22 replies to this topic

[falls to climb]

I remember I watched this video long time ago, now is back on youtube

[Sweet Fanny Addams]

Beautiful song, thanks for posting. Now I'm wondering which Fleetwood Mac song Mills had been listening to. Hmmmmmm...

[Lori]

That is a beautiful performance by Mike.  Thanks.

[fanfan]

Thanks! Does anyone know when Mike performed this?

[Sweden]

fanfan, on 25 October 2011 - 03:45 AM, said:

Thanks! Does anyone know when Mike performed this?

Same performance as the infamous Eagle Song:

Music Midtown Festival, Atlanta, 5 November 2002.

[Avalon]

I LOVE Wendell Gee and hearing Mills sing it was just wonderful. Thanks for posting this!

[fanfan]

Thanks Sweden!

[Raw_Deal]

That was really great. Wendell Gee is one of my favorite REM songs

Thanks!

[iskra]

Beautiful song, destroyed by Mills' tone-deaf vocals. And I thought "Eagle" was bad. Maybe he was just having a bad night, but yeeesh.

[Mary Alice]

I think his voice sounds lovely on Wendell Gee   His voice fit the sweet, melodic song perfectly.  the Eagle song.,,errr I dunno!  Wendell Gee performance gives me hope that his voice could carry a whole album of songs, but then the Eagle song.......ah well I'll focus on the good and listen to his version of Wendell Gee again!

[LST 390]

Wow, I haven't heard the "Eagle" song in so long. I'm not sure I ever actually saw it before. It's not quite as bad as I remember, and what stands out are the incredibly dark (if not awkward) lyrics in contrast with the very bland studio audience and setting. What was the nature of this show?!

"Wendell Gee" is pretty bad...

[Sweden]

I would say I haven't been too impressed with the few thigns we've heard that Mike has done on his own. Both lyrics and melody seem a bit dull. The "Gift of the Fathers" song is not much better in my view:

[Sweet Fanny Addams]

I hadn't heard "Gift Of The Fathers" before and I have to disagree with david. I think it's gorgeous. The lyrics are simple, but evocative and most important they sound like they come from the heart.
Mike Mills isn't always at his best playing live as a solo artist. His voice can be unpredictable and he sometimes goes off key. It's different with a studio track, where edits can be used to smooth out rough edges.
I think it's a moving, lovely song and Mike performs it beautifully. Anywhere I can download it?

My views on the Eagle Song are well known on this board. I don't rate it. At all. Somebody made him real mad. So mad his reaction was to vomit up a crap song, live on stage.
Not his best decision, IMO.

ETA-- I'm loving Gift Of The Fathers. Dunno how I missed hearing it before. Probably something to do with me having zero interest in baseball and films about it.
Can't stop playing it. It touches that chord inside me, makes me well up a little. I know Mike loved his dad, loves baseball and has a son of his own and there's no escaping the heart that went into the song. It's glorious.

[thomas08]

Sweden, on 26 October 2011 - 12:28 AM, said:

I would say I haven't been too impressed with the few thigns we've heard that Mike has done on his own. Both lyrics and melody seem a bit dull. The "Gift of the Fathers" song is not much better in my view:

While that is your own opinion and you are entitled to it, I think it's a little too soon to write Mike off. I'm sure he's written tons of songs over the years complete with lyrics. So far all we've heard is two; the eagle song (which was probably only played as its a country-ish song for a country themed show) and gift of the fathers, which i absolutely love. I know the eagle song isn't everybody's cup of tea but maybe its the only song he had which fitted the show.

Come on, the guy wrote the music to What's The Frequency, Kenneth!!

[Sweet Fanny Addams]

thomas08, on 28 October 2011 - 12:55 PM, said:

While that is your own opinion and you are entitled to it, I think it's a little too soon to write Mike off. I'm sure he's written tons of songs over the years complete with lyrics. So far all we've heard is two; the eagle song (which was probably only played as its a country-ish song for a country themed show) and gift of the fathers, which i absolutely love. I know the eagle song isn't everybody's cup of tea but maybe its the only song he had which fitted the show.

The Eagle Song fitted the show? What kind of show was it?  An air your grudges in angry lyrics with harmonica jamboree?
I  await a Mike Mills solo project with interest, and wish him good luck but that eagle song is pants. It doesn't sound particularly country to me. It just sounds like a monumentally pissed off guy venting in song, frequently going wildly off key.

[Joni Smeke]

Wow, the Eagle song!, I remember that!

[thomas08]

Sweet Fanny Addams, on 28 October 2011 - 01:29 PM, said:

The Eagle Song fitted the show? What kind of show was it?

It was a COUNTRY show, and while I agree its not a great song, it was a fitting song for the performance!

Sweet Fanny Addams, on 28 October 2011 - 01:29 PM, said:

I  await a Mike Mills solo project with interest, and wish him good luck but that eagle song is pants. It doesn't sound particularly country to me. It just sounds like a monumentally pissed off guy venting in song, frequently going wildly off key.

Maybe you don't like it but that doesn't make the song "pants". At least he had the balls to go out and play an original composition instead of singing Rockville or some other well known song. And Maybe it is a little different but that's not necessarily a bad thing. And in no part does it sound like a pissed off guy venting.

[beatadrum]

Not heard eagle song before but it sounds pretty much like the sort of thing Neil Young's been doing since the 60s, particularly mid 70s.

I like it.

[Sweet Fanny Addams]

thomas08, on 29 October 2011 - 03:57 AM, said:

And in no part does it sound like a pissed off guy venting.

No?

"and I'm gonna be higher than an eagle when I fly away from you
and I'm gonna fly faster than the fastest thing of all
and I wanna be high above the mountain side
when I listen for the fall
cos I don't wanna be around
when it all comes crashing down on you

I never was the kind to run
but I see the time has come
and it's hell to pay it's true
sad when you think you were the one
who has caused this to be done
and I hope it's killing you."

Not pissed off? Rilly? Sounds pretty irked to me.
Nobody is questioning his balls. He definitely has those, but it's a rubbish song. Apart from the awful lyrics, musically it's monotonous and dreary, like a dirge.

[thomas08]

Sweet Fanny Addams, on 29 October 2011 - 06:06 AM, said:

No?

"and I'm gonna be higher than an eagle when I fly away from you
and I'm gonna fly faster than the fastest thing of all
and I wanna be high above the mountain side
when I listen for the fall
cos I don't wanna be around
when it all comes crashing down on you

I never was the kind to run
but I see the time has come
and it's hell to pay it's true
sad when you think you were the one
who has caused this to be done
and I hope it's killing you."

Not pissed off? Rilly? Sounds pretty irked to me.
Nobody is questioning his balls. He definitely has those, but it's a rubbish song. Apart from the awful lyrics, musically it's monotonous and dreary, like a dirge.

I still dont think he sounds pissed off. To me it's a song about someone who's been hurt by a girl so he's leaving her. You don't necessarily have to be pissed off to do this.

I've dumped girls without been the slightest bit pissed off with them but I still wanted to get as far away from them as possible, as fast as possible. Just doesn't come across as a spleenventing song, it's too mellow.

But everyone's entitled to an opinion, just hope you know yours is wrong... haha joke