FM takes on…

[bwboy]

I know a lot of people don’t like it when the big 3 do covers, but I’ve always enjoyed Blue Letter, Farmer’s Daughter, and Seven Wonders. I’ve read that These Dreams by Heart and I Get Weak by Belinda Carlisle were originally intended for Stevie, which got me thinking about songs Lindsey and Christine could have recorded that would have fit their voice and style.

I can’t help but think Christine would have sounded so good singing We’re All Alone by Bob Scaggs and later Rita Coolidge. I also think she would have nailed Midnight Blue, originally by Melissa Manchester. Both songs feature piano, another plus.

For Lindsey, I could see him singing Stand by REM. In fact, I really think a lot of Michael Stipe’s songs with REM could be performed incredibly well by Lindsey. I just recently noticed that Stipe seems to have been influenced by Lindsey’s music- Shiny Happy People as compared to Holiday Road, for example. Likewise, I could totally see Stipe singing I Know I’m Not Wrong or Book of Love. Lindsey’s writing style is so different from Stevie’s, but he makes Crystal sound so good. I wish he would try more sweeping songs, with an actual story, kind of like Go Your Own Way. I don’t think of Lindsey as a storyteller in that regard, but GYOW is a story. Imagining Lindsey take on Invitation to Life by REM kind of sends a chill up my spine… in a good way, of course!

I just wondered if there were any songs by other folks you could picture FM performing, or the individual members.

[FuzzyPlum]

Ha...REM. That's a really interesting thought. Yes, I think a lot of REM songs would be a great fit for Lindsey's voice....especially a lot of those early songs;

Radio Free Europe, Perfect Circle, Fall on Me, Flowers of Guatemala, Turn You Inside Out. That would be cool.

but...why would he? Interesting thought though!

[Macfan4life]

I can see/hear Lindsey's voice on REM songs. Not sure why. I suppose Stipe's voice is similar to Lindsey. I also think the music is something Lindsey would do too.

I think Heart did a great job on These Dreams. It was perfect for Nancy Wilson. OMG just because it was a hit with Heart does not mean Stevie's version would be. I can see why she passed on the song. The song is a long list of cheezy metaphors. I dont think she could pull off such a song. With Heart's version, you dont notice the cheeze of the lyrics and it works fairly well as a magical song. I think Stevie's voice would have everyone focusing on the lyrics. Many would have thought Stevie was out of ideas and cashing in on her biggest hit Dreams. Her RAL raspy fried voice would not do the song any favors either. As bad as it could have been, I probably would have still taken it over Talk To Me

Stevie's biggest blunder in passing songs was not taking Love Will Find A Way. It was actually written specially for her to sing. But she passed on it and Yes did it and it sounds great. You just wonder what her version would have been.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hrowi4hHz8A

[Villavic]

Originally Posted by bwboy

I know a lot of people don’t like it when the big 3 do covers, but I’ve always enjoyed Blue Letter, Farmer’s Daughter, and Seven Wonders.

I know SS was written by Sandy Stewart but didn't know it was a cover. If it was a cover does anybody know where to listen the original version?

[UnwindedDreams]

Originally Posted by Villavic

I know SS was written by Sandy Stewart but didn't know it was a cover. If it was a cover does anybody know where to listen the original version?

Stevie has writing credit for 7W for "All the way done to Emmaline."

And didn't Fleetwood Mac record and release Blue Letter before the Curtis Brothers?

[SteveMacD]

Originally Posted by UnwindedDreams

And didn't Fleetwood Mac record and release Blue Letter before the Curtis Brothers?

The Curtis Bros. were recording at the same time. Richard was a producer, FWIW.

[SteveMacD]

Eric Clapton w/ George Harrison

• Run So Far: Stevie w/ Christine

Robert Pollard/Guided by Voices

• Sensational Gravity Boy: Lindsey
• Blessed In An Open Head: Christine
• Hold On Hope: Christine
• Love Is Stronger Than Witchcraft: Stevie
• Moses On A Snail: Stevie

Richard Thompson (for Stevie)

• Dimming of the Day
• For Shame Of Doing Wrong: Rafferty mix
• Withered & Died

Tim Finn (or Richard & Teddy Thompson (for Stevie & Neil)

• Persuasion

Beatles (for Christine)

• Hello, Goodbye
• The Long & Winding Road

Tom Petty (for Stevie)

• Wildflowers

[bwboy]

Originally Posted by UnwindedDreams

Stevie has writing credit for 7W for "All the way done to Emmaline."

And didn't Fleetwood Mac record and release Blue Letter before the Curtis Brothers?

