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crapfromthepast
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| Posted: 02 February 2009 at 3:15pm | IP Logged
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I found a surprising number of variations for this song, which probably isn't documented all that well elsewhere.
I have two pressings of the 45, both on Juana Records 3422, released 1979, printed 3:30, actual 3:31.
The (presumably) first pressing has a featureless red label, and the (presumably) second has a more familiar-looking sky-graphic label, with an animated "Juana" logo at the top and a sunset scene at the bottom. Both are the same version of the song. The 12" single is on TK Records, runs at 45 RPM, has a printed time of 8:08, and is probably the same version as on the Songs Of Love LP, which is on Juana. The 45 and 12" both include the credit of "Midnight Mix By Richie Rivera".
The true 45 has a fade that begins on the downbeat at 3:18.
The closest thing to the true 45 version is found on the following CDs (the fade starts 4 beats earlier than the true 45 but you really can't tell unless you line the tracks up in a multitrack editing program like I did):- Rhino's The Disco Years, Vol. 2: On The Beat (1978-1982), released 1990, runs 3:31, superb sound throughout)
- Billboard Top Dance Hits - 1979 (1992, digitally identical to Disco Years)
- Time-Life's Solid Gold Soul - 1979 (1997, different EQ than Disco Years)
- Sony Music Special Products' Great '70s Dance Grooves (1992)
- Rhino Special Editions' Disco Hits, Vol. 3 (1992, digitally identical to Sony Music CD)
- Razor & Tie's The '70 Preservation Society Presents Disco Fever (1991, runs 3:31)
There's a version that's basically the 45 version, but with a fade that starts 16 beats later than on the true 45, at 3:25, and ends before the fade on the true 45. It's on:- Time-Life's Sounds Of The Seventies - 1979 (1990, runs 3:30, sound very good and just a hair under The Disco Years.)
- Madacy's Rock On - 1979 (1996, digitally exactly 0.1 dB quieter than Sounds Of The Seventies CD)
There's a version that fades about 14 seconds too early on:- Connoisseur Collection's 100 All Time Classic Dance Hits Of The 1970s (5-CD set, 1988, UK release, really horrendous EQ)
- Priority's Mega-Hits Dance Classics (Volume 1) (1989, clips a bit)
There's a version that cuts off the first 8 beats of the 45 version AND fades too early on:- Simitar's The Number Ones: Party Time (1998, runs 3:14, sound pretty good)
There's a version that (I think) is an early fade of the LP version, on:- EMI Australia's Seventies Complete Volume 2 (5-CD set, 1997, runs 4:05, sound OK)
- Dominion's Disco Fever - 80 megastarke Disco-Hits (1993, German release, runs 4:04, sound severely muffled)
And finally, there's a version that has the correct vocals but a completely different instrumentation (no "BYOOO" sound on the opening downbeats, for starters) on:- Rhino's Billboard Top Hits - 1979 (1991, runs 3:33, sound excellent; this CD also includes an early fade of the LP version of "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)" rather than the 45 edit)
- Rhino's New Millennium Disco Party - The Divas (2000, digital clone of above CD but way too loud and has lots of clipping)
Might this different mix be an original, but unreleased, mix of the song? The "Midnight Mix By Richie Rivera" credit on the 45 may be a clue, but I'll have to defer to those more familiar with the Miami TK stuff from the late '70s...
Edited by crapfromthepast on 02 February 2009 at 3:16pm
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crapfromthepast
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| Posted: 04 February 2009 at 11:20am | IP Logged
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One more CD I missed. It also has the true 45 version:- Rhino's Get Down Tonight: The Best Of T.K. Records (1990; outstanding sound - on par with The Disco Years Vol. 2)
Note that Great '70s Dance Grooves (1992) and Disco Hits, Vol. 3 (1992) are both digitally identical to this disc.
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Todd Ireland
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| Posted: 03 June 2009 at 3:22pm | IP Logged
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I thought I'd bring this thread back up to reiterate the actual commercial 45 run time of Anita Ward's "Ring My Bell" is 3:31, which Ron correctly stated early in his initial post. (Jim has also confirmed the timing info. The printed record label time is 3:30.) The only reason I mention this is because database CDs of this song containing a "45 version" comment range from 3:28-3:33.
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80smusicfreak
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| Posted: 28 August 2015 at 11:30pm | IP Logged
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A couple weeks ago, I couldn't help but notice that 79(!) U.S. CD entries are currently shown in Pat's on-line db for this #1 disco classic, yet every single one of them is a V/A compilation - in other words, NONE are Anita Ward albums. Furthermore, the breakdown is that 58 contain the "(45 version)", 6 are "(neither)" versions, 5 have "(segued)" versions, 2 are a "(rerecording)", and still 8 others have a mystery version labeled as "(correct vocal take but the instrumentation is completely different from the 45 and LP versions)" - or more to the point, remarkably, NONE feature the full-length "(LP version)"!
Well, it turns out there IS one U.S. Anita Ward CD out there, and indeed, it contains the elusive LP version of "Ring My Bell"! It's not a re-issue of the song's original parent album, but actually a 9-track compilation of her two albums originally released on the Juana/T.K. label, Songs of Love (1979) and Sweet Surrender (also 1979). It's from 2005, on 601 Music SXCD 3149, distributed by Malaco. It's titled (what else???) Ring My Bell - and yes, it's still in print! I just obtained this CD myself, so if Pat wishes to add it immediately, I can report that "Ring My Bell" has an actual time of (8:08) on it - just as printed - marking the U.S. CD debut of the glorious LP version. :-) And while it missed the top 40, Ring My Bell also contains her other minor chart hit, "Don't Drop My Love" (lead single from Sweet Surrender). This particular CD still isn't listed on Discogs, but here's the page for it on Amazon, brand new: ANITA WARD - "Ring My Bell" (U.S. CD). And here it is on Malaco's official web site, where you can also order it new: ANITA WARD - "Ring My Bell" (U.S. CD). It's also available new from quite a few sellers on eBay...
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Topic: Anita Ward - "Ring My Bell"
