Smile At You Revisited

PDB · #1 12-09-2022, 03:21 PM

Maybe I'm an outlier here, but I much prefer the Mirage outtake of Smile At You to the Say You Will version. While the latter is more polished, it lacks the fire and energy of the outtake. However, the outtake is obviously incomplete - there were parts they hadn't filled out and figured out yet. Therefore to me neither version is ideal even though I prefer the older one.

In an attempt to 'fix' this, I created a 'single remix' that merges the best aspects of each - taking the basic track from the outtake and editing it down to be more like the Say You Will version, then adding the 'figured out' parts from the Say You Will version (mainly a bit of Lindsey's guitar, his vocals and the refrain') while keeping Christine's piano, the drums and bass, and adding some echo to Stevie's original vocal.

Macfan4life · #2 12-09-2022, 05:30 PM

I agree and I bet most people on this board agree. They call the Mirage version the "angry" version. It just has more passion. It even sounds like the piano is angry. The band had such brilliant tracks that its sad this one ended up on the cutting room floor. Some say it might not have fit Mirage's "music box" theme. I say that was the reason to put it on the album. The album needed a raw moment here or there.
Stevie was at her vocal peak and we needed more!

jcalzaretta · #3 12-16-2022, 09:44 PM

I was so excited when I first saw the track listing for Smile at You on Say You Will. I nearly cried in pain when I heard it. It lost everything it had on Mirage. I was very disappointed.

Macfan4life · #4 12-17-2022, 03:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcalzaretta

I was so excited when I first saw the track listing for Smile at You on Say You Will. I nearly cried in pain when I heard it. It lost everything it had on Mirage. I was very disappointed.

Yes but finally it was put on an album and released. I still like the SYW version. Without SYW the song may have never seen the light of day.

cbBen · #5 12-17-2022, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

Yes but finally it was put on an album and released. I still like the SYW version. Without SYW the song may have never seen the light of day.

Agreed. I like it too. Skip the weak songs (remember the album is 18 songs) and Say You Will is solid.

HomerMcvie · #6 12-17-2022, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cbBen

Agreed. I like it too. Skip the weak songs (remember the album is 18 songs) and Say You Will is solid.

I'm certain that's what the producer was planning.

"Hey guys, they'll skip the sh*tty songs, so let's put out this bloated turd as it is".

UnwindedDreams · #7 12-18-2022, 11:12 AM

Tom Moncrieff is on guitar in the Smile At You demos, right?