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Ringmaster_D
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| Posted: 20 December 2013 at 4:25pm | IP Logged
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The 12" single "The Show" by Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh
crew was not a Top 40 hit. As a matter of fact it didn't
even chart in the Hot 100, but it hit #4 on the R&B charts
and was one of the first rap records certified gold. I
distinctly remember it being played on the radio in the New
York City area in 1985, and I think it was on Z100, a Top
40 format station. My question for the board is, do you
recall playing this on Top 40 radio, and if so, what
version did you play? The A-side of the 12" single had the
"vocal" version which clocked in about 6:56, and an unnamed
edited version at 4:47. Both seem a bit long for Top 40
radio, but I don't know of a shorter radio edit.
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jimct
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| Posted: 20 December 2013 at 5:59pm | IP Logged
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Dave, there was a US promo 45 for "The Show." It was issued as Reality
960. The promo's flip side was "La-Di-Da-Di". I do not own a copy.
During our weekly calls to local retailers, Doug E. Fresh would often be
reported as a Top 10 seller. But we never entertained even the slightest
possibility of playing any of his songs, at our station - not for one
second. Even more telling, I don't believe we were ever even serviced with
a single one of his songs. The Reality label was simply not working Doug
E. Fresh songs to Top 40.
Doug E. Fresh was clearly ahead of his time, as to language on record.
Trust me when I say that there weren't too many 1985 promo 45s
released that stated "WARNING: Sexually explicit lyrics" on it (which it did
on this 45's B-side - that is the only side where a label scan is currently
available for, so I can't speak to "The Show". )
FYI, the listed time for "La-Di-Da-Di" is (4:52). That would seem to
disprove your theory that the "unnamed edited version", running (4:47),
was likely a bit long for Top 40 radio - but seemingly not for R&B radio, in
the label's opinion. Checking the current entry on Discogs for this same
promo, they state the listed time for "The Show" as being (4:48).
Dave, about your recollection of possibly hearing Doug E. Fresh on Z100,
anything is possible. Maybe Z100 did a late night, weekend mix show that
featured it. But, aside from a situation like that, I kinda doubt it. NOBODY
who was playing Top 40 music in 1985 was playing Doug E. Fresh. I don't
dispute that you did hear it on NYC radio. I simply believe you heard it on
another station, that's all.
This promo is, not surprisingly, very rare and very pricey. The only Reality
960 available, that I found, was on the Euro site PriceMinister. The
language offering it is not English, and seems to run almost 100 Euros.
But the UK 45, on Cooltempo, states "1985 Reality Records". And,
although there is no listed time, I'm betting it's the same as the US promo.
Best of all, a VG++ copy can currently be had on Musicstack for just
$1.64, plus shipping.
Man, of late, we've been routinely going so deeply into the "I know it
wasn't a Top 40 hit 40, but" threads, I'm starting to feel like I own a
vacation home in Death Valley, Utah! :) Happy hunting, Dave! Hope I
was of some help.....
Edited by jimct on 20 December 2013 at 6:16pm
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aaronk
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| Posted: 20 December 2013 at 7:46pm | IP Logged
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Very nice details on the promo 45, Jim! I do own the original 12" single,
which also gives the "explicit lyrics" warning next to "La Di Da Di." The
printed times on the 12" are very close to the actual times, and I can
check them if anyone wants to know.
The only thing I can add is that the original, unedited versions of "The
Show" and "La Di Da Di" have never been available on cd. Slick Rick,
the rapper featured on both tracks, borrowed some lyrics from
"Michelle" (Beatles) and "Sukiyaki," respectively. When they issued the
songs on cd, someone used a razor blade and tape to cut out the
unauthorized lyrics.
Oh, and it wouldn't surprise me if Z100 played it at night. Doug E Fresh
is a New York artist and that song probably had a lot of buzz when it
was first released. It is still widely hailed as a "classic" by anyone who
listens to rap/hip-hop, and both the A- and B-sides are still frequently
sampled in pop and hip-hop music. The vocal sample "hit it" that opens
up "Here Comes The Hotstepper" and "ah tick tock you don't stop" from
"I Wanna Sex You Up" are both lifted from "La Di Da Di." Even Miley
Cyrus references the lyrics from her 2013 hit "We Can't Stop."
As a side note, that same year in 1985, I was living in a small rural town
in Michigan. Our tiny top 40 station, at night, was spiking in "A Fly Girl"
by the Boogie Boys. For all I know, they may have played "The Show,"
too, but certainly not in regular rotation and definitely dayparted.
__________________
Aaron Kannowski
Uptown Sound
91.9 The Peak - Classic Hip Hop
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cmmmbase
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| Posted: 21 December 2013 at 1:20pm | IP Logged
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The Show also appeared as the B-side to 1988's 7" "Keep On Rising To The Top" on Reality 988. This version had a listed time of 4:40.
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80smusicfreak
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| Posted: 21 December 2013 at 2:26pm | IP Logged
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cmmmbase wrote:
| The Show also appeared as the B-side to 1988's 7" "Keep On Rising To The Top" on Reality 988. This version had a listed time of 4:40. |
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Was there more than one pressing of Reality 988??? I ask because a check of the info & photos for this 7" on Discogs backs your claim that "The Show" was indeed the B-side of "Keep Risin' to the Top", yet Joel Whitburn claims otherwise. In his book, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles 1942-2004, Whitburn states that the flip of Reality 988 was "Guess? Who?"; however, the info & photos on Discogs show that that was actually the B-side of the 12" single of "Keep Risin' to the Top", on Reality 3101. So, unless that was corrected in Whitburn's follow-up, Hot R&B Songs 1942-2010 (which I don't have), it appears that will need to be fixed next time - or if there was indeed a second pressing, I'd hope a footnote would at least be added for this one (attn: Paul Haney)...
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Ringmaster_D
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| Posted: 21 December 2013 at 6:40pm | IP Logged
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Thanks for all the great insight everyone. So it sounds
like the promo 45 version of "The Show" is most likely the
same version as the second track on the a-side of the 12".
This is one of those tunes my younger brother was into at
the time. I wasn't much into rap of any sort, although I
appreciate this type of old school rap much more now.
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cmmmbase
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| Posted: 21 December 2013 at 9:50pm | IP Logged
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The 2010 edition of the R&B book still lists "Guess? Who?" as the b-side of Reality 988. btw, 80smusicfreak I own a copy of this record, so I can attest to the existence of the pairing of Keep On Rising To The Top/The Show.
Edited by cmmmbase on 22 December 2013 at 7:49pm
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Top 40 Music on Compact Disc : Chat Board
Topic: The Show - Doug E. Fresh
