U.S. single releases

[jbrownsjr]

I think Save Me was the right choice for the single...

Unless.... they released Love Shines. I think that would have been epic w/ Stevie in the video. (not published video).

[KenB]

Originally Posted by Villavic

But in my inner universe (home) I've played Farmer's Daughter way more times than Fireflies.

Farmer’s Daughter is SO much better. I don’t dislike Fireflies, but Farmer’s Daughter has some of the best three-part harmonies of any of Mac’s recordings. It’s absolutely gorgeous, and its understatedness is hypnotic.

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by jbrownsjr

I think Save Me was the right choice for the single...

Unless.... they released Love Shines. I think that would have been epic w/ Stevie in the video. (not published video).

I thought for sure you would have said Second Time should have been the first single.

Second verse!

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

I thought for sure you would have said Second Time should have been the first single.

Second verse!

ewwww

[Villavic]

Originally Posted by WalkAThinLine.

For Behind the Mask, I'm curious if "Save Me" was the best choice as the first single. According to Rick Vito, the band and record label had differing opinions on what to release first. With the exception of Rick, who wanted "Love is Dangerous" to be selected, the rest of the band wanted "Save Me" instead. Meanwhile, the record label suggested "Skies the Limit". Rick also said that there were "different opinions on the second single" as well. Ultimately, "Skies the Limit" became the second single whereas "Love is Dangerous" was a promotional single, which actually charted in the lower realms of the Canadian charts based on airplay alone. Below is a link to a newspaper article where Rick discussed the selection of the singles.

I already said Save Me was not one of my favorites, and I I would have liked another song as the main single. But I did buy the Save Me CD single. It was a german edition, in the early 90s most CDs were imported from Europe, no idea why, I guess a matter of prices, deals, etc. Anyway the reason I bought it is not because Save Me, but it included Another Woman and Everywhere, both from the Tango 1987 concert (released on video). And I wanted those in digital media (I only had the VHS).

Why they included 1987 songs in a 1990 single? Well the cover said "Collector's Edition No. 1". But I wonder why they didn't include other BTM songs. That would have helped promote the album, at least a little.

Was the US Save Me single the same? Or did it include other BTM songs? Well
I googled and found discogs pages of another european release and it does include Another Woman, but Second Time instead of Everywhere. And a Japan and US release, both with Save Me and just Another Woman.

And a US release "promo" release with 2 Save Me, LP version and a "fade" version.

Definitely they didn't have much faith in the rest of the songs on Behind the Mask.

[bwboy]

Originally Posted by jbrownsjr

I think Save Me was the right choice for the single...

I love Save Me- it’s high energy, Christine sounds incredible, and Rick’s guitar solo is fantastic. I don’t know that any other song off BTM would have been a better choice for a first single- Skies the Limit was pleasant but lightweight and Love is Dangerous and When the Sun Goes Down were too bluesy for top 40 radio. It was just the way radio airplay was changing, unfortunately.

[bwboy]

Originally Posted by KenB

Farmer’s Daughter is SO much better. I don’t dislike Fireflies, but Farmer’s Daughter has some of the best three-part harmonies of any of Mac’s recordings. It’s absolutely gorgeous, and its understatedness is hypnotic.

I love Farmer’s Daughter too, and was thrilled when they performed it for the Dance tour.

Fireflies starts off strong but completely loses me midway, so I understand why it flopped as a single.

Farmer’s Daughter, Seven Wonders, and Blue Letter- three really good songs written by folks outside the band. I wish they had used outside material a little more often. Not a lot, but just a little more.

[KenB]

Originally Posted by bwboy

Farmer’s Daughter, Seven Wonders, and Blue Letter- three really good songs written by folks outside the band. I wish they had used outside material a little more often. Not a lot, but just a little more.

With three solid songwriters in Mac, I’m not sure I’d have wanted more outside songs. But I do love the ones you listed, and I also think Lindsey’s cover of Bob Dylan’s “Love Minus Zero” on the deluxe “Say You Will” is wonderful.

[Villavic]

Originally Posted by KenB

With three solid songwriters in Mac, I’m not sure I’d have wanted more outside songs. But I do love the ones you listed, and I also think Lindsey’s cover of Bob Dylan’s “Love Minus Zero” on the deluxe “Say You Will” is wonderful.

One outside song per album could be cool, but I agree about the three songwriters. It would be one more reason for conflict. Hey, you're not accepting any more of my songs, and we're going to include one from someone outside the band?

And I like LMZ very much too.

[FuzzyPlum]

The more covers/external songwriters, the less cash!

[Macfan4life]

Put me in the camp of hating covers. The only cover I think was cool is when Nicks did Petty's I Need To Know. She was already using a key member of the Heartbreakers so it sounded really good. But I never got into Chris's Cant Help Falling In Love, or Stevie's horrific Dylan cover Just Like A Woman or Johnny Cash's Blue Eyes. I am in the minority but don't care for Farmers Daughter either. People always say "oh the harmonies." I think the harmonies are ok but much better on so many songs. I always hated even as a kid that album space was wasted on the Live album for Farmers Daughter.
I think covers can work in concert sometimes. For example, Billy's dad Tear It Up worked well for the encore in 1990.
Save the drama and the covers for your mama.

[Villavic]

I don't know if it's because I heard FM version of FM first, that I liked it much more thant the original BB version.

Some covers did hit the nail on the head. I heard original version of What's Love Got To Do With It, and Tina's version is great! Far better than the original (from a band I can't remember the name). Same as Carpenter's Close To You, better than Dionne's version. And Prince, wherever you are, you did a great job writing Nothing Compares 2U, but please, don't you dare sing it again!

And some covers should never have seen the light of day. I heard Olivia's Somewhere Over The Rainbow, live, a mistake. But worse than that was Donna Summer's La Vie In Rose. Now that was a big mistake.

[FuzzyPlum]

Originally Posted by Villavic

I don't know if it's because I heard FM version of FM first, that I liked it much more thant the original BB version.

Some covers did hit the nail on the head. I heard original version of What's Love Got To Do With It, and Tina's version is great! Far better than the original (from a band I can't remember the name). Same as Carpenter's Close To You, better than Dionne's version. And Prince, wherever you are, you did a great job writing Nothing Compares 2U, but please, don't you dare sing it again!

And some covers should never have seen the light of day. I heard Olivia's Somewhere Over The Rainbow, live, a mistake. But worse than that was Donna Summer's La Vie In Rose. Now that was a big mistake.

The Beatles- Twist and Shout
Roberta Flack- The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
Jimi- All Along the Watchtower
Cyndi Lauper- Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

[Villavic]

Originally Posted by FuzzyPlum

The Beatles- Twist and Shout
Roberta Flack- The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
Jimi- All Along the Watchtower
Cyndi Lauper- Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

GJWHF was a cover??? Every day there's something new to learn.

I love Beatles Twist and Shout. I read Lennon had a cold at the time, so he drank milk and ate candy to soothe his throat. The effects of the cough on his voice can be heard on the recording. I think I heard he injured his vocal cords while singing, but I don't know if that's true.

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by bwboy

I love Save Me- it’s high energy, Christine sounds incredible, and Rick’s guitar solo is fantastic. I don’t know that any other song off BTM would have been a better choice for a first single- Skies the Limit was pleasant but lightweight and Love is Dangerous and When the Sun Goes Down were too bluesy for top 40 radio. It was just the way radio airplay was changing, unfortunately.

Couldn't agree more.