never happened >_>

Edit - Woo, just as I posted this, I get Mirage and Street Angel through my letter box. Huzzah for ebay! =D

[Erin]

Originally Posted by jaycee

I really don't understand why some people don't like "Only Over You". It's got me mystified...

I'll tell you why: "I'm OUT of my mind..." It's like nails on a chalk board to me.

[Fiver]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

ARGGGHHHH! I love Can't Go Back, and Book of Love, and EVEN Empire State!!!

I'll give you, that Love in Store is fairly bland, even though I like it.......I blame Lindsey's production!!!

Okay, I'm willing to admit, that my love for Mirage, probably has more to do with the fact that I was a kid, when it came out. I LOVED Mirage! I still have vivid memories, of making my friends listen to it!

When I make a FM "MY hits" cd, Can't Go Back, That's Alright, and Book of Love, must ALWAYS be sequential!

Hey, I'm totally with you on this, and I just discovered FM. I went from Rumours to the White Album to Tusk to Mirage.. and so on..

And I freakin' LOVE Mirage.(This includes ALL of Lindsey and Stevie's songs and Christine's. Love in Store sounds great live.) My third favorite FM album after Tusk and Rumours.

Also, thank you, awesome people who posted the LP version of Straight Back and the rehearsal, you rock!

[jeffd8382]

Originally Posted by Fiver

Hey, I'm totally with you on this, and I just discovered FM. I went from Rumours to the White Album to Tusk to Mirage.. and so on..

And I freakin' LOVE Mirage.(This includes ALL of Lindsey and Stevie's songs and Christine's. Love in Store sounds great live.) My third favorite FM album after Tusk and Rumours.

Also, thank you, awesome people who posted the LP version of Straight Back and the rehearsal, you rock!

You're welcome! And in case anyone missed it... you can listen to the original LP version of "Straight Back" HERE (http://songsoftheday.synthasite.com) (under January 13, 2010), and compare for yourself with the CD version...

I really enjoy the LP version (getting to hear certain instruments and vocals that get a little buried in the remix), but having heard the CD version first (and for years)... it sounds a little flat without those vocal overdubs that were added (sounding almost like an early outtake version of the song to me).

[michelej1]

Originally Posted by Phil

I agree. I never knew Stevie had spoken about her contributions to Mirage prior to it's release, but her comments would indicate that a finished version of Smile At You from that period exists.

She said of the upcoming album:

I have 3 songs as it stands now, but I think we may replace one of them with another song. I wrote one of the songs a long, long time ago, even before Lindsey and I moved to LA. It's called It's Alright. It's very simple. Lindsey just plays some really nice guitar behind me. There's another song called If You Were My Love that I wrote about a year ago after I'd recorded Outside the Rain with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. I spent a week recording with them and I had so much fun that I was really bummed out when it was over. That's when I wrote that song.

There was also a song called Smile at You that I don't think we'll put on. I think Lindsey wants me to record another one and so do I. It's kind of a bitter song and that's really not where any of us are at right now, even thought it's a wonderful song. My songs don't take long to record, so it shouldn't be a problem.

[holidayroad]

Originally Posted by Phil

It's also a shame the band didn't wish to pursue this direction for the album - I think a little anger would have humanised the sterility of proceedings. There are good to great songs aplenty but overall, it's all too subdued and ultimately, not satisfying.

By the way, I would not have omitted Straight Back, I simply would have included Smile At You as well. If the vinyl time constraints had made it necessary to ditch one track, I would have opted for either Only Over You or Oh Diane (both rubbish in my opinion).

I think both versions of 'Smile At You' are good in their own ways. I'm sort of glad it didn't go on Mirage, because we would have never heard the Say You Will version. As for anger, I always felt that 'Straight Back' was a pretty angry song itself. And poor 'Oh Diane'! This song gets so picked on! I'm not saying it's Lindsey's best work, but I really like it!

[skuncles]

Since we're speaking of "Straight Back", several years ago I made a compilation of Stevie's more rocking songs for someone. I just grabbed a bunch of songs and put them together. After listening back to it though I realized that the first three songs sound very similar. Check it out, play these three songs back to back to back, in this order, and see if you agree:

Nothing Ever Changes
Smile At You ("walls are flaming, flaming" demo version)
Straight Back

To me these three just have the same feel/sound to them.

[TrueFaith77]

I put away my turntable but I'll have to check out the vinyl version. As it plays on my CD, I have to say (as I often say), it sounds like a Roxy Music song to me.