50 great things about Fleetwood Mac's "Tusk"

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Let's start with:

1. The drum sound

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Sunday, 22 February 2004 23:47 (9 years ago) Permalink

2. the buzzy guitar sound on "the ledge."

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Sunday, 22 February 2004 23:54 (9 years ago) Permalink

3. "sara"

― the surface noise (electricsound), Sunday, 22 February 2004 23:54 (9 years ago) Permalink

4. genius-like simplicity in songwriting, example #1: "save me a place"

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Sunday, 22 February 2004 23:55 (9 years ago) Permalink

5.Lindsay's yelling on "What Makes You Think You're the One"

― Colin Beckett (Colin Beckett), Sunday, 22 February 2004 23:55 (9 years ago) Permalink

6. genius-like simplicity in songwriting, example #2: "that's all for everyone"

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Sunday, 22 February 2004 23:56 (9 years ago) Permalink

7. lindsey buckingham's lo-fi home production.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Sunday, 22 February 2004 23:57 (9 years ago) Permalink

8. The hook on "Angel"

― Colin Beckett (Colin Beckett), Sunday, 22 February 2004 23:58 (9 years ago) Permalink

9. The cover

― Colin Beckett (Colin Beckett), Sunday, 22 February 2004 23:58 (9 years ago) Permalink

10. Lindsey Buckingham's obvious obsession with the current sucess of punk and new wave.

― bahtology, Monday, 23 February 2004 00:07 (9 years ago) Permalink

11. the >$1 million studio bill

― the surface noise (electricsound), Monday, 23 February 2004 00:09 (9 years ago) Permalink

12. songs that use the G A Bm chord progression like "storms" does *swoon*

― The Lady Ms Lurex (lucylurex), Monday, 23 February 2004 00:12 (9 years ago) Permalink

13. The herky-jerky, coked-up sound of all the Buckingham material.

― maypang (maypang), Monday, 23 February 2004 00:12 (9 years ago) Permalink

13. lindsay buckingham getting thanked as if he isn't in the band wtf?

― The Lady Ms Lurex (lucylurex), Monday, 23 February 2004 00:13 (9 years ago) Permalink

15. so much packaging on the vinyl copy!!!!!!!!!!!!!

― The Lady Ms Lurex (lucylurex), Monday, 23 February 2004 00:15 (9 years ago) Permalink

come on people. i can't think all by myself.

― The Lady Ms Hivemind (lucylurex), Monday, 23 February 2004 00:41 (9 years ago) Permalink

16. the fact that the band re-created Lindsey's tile-lined bathroom in the studio to replicate the sound of his demos.

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Monday, 23 February 2004 00:50 (9 years ago) Permalink

17. bootlegs from the 1979 tour where the material from "Tusk" rubs up uncomfortably against the stuff from "Rumours" and "Fleetwood Mac"

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Monday, 23 February 2004 00:51 (9 years ago) Permalink

18. the absolutely chaotic yet strangely perfect arrangement of "What Makes You Think You're the One"

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Monday, 23 February 2004 00:52 (9 years ago) Permalink

19. McVie's breathtakingly beautiful "Never Make Me Cry"
20. the super poppy harmonica (?) hook Lindsey sneaks into "I Know I'm Not Wrong"

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Monday, 23 February 2004 00:56 (9 years ago) Permalink

"I Walk a Thin Line"

The part where Lindsey's voice goes up and you can't tell where his ends and Christine McVie's starts. Or maybe it's all Lindsey overdubs. Either way, that song RULES.

― Will (will), Monday, 23 February 2004 01:13 (9 years ago) Permalink

umm, 21.

― Will (will), Monday, 23 February 2004 01:14 (9 years ago) Permalink

Stevie's voice!

― Clarke B., Monday, 23 February 2004 02:06 (9 years ago) Permalink

23. Goes without saying, but "Tusk"!

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Monday, 23 February 2004 02:13 (9 years ago) Permalink

24. You can say you like it and not look like a total fag.

― maypang (maypang), Monday, 23 February 2004 02:18 (9 years ago) Permalink

25. whats wrong with looking like a fag?

