Mirage Update From Ken

[FuzzyPlum]

Originally Posted by James89

I've never understood why Gypsy only ever reached #12 but I can understand why it didn't in other places, especially here in the UK, because the Mac had decreased in popularity and Stevie was not huge as a solo artist.

The only comparison I can make is to Edge of Seventeen. That song is Stevie's most popular, most iconic and famous and yet it wasn't her most successful in terms of chart positions or sales. If you told people that Edge of Seventeen reached #1 they probably wouldn't bat an eyelid but it only reached #11. So did Rhiannon! It's all very weird...

Yes, I can understand it in the UK- Mirage is by far the least lauded album by the 'classic' band in the UK, perhaps because they didn't tour here. Mirage was quite a US-centric period of time. Mainly surprised by its performance in the US and Canada.
I'm actually surprised Hold Me didnt chart at all in the UK though. I would have thought that would have had much more of an appeal to the UK audience at that time.

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by James89

I've never understood why Gypsy only ever reached #12 but I can understand why it didn't in other places, especially here in the UK, because the Mac had decreased in popularity and Stevie was not huge as a solo artist.

The only comparison I can make is to Edge of Seventeen. That song is Stevie's most popular, most iconic and famous and yet it wasn't her most successful in terms of chart positions or sales. If you told people that Edge of Seventeen reached #1 they probably wouldn't bat an eyelid but it only reached #11. So did Rhiannon! It's all very weird...

Having chart hits at #11 and #12 are HUGE HITS
If a rock band charts at #12 on the pop charts, it probably is top 5 on rock stations. In addition during the 80s most of us heard most of the songs watching MTV over the radio. Gypsy was a huge MTV staple.
Hold Me is an instant hit from the first time you hear it. It got locked at #4 for weeks because I think there was some huge pop song locked at #1 for weeks.
I wish Love In Store was the first single WITH a video. I think that song would have made top 10 instead of 22.

Trivia question about charts. What is the biggest #2 single of all time?
Foreigner..waiting for a girl like you spent 10 weeks at #2. Olivia Newton John's Physical was at #1 for 9 weeks

[James89]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

Olivia Newton John's Physical was at #1 for 9 weeks

How it was I'll never know. What I do know is that Stevie's Bella Donna outsold her album and she thus became the best selling female album artist in the US in both 1981 and 1982. And she had a #1 album with Mirage in 1982!

My god. From 1981-1983, Stevie really was extremely popular. An extremely popular solo artist that was just as popular in a legendary band. Wow. She must have earned a lot of money in those three years. 3 extremely successful albums and tours.

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by tabruns

Thing about "That's Alright" is that I think it needed some pizzazz production wise. There is a nice counterpoint woodblock percussion in the song but its mixed so far down that you barely hear it. Had that been more prominent, I think it would have given the song more of a hook than it has.

Gosh, I think besides the bad cd transfer, I think it's amazing the way it is. Fleetwood Mac at it's best.

[MikeInNV]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

Trivia question about charts. What is the biggest #2 single of all time?
Foreigner..waiting for a girl like you spent 10 weeks at #2. Olivia Newton John's Physical was at #1 for 9 weeks

Actually "Physical" was #1 for a total of 10 weeks.

You are right about Foreigner and the most weeks at #2. Do you know which song spent the most weeks at #3? SDMHA.

[MikeInNV]

Originally Posted by FuzzyPlum

While Mirage is topical...
...I wonder whether anyone can offer me a theory as to why Gypsy wasn't a smash hit single. Don't get me wrong- it did okay to claw its way to US #12 but it wasn't the big hit it should have been.

Stevie was a big star on the back of Bella Donna and they made one of the all-time great videos to accompany the song. The video had heavy play on MTV. The previous single Hold Me had just been a big hit spending about two months in the top 10 so they were in the public eye/consciousness at the time of it's release.

And yet it debuted at US #69 on 4th Sept and then went #57, #46, #35, #27, #21, #15, #12, #12, #12. Clearly a slow burner.
Gypsy only reached #46 in the UK (admittedly only Oh Diane did well in the UK) and didn't break the top 10 in any major music buying country.

It's a shame and a bit odd it's chart placings didn't reflect it's true glory.

Given how much I heard it on the radio and how often I saw the video on MTV, I was as shocked as anyone that it didn't make the Top 10. I seem to remember Casey Kasem commenting on this, either expecting it to be huge when it was released or expressing surprise after the fact that it didn't get higher. I can't quite remember the details.

But it doesn't really matter. The charts measure the song's popularity at the time, but they can't tell you what the lasting legacy will be. Between classic rock, adult contemporary, and pop hits stations, I still hear "Gypsy" on the radio at least once a week. In contrast, I haven't heard "Big Love" since the year it was released.

Someone else already made the point about EO17 being Stevie's most iconic song, and there are lots of other examples with other bands too. Heart's classic "Crazy on You" only made it to #35, and that's still played all the time. Some of their Top 10 hits like "Nothin' At All" and "All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You" seem like distant memories.

