Top 40 Music on Compact Disc: Stevie Wonder "Isn’t She Lovely"

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EdisonLite
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Posted: 03 July 2007 at 10:02am \| IP Logged

I know this wasn't a single, but friends (in other states) and I remember hearing this on the radio all the time and don't recall it being anywhere near 6-minutes long, as it is on the album. So was there a radio edit that the label made? I know it would be kind of weird for a label to do that when they had no intentions of the song being a single - but the only other option is that a lot of radio stations made their own custom edits. Does anyone know the story on this one? Was their one particular edit that stations got?

Edited by EdisonLite on 03 July 2007 at 10:03am

eriejwg
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Posted: 03 July 2007 at 1:26pm \| IP Logged

In answer to your question, yes there is an edited version available. It's on Song Review: A Greatest Hits Collection [Import Bonus Tracks] and is track 1 with a run time of 3:20.

Brian W.
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Posted: 03 July 2007 at 9:43pm \| IP Logged

eriejwg wrote:

In answer to your question, yes there is an edited version available. It's on Song Review: A Greatest Hits Collection [Import Bonus Tracks] and is track 1 with a run time of 3:20.

But is that an edit that was done at the time the song was released, or is that something that was edited specifically for "Song Review"?

Todd Ireland
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Posted: 03 July 2007 at 10:04pm \| IP Logged

eriejwg:

You're right... There is an edited version of "Isn't She Lovely" on a couple of Stevie Wonder CD compilations, but Gordon is wondering if an "official" radio edit was specifically serviced to radio stations back when the song was receiving heavy airplay in 1976, even though the song was never released as a commercial single. If the answer is yes, then is the edited version that has appeared on CD considered the "official" radio edit? These are good questions and hopefully one of our resident experts here on our great message forum can help provide the answer.

EdisonLite
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Posted: 03 July 2007 at 11:52pm \| IP Logged

Yes, Todd that's right.

But in the meantime, I'd like to know:

<There is an edited version of "Isn't She Lovely" on a couple of Stevie Wonder CD compilations?

What are the US CDs with the edited version?

jimct
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Posted: 04 July 2007 at 2:36am \| IP Logged

Todd Ireland wrote:

Gordon is wondering if an "official" radio edit was specifically serviced to radio stations back when the song was receiving heavy airplay in 1976, even though the song was never released as a commercial single.

There was NEVER a U.S. promo 45 or a U.S. 12" promo-only single issued for "Isn't She Lovely" during its airplay heyday. Any edits heard on the radio back then were ALL either an in-house edit, which, as I've mentioned previously, sometimes got "shared", either to other stations within the same ownership group in other markets, or, by "an old DJ buddy calling an old DJ buddy, on the QT", and asking him to do an old friend a favor, and send him a reel-to-reel dub of the in-house edit that their station had already done. I can only speak about a possible 1976/1977 vinyl issue in the U.S. - what came out then for it, around the rest of the world, is anyone's guess.

eriejwg
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Posted: 04 July 2007 at 8:25am \| IP Logged

Brian W. wrote:

...an edit that was edited specifically for "Song Review"?

I'd be leaning toward THIS scenario Brian. At the time of release, I recall hearing many stations cueing up to the last moments of Stevie's baby daughter (at the time :)) crying and right before the drums and music begins.

I WILL say this, purchasing the import collection has been a godsend as I sometimes play "Isn't She Lovely" for a Bride-Father dance.

BillCahill
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Posted: 07 July 2007 at 7:11am \| IP Logged

I was surprised to find an edit on the TM Century library because I recall that song just being an album track that never had any kind of promotional release. I agree that some radio groups like RKO or others shared an in-house edit, and TM Century might have just made an edit to match one of those radio group edits.

aaronk
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Posted: 07 July 2007 at 4:44pm \| IP Logged

Yeah, that version on TM is not an official edit. As I've said before, there are PLENTY of unofficial (or incorrect) edits on TM's libraries.

Todd Ireland
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Posted: 08 July 2007 at 10:21pm \| IP Logged

EdisonLite wrote:

Yes, Todd that's right.

