Which album outside of the Rumours lineup had the best Christine songs?
 

As I'm in such a good mood over Christine's return and as I'm also a bit tired of some of the negativity over on another part of the Ledge , I thought I would canvass opinion about which album outside the Rumours lineup had the consistently best Christine songs on it. I've limited it to ones that she had a hand in writing in, so annoyingly, What a Shame is in and Keep on Going is out. Feel free to offer album rankings in your reply, should you be kind enough to reply. I'm excluding Greatest Hits as there's only one new song on that. And yeah, I know Christine rather than John probably wrote bits of Station Man, too. I'm already feeling a little torn in my choice...

Kind Regards

Mr Scarrott

PS if one of the mods could delete my earlier thread that would be great. Thanks.

Actually, Mystery to Me and HAHTF seem pretty evenly matched.

Michele

Bare Trees was one of my first FM loves, so it breaks my heart not to vote for it. But I think Christine was actually probably the weaker songwriter on that one.

I had to go with Mystery to Me. Flawless, and we get some sounds we don't usually hear from her.

Mystery to Me wins for me as she got a higher song count on the album and each one was a gem. Christine knocks it out of the park on this record. A lot of variety and good music, her voice had found a great tone and flexibility by Mystery. I think she shines on all of the early Mac albums and was particularly well matched with Danny Kirwan, even more so than Bob Welch and I thought the two of them did some nice work together. If Mystery has any weaknesses, it was starting to sound like two different bands between Welch and McVie but this was not the case on the Kirwan lead albums.

Future Games also shows a more artistic side to her songs and the difference between Morning Rain and Show Me a Smile showed her versatility as an artist. :nod:

I remember hearing Penguin for the first time and being genuinely enthused by Christine's songs on it. They were so catchy!

I also think, on paper at least, her Heroes sings are excellent (big fan of approve Your Love). She sings all of them well, but the arrangements (particularly on Come a Little Bit Closer) are generally muddled. As performed, only Bad Loser catches the right fire.

I also want to give a shout out for The Chain box set. Both of Christine's songs are excellent, the only strong new material on that issue, IMO.

I love her songs on Behind the Mask and Time but I have to go with the emerging Mystery To Me consensus. Four songs, all very different, all just about perfect.

I do think Behind the Mask and Save Me are exceptional.

Michele

I think all 3 of her songs on Penguin are exceptional. They are all so catchy, foot tapping, and enjoyable. They might be my fav group of Chris songs from any album, actually. :)

Thank you!

I would have said Mr Wonderful had the best Christine songs...

What? I hear you say...there weren't any Christine songs on Mr Wonderful

:nod::nod::nod:

:laugh:

Maybe I'll run a poll for Christine's best keyboard work next, then!;) Got to admit I love her simple, evocative piano on Love that Burns. I could listen to that track endlessly- and she's on fire on Lazy Poker Blues.

Thanks for everyone's responses. All very civilised.

Actually in Christine's defence (and hey most people here know I'm not a big Christine fan) most of her stuff pre-rumours was okay.

Mystery To Me. The song, "Why" ~ beautiful, heartbreaking, hopeful, FLAWLESS!

Mystery and Heroes are my fav.

It came down to these two for me. I have to go with Mystery, for the sublime Why.

One of the best album closers ever.

Her piano work on Green's Mr. Wonderful tunes is outstanding. Love, love, love "Rolling Man" and her control on that tune is one of the many reasons I do.

Checking all threads I found this (still open) poll. At first I wanted to vote for Time, cause though it's not a favorite album to me, I do like Christine songs in Time. But it wouldn't be fair until I review all Christine songs from early years.

Kind of hard to choose, but MtM songs are very good, maybe the best, though I also like a lot Christine Bare Trees songs.

Aw, thanks for bringing my poll back from the undead, Villavic. I suppose adding Lindsey Buckingham/ChristineMcvie to the options would kind of make sense, even if technically (sniff..) it's not(takes cover...) an FM ralbum(sobs in a pile of tears...)

Just voted. Like a number of others have said….it comes down to MTM and HAHTF. Though I think overall MTM is the better album, I think her 4 songs on HAHTF are consistently the best overall and just about edge it.

Of all the Welch era albums, Heroes are Hard to Find might be my least favorite, but McVie's contributions are absolutely stellar, particularly "Come a Little Bit Closer" and "Prove Your Love"

You are so correct. Why is her best song. Mystery is the best Welch album but Chris's contributions to Heroes are definitely stellar.
The decision is do the 4 excellent songs override the best Mac song ever?

Is it? It might well be. I’m sure there’s a poll somewhere.
I’d posit….
Why?
Man of the World
Go Your Own Way
The Chain
Landslide
Sara

Not sure there’s really anything outside those.
But I think maybe Why would get my vote.

I don't visit this board all that often any more. With Christine gone, well, you know. (Sniff.)

But then once in a while, out pops a ten year old thread that just soothes me with a wave of nostalgia.

I have to say if I were going to answer this question on sheer quality of material, I'd go with Bare Trees, with just two songs. Just about everyone puts "Spare Me a Little of Your Love" high up on their list of favorite Christine songs, but personally I will never stop advocating for "Homeward Bound" belonging up there, too. Super piano work, a real rock feel, a more aggressive vocal than you usually get from Chris, and a song that's not about love for a man (for once) but about love for home. In a lot of ways it stands alone in her catalog. Great guitar work, too.

The live version of “Homeward Bound” on the remastered version of Bare Trees from the 1971-1974 box set is amazing!

It sounds like Chicken Shack! Forgot how good this is! !

Yes, she helped invent the sound of the core trio before she even officially joined.

It’s unbelievably good, isn’t it? Danny’s guitar is blistering and Christine’s voice there is so much more assured and cool than the album version.

The instrumentation is impressive—searing guitar; crisp effective piano parts; very groovy organ layered over that, too. The backing track sounds a lot like Janice’s Full Tilt Boogie Band.