Little Lies 35 Years Ago

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by bwboy

I definitely believe he and Christine think Tango was a stronger album to go out on, both in terms of sales and material. As much as I love certain songs on Mirage, none of those songs have the strength of Little Lies, Isn’t It Midnight, Big Love, or Everywhere.

Maybe, but I far prefer Mirage to Tango. Tango is plastic and sterile. It doesn't sound like a band. And live, Mirage is the last time they were a band, before the backup singers and additional players.

[bwboy]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

Maybe, but I far prefer Mirage to Tango. Tango is plastic and sterile. It doesn't sound like a band. And live, Mirage is the last time they were a band, before the backup singers and additional players.

I agree with you- while I think the four Tango songs I mentioned, plus Seven Wonders, are stronger than anything on Mirage, Mirage as a whole is more consistent. I dislike Family Man and When I See You Again, and think You and I, Caroline, and Tango are just ok. On Mirage, the only songs I dislike are Empire State and Oh Diane. Otherwise I can listen to Mirage straight through, and as you said, they sound like a band. Not so much on Tango. But Christine’s growth and confidence as a songwriter from Mirage to Tango is truly impressive. It’s unusual to see someone grow so much as a writer later in life… the opposite of Stevie, whose songs tended to be less memorable as she got older. Although in all fairness, Stevie has released a lot more material than Christine, and the more material out there, the less memorable it may be.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by bwboy

I agree with you- while I think the four Tango songs I mentioned, plus Seven Wonders, are stronger than anything on Mirage, Mirage as a whole is more consistent. I dislike Family Man and When I See You Again, and think You and I, Caroline, and Tango are just ok. On Mirage, the only songs I dislike are Empire State and Oh Diane. Otherwise I can listen to Mirage straight through, and as you said, they sound like a band. Not so much on Tango. But Christine’s growth and confidence as a songwriter from Mirage to Tango is truly impressive. It’s unusual to see someone grow so much as a writer later in life… the opposite of Stevie, whose songs tended to be less memorable as she got older. Although in all fairness, Stevie has released a lot more material than Christine, and the more material out there, the less memorable it may be.

Maybe it's because I was 5 years older for Tango, but Mirage LIVES IN MY HEART. ALL of the songs. They come on, and I remember how much they meant to me. How happy they made me. I used to skip Only Over Ewe, but it finally grew on me, too.

And I love Empire State, which was only a year after Law And Order, so I was still into freaky Lindsey.

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

Maybe it's because I was 5 years older for Tango, but Mirage LIVES IN MY HEART. ALL of the songs. They come on, and I remember how much they meant to me. How happy they made me. I used to skip Only Over Ewe, but it finally grew on me, too.

And I love Empire State, which was only a year after Law And Order, so I was still into freaky Lindsey.

I used to skip about 1/3 the album when it first came out but listened to the other 2/3 all the time. But now I dig all of it—except “Oh Diane” (which I never liked) and “Straight Back” (which I used to like). Side 1 is especially cool. But “Eyes” on side 2 is also great.

I’ve always dug “Only Over You” primarily because of the surprise of her voice ascending in such a sexy way. It’s like: “oh, we’ve entered a room where people are doing adult things...” After the initial embarrassment of hearing her sing/moan, I couldn’t turn away. Voyeur?

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

I used to skip about 1/3 the album when it first came out but listened to the other 2/3 all the time. But now I dig all of it—except “Oh Diane” (which I never liked) and “Straight Back” (which I used to like). Side 1 is especially cool. But “Eyes” on side 2 is also great.

I’ve always dug “Only Over You” primarily because of the surprise of her voice ascending in such a sexy way. It’s like: “oh, we’ve entered a room where people are doing adult things...” After the initial embarrassment of hearing her sing/moan, I couldn’t turn away. Voyeur?

Oh Diane, I've only slightly come to like it. It's such a weird song on this album. (But, Mirage is weird).

OOY and WYWH are beautiful songs. After hearing it live with the passion she sang it with during BUCKVIE, I might say WYWH is my favorite. OOY that outro grabs me. Pure Buckvie on both outros.