But in the meantime, I'd like to know:

What are the US CDs with the edited version [of "Isn't She Lovely"?

Gordon:

I have not run across a U.S. CD release that contains an edited version of "Isn't She Lovely". I do have the Australian import 2-CD edition of Stevie Wonder's The Definitive Collection compilation (Universal International 66547), which contains a 3:19 edit of the song and is probably the same one that appears on the previously noted Song Review import disc. I do not know if this short edit was one created and played by radio stations, or if this is Universal's own homemade edit. If you'd like to hear it, feel free to e-mail me or send me a private message.

Edited by Todd Ireland on 08 July 2007 at 10:26pm

EdisonLite
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Posted: 09 July 2007 at 1:14am \| IP Logged

I just happened to notice in my Billboard AC book that "Isn't She Lovely" peaked at #23. I doubt all the stations played the 6+ minute version -- so either Tamla sent them an edit, or a custom-made one floated around.

jimct
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Posted: 09 July 2007 at 7:43am \| IP Logged

My local station played the full version in late '76/early '77, except that they clipped off the "baby cry" intro, and started off with the keyboard instead. Considering that all of Elton John's first 3 1975 hits ran longer than (5:30), I must respectfully disagree with Gordon here. I believe what I heard was also done by many other stations, considering my local station was being consulted by Paul Drew at this time, a man who also had MANY other Top 40 client stations across the country. Additionally, plenty of stations were spinning "...Lovely" during the same weeks as his then-current, in-heavy-rotation 45 hits, "I Wish" and "Sir Duke." This fact likely relegated "Isn't She Lovely" to either medium or light concurrent station rotation, and/or possibly choosing to give this longer track more airplay at night. It is HIGHLY unlikely Tamla ever serviced anything on this, to either AC or Top 40 radio. Record labels only work a station on one song at a time by an artist, excepting AOR tracks/stations. I'm sure all the "Isn't She Lovely" radio airplay did nothing but complicate things for the Motown Top 40 promotion staff. Their orders were clear: To get radio to deliver "I Wish" and "Sir Duke" to the top of the charts (which they did.)

80smusicfreak
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Posted: 19 July 2007 at 4:52pm \| IP Logged

jimct wrote:

It is HIGHLY unlikely Tamla ever serviced anything on this, to either AC or Top 40 radio. Record labels only work a station on one song at a time by an artist, excepting AOR tracks/stations. I'm sure all the "Isn't She Lovely" radio airplay did nothing but complicate things for the Motown Top 40 promotion staff. Their orders were clear: To get radio to deliver "I Wish" and "Sir Duke" to the top of the charts (which they did.)

Sorry, chiming in a little late here. :-) With all due respect to your extremely impressive collection of 45s, jimct, I can throw a monkey wrench into your statements above, and w/ a promo 45 from the exact same time period in question (i.e., late '76/early '77)!

As I've mentioned here before, one artist that I do collect extensively - including on vinyl - is Rick Springfield. After a contract dispute w/ Columbia that kept him from releasing any new material for two years in the mid '70s, he signed w/ the indie label, Chelsea. In July of '76, they released his first single for the label, "Take a Hand" (Chelsea CH-3051), which actually climbed to #41 in "Billboard" and #47 in "Cash Box" (though apparently not quite good enough to qualify as a top 40 hit in Pat's book/database). The song's parent album, "Wait for Night", then quickly followed in August. W/ "Take a Hand" now falling down the pop charts in mid-September, Chelsea was readying their second RS single for top 40 radio: "Million Dollar Face", which the label b/w "One Broken Heart" on commercial (stock) copies (Chelsea CH-3055); of course, a stereo/mono promo (dj) copy w/ gray labels was also produced (Chelsea CH-3055-DJ). Sadly, "Million Dollar Face" failed to chart, and needless to say, commercial (stock) copies of that one are quite rare...