[DauphineMarie]

These are great examples, but even pertaining to Fleetwood Mac, Landslide wasn't ever released as a single, yet is probably their "biggest hit". Go Your Own Way only got to #10 US and #38 UK, but is probably close with Landslide, in terms of popularity.. Really there is no rhyme or reason as to what is successful as far as singles are concerned with this band... I think Gypsy could have been a bigger hit had it been released as the first single off the album. I also think Straight Back should have been the third single, instead of Love in Store... It's nice, but I just think they needed something more "punchy". Personally, I think it would have been advantageous.

I found this, the Billboard US charts the week Gypsy peaked, and I think it's rather interesting:

1 1 JACK AND DIANE –•– John Cougar (Riva)-14 (4 weeks at #1) (1)
2 2 WHO CAN IT BE NOW –•– Men At Work (Columbia)-16 (2)
3 3 EYE IN THE SKY –•– The Alan Parsons Project (Arista)-17 (3)
4 6 I KEEP FORGETTIN’ (Every Time You’re Near) –•– Michael McDonald (Warner Brothers)-12 (4)
5 11 UP WHERE WE BELONG –•– Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes (Island)-10 (5)
6 9 HEART ATTACK –•– Olivia Newton-John (MCA)-8 (6)
7 7 SOMEBODY’S BABY –•– Jackson Browne (Asylum)-13 (7)
8 8 YOU CAN DO MAGIC –•– America (Capitol)-13 (8)
9 10 I RAN (So Far Away) –•– A Flock Of Seagulls (Jive)-16 (9)
10 5 ABRACADABRA –•– The Steve Miller Band (Capitol)-22 (1)

11 13 BREAK IT TO ME GENTLY –•– Juice Newton (Capitol)-10 (11)
12 15 GYPSY –•– Fleetwood Mac (Warner Brothers)-8 (12)

[FuzzyPlum]

Originally Posted by DauphineMarie

These are great examples, but even pertaining to Fleetwood Mac, Landslide wasn't ever released as a single, yet is probably their "biggest hit". Go Your Own Way only got to #10 US and #38 UK, but is probably close with Landslide, in terms of popularity.. Really there is no rhyme or reason as to what is successful as far as singles are concerned with this band... I think Gypsy could have been a bigger hit had it been released as the first single off the album. I also think Straight Back should have been the third single, instead of Love in Store... It's nice, but I just think they needed something more "punchy". Personally, I think it would have been advantageous.

I found this, the Billboard US charts the week Gypsy peaked, and I think it's rather interesting:

1 1 JACK AND DIANE –•– John Cougar (Riva)-14 (4 weeks at #1) (1)
2 2 WHO CAN IT BE NOW –•– Men At Work (Columbia)-16 (2)
3 3 EYE IN THE SKY –•– The Alan Parsons Project (Arista)-17 (3)
4 6 I KEEP FORGETTIN’ (Every Time You’re Near) –•– Michael McDonald (Warner Brothers)-12 (4)
5 11 UP WHERE WE BELONG –•– Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes (Island)-10 (5)
6 9 HEART ATTACK –•– Olivia Newton-John (MCA)-8 (6)
7 7 SOMEBODY’S BABY –•– Jackson Browne (Asylum)-13 (7)
8 8 YOU CAN DO MAGIC –•– America (Capitol)-13 (8)
9 10 I RAN (So Far Away) –•– A Flock Of Seagulls (Jive)-16 (9)
10 5 ABRACADABRA –•– The Steve Miller Band (Capitol)-22 (1)

11 13 BREAK IT TO ME GENTLY –•– Juice Newton (Capitol)-10 (11)
12 15 GYPSY –•– Fleetwood Mac (Warner Brothers)-8 (12)

It was a good time for music. I didn't think I knew Jack and Diane but a quick search on Youtube reminds me of the tune- brings back memories I didn't know I had. Abracadabra was one of the big songs that was number one at that time- I think that was at #1 when Hold Me was in the charts. Up Where We Belong- another big hitter.

At the same time though, some of the songs on this list can only be described as rather forgettable.

[jbrownsjr]

Hold Me was huge. It was so nice to see a duet by Christine and Lindsey do so well. Don't Stop was huge ( I think #3) Think About Me wasn't as big (#20), but Hold Me (#4) was all over MTV and the radio. It was so different than what was on the charts at the time. I remember seeing Christine McVie's name everywhere, around that time. I love the duets they do, and Tango had even more from Christine and Lindsey. They are a wonderful writing duo feeding each other's muse.

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by DauphineMarie

These are great examples, but even pertaining to Fleetwood Mac, Landslide wasn't ever released as a single, yet is probably their "biggest hit". Go Your Own Way only got to #10 US and #38 UK, but is probably close with Landslide, in terms of popularity.. Really there is no rhyme or reason as to what is successful as far as singles are concerned with this band... I think Gypsy could have been a bigger hit had it been released as the first single off the album. I also think Straight Back should have been the third single, instead of Love in Store... It's nice, but I just think they needed something more "punchy". Personally, I think it would have been advantageous.