The chemistry between Buck and McVie is kind of amazing. I'm glad Stevie was absent a lot of the time. The other two really shine on Tango and Mirage.

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

Maybe, but I far prefer Mirage to Tango. Tango is plastic and sterile. It doesn't sound like a band. And live, Mirage is the last time they were a band, before the backup singers and additional players.

Its not even a fair comparison....apples and oranges. Mirage was a total band performance with real instruments on every track. Tango was sort of a more commercial version of Go Insane....a slick, trendy modern Lindsey solo album. There are moments where Tango shines and you can hear the band but sadly those moments are rare. Just imagine everyone off drugs and devoting all hands on deck. Lindsey was always fascinated with cutting edge sort of sound so the band's lack of direction, he sort of seized the direction of the album. But no doubt everyone wanted a huge commercial success which also explains the radio friendly synth pop sound of much of Tango. Mirage is not experimental like Tusk but its a completely cohesive sound. It needed a few moments of rawness but the Tusk blowback was in full effect.
Only Over You is a gem. It was always my least favorite song on Mirage from about 1983-1997. Its pure perfection.... dreamy hypnotic lullaby with some fantastic Mick/Lindsey/John/Chris playing. It has a vintage Mac quality. Its also a very classic Chris tune with her singing her devotion to a guy but you get a line about the dark side. "They say I'm a silly girl, but I'm not a fool" Very similar to "If you use me again, it will be the end of me" and "your mood is like a circus wheel, changing all the time. Everything else about those songs is pure love devotion but she always gets her line in about the guy not being perfect in any sense. Only over you is just overdosing on overdubs and sometimes you just have to soak it all in. When you first hear the song, you dont know where its going. Once you have heard the song several times, you appreciate the direction it goes and it has a wow factor. Indeed Mirage was an end to an era and the band NEVER made another cohesive and inclusive album again with these 5.

[HomerMcvie]

Really, the main reason I never cared for OOY is that I've always been prejudiced against songs I couldn't sing. The beginning of the chorus is impossible for my manly being.

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

Really, the main reason I never cared for OOY is that I've always been prejudiced against songs I couldn't sing. The beginning of the chorus is impossible for my manly being.

You're out of your mind.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by jbrownsjr

You're out of your mind.

But it's only over ewe.

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

But it's only over ewe.

People think you're crazy, but they don't know.

[Villavic]

Originally Posted by jbrownsjr

You're out of your mind.

That's exactly what I don't like in that song. Too much repeat I'm ooooout of my mind...

I do love the People think I'm crazy... and People say they know me... sections.

But when she again goes back to I'm ooout.... it's like Please!!! Enooough!!!

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by Villavic

That's exactly what I don't like in that song. Too much repeat I'm ooooout of my mind...

I do love the People think I'm crazy... and People say they know me... sections.

But when she again goes back to I'm ooout.... it's like Please!!! Enooough!!!

I think it’s incredibly sexy

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by Villavic

That's exactly what I don't like in that song. Too much repeat I'm ooooout of my mind...

I do love the People think I'm crazy... and People say they know me... sections.

But when she again goes back to I'm ooout.... it's like Please!!! Enooough!!!

I was the same way. I always hate when songs start with the vocalist so I was instantly put off by the song.....blinders up and a wall to never accept it. There are such goodies in the song that make it one of the best on Mirage. It has an incredible jam in the end.
The funny part is the I'M OUT OF MY MIND part usually would be a metaphor but its actually the truth. She WAS out of her mind to love Dennis.
Its like the song Fire Burning by Stevie Nicks. The fire burning was not a metaphor but actually her house on fire and what could she take to escape the fire.

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

Really, the main reason I never cared for OOY is that I've always been prejudiced against songs I couldn't sing. The beginning of the chorus is impossible for my manly being.

Then you must HATE “Prove Your Love”!

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

Then you must HATE “Prove Your Love”!

or

HOW LOOOOOONG has it been since we have been together????