If you had to choose: MIRAGE vs. TANGO IN THE NIGHT

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by Mr Scarrott

Yes, that's word I was looking for re Mirage, safe. I so wish Smile at You had replaced WTTRS on Tango which to me is its nadir. Lindsey gave some Tango-ish flourishes to it on SYW. I could imagine a suitable version of it working as a bitter riposte to Family Man before Isn't it Midnight kicks in. A missed opportunity.

I also wished they could have managed Planets of the Universe. The spaciness of Tango’s production would have really suited that song.

Sadly, I don’t think Stevie’s voice was in good enough shape at that time. She pulled it together for the tour, but the demos on the Deluxe show she was in really bad shape.

[Mr Scarrott]

Originally Posted by Mr Scarrott

So Tango, then. Mirage is a pleasant rag-bag of ideas but it was no attempted equivalent to Abbey Road as Tusk was to the White Album and Rumours was to Sergeant Pepper. Maybe the Mac had to wait another album to make that comparison make some sort of sense.

I feel I should in all fairness qualify my opinion of Mirage to "a pleasant rag-bag of ideas with one stand-out masterpiece of a song"

[jbrownsjr]

Wow, Tango pulled ahead by 2 votes.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by jbrownsjr

Wow, Tango pulled ahead by 2 votes.

Yeah, and Stevie is the lead singer of FM.

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

Yeah, and Stevie is the lead singer of FM.

My poll says 76-74 Tango by 2. Does yours read differently? (Being serious for once)

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by jbrownsjr

My poll says 76-74 Tango by 2. Does yours read differently? (Being serious for once)

No, I just don't gaf.

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

No, I just don't gaf.

You have a funny way of showing that...

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by jbrownsjr

You have a funny way of showing that...

Mirage came out at the height of my fandom, and Tango is plastique. Polls mean nothing to me.

NEXTTTT!!!!

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by FuzzyPlum

Yes, it was much more successful in Europe, charting very highly in many countries. It reached number 1 in the UK three times and was one of the highest selling albums of the 1980’s. Possibly the highest selling of 1987, but I didn’t check.
Maybe it’s just more ‘European’ sounding (whatever that means)

I was surprised to know that Mirage went to #5 in the UK. I suppose Oh Dianne dragged it there Mirage still cracked many European top 10 charts.
I was reading some stuff Ken wrote about recording Mirage. Supposedly Stevie and Lindsey hated the castle recording studio even though they had a private chef that could cook them anything. They complained of not having a TV and they still complained about the food.
Even though the members did not appreciate the album or enjoy the experience so much (clearly they were all getting on each other's nerves with a short tour, not appearing in the Hold Me video together, etc.) the recording of Mirage was an epic time. I love the story of Mick and Stevie riding horses in the French countryside I think being cooped up in the castle also led to their division. If they had recorded in LA, they could have all driven home at the end of the day.
Stevie brought That's Alright, Smile at You and If You Were My Love. Lindsey did not think Smile At You belonged on the album and told Stevie to replace it. Stevie agreed that it was too angry and brought replacements.
The Mirage era was a fun time. It was in the limelight of Bella Donna. It was popular on the new MTV. The short tour ended and the band was never the same. I know the band did not enjoy that time so much but I love it. Mirage is an album they had to make. I dont think they enjoyed much of it. But they still came out with some great songs. Chris just broke up with Dennis and had some incredible love songs. But both Mirage and Tango have many similar attributes. The band was under pressure to have commercial success after the blow back from Tusk which is why we got safe poppy records.
One of the biggest reasons I like Mirage is because of Christine's playing. Its also the first Mac album that she is on the cover, right? On Tango her playing almost disappears and she takes a back seat to Lindsey's computer keyboards. On Mirage she is playing all the keys, piano, synthesizer, etc. I love that. One reason I like BTM is because we hear Chris playing keyboards again.
Let's not forget Mirage has one of the biggest songs of 1982.

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

Mirage came out at the height of my fandom, and Tango is plastique. Polls mean nothing to me.

NEXTTTT!!!!

My comment still stands. ^^ This only supports it.

[aleuzzi]

I’m glad we have both of those albums and sad as hell we never got another studio album from that lineup.

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

I’m glad we have both of those albums and sad as hell we never got another studio album from that lineup.

certain place, certain time... said Sandy Stewart.

[HomerMcvie]

Originally Posted by jbrownsjr

My comment still stands. ^^ This only supports it.

From Miss Sandy C.

Were you on any of the FM offshoot boards circa 2007? Where my literal board name was Sandy. C...

Good times.

[Wdm6789]

Love both albums, but I’m going to have to go with Tango. Lindsey and Christine really did an excellent job with this album. I wish Stevie’s contributions to Tango were more on par with her contributions to the previous four album, but Seven Wonders and Welcome to the Room Sara are good enough.

Mirage, I really like every song by all three songwriters, but Tango is a little more my style. Tango has a great 80s glamour rock/pop/new wave sound but it’s also distinctively Fleetwood Mac. Mirage was a great transitional album from the 70s to the 80s, but it is a little more tame and soft. Tango is sharper and harder.

But Hold Me and Gypsy are two of my favorite songs and Gypsy is one of the most beautiful songs ever.

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

From Miss Sandy C.

Were you on any of the FM offshoot boards circa 2007? Where my literal board name was Sandy. C...

Good times.

I was, but don't remember that. Old brain.