― The Lady Ms Lurex (lucylurex), Monday, 23 February 2004 02:20 (9 years ago) Permalink

26. The gorgeous, GORGEOUS production on "Brown Eyes"... wow those backing sha-la-la vocals are pure heaven.

― Sean (Sean), Monday, 23 February 2004 02:23 (9 years ago) Permalink

Hell yes, Sean, "Brown Eyes" is the swooningest swooner ever penned.

― Clarke B., Monday, 23 February 2004 02:53 (9 years ago) Permalink

The title track gave marching bands throughout the world something new to play.

― jim wentworth (wench), Monday, 23 February 2004 03:07 (9 years ago) Permalink

25. whats wrong with looking like a fag?

I have no problem with it at all, but you know.. some might.

― maypang (maypang), Monday, 23 February 2004 03:23 (9 years ago) Permalink

26. The inimitable way it maps the precise midpoint between insane creativity and complete collapse that only severe cocaine addiction among band members can produce.

― m.e.a., Monday, 23 February 2004 04:04 (9 years ago) Permalink

27. The completely insane yet pleasingly non-obvious sequencing: "Over and Over" is the first song? "Never Forget" is the last song? "That's All for Everyone" is in the middle of the second side??

― Douglas (Douglas), Monday, 23 February 2004 08:09 (9 years ago) Permalink

28. Mick Fleetwood's hair-raising fill 30 seconds before the end of "Over & Over"--a little crescendo just when we've been in what feels like the fadeout for a solid minute already.

― Douglas (Douglas), Monday, 23 February 2004 08:15 (9 years ago) Permalink

29. Lindsay's acoustic rhythm guitar part in the right channel of "Over & Over," mixed so that the percussion of fingers-across-strings is generally much louder than whatever notes he happens to be playing, but the notes come through anyway (this effect is especially notable in the aforementioned fadeout).

― Douglas (Douglas), Monday, 23 February 2004 08:18 (9 years ago) Permalink

30. the pleasurable anticipation as regards the CD reissue. Only 4 weeks to go!!

― zebedee (zebedee), Monday, 23 February 2004 10:45 (9 years ago) Permalink

31. It originally got a rave review in NME, right in the middle of the punk wars...

― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 23 February 2004 11:14 (9 years ago) Permalink

Douglas is so right regarding the song sequencing.

― Sean (Sean), Monday, 23 February 2004 12:39 (9 years ago) Permalink

Yeah, I third the head-scratching sequencing. It's one of those rare, sprawling double-albums where the weird, schizophrenic track order actually works. 'Specially the first song. "Exile," "London Calling," "Sign 'O'" all start out with clinchers, but "Tusk" makes you work from the start. Though it's hardly an ordeal.

32. The distorted power chords in "Sisters of the Moon," which sound like they're being played through a broken practice amp.

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Monday, 23 February 2004 14:37 (9 years ago) Permalink

Wait? What CD reissue?

Everyone else pretty OTM.

― Baked Bean Teeth (Baked Bean Teeth), Monday, 23 February 2004 15:02 (9 years ago) Permalink

33. I received it for free and and sold it for money.

― BrianB (BrianB), Monday, 23 February 2004 15:43 (9 years ago) Permalink

Wait? What CD reissue?

dude, where ya been?
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=rhino+fleetwood+mac+tusk&btnG=Google+Search

― zebedee (zebedee), Monday, 23 February 2004 15:54 (9 years ago) Permalink

"Special thanks from the band to Lindsey Buckingham"

― David Merryweather (DavidM), Monday, 23 February 2004 21:28 (9 years ago) Permalink

34. The subsequent modifications to the lyrics of Tusk by the USC student body at football games, turning the song into a scathing indictment of the UCLA student body

― Todd Everlasting (Todde), Monday, 23 February 2004 22:45 (9 years ago) Permalink

This song is fairly traumatic for me, as I am an alum of the University of Southern California.
USC's marching band, plays on the track, of course... to this day, you hear this song an average of 500 times a day walking across campus. For the final horn bursts, though, you are supposed to shout along "U-C-L-A sucks!"

So...