Now here's the kicker: Just last month, thanks to eBay, I discovered a never-before-documented (that goes for any of Tim Neely's current "Goldmine" price guides, other old "Goldmine" guides from the '80s/'90s, other books w/ RS discographies, detailed fan sites on the 'net, etc.) RS promo 45! Luckily, I won it, and have it right here in front of me as I write this: It's a mono/mono gray-label promo from Chelsea w/ "Million Dollar Face" on the A-side, and a DIFFERENT album cut on the B-side, "Treat Me Gently in the Morning". The catalog no. is simply "CH-45-DJ", and immediately under the no. on both sides is printed, "FOR ADULT CONTEMPORARY STATIONS ONLY". (The "Million Dollar Face" side of the 45 has "CH45-M-515-A" etched in the trail-off groove; the "Treat Me Gently in the Morning" side has "CH45-M-515-B". The "M" in both cases means they are in mono, and alert RS fans will know that the "515" portion represents the label's catalog no. for the songs' parent album, "Wait for Night", which was on Chelsea CHL 515.) The A-side label is date-stamped "SEP 22 1976", which was the same time Chelsea began pushing the pop version of the 45 w/ a different B-side. So no, it wasn't just AOR stations the labels were working more than one song to simultaneously back in '76; at least some of them were indeed courting AC w/ different tracks on promo 45s as well! Needless to say, this RS promo is one of my most prized 45s at the moment, since no one else seems to know it exists, and perhaps I may never see another copy... :-)

So, to sum up: Just three months later, in December of '76, could Tamla/Motown have also been courting AC radio w/ "Isn't She Lovely", at the same time "I Wish" began crossing over there from both r&b and top 40??? (By all accounts, the label didn't start pushing "Sir Duke" at any radio formats until mid-March of '77, at the earliest.) Admittedly, I see no such promo 45s or 12" singles w/ "Isn't She Lovely" cited in any of my various books/guides w/ entries/discographies on Stevie Wonder, but again, I'm finding out more & more that this is poorly-documented territory, so like EdisonLite, I can't help but, er, wonder. :-) As further evidence, I, too, have Joel Whitburn's "Top Adult Contemporary" chart book, and what EdisonLite doesn't mention above is that "Isn't She Lovely" debuted on that chart on 01/08/77 - the same week as "I Wish"! Mere coincidence???

AndrewChouffi
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Posted: 20 July 2007 at 7:42am \| IP Logged

Hi "80sMusicFreak",

From my recollection, Jim's memory & observation regarding "Isn't She Lovely" is pretty much on-point.

To add to the discussion, people generally forget that 'Songs In The Key Of Life' came out with NO ADVANCE SINGLE. Top-40 radio nonetheless glommed onto many of the tracks without any promotional push--"Isn't She Lovely", "I Wish" & "Sir Duke" were played for a month & a half before first single "I Wish " was chosen (contemporaneously the discos were jumping on "Another Star").

I believe Stevie himself didn't want "Isn't She Lovely" as a single because he thought it was 'too personal' a statement and possibly didn't want to condone an edit (a la "Stairway To Heaven") or have it 'pushed'.

Does anybody else out there have any memories that agree or disagree with my recollection?

Andy

jimct
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Posted: 22 July 2007 at 7:08am \| IP Logged

80smusicfreak wrote:

With all due respect to your extremely impressive collection of 45s, jimct, I can throw a monkey wrench into your statements above, and w/ a promo 45 from the exact same time period in question (i.e., late '76/early '77)!

80smusicfreak, with all due respect to you as well, sir, where's your alleged "monkey wrench?" Are you speculating/guessing about this? I also have all of the Tim Neely/Goldmine books, and while there are omissions, he RARELY has holes in his discographies when it comes to "superstar" artists, such as Stevie Wonder; certainly a Rick Springfield rarity could've been left out. I have many other reference guides as well, however, and from one of them comes this info: Tamla only released 12 singles in 1976 (54266 to 54277), and 14 in 1977 (54278 to 54291), and I have full title/artist info for ALL 26 of these releases. NOTHING for "Isn't She Lovely." If you have solid information to the contrary, I would ask you to provide SPECIFIC catalog information to confirm your statement above - anything is possible. If you would like me to list all of the 1976/77 Tamla 45 specific release info, just ask, and I will be happy to provide it.

