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BillCahill
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| Posted: 27 December 2006 at 7:47pm | IP Logged
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I recently picked up a British import CD that contained a mono version of "Oh Babe, What Would You Say". (1972 A Year To Remember, The CD Card Company/EMI) I noticed that on this mono version, the saxaphone was different on the intro and the tape echo on Hurricane's voice was a longer tape echo than the stereo version issued on most CDs. What I don't know is if this mono version was issued on 45 here on either the stock or the DJ copies, or on the soundtrack CD in Pat's database that shows up as mono. Anyone have any info? Is this just some British only thing or did it surface here at one point or another?
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jimct
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| Posted: 28 December 2006 at 5:19am | IP Logged
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Bill, both my promo and commercial 45 have "Oh, Babe..." in stereo. But the promo has a different song on the flip side, "Getting To Know You", and it states mono on the label. His U.S. LP states that 4 of the 9 tracks have been "electronically enhanced for stereo phonographs." Although this was his only U.S. hit, Smith WAS coming off of a completely unexpected U.K. hit, called "Don't Let It Die", in 1972. So, Capitol was now, for the first time, taking this project seriously. By 1972, no Capitol albums had been released in mono, for at least 2-3 years. Since, as "Norman Smith", he had produced Pink Floyd LPs, and had done some engineering for the Beatles, he was certainly a seasoned audio pro himself. And, he was obviously used to the "concept albums" featured by Gilmour, Waters & Co./Fab Four. I'd noticed the appearance of the mono tracks on this U.S. LP long ago, and I always thought it was done simply for "artistic" reasons, along the lines of a contemporary movie or photograph filmed/shot in black-and-white. Smith did write all but one song on the LP, and did produce it himself. His style as an artist was clearly "nostalgia/throwback", and almost screams out for "retro" audio technology, IMHO. My understanding was that his LP was originally intended for release in his native UK only. Bill, I do not know if the entire U.K. LP was issued in mono or not, and I am curious to know. But it IS apparent that Capitol U.S. desired stereo for release here, hence the (E) processing. I am assuming that the (M) version on that soundtrack listed in the database IS also the U.S. hit version, since Pat will normally notate "alternate take" or "not the U.S. hit version" in such cases. Since I have all 3 of the '72/'73 U.S. releases (unless a promo U.S. LP was issued to radio), the mono "Oh, Babe..." must just be a "British only thing." Maybe the original studio take? They probably recorded the entire original LP in mono, and then either added stereo overdubs, or re-cut some tracks in stereo after the initial U.K. hit/intended U.S. release. But since it turned up on that U.K. CD, I gotta believe the version you've found WAS put on the original U.K. LP release. If you find out more, please let us know.
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Pat Downey
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| Posted: 28 December 2006 at 6:51am | IP Logged
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Bill, the mono version you describe is indeed found on the soundtrack cd to "Fever Pitch". Where it comes from I do not know but I did go back and enter the comment "neither the 45 nor LP version" for the soundtrack listing in the database. Like Jim's copy, my dj 45 is stereo also so it looks like there was no mono issue in the US at all.
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Top 40 Music on Compact Disc : Chat Board
Topic: Hurricane Smith question