34) It reminds me of the delicious hot dog I ate at the one college football game I ever went to, which I think was USC vs. Notre Dame ("we" lost).

Fuck! Major x-post with Todd!

― Ben Boyer (Ben Boyer), Monday, 23 February 2004 22:48 (9 years ago) Permalink

damn, i was beaten to #33 and 34 by the above wiseguys.

TS: A-Claps vs. Tusk

― gygax! (gygax!), Monday, 23 February 2004 22:50 (9 years ago) Permalink

2 months pass...

35. Okay, so I got the reissue and finally heard the actual song "Tusk" all the way through for the first time -- do people not mention that weird breakdown moment where the drums cut out and everything goes backward because, even for this album and that song, it's THAT (wonderfully) fucked up?

So, 15 more to go?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 15 May 2004 01:28 (9 years ago) Permalink

36 'Beautiful Child' - "There is so much pain" "I am not a child anymore". The way Stevie sings these, infact every line in this song, and then sings them again...this is recognition, this is chill down the spine music.

― de, Saturday, 15 May 2004 01:34 (9 years ago) Permalink

that even noise weirdos like the Dead C's Bruce Russell recognize it's total fucking greatness

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Saturday, 15 May 2004 02:03 (9 years ago) Permalink

37. the way christine mcvie's vocals yield/meld to lindsey buckingham's vocals in the chorus to 'think about me'

― cinniblount (James Blount), Saturday, 15 May 2004 05:45 (9 years ago) Permalink

38. the way the lyrics in 'sara' only occasionally bother to rhyme

― cinniblount (James Blount), Saturday, 15 May 2004 05:47 (9 years ago) Permalink

Skipping 423 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

I fucking love this album.

― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Saturday, 8 December 2012 00:37 (5 months ago) Permalink

^Me fucking too.

I deeply love Rumours, but its beauty has a self-sufficient, perfected quality that can verge on stifling. Tusk brings air, space, and even a dose of ugliness to the table, and this makes the FM universe a much much bigger place for us all to live in. It was an unnecessary experiment, and all the more necessary for that.

Also, I contend that "Over and Over", over time, repeated listens, stretched across the decades, slowly but surely exerts itself as the greatest album opener ever.

Sorry if I sound pretentious. I haven't figured out how to write about things that make me weep.

― collardio gelatinous, Saturday, 8 December 2012 01:58 (5 months ago) Permalink

Disc 1 of the Tusk reissue is the only CD in my car. I usually take the bus, but I'll drive my car once per week to keep it in running condition. I get through the whole album about every 1.5 weeks. It's a bit remarkable that they reissued this on vinyl for $40. You can easily find used copies in record stores for <$10.

― We Got Hasheem (Sufjan Grafton), Saturday, 8 December 2012 02:12 (5 months ago) Permalink

Is it actual reissue vinyl, or did Warners merely stumble into a warehouse full of New/Old Stock and was like "Ka-Ching!"?

― Big Sambola & The Tailspinners (C. Grisso/McCain), Saturday, 8 December 2012 02:29 (5 months ago) Permalink

I believe it is a reissue. The year says 2012, and the vinyl is 140g. That's a weird weight, but I'm guessing it's still heavier than the original pressings.

― We Got Hasheem (Sufjan Grafton), Saturday, 8 December 2012 02:39 (5 months ago) Permalink

iirc, they did half-speed remasters of Rumours and the s/t for a recent rsd, but didn't hear about anything re:Tusk. I'd still like to think there's a distributor out there sitting on a load of unsold copies of Tusk, I'm In You and Captain Fantastic.

― Big Sambola & The Tailspinners (C. Grisso/McCain), Saturday, 8 December 2012 03:35 (5 months ago) Permalink

I doubt Marcello will be getting to I'm In You anytime soon.

― Naive Teen Idol, Saturday, 8 December 2012 05:30 (5 months ago) Permalink

That's a nice essay, I reckon it gets somewhere near the heart of things.

