a fool no more, It Takes Time Poll

[doodyhead]

Two of the songs that Peter Green had recorded in the 60's and again upon is return to the stage are "A Fool No More " and "It Takes Time"

In listening to both songs, the versions are different over time. Which versions of each song do you like the best and why? You can include live shows in your choice

I am just curious

doodyhead

[sharksfan2000]

Very good question!

I prefer the "In the Skies" version of "A Fool No More". The whole tone of the song is so different from the early Mac version - changing from a tone of anger to one of utter resignation. It might be my favorite track, studio or live, from all of Peter's post-Mac work.

I have the opposite feeling about "It Takes Time". I prefer the live version from The Warehouse in New Orleans, from 30 January 1970 - Peter and the band really nailed it on that night. That version has so much more life to it than the Splinter Group versions I've heard.

[dino]

I have to agree with Sharksfan .
The version of "A fool no more" from "In the Skies" is so haunting.
It kind of resonates more, as if you can hear what Greeny had been through.
The 1970 version of "It takes time" has more drive, though.
What about other tracks? I def. prefer the '77 version of "Tribal Dance" to the Splinter Group version. Love the Splinter Group versions of "The Supernatural".

[chiliD]

"A Fool No More": Yep, I'll go with the In The Skies version, too, for overall "feel" & the intensity of the vocal, but I like the guitar work of the Fleetwood Mac version a bit better.

While I like both versions of "Tribal Dance", I tend to lean a bit toward the PGSG version as the better of the two. The In The Skies version's main guitar riff gets a bit grating by the middle of the track...the PGSG version's rhythm section has a bit more punch.

For me it's the Bluesbreakers' version of "The Supernatural", all the way. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing the song played during those early PGSG concert sets, though. Up until I saw my first PGSG concert, I was resigned to the thought I'd never actually ever see Peter play those classic songs of his in person. ("Green Manalishi", "BMW", "Albatross", "Rattlesnake Shake", etc).

Even though the Bluesbreakers' version of "The Stumble" has more power & drive (and Peter really seems to be channelling Clapton's tone on that one), I tend to prefer the live version from the first PGSG CD the best...it sounds more "Peter" than that Hard Road version.

[mzero]

Originally Posted by dino

I have to agree with Sharksfan .
The version of "A fool no more" from "In the Skies" is so haunting.
It kind of resonates more, as if you can hear what Greeny had been through.
The 1970 version of "It takes time" has more drive, though.
What about other tracks? I def. prefer the '77 version of "Tribal Dance" to the Splinter Group version. Love the Splinter Group versions of "The Supernatural".

terrific thread vinnie. i agree with everyone about 'a fool no more' but at the time in the skies came out i felt the opposite. there's a rawness to the track. the guitar is so highly amplified and you can hear pete sliding his fingers along the strings between the notes. i thought 'geez he's playing is really not sharp' and the vocal sounded lazy and emotionless. i disliked it relative to the original. but it grew on me and eventually i heard the intensity of the playing and the resignation (perfect word sf2k) in the vocals and that was it. a favorite. over the years pete has continued to use the noise his fingers make on the strings between notes for extra expression. a signature that gets me everytime.

i prefer the live splinter group version of 'it takes time' to all of the fmac versions i've heard. its a touchstone to his past, a rerecording on a first 'comeback' record. for me there are three key tracks on the first splinter group record (the live one with the couple of studio tracks). there's the studio 'hitchhiking mama' in which he sings and plays alone- slide in a delta style. unexpected- i was floored. then there are the two live tracks in which pete is the primary guitarist throughout 'goin down' (its all pete) and 'it takes time' (nigel takes a break). both are really fluid and expressive. especially 'it takes time' where he accentuates his singing with small guitar comments here and there. it was very clear at this point he was back and playing very well which, after decline in the pvk and kolors era, i didn't expect. so its a sentimental favorite of mine and the fmac version sounds fake (sorry!) in comparison

what can i say? i know i'm in the minority in the forum but i prefer pete's playing these days to him with fleetwood mac

that said, on the mayall covers, the supernatural, i'll take either. it very hard to reproduce the sound in concert so i'd give the original the edge. its not a favorite of mine anyway. i like the splinter group version of the stumble more - anyone who thinks peter green is a shadow of his former self start here and please shut up, alright?

tribal dance, the in skies version. i never much liked it the first time round. hey! pg&f what about some in the skies material live? zero's favorite funky chunk?

[zoork_1]

Originally Posted by sharksfan2000

(...)... I have the opposite feeling about "It Takes Time". I prefer the live version from The Warehouse in New Orleans, from 30 January 1970 - Peter and the band really nailed it on that night. That version has so much more life to it than t... [...]

To me sharksfan (talking about life) the version of "It Takes Time" from Stockholm 1969-11-04 is a high octane killer, any thoughts on that one?

All the best
/z

[doodyhead]

Regarding "It Takes Time"
I agree that of the FM takes of this song, the f=version in Sweden 69 had a lot of fire. The problem for me was Mick and John seemed to make it into a march rather than a pony ride
It was more reachable as a song with Brunning Sunflower but the Playing was subdued.