I found this, the Billboard US charts the week Gypsy peaked, and I think it's rather interesting:

1 1 JACK AND DIANE –•– John Cougar (Riva)-14 (4 weeks at #1) (1)
2 2 WHO CAN IT BE NOW –•– Men At Work (Columbia)-16 (2)
3 3 EYE IN THE SKY –•– The Alan Parsons Project (Arista)-17 (3)
4 6 I KEEP FORGETTIN’ (Every Time You’re Near) –•– Michael McDonald (Warner Brothers)-12 (4)
5 11 UP WHERE WE BELONG –•– Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes (Island)-10 (5)
6 9 HEART ATTACK –•– Olivia Newton-John (MCA)-8 (6)
7 7 SOMEBODY’S BABY –•– Jackson Browne (Asylum)-13 (7)
8 8 YOU CAN DO MAGIC –•– America (Capitol)-13 (8)
9 10 I RAN (So Far Away) –•– A Flock Of Seagulls (Jive)-16 (9)
10 5 ABRACADABRA –•– The Steve Miller Band (Capitol)-22 (1)

11 13 BREAK IT TO ME GENTLY –•– Juice Newton (Capitol)-10 (11)
12 15 GYPSY –•– Fleetwood Mac (Warner Brothers)-8 (12)

That list explains why Gypsy got stuck at #12. Many on that list either hit #1 or #2 and were some of the biggest hits of 1982

[elle]

Originally Posted by DauphineMarie

These are great examples, but even pertaining to Fleetwood Mac, Landslide wasn't ever released as a single, yet is probably their "biggest hit". Go Your Own Way only got to #10 US and #38 UK, but is probably close with Landslide, in terms of popularity.. Really there is no rhyme or reason as to what is successful as far as singles are concerned with this band... I think Gypsy could have been a bigger hit had it been released as the first single off the album. I also think Straight Back should have been the third single, instead of Love in Store... It's nice, but I just think they needed something more "punchy". Personally, I think it would have been advantageous.

I found this, the Billboard US charts the week Gypsy peaked, and I think it's rather interesting:

1 1 JACK AND DIANE –•– John Cougar (Riva)-14 (4 weeks at #1) (1)
2 2 WHO CAN IT BE NOW –•– Men At Work (Columbia)-16 (2)
3 3 EYE IN THE SKY –•– The Alan Parsons Project (Arista)-17 (3)
4 6 I KEEP FORGETTIN’ (Every Time You’re Near) –•– Michael McDonald (Warner Brothers)-12 (4)
5 11 UP WHERE WE BELONG –•– Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes (Island)-10 (5)
6 9 HEART ATTACK –•– Olivia Newton-John (MCA)-8 (6)
7 7 SOMEBODY’S BABY –•– Jackson Browne (Asylum)-13 (7)
8 8 YOU CAN DO MAGIC –•– America (Capitol)-13 (8)
9 10 I RAN (So Far Away) –•– A Flock Of Seagulls (Jive)-16 (9)
10 5 ABRACADABRA –•– The Steve Miller Band (Capitol)-22 (1)

11 13 BREAK IT TO ME GENTLY –•– Juice Newton (Capitol)-10 (11)
12 15 GYPSY –•– Fleetwood Mac (Warner Brothers)-8 (12)

thanks for digging out and sharing this list - very cool to see. some of the songs that are staples on classic rock radio and seemingly still unavoidable everywhere else on this list!

i'd add the Chain to the list of biggest most well known FM songs that were never singles. at least Landslide was a highly successful single when covered by another band, which brought it back and into focus. it's definitely interesting to see which songs are the most enduring vs which were the biggest charting hits when they first came out.

[johnnystorms]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

That list explains why Gypsy got stuck at #12. Many on that list either hit #1 or #2 and were some of the biggest hits of 1982

except for Jack and Diane, none of them are currently played , and not even J&D as often as

[AnthonyMI]

Originally Posted by johnnystorms

except for Jack and Diane, none of them are currently played , and not even J&D as often as

All there are currently played, every single day, on the Big 80s on 8 on XM! Including Gypsy.

Terrestrial Radio is dead. It is all just Radio Blah Blah. Radio Ga Ga. Radio Blah Blah.

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by AnthonyMI

All there are currently played, every single day, on the Big 80s on 8 on XM! Including Gypsy.

Terrestrial Radio is dead. It is all just Radio Blah Blah. Radio Ga Ga. Radio Blah Blah.

Most of them are played on adult contemporary stations too. Jack and Diane, Eye in the Sky, Up Where we belong, You can do magic, and I keep Forgettin are staples on A/C stations all over the country. Just looking at the list reminds me of waiting in a dentist's office

[Wdm6789]

I still hear Gypsy and Hold Me on FM radio. I also hear them frequently on satellite radio.