― Ismael Klata, Saturday, 8 December 2012 12:19 (5 months ago) Permalink

version of Over and Over on the Mac's AMAZING 1980 live album contains my favourite Buckingham guitar solo of all time

― That symptom is fucking my wife (stevie), Saturday, 8 December 2012 17:09 (5 months ago) Permalink

― That symptom is fucking my wife (stevie), Saturday, 8 December 2012 17:10 (5 months ago) Permalink

gorgeous version; thank you stevie.

― collardio gelatinous, Sunday, 9 December 2012 07:34 (5 months ago) Permalink

I see there's a big box set version of "Rumours" coming out in the new year, 4 cds, dvd and vinyl - the cds are the album, the 2004 extras disc, another disc of out-takes and a live show, the dvd is the Rosebud documentary (sorry, no idea what that is but the report I read said it was "legendary"). Wonder if they'll do a similar box for "Tusk"?

― Rob M Revisited, Sunday, 9 December 2012 12:24 (5 months ago) Permalink

Rosebud contains this incredible outdoor afternoon performance. If there's any more footage from this show I may die of joy. A tracklisting I've seen suggests it goes: World Turning, Rhiannon, Say You Love Me, Go Your Own Way, You Make Loving Fun, I'm So Afraid; but whether the other five are performances I do not know.

― Ismael Klata, Sunday, 9 December 2012 12:38 (5 months ago) Permalink

I'm fairly sure Rhiannon will be, actually - iirc I've seen a couple of seconds of Stevie singing it outdoors, maybe on Behind The Music.

― Ismael Klata, Sunday, 9 December 2012 12:56 (5 months ago) Permalink

5 months pass...

the echo on stevie's vocals on the line: "I think I had met my match"

― tylerw, Monday, 20 May 2013 15:40 (4 days ago) Permalink

the double tracked drums on sara

― tylerw, Monday, 20 May 2013 15:41 (4 days ago) Permalink

Nicks wailing, "ALL I EVER WANTED! WHOAAAAAH" over the outro

― A deeper shade of lol (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 20 May 2013 16:20 (4 days ago) Permalink

everything about that song basically

― tylerw, Monday, 20 May 2013 20:57 (4 days ago) Permalink

the echo on stevie's vocals on the line: "I think I had met my match"

Holy shit yes.

― Naive Teen Idol, Tuesday, 21 May 2013 01:17 (3 days ago) Permalink

when she sings "she was singing" and Christine's voice rises ecstatically AHHHHHHUHHHHAAAHHHHHHUHHHH

― A deeper shade of lol (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 21 May 2013 01:38 (3 days ago) Permalink

lay-saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaces

― i also enjoy in line skateing (spazzmatazz), Tuesday, 21 May 2013 01:39 (3 days ago) Permalink

the laces undoing the laces

― i also enjoy in line skateing (spazzmatazz), Tuesday, 21 May 2013 01:39 (3 days ago) Permalink

revived this because i listened to the expanded tusk today -- re: sara, i almost wish that alternate take wasn't there (tho i like hearing it i guess) just because the released version is ridiculously perfect, just an amazing song/production/vocal/performance/everything.

― tylerw, Tuesday, 21 May 2013 01:53 (3 days ago) Permalink

The alternate take needs to be heard just once.

― A deeper shade of lol (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 21 May 2013 01:54 (3 days ago) Permalink

i listen to the alt take more than the album version these days, i like the extra length and hearing the ooh-ahh bits (and the cleaning lady bit)

― glycemic index joe (electricsound), Tuesday, 21 May 2013 01:58 (3 days ago) Permalink

^^^^2nded

― media conglomerates are pedaling the same product (stevie), Tuesday, 21 May 2013 06:27 (3 days ago) Permalink

i prefer the longer version!

― caek, Tuesday, 21 May 2013 12:23 (3 days ago) Permalink

more "sara". what's not to like?!

― caek, Tuesday, 21 May 2013 12:23 (3 days ago) Permalink

^otm

― ILE Wet Treeship Night (Drugs A. Money), Tuesday, 21 May 2013 14:20 (3 days ago) Permalink

do we need to have a poll? listened to both of these on headphones yesterday and there is no contest.

