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[2 of 3]

Paul McCartney is a genius. He's 70 years old and sings the songs he wrote and performed when he was 20..in the same key. Sure....he doesn't hit all the high notes...but that doesn't matter. He knows how important it is to not suck the life out of a tune by finding a key to fit his vocal register. I was watching Fleetwood Mac vids on Youtube. Don't get me wrong...I think Lindsey Buckingham is brilliant...but.....this song is dead.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wb5D7NC0mus

I've noticed this from others like Elton John and Rod Stewart too.

Long Live Paul McCartney! 

[chris]

Yeah...he's always been good at that. I remember when he did the Prince's trust concert back in the day. He beamed that he could still hit the right notes. He was getting older, even then, but not that old. I thought...what do you mean you're surprised? It never occured to me that one day he may not be able to sing the same way

[2 of 3]

Good job remembering that chris...I think it was Lucille...or was it? 

[chris]

Been a long time. I DO remember him doing get back with Tina Turner. But I'm sorta thinking Long Tall Sally. But not so sure I'd even wage a dollar on it.

Probably can be confirmed by looking it up on the internet machine

[kylenz]

Good job remembering that chris...I think it was Lucille...or was it? 

No, it was I Saw Her Standing There, along with Long Tall Sally. I remember that concert well. He had that long shaggy hair. I remember he did look older, but in retrospect, not really that old, still quite youthful in his way. 1986.

Yeah! I saw that same clip of 'Go Your Own Way' a couple of weeks ago and thought exactly the same thing - by lowering the key, they have sucked the life out of that song! Completely!

[2 of 3]

Here's Paul from last night in Orlando.  Lovely Rita with Key drop. OF COURSE it's still awesome hahah. I suck.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ziOomW2Ey0

[kylenz]

Wow he really did drop it, from E down to D. But not horrifyingly dissimilar in the same way that Go Your Own Way sounds these days. It sounds like a completely different song being way down there.

[Mervap]

Kyle, was the original key actually E. or was the master tape sped up slightly like "When I'm 64" was? I've not heard any outakes from the original session, though I am about to look into it...

[chris]

I think it sounded fine, considering his age. In fact, I think it's a wonder he can do most of his songs live still.

Kyle, I am going thru a Fleetwood Mac resurgence right now. I'm scared to ask...how bad is Go Your Own Way? Is LB still singing it? Is CM still with the band?

[kylenz]

Kyle, I am going thru a Fleetwood Mac resurgence right now. I'm scared to ask...how bad is Go Your Own Way? Is LB still singing it? Is CM still with the band?

Well, 2 of 3 posted the clip at the top of the thread. Let's just say, it makes it impossible to sing along to it because you're immediately thrown by the key it's in. LB is still doing the vocal, and I have no idea why he's decided to go down a key like that because there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with his voice. CM unfortunately has still retired from the band. That's a shame, I really dig her contributions to the band, especially on 'Say You Love Me'. They really miss her now when doing 'Don't Stop'. Stevie's turn on the vocal (filling in CM's part) doesn't cut it.

[kylenz]

Kyle, was the original key actually E. or was the master tape sped up slightly like "When I'm 64" was? I've not heard any outakes from the original session, though I am about to look into it...

Oooh that's a very good point. Listening to the song, you very may well be right. But I wonder if there's a way to confirm it? Can't find my Lewisohn 'Recording Chronicles' book at the moment to check it out.

But yeah, take Lovely Rita down a tone, it doesn't affect it too much. Whereas transposing 'Go Your Own Way' down a whole minor third from the original F to D and it transforms the song into something almost unrecognisable. Not only the melody, but the timbres of all the instruments and the voices. Weird.

I was also listening to Judas Priest's heavy metal classic 'Living After Midnight', it's in the key of E - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxsSVNhyiKk

..but they now drop it down (only a semitone) to E flat - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXCpwtPhOLQ - and that one semitone makes a huge difference. It seems to lose all its upbeat spark and energy. So yeah, go figure.. 

[Mervap]

Odd that it lost "upbeat spart and energy"....and they played the song at a faster tempo in the live clip. I think in the Judas Priest clip, the lack of energy also has a lot to do with performance...Rob looks like he's collecting a paycheck.

I was looking back at different live clips of Fleetwood Mac performing "Go Your Own Way" and I wonder if, since they toured so much in the late 70's but not as often since, if Lindsay had problems pulling that one off night after night back then. It looked like they used the original key back in the late 70's, but by 1994, the key had dropped. Sometimes all it takes is having that voice break at the wrong time to make a guy gun-shy.

[kylenz]

Odd that it lost "upbeat spart and energy"....and they played the song at a faster tempo in the live clip. I think in the Judas Priest clip, the lack of energy also has a lot to do with performance...Rob looks like he's collecting a paycheck.

I was looking back at different live clips of Fleetwood Mac performing "Go Your Own Way" and I wonder if, since they toured so much in the late 70's but not as often since, if Lindsay had problems pulling that one off night after night back then. It looked like they used the original key back in the late 70's, but by 1994, the key had dropped. Sometimes all it takes is having that voice break at the wrong time to make a guy gun-shy.

Yeah yeah, good points! I noticed that too, they've been dropping the key on that song for quite a long time ago now. Here's the clip of 'Go Your Own Way' from their popular 'The Dance' live concert - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGe8WfftF6k - they're playing it in the original key, but Lindsay is obviously struggling every time he reaches for those high notes in the chorus. Maybe that was when they decided to lower the key from that point on?

Very perceptive about the Judas Priest clip - yep I think so too. Rob not even bothering to sing the melody. The band members are obviously still putting everything into it.

[Mervap]

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