The splinter group played the song better and it worked as a song for them. It was Nigel who was less than up to the task, in my opinion.
As far as A Fool No More. The in The Skies version is so steamy and smoldering, it is reminiscent of Love That Burns.

Regarding the Stumble. To me nothing beats Bluesbreaker version that was released recently by Mayall in that five disc set. He just set the stage on fire. It was just like the "Stop Messin Around" from the College of Distributive Arts"

As for the Supernatural, It is hard to judge that one because it was manufactured in the studio and it is almost a "One of a kind". It sure had Carlos Santana swayed. I am sure that that had a direct effect on the first note he played on his version of Black Magic Woman

I like the Splinter Groups version of Tribal Dance. It is a more mature developed piece by this time

doodyhead

[zoork_1]

Originally Posted by doodyhead

Regarding "It Takes Time"
I agree that of the FM takes of this song, the f=version in Sweden 69 had a lot of fire. The problem for me was Mick and John seemed to make it into a march rather than a pony ride
It was more reachable as a song with Brunning Sunflower but the Playing was subdued.

The splinter group played the song better and it worked as a song for them. It was Nigel who was less than up to the task, in my opinion.
As far as A Fool No More. The in The Skies version is so steamy and smoldering, it is reminiscent of Love That Burns.

Regarding the Stumble. To me nothing beats Bluesbreaker version that was released recently by Mayall in that five disc set. He just set the stage on fire. It was just like the "Stop Messin Around" from the College of Distributive Arts"

As for the Supernatural, It is hard to judge that one because it was manufactured in the studio and it is almost a "One of a kind". It sure had Carlos Santana swayed. I am sure that that had a direct effect on the first note he played on his version of Black Magic Woman

I like the Splinter Groups version of Tribal Dance. It is a more mature developed piece by this time

doodyhead

Vinnie, I agree on the Stumble, nothing I've heard beats the Bluesbreaker version. Regarding Stop Messin' Around, I remember a Helsinki version that kills!

Haven't thought of the "march rather than a pony ride" issue. I'll check that out :-)

I couldn't find that version of "A Fool No More" on my HD, but I remember listening to a haunting slow blues FM used to play (beamed me from The Skies back to the FM days).

/z

[sharksfan2000]

Originally Posted by zoork_1

To me sharksfan (talking about life) the version of "It Takes Time" from Stockholm 1969-11-04 is a high octane killer, any thoughts on that one?

All the best
/z

Zoork, I was going to listen to that Stockholm version again but haven't done it yet. I've listened to the Warehouse version much more often due to the better sound quality.

While we're on the general subject, how about "Albatross"? I never thought anything could top the original (though some of the early live performances are excellent - the ones from Shrine '69 and from the New Orleans Warehouse show come to mind). But I sure do like the recent "Peter Green & Friends" performances - the new arrangement works beautifully, and Peter's playing has been exceptional.

[bjornense]

Sure it is "It Takes Time" from Stockholm 1969-11-04, I was there! PG was on fire that night. A highlight of my live concertgoing experiences.
As for "The Supernatural" it's the Hard Road version, but a later version that's spinechilling is 1999-02-28, also from Stockholm, Peter and Nigel Watson played with Ronander Blues Band... By the way, I was there too;-)

[dino]

Yep, the Bluesbreakers versions are killer, but it was early days - hence the Clapton influence. I don't think Green hade fully developed his tone yet in '66. So it's two sides of the same coin. Personally I very much enjoy versions of "Supernatural" and "Stumble" - just listen to the precision, the care with which he chooses his notes in the recent Stumbles..amazing.

[Ms Moose]

Originally Posted by doodyhead

Two of the songs that Peter Green had recorded in the 60's and again upon is return to the stage are "A Fool No More " and "It Takes Time"

In listening to both songs, the versions are different over time. Which versions of each song do you like the best and why? You can include live shows in your choice

I am just curious

doodyhead

Good question, doodyhead. And a lot of great answers to it as well.

To me the emotional colouring makes the difference between the two tracks: "A Fool No More" - The original Fleetwood Mac version - emotionally it is caught between anger, frustration and lust. This guy wants to live! The "In The Skies" version projects pure resignation and most of all total loss. It's heartbreaking. This guy does not want to live. I agree with dino that it resignates more when you know about Greens lifestory. It is "so low energy as to be comatose" - (as Celmins write about PG's performance during the 1983 Kolors tour). Still I love this version so much - just as much as I love the first version for it's energy and zest for life.
I haven't heard A fool No More for quite a while and I am right now. It´s unbelievably beautiful guitarplaying in both cases.....

I don't know about "It Takes Time". I like the version from the Live in Soho CD, better than the Warehouse one ...I think. Like A fool No More there is a lived life between the two versions. And therefore they have different qualities. I have to give the Stockholm version a chance. Haven't heard it with this question of yours in mind, doodyhead.

Now I have heard "In The Skies", which always frustrates me because I get confused about whose playing what....and all that...jazz

Ms Moose