Edited by jimct on 23 July 2007 at 4:53pm

Paul Haney
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Posted: 22 July 2007 at 7:23am \| IP Logged

I'll back up both Jim and Andy on this one. In all of my years collecting and the years I spent working in radio I never saw any kind of promo for "Isn't She Lovely".

EdisonLite
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Posted: 22 July 2007 at 10:09am \| IP Logged

Does anyone know if "Isn't She Lovely" was released as a single in any other country? If so, maybe an edit was done for that and it flowed over to American stations that were wanting to play the song.

80smusicfreak
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Posted: 07 August 2007 at 3:14am \| IP Logged

Sorry to be getting back to this one a little late...

jimct wrote:

...where's your alleged "monkey wrench?"

The "monkey wrench" comment referred to the fact that I have an example of a promo 45 in my collection that is indeed labeled specifically for AC radio, and indicates that the label was definitely trying to push more than one song by that artist simultaneously. And since it also happened to be from the exact same time period that "Isn't She Lovely" was hitting the airwaves, and it went against your original statement, I felt it was worth pointing out, that's all. Does it PROVE that Tamla/Motown issued a promo 45 (or 12" single) w/ "Isn't She Lovely" on it??? Certainly not - nor did I ever say it did...

Quote:

I also have all of the Tim Neely/Goldmine books, and while there are omissions, he RARELY has holes in his discographies when it comes to "superstar" artists, such as Stevie Wonder...I have many other reference guides as well, however, and from one of them comes this info: Tamla only released 12 singles in 1976 (54266 to 54277), and 14 in 1977 (54278 to 54291), and I have full title/artist info for ALL 26 of these releases. NOTHING for "Isn't She Lovely."...If you would like me to list all of the 1976/77 Tamla 45 specific release info, just ask, and I will be happy to provide it.

I will now steal another quote of YOURS that you made THE VERY NEXT DAY (i.e., 23 July 2007) to Pat, on another thread:

Quote:

Even within reference documents, you can't ALWAYS believe everything that you read...

BINGO! Although I didn't state it that way in my previous post above, that's exactly what I was getting at! We all know there are holes in ALL detailed reference works of a discography nature; I own literally dozens of such music-related books myself, dating back to the '70s. As a matter of fact, while doing a personal research project a few years ago, I discovered that Tim Neely's books also have holes under both AC/DC and Ozzy Osbourne, and the missing titles still haven't been added to the newer editions to this day - do you not consider those two artists "superstar" acts??? And yes, of course both Pat's and Joel Whitburn's works have plenty of errors and omissions as well (I've contributed to Whitburn's books in the past, too) - and I'm willing to wager that the one you have w/ the supposedly "complete" Motown discography isn't perfect, either. You refer to "all" of Tamla's single releases from 1976-77 using specific, sequential catalog nos., and I don't dispute their existence. However, as my Rick Springfield promo 45 from that same era also proves, labels did indeed sometimes give special non-numbered or out-of-sequence nos. to their promos, and aside from its sheer rarity, I'm sure that's a big part of why that particular promo 45 has slipped under the radar of both hardcore Springfield fans and knowledgeable rock music researchers like Neely all these years...

Quote:

...certainly a Rick Springfield rarity could've been left out [of Tim Neely's books].

Just a rarity??? Heck, the fact is, his books are missing more than a DOZEN U.S. releases and pressing varieties for Rick Springfield (spread out over his LPs, 45s, and 12" singles, both commercial & promo) - some of them very common, and others quite collectible, actually... :-(

Quote:

Are you speculating/guessing about this?...If you have solid information to the contrary, I would ask you to provide SPECIFIC catalog information to confirm your statement above - anything is possible.

