Rediscovering Dreams

CarneVaca · #1 04-29-2004, 08:10 AM

Has there ever been a more hypnotic, sublime two-chord song* than Dreams? I've played it a lot over the last couple of days. This is one of those songs to which I had stopped paying attention because I had heard it so much. But rediscovering it has been a lot of fun. I was also noticing that Lindsey's licks throughout the song are pretty much slight variations of the little instrumental break between verses. Simple. Beautiful. Stevie's voice is divine.

My only issue, which is small and unimportant, is that when I am singing it and playing it on the guitar, I often get the words from the first and second verses mixed up. That's what you get for reusing some of the lines and making slight alterations. Still, I wouldn't change a thing. This song is pretty much perfect.

*The chorus chords are slight variations from the verses.

strandinthewind · #2 04-29-2004, 08:27 AM

I think her vocal on that song is sublime. In the chorus, Stevie is not even singing the lead - LB and CM are singing what sounds like the first and the the third and Stevie is doing the fifth and seventh and maybe one more - it is hard to tell because the voices blend so well. LB went into this a little on the video of the making of Rumors. Also, the "no to me" and other harmonies are stunning. I must say though, John McVie made this song. His bass line is just perfect.

CarneVaca · #3 04-29-2004, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

I must say though, John McVie made this song. His bass line is just perfect.

The question is, Is Johnny playing the bassline he would have wanted to or what Lindsey told him to play? Be that as it may, you are right to the extent that the bassline is the most recognizable part of the music in the verses.

Now go listen to the bassline in Peacekeeper.

DownOnRodeo · #4 04-29-2004, 08:32 AM

Yes, all good points Carne.

I don't know how Stevie remembers the order of her verses, honestly!
Even a simple song like GYOW I will get boxed up given the opportunity.

strandinthewind · #5 04-29-2004, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarneVaca

The question is, Is Johnny playing the bassline he would have wanted to or what Lindsey told him to play? Be that as it may, you are right to the extent that the bassline is the most recognizable part of the music in the verses.

Now go listen to the bassline in Peacekeeper.

John is seemingly playing, albeit with his own flair, the bass line from Stevie's demo - the basic paino chords become the main fabric of the bass line. He also does this in Goodbye Baby. I love John's bass lines. The man is brilliant.

shackin'up · #6 04-29-2004, 09:52 AM

One of the things that appealed to me about Dreams is the fact that Stevie sings it as if she had a slight nosecold. Now I know it's easy to fool around with it and make jokes about black velvet bags and white powder, but that would distract from the point that I want to make with this remark: That sound gives just some extra human touch and therefore life to her truly superb vocals.

strandinthewind · #7 04-29-2004, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shackin'up

One of the things that appealed to me about Dreams is the fact that Stevie sings it as if she had a slight nosecold. Now I know it's easy to fool around with it and make jokes about black velvet bags and white powder, but that would distract from the point that I want to make with this remark: That sound gives just some extra human touch and therefore life to her truly superb vocals.

ITA and I think it is apparent in the second stanza. I read and itnerview or saw something once (prob. around the time of FM GH) where Stevie said she had a cold when recording Dreams that vocal is on the record.

wondergirl9847 · #8 04-29-2004, 10:45 AM

This song is just perfection. The guitar is phenominal, her voice is like ya'll said...sublime, the harmonies tight, that bass line, awesome and the drumming, perfect. One of my favorite songs of all time.

Lindsey's guitar is so frickin sexy, it's sick. The tone for the song, just fits with the lyrics and her vocals.

Yeah, when women get sick and their voice gets scratchy, nasaly, low and deep, that's hot. I love when I get sick and get that voice. BWAH!!

I never cared for the song live, but I heard a live version recently that was really terrific. It's from Mobile 8-11-1980 and the guitar is different from anything I've heard so far. He does these twinkly parts that are so cool! Stevie growls in the song too, which is cool. She sounds a bit stuffed up here too. LOL The Dance version is greatness too.

sodascouts · #9 04-29-2004, 11:10 AM

I know I am probably the only one who is bored by Dreams. Oh well. "Thunder only happens when it's raining / players only love you when they're playing" are great lines, even if I could do without the "crystal visions."

shackin'up · #10 04-29-2004, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sodascouts

I know I am probably the only one who is bored by Dreams. Oh well. "Thunder only happens when it's raining / players only love you when they're playing" are great lines, even if I could do without the "crystal visions."

I'm bored with it live for a long time. But the original is just plain brilliance.

**jbrownsjr** · #11 04-29-2004, 11:41 AM

I also love how Christine puts her thick keyboard sound just in the right spots creating this really cool drive. She really knows how to blend. In music it is very hard to blend sometimes.

**mylittledemon** · #12 04-29-2004, 11:44 AM

yeah, referring to the "twinkly" parts of Lindsey's guitar live...he changed from his Les Paul after the Rumours tour to the Rick Turner he plays now. When he did that, the guitar sound on Dreams changed. He also stopped using a volume pedal for it onstage. I much prefer the "old" way of playing it, but to each his own.

gldstwmn · #13 04-29-2004, 12:13 PM

I love the version from Stevie's HBO special. The performance has a certain "been there/done that" world weariness to it that showed just how far Stevie had come from the time she wrote it to the begining of her breaking away from Fleetwood Mac to start her solo career.

shackin'up · #14 04-29-2004, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbrownsjr

I also love how Christine puts her thick keyboard sound just in the right spots creating this really cool drive. She really knows how to blend. In music it is very hard to blend sometimes.

That's what this band always has been capable of in it's finest moments. Blend. And this is a perfect example. The tingling guitarparts, chris' keyboards, micks' drive, and John's offthe wall basslines. And now we were not even talking about those friggin' awsome harmonies! Wonderfully put, jbrownsjr.!

chiliD · #15 04-29-2004, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarneVaca

Has there ever been a more hypnotic, sublime two-chord song* than Dreams? *The chorus chords are slight variations from the verses.

Not REALLY, it has three chords.

Verses/Choruses: Fmaj7 to G (repeat ad nauseum)

BUT, the middle "solo" break is: ||: Am | G | Fmaj7 :||

So that Am throws the whole "2 chord song" theory right out the window

Quote:

Originally Posted by mylittledemon

yeah, referring to the "twinkly" parts of Lindsey's guitar live...he changed from his Les Paul after the Rumours tour to the Rick Turner he plays now. When he did that, the guitar sound on Dreams changed. He also stopped using a volume pedal for it onstage. I much prefer the "old" way of playing it, but to each his own.

Once he switched to the Turner Model 1, the NEED for a volume pedal became nil...he could work the volume knob of the Turner with the pinkie of his right hand as he played the riff.