Top 40 Music on Compact Disc: December, 1963 (Oh, What A Night)

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Topic: December, 1963 (Oh, What A Night)

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AndrewChouffi
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Posted: 09 February 2009 at 7:54am \| IP Logged

Hi People,

Does anyone know if the single mix of the Four Seasons "December, 1963 (Oh, What A Night)" has made it to CD or digital download yet?

As those that own the original 45 know, there is flanging on the background vocal 'aahs' during the 'Oh, I got a funny feeling' parts of the record that are not on the LP mix.

Any help?

Andy

Todd Ireland
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Posted: 09 February 2009 at 9:47am \| IP Logged

Andy:

Are you referring to the original 1976 version or the 1994 remix?

AndrewChouffi
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Posted: 09 February 2009 at 9:57pm \| IP Logged

To Todd:

The 1975/1976 #1 hit version (it's a remix & earlier fade of the 'Who Loves You' LP version).

Andy

aaronk
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Posted: 09 February 2009 at 10:14pm \| IP Logged

That's interesting. I never knew there was a difference in the mix on "December, 1963." Do any of the Rhino discs that run 3:18-ish have the right version?

Also, speaking of "Who Loves You," what's with the horrible "swishy" out-of-phase sound? Was it intended to sound like that?

AndrewChouffi
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Posted: 10 February 2009 at 7:44am \| IP Logged

To Aaron:

Answer to 1st question: Nah, they're just improperly early-faded LP mixes.

Answer to 2nd question: Yes.

Andy

aaronk
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Posted: 10 February 2009 at 9:15am \| IP Logged

Thanks, Andy. That saves me from picking up one of the improperly faded versions. Also, I kind of suspected the phasing thing on "Who Loves You" was intentional, because it doesn't sound like there is a problem with the vocals being "swishy." Does anyone know the story behind that?

jimct
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Posted: 10 February 2009 at 9:49am \| IP Logged

aaronk wrote:

I kind of suspected the phasing thing on "Who Loves You" was intentional, because it doesn't sound like there is a problem with the vocals being "swishy." Does anyone know the story behind that?

Aaron, I know a lot of time/effort was spent on "Who Loves You". New label for the group. It was also supposed to be the introduction of Gerry Polci, their drummer, to take over as the group's new lead singer. By mid-1975, all parties involved (including Frankie Valli) wanted to transition the Four Seasons away from Valli being the "main guy". His solo career, over on Private Stock, was taking off. But he still cared deeply about the group and their continued success, and Valli was happy to still help them during this "transitional time", albeit in a reduced role. So I'm sure the "top enginering swishers" were brought in, to help insure that "Who Loves You" became a smash!

crapfromthepast
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Posted: 10 February 2009 at 9:51am \| IP Logged

aaronk wrote:

Also, I kind of suspected the phasing thing on "Who Loves You" was intentional, because it doesn't sound like there is a problem with the vocals being "swishy." Does anyone know the story behind that?

I think it was a mercifully short-lived trend in the late '70s to put a phasing effect on the hi-hat. Some examples that spring to mind are the O'Jays' "For The Love Of Money", Heatwave's "The Groove Line", and EWF's "Shining Star". One '90s song that did that, most likely as a throwback to the '70s style of the song, is Simply Red's "Something Got Me Started".

I was never a fan of that particular effect.

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EdisonLite
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Posted: 10 February 2009 at 10:33am \| IP Logged

Have other people checked their "December 1963" 45s to see if it has 'phlanging aahs' on the "I got a funny feeling" parts. I wonder if there were 2 pressings of this 45, especially since no one's noticed this before now.

Also - Andy, is that the only mix difference between the 2 versions?

And Pat, have you confirmed if ANY CDs contain the single mix?

AndrewChouffi
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Posted: 10 February 2009 at 12:15pm \| IP Logged

To EdisonLite:

It's probably not the 'only mix difference' but it's the most blatantly obvious.

This type of minor difference would normally not faze me (bad pun intended) but at the time it was one of my most favorite records and (despite it's overplayed status) it certainly was a well written & produced record & I would like to track down a digital dub of the version that I bought, was played & went to #1.

Andy

AndrewChouffi
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Posted: 10 February 2009 at 12:34pm \| IP Logged

Hey, I just found one other (minor) difference.

The LP version during the instrumental passage right before the 2nd 'Oh I, got a funny feeling' has the wah-wah guitar & the congas panned somewhat to the same side in the stereo positioning where the single mix has the congas somewhat to one side & the wah-wah guitar to the other side of the stereo spectrum.

