Lindsey's Fleetwood Mac castoff songs - and The Chain box set

PenguinHead · #1 12-19-2014, 07:34 AM

Lindsey, in comparison to Christine and Stevie, has a lot more non-album b-sides and one-off songs. Lately I've been listening to them and enjoying them;appreciating them more over time. These are somewhat overlooked and obscure gems:

Down Endless Street
Cool Water
You and I -part one
Goodbye Angel
Make Me a Mask
Teen Beat
Book of Miracles
Go Insane (Dance)

Several of these are featured on The Chain box set, which seems ancient and forgotten now. I love the set, but thought it could be better. It's a rather bleakly designed, with an odd song arrangement, no liner notes to provide context for the material, and inexplicably, missing or inaccurate information about alternate mixes. It seems like it's long overdue to have a more up-to-date box set, after their new album, since this is such a "profound" chapter in their history.

In my dreams, a new box set (working title:The Links?) or double disks wouldn't be glutted with all the typical hits/familiar songs - the world doesn't need that. It would gather all the stray songs like the ones above, EP songs, and highlight others like Fireflies, Not Make Believe, Don't Let Me Down, Farmer's Daughter, One More Night, Paper Doll, Love Shines, Heart of Stone etc..

Also closely related material like the first duet version of Twisted, and Roll With Me Henry (which is practicably a Fleetwood Mac song since it features Christine with Mick, Billy (and Rick and John?). Of course alternate and new live versions of songs from,albums could flesh out the set.

What am I missing? This is my insomniac thread; it's four in the morning and I still can't go to sleep. It's going to be a rough day.

FuzzyPlum · #2 12-19-2014, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PenguinHead

What am I missing? This is my insomniac thread; it's four in the morning and I still can't go to sleep. It's going to be a rough day.

Not sure whether its what you're aiming at but I'd suggest a whole load of 'Middle years' material including Purple Dancer, Sunny Side of Heaven, Sentimental Lady and Show Me a Smile. There was nowhere near enough of this on The Chain.

aleuzzi · #3 12-19-2014, 09:20 AM

There were two versions of The Chain--the big original version, which struck me as barely adequate in its coverage of "mid-period" Mac stuff. And then there was the condensed version, which was entirely inadequate, offering only one song from Welch, 1.5 from Kirwan, and one from Spencer.

A great middle-period compilation would be excellent, including any out-takes or unreleased songs. It will never happen.

bombaysaffires · #4 12-19-2014, 01:07 PM

just a note that Cool Water is an old classic song and not a Lindsey original composition. Still, I like the FM version, it was the first time I'd heard the song when I played the b-side of Gypsy, but my mom heard it and knew it right away and said, "why are they doing this old song?"

BlueDenimLamp · #5 12-19-2014, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bombaysaffires

just a note that Cool Water is an old classic song and not a Lindsey original composition. Still, I like the FM version, it was the first time I'd heard the song when I played the b-side of Gypsy, but my mom heard it and knew it right away and said, "why are they doing this old song?"

May not be a FM original but "Cool Water" features the vocal stylings of one John Mcvie.

PenguinHead · #6 12-20-2014, 02:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FuzzyPlum

Not sure whether its what you're aiming at but I'd suggest a whole load of 'Middle years' material including Purple Dancer, Sunny Side of Heaven, Sentimental Lady and Show Me a Smile. There was nowhere near enough of this on The Chain.

I whole hardheartedly support that. I'm in love with all of those middle years albums. Most the press focuses either on the Green years or Rumours era, so the middle, transitional period gets overlooked. There a some good compilations of their blues era, but not of the prolific, turbulent 1971-1974 era.It would be fantastic to have a box set that would highlight that forgotten but very interesting era. Surely they can dig up alternate takes and live performances to compliment album selections, along with extensively written account of events.

What I was initially aiming at is exactly what I stated; there is still a substantial amount of material from the band, in more recent decades, that isn't featured on formal albums, and thus, less available;easily forgotten songs that could be given better exposure an value if compiled together in a new collection. I didn't intend for my whimsical thought to seen as an negation of another period of the band. In fact, I think it's overdue for those albums - Kiln House, Future Games, Bare Trees, Penguin, Mystery to Me, and Heroes are Hard to Find - should be remastered and re-released, preferably with lots of bonus tracks-- alternate/single mixes, outtakes and live material.

I agree that The Chain gave only mere representation to their complete history. Its main purpose was on the most commercial era of the band, with a just nod to the past.

PenguinHead · #7 12-20-2014, 02:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bombaysaffires

just a note that Cool Water is an old classic song and not a Lindsey original composition. Still, I like the FM version, it was the first time I'd heard the song when I played the b-side of Gypsy, but my mom heard it and knew it right away and said, "why are they doing this old song?"

Yes, it's cover song. So what? It's not unusual for songwriters to cover old songs. In decades past, it was standard for groups to include familiar cover songs on their albums. The Beatles' early albums are a good example of that.

FuzzyPlum · #8 12-20-2014, 05:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PenguinHead

What I was initially aiming at is exactly what I stated; there is still a substantial amount of material from the band, in more recent decades, that isn't featured on formal albums, and thus, less available;easily forgotten songs that could be given better exposure an value if compiled together in a new collection.

