The smile I live for

Macfan4life · #1 01-10-2015, 10:27 AM

This is one of my all time favorite Christine songs. I know there are some young people on this board that probably don't know or ever listened to Christine's solo album. Its full of gems like this. This song captivates me. Even better Lindsey Buckingham plays guitar on it. I remember an interview with Christine in 1984 about this song. It was one of the few songs she wrote where she had the title first and then wrote the lyrics. When she began recording her solo album a friend of hers showed Christine a photo of her and her new husband and the woman said.....that is the smile I live for. Christine was like....wow... Can I use that in a song? The rest in history. There is an amazing live version of this with a really cool echo effects on the vocals.

Enjoy. Christine's smile is the smile I live for

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SygGLVKZ0Q

ironman_01701 · #2 01-10-2015, 02:54 PM

Chrislover what do you think of this photo of a beautiful 71 year old, and how have you been?

pwyll · #3 01-11-2015, 01:23 PM

Always wished this would have been on a Mac album. I can hear Stevie's haunting "oohs" all over this song.

**jbrownsjr** · #4 01-12-2015, 10:18 AM

Fantastic photo, and song.

PenguinHead · #5 01-12-2015, 11:28 PM

It's notable that the lyrics of the song don't include the title of the song -- a rare instance.

Ideally. if the Rumours era Fleetwood Mac band had been a little more functional and prolific, they would have produced a few more than just five albums. Songs like The Smile I Live For would be a perfect fit on those "could have been" albums. Even the most short-lived bands can claim a larger sonic landscape. Our only concession is the wide array of of solo albums.

The Mamas & Papas (the dysfunctional drama-induced precursor to Fleetwood Mac), managed to produce four albums in the mere three years together, before calling it quits. However rigid expectations and commercial demands were different in that era -- if you didn't put out at least one or two albums a year, your career was at risk.

Christine's song Friend, from her last album, sounds so much like a long-lost great Fleetwood Mac song.

Macfan4life · #6 01-13-2015, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PenguinHead

It's notable that the lyrics of the song don't include the title of the song -- a rare instance.

Ideally. if the Rumours era Fleetwood Mac band had been a little more functional and prolific, they would have produced a few more than just five albums. Songs like The Smile I Live For would be a perfect fit on those "could have been" albums. Even the most short-lived bands can claim a larger sonic landscape. Our only concession is the wide array of of solo albums.

The Mamas & Papas (the dysfunctional drama-induced precursor to Fleetwood Mac), managed to produce four albums in the mere three years together, before calling it quits. However rigid expectations and commercial demands were different in that era -- if you didn't put out at least one or two albums a year, your career was at risk.

Christine's song Friend, from her last album, sounds so much like a long-lost great Fleetwood Mac song.

I agree that Friend sounds like Fleetwood Mac. It almost has a You Make Loving Fun feel to it. But Christine IS Fleetwood Mac IMHO so it should come as no surprise some of her songs sound like the Mac. I don't think Got a Hold on Me sounds like the Mac but many have said that song has a Mac sound with her peppy lyrics.

Back to her 1984 album......so many fantastic songs that I would never change anything with like Ask Anybody with Stevie Winwood on keyboards and Mick Fleetwood on drums and the Challenge with Eric Clapton on guitar. New Mac fans should give this album a good listen.

PenguinHead · #7 01-21-2015, 06:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pwyll

Always wished this would have been on a Mac album. I can hear Stevie's haunting "oohs" all over this song.

Thata song that could easily slip into the groove if performed live with the band. Since Christine is the Mac of Fleetwood Mac, any of her solo songs would seamlessly work. When I hear her song Friend, I always feel like it's a long-lost, would-be Fleetwood Mac song --- on an album they might have made between Mirage and Tango, or after The Dance.
It's too bad they didn't explore more suitable choices of their solo material in the context of Fleetwood Mac. Stand Back was an incongruous choice, as was Has Anyone Ever Written Anything for You, Go Insane was given a solo Big Love treatment. I really liked it when Rick Vito brought back some Peter Green era material to their live shows.
Lindsey was great with OhWell. The could have done justice to songs like Trouble, Got a Hold on Me, Nightbird etc.. just to freshen up the set lists and add an element of surprise to the shows.