― tylerw, Tuesday, 21 May 2013 14:22 (3 days ago) Permalink

GH version >>>>> original Tusk version >>>>> alternate take

― A deeper shade of lol (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 21 May 2013 14:48 (3 days ago) Permalink

what's the greatest hits version -- an edit?

― tylerw, Tuesday, 21 May 2013 14:51 (3 days ago) Permalink

i have a 7:36 from a bootleg labelled "tusk rehearsals" (nice version but terrible recording) and the original is 6:22 (Edited to 4:39 on earlier CD pressings).

yeah is GH the 4 min first CD release edit? and which alt are you talking about?

― caek, Tuesday, 21 May 2013 14:53 (3 days ago) Permalink

the ''It's all I want to do" vocal part in "you make loving fun"

― jbn, Tuesday, 21 May 2013 15:01 (3 days ago) Permalink

That's Rumours, dog.

― media conglomerates are pedaling the same product (stevie), Tuesday, 21 May 2013 15:04 (3 days ago) Permalink

oh fuck sorry

― jbn, Tuesday, 21 May 2013 15:06 (3 days ago) Permalink

The GH version was for a long time the only full version extant

― A deeper shade of lol (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 21 May 2013 15:08 (3 days ago) Permalink

how long are the GH version and the "original Tusk version"? is what you're calling "original" the 4:39 tusk first cd release?

― caek, Tuesday, 21 May 2013 15:12 (3 days ago) Permalink

I don't think I've ever listened to this album without hearing something I haven't heard before.

― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 21 May 2013 15:12 (3 days ago) Permalink

But I'd like to mention an ol' favorite, the way "Save Me a Place" alludes to Brian Eno's "I'll Come Running."

― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 21 May 2013 15:13 (3 days ago) Permalink

via wiki
The version of the song featured on the original vinyl release of Tusk was the unedited 6:22 version, but when Tusk was originally released as a single compact disc in 1987 it featured the edited 4:37 version of "Sara" which leaves out the middle verse and musical bridge. It was not until the 1988 Fleetwood Mac Greatest Hits compilation was released that the 6:23 version of the song became available on compact disc. Nicks is famous for hating shortened versions of her songs.

There is also a version known as "the cleaning lady" edit, so-called as Nicks is clearly heard to say at the beginning of the demo recording, "I don't want to be a cleaning lady!" This version lasts almost nine minutes and was actually released on the 2-disc remastered version Tusk in March 2004. It contains an extended vamp, which includes excised lines previously only heard in live performances, such as, "and the wind became crazy," "no sorrow for sorrow, you can have no more," and "swallow all your pride, don't you ever change—never change."

― tylerw, Tuesday, 21 May 2013 15:27 (3 days ago) Permalink

Confession: I'm a much bigger fan of "Storms" than I am of "Sara."

― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 21 May 2013 15:30 (3 days ago) Permalink

another great thing about tusk -- that this of all songs was a single

― tylerw, Tuesday, 21 May 2013 15:31 (3 days ago) Permalink

Ha, listening to that right now!

― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 21 May 2013 15:38 (3 days ago) Permalink

There is also a version known as "the cleaning lady" edit

ysi?

― caek, Tuesday, 21 May 2013 15:43 (3 days ago) Permalink

that's the one on the tusk bonus disc

― tylerw, Tuesday, 21 May 2013 15:45 (3 days ago) Permalink

weird that it's listed as "IT'S Not That Funny" there

― i also enjoy in line skateing (spazzmatazz), Tuesday, 21 May 2013 16:00 (3 days ago) Permalink

Confession: I'm a much bigger fan of "Storms" than I am of "Sara."

― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, May 21, 2013 10:30 AM (3 hours ago)

Me too, by a huge margin.

― WilliamC, Tuesday, 21 May 2013 19:00 (3 days ago) Permalink

I like both 'Storms' and 'Beautiful Child', but I'll always love 'Sara' more than the two of them put together.

― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Tuesday, 21 May 2013 20:47 (3 days ago) Permalink

sara is a masterpiece, the original LP version 4 life

― one if by lamp, two if by deeznuts (m bison), Tuesday, 21 May 2013 22:58 (3 days ago) Permalink

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