Why doesn't Stevie ever lower the key to the songs she can't sing anymore??

[Richard B]

Originally Posted by drzubritsky

I sometimes wonder if her voice lessons actually had a detrimental impact on her willingness to be more adventurous, vocally.

This has been in my thoughts for years now. I sometimes truly believe she is afraid and/or cautious. In interviews, she seems so determined to put on the best show possible, and sometimes I feel she directs that reserved, trained energy to how she sings compared to her earlier years. Her willingness to just "let go" seems hampered.



*ON EDIT:
But then again maybe bad things happen vocally when she "let's go". I don't know. It has been many, many years since she's been doing this. Bless.

[drzubritsky]

I don't mind minor changes to the melody to retain the original key when there are a few notes that become unreachable with age. But when you have to rework the melody so much that it becomes boring, then it's time to consider lowering the key so that you can retain the range of the original melody.

For me, "Rhiannon" and "Dreams" really lost a lot of their melodic appeal when she began avoiding the high C on the verses (e.g. "all your LIFE", "it's only RIGHT"). Those melody changes date back at least to the very early 80s (as evidenced by the HBO concert). Perhaps bringing those songs down a half or whole step would have allowed her to sing the original melody, and still provide that fiery coda on "Rhiannon".

I thought "The Chain" worked fine in the lower key. For awhile, I got so accustomed to The Dance version that the original sounded kind of "chipmunky" when I revisited it. A lot of it depends on intensity of performance, dynamics, etc., which can largely compensate for a slight drop in key.

[carrie721]

Originally Posted by drzubritsky

IIRC, without pulling out the sheet music, the highest note in SS is an A above middle C. That song is actually not very rangy.

she hits the C above middle C at the end of the studio version. the range of the song is an octave + a minor third, which is pretty substantial in her current state.

ETA: you're right about rhiannon from the dance, i had forgotten about that. but i disagree that it doesn't sound strained - she is barely croaking it out to these ears.

[David]

Originally Posted by drzubritsky

I thought "The Chain" worked fine in the lower key.

Oh gosh, I never could stand that one in D minor. But I suppose it doesn't really matter.

[David]

Originally Posted by carrie721

i'm a cruel, cruel mistress, david.

there's nothing exciting on my facebook.

Well, I just wanted to scribble on your wall.

[carrie721]

then grab a crayon and come on over.

[WarmSir3]

Originally Posted by drzubritsky

IIRC, without pulling out the sheet music, the highest note in SS is an A above middle C. That song is actually not very rangy.

A few tenor high C(C5)s towards the end... especially on the Rumours outtake version. She did these live for a long time, from Wild Heart to Tango she recorded dozens of C#5s and D5s, even the odd Eb5 and one E5. She has three recorded Eb5s in the studio however, I'm So Afraid, Wild Heart, and the Rumours outtake "duet" version of Oh Daddy

[skuncles]

For as much as I love music, I know nothing about keys. But I recall Lindsey saying that for The Dance tour they had to drop the keys for all of the songs, in particular Stevie's songs.

[drzubritsky]

Originally Posted by skuncles

For as much as I love music, I know nothing about keys. But I recall Lindsey saying that for The Dance tour they had to drop the keys for all of the songs, in particular Stevie's songs.

I didn't notice any additional key changes on the tour, other than lowering the key for "The Chain" as they did on the CD (and "Go Insane" which only appeared on the video). Stevie's songs were all in their original key, I believe.