Andy

eriejwg
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Posted: 10 February 2009 at 12:36pm \| IP Logged

Deleted.

Edited by eriejwg on 10 February 2009 at 10:50pm

Yah Shure
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Posted: 10 February 2009 at 6:09pm \| IP Logged

Both the mono and stereo sides of the DJ 45 match the flanging on the commercial copies that I have.

John, yes, the flanging is only on the aahs over the "when walked in the room..." parts. Not sure whether or not that makes them funnier, but there you are. :)

Andy, great call!!

Edited by Yah Shure on 10 February 2009 at 6:13pm

eriejwg
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Posted: 10 February 2009 at 8:14pm \| IP Logged

Deleted

Edited by eriejwg on 10 February 2009 at 10:49pm

AndrewChouffi
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Posted: 10 February 2009 at 8:46pm \| IP Logged

To Yah Shure:

Thanks for officially confirming that the mono/stereo DJ promo also has the flanged version (I only own the commercial release).

The flanged version was the only version I heard on the radio, AM mono & FM stereo back in early 1976.

Andy

Roscoe
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Posted: 10 February 2009 at 9:21pm \| IP Logged

I just checked all the CDs I own with this song:
(3:26) Curb 77317 70's Hits Volume 1
(3:31) Razor & Tie 7076 Super '70s
(3:16) Rhino 71490 Anthology
(3:33) Rhino 70595 Greatest Hits Volume 2
(3:33) Time-Life R840-06 Sounds Of The Seventies: '70s Dance Party 1975-1976
(3:32) Rhino 72919 Have A Nice Decade - The '70s Pop Culture Box
(3:19) Rhino 74494 Very Best Of Frankie Valli And The Four Seasons

Using the guide noted above with the mixing of the wah-wah guitar and congas, all of the above CDs contain the LP mix.

Now this makes me want to hear the true 45 mix.

I have a sinking feeling that the true 45 mix is not on any of the domestic CD appearances, but I hope I'm wrong. Amazing that this difference is only now coming to light, given how big a hit this was and the thoroughness of the members here.

I did find one missing database notation in this process, though. The following CD: Curb 77317 70's Hits Volume 1 contains the godawful remix with the additional synth drums, probably the same as Curb 77304 Hits Digitally Enhanced. This should be noted in the database.

aaronk
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Posted: 10 February 2009 at 9:43pm \| IP Logged

Roscoe wrote:

I did find one missing database notation in this process, though. The following CD: Curb 77317 70's Hits Volume 1 contains the godawful remix with the additional synth drums, probably the same as Curb 77304 Hits Digitally Enhanced. This should be noted in the database.

That remix is the one done by Dutch DJ Ben Liebrand, which became a hit in 1994. Those two discs should probably be listed under the 1994 database entry.

Until today, I did not realize that the remixed version had actually been released in 1988, which explains why it shows up on a disc released in 1990. If my memory serves me right, the reason it became a hit in 1994 is because John Garabedian started spinning it frequently on Open House Party.

TomDiehl1
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Posted: 10 February 2009 at 9:47pm \| IP Logged

I was a 9 year old kid in 1994 when the remix version got released, at the time i still listened to top 40 radio alongside oldies...and I loved it.

I was so happy to finally get a copy of the track over 10 years later, having never heard it in between the time it was a hit and the time I got the track. I had no idea it was actually from 1988....but it reminds me of the synth remix of Big Girls Don't Cry by the Four Seasons, as well as the remix of Do You Love Me by the Contours....

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Steve Sharp
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Posted: 10 February 2009 at 10:30pm \| IP Logged

Ben Liebrand has resurrected a few hits, via his remixes (although not everyone likes them):

Hot Chocolate "You Sexy Thing"
Bill Withers "Lovely Day"

If you heard the LP version of "Let's Talk About Sex" Salt-N-Pepa, before Ben Liebrand reproduced the entire track, based on a melody from "I'll Take You There" Staple Singers, you wouldn't recognize it.

Todd Ireland
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Posted: 10 February 2009 at 10:32pm \| IP Logged

I guess this is old news now but I analyzed the 3:18 length of "December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)" on the Very Best of CD (Rhino 74494) to see if it has the 45 mix and, as Roscoe and others have confirmed, it's the LP mix faded early.

So it's looking like each database CD appearance of the song should have an "LP mix" or "LP version" comment (or "LP mix/version faded :XX early" in cases like the Very Best of disc).

Edited by Todd Ireland on 10 February 2009 at 10:34pm

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