Sorry for the confusion- I was using the terms ‘cover’ and ‘songs written by someone else’ interchangeably. I really meant to say it would be interesting to have heard songs by the main 3 singers written by someone else, whether those songs had been previously recorded or not. Blue a letter, to me, is totally Fleetwood Mac. So it was amazing to me when I realized it was written by someone outside of the band. Blue Letter is also one of my favorite FM songs. I love it just like I love I Don’t Want to Know, both are very catchy.

[GypsySorcerer]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

Tom Petty (for Stevie)

• Wildflowers

That's a good one.

I know Courtney Love originally intended "Malibu" for Stevie but ultimately decided to record it herself. I'd love to hear a Stevie version, as it's really suited for her current voice. I'd like to hear a Christine take on "Rainy Days and Mondays" (Carpenters). And a Lindsey version of "Hurt" (Reznor/Cash) could be interesting.

[Macfan4life]

Stevie has always loved and performed Petty's I Need To Know but I think when she would have sounded great doing his "Change of Heart" instead. For some reason, I can hear her sing it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0Zxs5TspQA

[demonchaser]

Originally Posted by Macfan4life

Stevie's biggest blunder in passing songs was not taking Love Will Find A Way. It was actually written specially for her to sing. But she passed on it and Yes did it and it sounds great. You just wonder what her version would have been.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hrowi4hHz8A

I've always loved this song and looked into this. From the article I found, Trevor Rabin wrote the song for Stevie and she actually went in to record it back in 1982. She was pretty far along and even changed around some of the lyrics. While Stevie was working on it, Trevor played his version for the drummer from Yes. The drummer thought the song sounded like a big hit and was furious that Trevor gave it to Stevie. He convinced Trevor to go back to Stevie and ask her for the song back.

The timing in the article seems odd since Yes released the song in 1987. I always thought it was meant for Rock A Little but if the article is correct it would have been for the Wild Heart.

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by demonchaser

I've always loved this song and looked into this. From the article I found, Trevor Rabin wrote the song for Stevie and she actually went in to record it back in 1982. She was pretty far along and even changed around some of the lyrics. While Stevie was working on it, Trevor played his version for the drummer from Yes. The drummer thought the song sounded like a big hit and was furious that Trevor gave it to Stevie. He convinced Trevor to go back to Stevie and ask her for the song back.

The timing in the article seems odd since Yes released the song in 1987. I always thought it was meant for Rock A Little but if the article is correct it would have been for the Wild Heart.

It’s more likely it was Rock a Little. She had so many original songs saved up for The Wild Heart. But I suppose it could have been for TWH.

[aleuzzi]

I’d love to hear Christine sing an album of songs originally sung by Bobby Bland. She’s already covered two of them (“Too Far Gone to Turn Around” and “I’m On My Way”). But an entire record would be just lovely.

I’d also like to hear her sing Gamble and Huff’s songs “Lost” and “Silly Silly Fool” from Dusty Springfield’s Brand New Me.

[UnwindedDreams]

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

The Curtis Bros. were recording at the same time. Richard was a producer, FWIW.

I see. Curtis released Blue Letter on their album in 1976.

I just found out from researching that Lindsey heard it played by Curtis Brothers when they opened for Buckingham Nicks.

[Macfan4life]

Originally Posted by demonchaser

I've always loved this song and looked into this. From the article I found, Trevor Rabin wrote the song for Stevie and she actually went in to record it back in 1982. She was pretty far along and even changed around some of the lyrics. While Stevie was working on it, Trevor played his version for the drummer from Yes. The drummer thought the song sounded like a big hit and was furious that Trevor gave it to Stevie. He convinced Trevor to go back to Stevie and ask her for the song back.

The timing in the article seems odd since Yes released the song in 1987. I always thought it was meant for Rock A Little but if the article is correct it would have been for the Wild Heart.

I've heard that story too. It was written for her during a time Stevie did not have much interest in music (unfortunately). Her RAL era was a disaster. She still had a vault of incredible songs but no one to shape them because few could tolerate the all party no work philosophy. It was a sincere gift to her and she blew it. Instead the record company found these cheezy sugar pop songs for her to sign instead, just to finish a record that was long over due.
The story of the sound man that was posted here several months ago about the ham sandwiches really crystalizes this era. They waited all day for Stevie to show up late at night to sing HAEWAFY. The studio had to be ice cold and she shows up in a giant mink coat late at night and then sends someone out to some convenance store for wonder bread and deli meat. There are no good delis open that late so they got the cheap stuff and she made sandwiches for everyone at 1am. She could have catered a nice affair. But her point of reference was when the Mac was being creative and staying up all night recording and she made sandwiches. In her mind, she was going through the same process. But sadly this was just her mind rationalization. She just was high and the album was almost an inconvenience for her.
Its probably a good thing Yes got back the song. She probably could not see or care what the song was. That was not her interest during this time.