The Last "Full" Mac Tracks: BTLH & SYHA

[Andy Man]

So I'm listening to the Say You Will album today as I have not done so in a while and when the tracks Steal Your Heart Away and Bleed To Love Her came on I couldn't help but smile. To me, because Christine is on those tracks, the two represent kind of a farewell to the full Rumours line up of the Mac. First off, they both have the classic Mac sound (and yes, I know they are both older songs). But with Ms. McVie's voice and keyboards added into the mix the two tracks, to me, are a nice break in the Buck.Nicks invasion that is Say You Will (and for the record I love the album). I just love the fact that Christine's recordings were kept on those tracks and we at least got another couple songs with the full lineup post-Christine retirement. Anyways, just thought I'd share my 'Mac moment of the day' haha.

[mylittledemon]

it's weird... i don't hear Christine...

[bluefox4000]

Me either....my chris senses don't tingle but apparently she IS in there somewhere

Mick

[Andy Man]

Originally Posted by mylittledemon

it's weird... i don't hear Christine...

Really??? The first time I heard those tracks I could spot her voice instantly. Especially in the chorus of BTLH...

[mylittledemon]

Even on the DVD Audio I didn't hear her.

[bluefox4000]

Maybe if I could hear her I'd like the studio version of BTLH. I much prefer the Dance version. The studio has that long long noodling guitar solo. The only time i've ever been bored by Lindsey. As for SYHA. Love it, love it.

Mick

[Erin]

I can hear her on the oooh parts of SYHA, which I think are near the end of the song. She's also on the chorus of BTLH. Try listening closely to those parts and see if it helps.

Interesting topic. Those are actually my two favorites on Say You Will. When I bought it and listened to it on the day it came out, I distinctly remember feeling "bittersweet" on those two songs because I could clearly hear Chris. I wish they would have reconsidered and let her be on the album.

[GypsySorcerer]

I can hear Chris as plain as day on the "oohs" in SYHA.

Was it ever confirmed that Christine is playing the keyboards on Murrow? I remember that rumor when SYW came out.

[chiliD]

Christine is much more prominent on earlier versions of SYHA (such as the version that was released on the "Best Buy" CD set and the "leaked" version of GOS)...it was almost as if she was "mixed out" of the SYW album version.

[The Chain]

I hear her very clear on the "woah oh oh"s in the chorus to Bleed To Love Her & the "oooh"s in Steal Your Heart Away. She's probably singing all the way through both choruses in those songs, but the way the Mac mixes vocals sometimes to get those quiet, breathy harmonies (Down Endless Street, Mystified choruses)probably obscures her even more, ecspecially if her parts were signifigantly "mixed out" as chili mentioned.

[PutTheBlameOnMe]

I can definitely hear her in both choruses.
I think it's more noticable if you listen to it through headphones and quite loud.

[MikeVielhaber]

I just put both songs on. I can maybe hear her in SYHA. It's hard to distinguish some of the voices though. In BTLH, however, her voice is clear as day.

[mylittledemon]

Originally Posted by bluefox4000

The studio has that long long noodling guitar solo. The only time i've ever been bored by Lindsey.

Yeah I love the Dance version as well, but I love the ending to the SYW version. Very beautiful.

[Nikolaj]

I'm gonna be a total chickensh*t and bury my very subjective observation in this thread, and I realize my opinion is only that, a matter of opinion. 'Bleed To Love Her' got me thinking...for all the crap Stevie has taken for some of her lyrics, I think she's head and shoulders above Lindsey as a songwriter. He is a brilliant musician, guitarist, recording studio master, (well, if one chooses to forgive how he murdered 'Smile At You').
But dang, LB has written so many truly lousy songs and doesn't get called on it.
Why have this opinion? 'Lola,My Love'; much of his 'Tusk' material (though I find 'Walk A Thin Line' sublime and maybe his best, ever) just about all of his 'Tango In The Night' material (though I love the title song, it's a killer!) But 'Oh Diane' 'Caroline' and 'Family Man', are all such inferior songs, they make even the most-criticized Stevie songs ('Welcome To The Room, Sara') sound absolutely profound. She has had the airhead label, why the hell hasn't he?
I'm sorry to the LB fans, and I do think he's a big part of what makes Fleetwood Mac great, but I think 70% of LB's songs are vacuous, uninspired, or just forgettable, and I'd say SN 70% of the time will wind up writing something really good. She deserves more credit.
I guess 'Bleed To Love Her' being included on 2 Fleetwood Mac albums reminded me how extremely limited I think LB is as a songwriter.
About 13 years ago, back on AOL, when they had jumping music message boards, I unintentionally started some huge debate that seemed to go on forever when I stated that, in my opinion, Stevie Nicks was "the voice of Fleetwood Mac"... Generally, that opinion didn't go over so well, my favorite response was "She most certainly is NOT. There is no voice of Fleetwood Mac!"
So, all these years later, I'll say now that I think Stevie is the songwriter of Fleetwood Mac. Christine was great, without a ton of misfires. But, I'd still say great as she was, CM had no 'Rhiannon', no 'Silver Springs', no 'Beautiful Child' or 'Sara'... Nor did she or LB have the enduring classics I'm so sick of-- 'Dreams' and 'Landslide'.
Stevie's songwriting just doesn't seem to be recognized as it should be for helping make Fleetwood Mac work so well as a unit, or am I wrong? Yet, CM and LB always seemed to have that built-in respect without question. I know Christine wrote many hits for the band, and is a good songwriter.
But I think Stevie is the unsung songwriting hero(ine) of the band.
Nyet?

[justcrazylove]

Wow, what a ridiculous rant! I won't pick out what parts i disagree with, i'll just disagree with the whole thing!