I admitted in my previous post that I didn't have "solid" proof; I was merely attempting to suggest that, IMHO, THE DOOR IS STILL OPEN, even if only a tiny bit. Nothing more... :-)

BillCahill
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Posted: 07 August 2007 at 5:16am \| IP Logged

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but at that time I believe that to make it in the Billboard Top 100 singles there had to BE an actual single available for purchase. But for the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart, as well as other formats, they just measured airplay. So, a song not released as a single could make it to the AC chart but not the Hot 100 chart.
I was in CHR radio at the time and we didn't get a promo, at least at WTRY Albany. We played it from the album.

That doesn't mean that there wasn't one absolutely for sure, but it doesn't seem likely to me that AC got an edited promo 45, or a promo of any kind. It's just that Billboard WOULD measure airplay on album cuts at AC.

jimct
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Posted: 07 August 2007 at 8:29am \| IP Logged

Quote:

I admitted in my previous post that I didn't have "solid" proof; I was merely attempting to suggest that, IMHO, THE DOOR IS STILL OPEN, even if only a tiny bit. Nothing more... :-)

80smusicfreak, it is clear that there are at least a couple of people out there who will simply NOT accept that there was NO U.S. promo 45 for "Isn't She Lovely." How can anyone prove, with 100% certainty, that something DOESN'T exist? UFOs? Loch Ness Monster? You have people with strong opinions either way. I was only a sophomore in college when this LP was issued, but I was already interning in the music department of the Top 40 station I was later hired at, and, in fact, only just retired from this past November. I have had, every week for more than 30 years, all at ONE "reporting-to-all-the-trade-magazines", Top 40 station, daily contact with thousands of radio promo issues, communicating with label reps, etc. I am SO familiar with this situation that I can state that some initial "buzz" came from two of the cuts included on that bonus EP, inserted inside the "Songs In The Key Of Life" LP ("Saturn" and "Ebony Eyes"), before there was ANY radio fuss about "Isn't She Lovely." Those two tracks received at least a little airplay, during the weeks of 10/10, 10/17 and 10/24/76, before our first airplay listing for "Isn't She Lovely" as a non-charting "extra", occured, on 10/31/76 - I still have our original lists. Our station then continued to list this track, for many weeks thereafter. It was doing very well for us, and when I asked the MD why it didn't make our "Top 30 Survey," he gave me two reasons. One was "it wasn't a 45 yet", and 2) I REALLY don't like to "name names" on this Board, but this situation appears to have now, regrettably, escalated to this point. Our local Motown record rep at the time, Bill Beamish, (who happened to be a former legendary jock at our station, and had a couple of different tours of duty with us, from the early 60's, to 1972 - Bill would even come back to work for us again, on-air, in the early 80's. During his years at Motown, we sometimes got additional, internal details that most other stations didn't, due to our long-standing relationship with Bill) had told us HOW important it was to Motown for Top 40 stations to give "I Wish" 90%-plus of our airplay and positive chart action, and to please, ONLY list "Isn't She Lovely" as a non-charting "extra", so as not to undermine "I Wish." He also told us, like an earlier poster has also said, that Stevie didn't really want to release "Isn't She Lovely" as a 45, but that the label was hoping to perhaps change his mind in the coming weeks, and maybe get him to agree to release it as a subsequent 45 from the album. (Well, they didn't, and Motown never did; "Sir Duke", "Another Star" and "As" were the final 3 45s from that LP.) Why on EARTH would Motown put out a simultaneous, promo-only 45 for "Isn't She Lovely", if THIS was their ultimate hope for the song, in late '76? It would simply make NO business sense whatsoever - they were working on persuading Stevie, and save it for a possible later 45 release. 80smusicfreak, Bill is currently retired down in Florida, and who knows WHAT he'd still remember about this situation, 30+ years later - probably not much. I'd really hate to have to bother Bill about this, but I'm anxious to give you "closure", regarding your lingering suspicions. Would you consider the guy who came to our station EVERY week, an ACTUAL employee of Motown, who HAND-delivered and promoted Motown product of that era to us, as ENOUGH of an authority for you? I WILL look him up, if you want. But, of course, anything's still possible!!!! (Maybe I can at least get the chance of there being a promo 45 for "Isn't She Lovely" down to 0.000000000000000000001% for you, sir!) :)

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