Joan of Arc & Special Kind of Love???
What has rock & roll ever done for you? (I'm not entirely sure whether that's a Stevie song or an outtake from the Tango sessions).
I know there is a whole load of unused Behind The Mask material. I don't know all of it but I'm aware of Intuition and Got No Home. Would be good to have some of that on a box set.
Of course, you couldn't leave out the greatness that is Lizard People.

secret love · #9 12-20-2014, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PenguinHead

Lindsey, in comparison to Christine and Stevie, has a lot more non-album b-sides and one-off songs. Lately I've been listening to them and enjoying them;appreciating them more over time. These are somewhat overlooked and obscure gems:

Down Endless Street
Cool Water
You and I -part one
Goodbye Angel
Make Me a Mask
Teen Beat
Book of Miracles
Go Insane (Dance)

Several of these are featured on The Chain box set, which seems ancient and forgotten now. I love the set, but thought it could be better. It's a rather bleakly designed, with an odd song arrangement, no liner notes to provide context for the material, and inexplicably, missing or inaccurate information about alternate mixes. It seems like it's long overdue to have a more up-to-date box set, after their new album, since this is such a "profound" chapter in their history.

In my dreams, a new box set (working title:The Links?) or double disks wouldn't be glutted with all the typical hits/familiar songs - the world doesn't need that. It would gather all the stray songs like the ones above, EP songs, and highlight others like Fireflies, Not Make Believe, Don't Let Me Down, Farmer's Daughter, One More Night, Paper Doll, Love Shines, Heart of Stone etc..

Also closely related material like the first duet version of Twisted, and Roll With Me Henry (which is practicably a Fleetwood Mac song since it features Christine with Mick, Billy (and Rick and John?). Of course alternate and new live versions of songs from,albums could flesh out the set.

What am I missing? This is my insomniac thread; it's four in the morning and I still can't go to sleep. It's going to be a rough day.

Sorry if you already answered this - but why can't you sleep? What's going on? Are you okay?

It was a comprehensive list I think, there doesn't appear to be anything missing there that I can recognise.

We also have a list from a 2012 archived thread of the 8 songs set recorded in mid-late 2012 with Lindsey, Mick and John with Stevie absent due to the death of her mother, Barbara Nicks.

I think her father already passed on before her mum, is that correct?

As a side note I just listened on YouTube to the demo of Lady (circa 1971) and the latest release (2014) and to be quite honest, yes the current piano is just slightly better than Stevie's original demo -- but really, I think she can and absolutely should be doing this song live on stage behind the piano, seated. She does it all the time for Rhiannon and the piano chords for Lady are really not all that difficult and she would be completely fine.

It would look more accomplished for her to be playing piano and singing on her own song. Just saying.

Updated to add: I believe though I do not know for sure, that most of Christine's songs demo'd for The Dance went straight on to In the Meantime. In a Dance interview promotion she admitted to writing 10-12 songs and needing to choose one.

Well, I'd say there are maybe 2 songs that missed out on both The Dance and Temporary One. One of those was leaked on to YouTube and I'm saying that could be a third. We know her songs from this year are called Too Far Gone and How I Feel.

Lindsey's 2012 songs from memory are
Hunger
Lay Down for Free
Is it Right
Miss Fantasy/Sad Angel
(Not - It Takes Time)
Up Your Speed

That's all I remember but I think there are one or too more - ah, Carnival Begin

There was a brief fleeting mention on Fleetwood Mac News of two new Stevie songs one was My Mother's Rings and I completely forget the title of the other song now. Oh well.

-J

secret love · #10 12-20-2014, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueDenimLamp

May not be a FM original but "Cool Water" features the vocal stylings of one John Mcvie.

Does it? When he sang on Say You Love Me in 1997 he sang so softly that I could barely hear him next to his ex-wife but it was a great song and a great performance with the banjo.

He I believe would have a great singing voice if he just had the confidence to use his singing voice on stage. It would be extremely nerve wracking, potentially, but without a doubt he could and would pull it off if he tried. Christine could teach him, I'm sure she has forgiven most of their previous digressions in the seventies.

I wonder sometimes if John and Christine could ever get back together. I'm not sure it would work but it seems a much more realistic proposition that Stevie and Lindsey, for sure.

FuzzyPlum · #11 12-20-2014, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by secret love

I wonder sometimes if John and Christine could ever get back together. I'm not sure it would work but it seems a much more realistic proposition that Stevie and Lindsey, for sure.

No. As far as we are aware he is still happily married to Julie.
I'm sure Christine still loves him dearly but on her part my guess is she'd have fairly little interest in having a relationship with him now.

Possibly the most viable match at this stage may be Mick & Stevie- though even the chances of that happening are somewhere between no hope and Bob...

bombaysaffires · #12 12-20-2014, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PenguinHead

Yes, it's cover song. So what? It's not unusual for songwriters to cover old songs. In decades past, it was standard for groups to include familiar cover songs on their albums. The Beatles' early albums are a good example of that.

whoa. just a fact, not a criticism.

michelej1 · #13 12-20-2014, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PenguinHead

Yes, it's cover song. So what? It's not unusual for songwriters to cover old songs. In decades past, it was standard for groups to include familiar cover songs on their albums. The Beatles' early albums are a good example of that.

Fleetwood Mac's early albums are a good example of that. But no one was faulting the fact that it was a cover song anyway.

Michele

SteveMacD · #14 12-20-2014, 05:41 PM

What I want to know is why "Goodbye Angel" was passed over for "Empire State".

KenB · #15 12-20-2014, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveMacD

What I want to know is why "Goodbye Angel" was passed over for "Empire State".

Goodbye Angel is a beautiful song. I actually like Empire State, though, and would have preferred GA to replace Oh Diane or Book of Love. Then again, I played GA for my significant other, who enjoys Fleetwood Mac but isn't an obsessive fan like I am, and she said, "What's this crap?"