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crapfromthepast MusicFan
Joined: 14 September 2006 Location: United States
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Posted: 11 September 2012 at 6:20pm | IP Logged
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Not a whole lot of valuable information to share about this song, just the little curiosities I found from comparing the 14 CD versions I have.
First, the LP version, which runs 5:16 on EMI's The Singles (1992), and runs at 127.7 BPM throughout. Unfortunately, a little bit of the opening drumbeat is cut off on this version. Too bad, because it otherwise sounds pretty good here. (I don't have First Offense to compare.) All the LP versions I have on CD use the same analog transfer as The Singles, and all have the same truncated opening note:- Sony Germany's 2-CD Pop And Wave Vol. 5 (1994)
- Simitar's Number Ones The '80s (1998; differently EQ'd digital clone)
- Time-Life's 2-CD Modern Rock Vol. 3 1984-1985 (1999; digitally exactly 0.4 dB louder)
For the proper 45 version, I found just three unique analog transfers.
The first one to appear on CD was on Razor & Tie's 2-CD Totally '80s (1993), where it runs 127.6 BPM throughout. It sounds just fine here.
The next one is on EMI's Living In Oblivion Vol. 3 (1994), where it runs 127.5 BPM throughout. Sound is comparable to Totally '80s. Other CDs that use the same analog transfer as Living In Oblivion are:- Time-Life's Sounds Of The Eighties Vol. 11 1983-1984 (1995; differently EQ'd digital clone)
- Madacy's Rock On 1984 (1996; digitally exactly 1.3 dB louder)
- Madacy's Rock On 1984 Sunglasses At Night (1998; digitally exactly same level - includes dithering noise even though no level or EQ change)
Finally, Bill Inglot did a fresh analog transfer for Rhino's Just Can't Get Enough Vol. 14 (1995), where it runs at 127.9 BPM throughout. Discs that use the same analog transfer are:- Time-Life's 2-CD Modern Rock Vol. 21 Club '80s (2001; differently EQ'd digital clone)
- Rhino's 7-CD Like Omigod (2002; a little too loud here)
Out of the above CDs, I prefer the sound on Just Can't Get Enough Vol. 14, which sounds to my ears like it's from a slightly lower-generation source tape than the others. None sound bad, and I wouldn't actively avoid any of them.
Finally, there are some stragglers, which I actively would avoid:
Swaitek's 50-CD promo set The A-List uses an incorrect edit of the LP version in attempt to recreate the 45. I suspect that this edit was done in-house at TM Century. No noise reduction, though, so that's good.
EMI Australia's 5-CD Eighties Complete Vol. 1 (1997) fades a few seconds earlier than the others and seems to have noise reduction. Very odd to hear NR on an actual EMI collection, but apparently they couldn't get decent source tapes from Canada to Australia for this track.
Edited by crapfromthepast on 12 September 2012 at 10:10am
__________________ There's a lot of crap on the radio, but there's only one Crap From The Past.
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NightAire MusicFan
Joined: 20 February 2010 Location: United States
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Posted: 11 September 2012 at 9:00pm | IP Logged
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Good info, as always; thank you!
__________________ Gene Savage
http://www.BlackLightRadio.com
http://www.facebook.com/TulsaSavage
Owasso, Oklahoma USA
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Brian W. MusicFan
Joined: 13 October 2004 Location: United States
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Posted: 11 September 2012 at 9:37pm | IP Logged
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Seconded. These analyses of yours really are invaluable, Crap.
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Underground Dub MusicFan
Joined: 10 July 2006
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Posted: 13 September 2012 at 1:11pm | IP Logged
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I concur. Thank you crapfromthepast for sharing this information with us. :)
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Santi Paradoa MusicFan
Joined: 17 February 2009 Location: United States
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Posted: 13 September 2012 at 1:54pm | IP Logged
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I agree these posts are extremely helpful. Thanks Ron.
__________________ Santi Paradoa
Miami, Florida
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crapfromthepast MusicFan
Joined: 14 September 2006 Location: United States
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Posted: 13 September 2012 at 2:29pm | IP Logged
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You're very welcome. I'm just thankful that this forum
exists, so we all have a place to share what we know.
__________________ There's a lot of crap on the radio, but there's only one Crap From The Past.
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995wlol MusicFan
Joined: 10 December 2006 Location: United States
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Posted: 13 September 2012 at 6:24pm | IP Logged
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Opening drumbeat of the LP version is also truncated on my original US EMI CD of "First Offense".
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Todd Ireland MusicFan
Joined: 16 October 2004 Location: United States
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Posted: 13 September 2012 at 8:56pm | IP Logged
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995wlol wrote:
Opening drumbeat of the LP version is also truncated on my original US EMI CD of "First Offense". |
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Interesting... I'm wondering if the truncated portion of the opening note might possibly be embedded in the negative track indexing leading up to the starting point of the "Sunglasses at Night" track on the First Offense CD? In other words, the complete opening note wouldn't be heard unless you're listening to the end of the previous track and then allowing the CD to continue playing through to the point where the "Sunglasses at Night" track begins. Could you please check your copy, 995wlol, and see if this is the case?
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995wlol MusicFan
Joined: 10 December 2006 Location: United States
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Posted: 13 October 2012 at 2:33pm | IP Logged
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Todd Ireland wrote:
I'm wondering if the truncated portion of the opening note might possibly be embedded in the negative track indexing leading up to the starting point? |
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I finally was able to check this in EAC and, yes, Todd is correct. For some reason the table of contents begins track 1 at exactly 1 second. In fact, indexing is off by this amount on every track, which means many songs have truncated beginnings with a fraction of a second of the following song at the end of the track. I had to re-rip my copy of First Offense after accounting for the index errors.
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Todd Ireland MusicFan
Joined: 16 October 2004 Location: United States
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Posted: 13 October 2012 at 10:19pm | IP Logged
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Wow! So evidently many of the LP version appearances of "Sunglasses at Night" on CD were taken, either directly or indirectly, from the incorrectly indexed First Offense CD and are therefore missing the opening bass drum hit. Thanks for confirming, 995wlol!
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995wlol MusicFan
Joined: 10 December 2006 Location: United States
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Posted: 14 October 2012 at 9:44am | IP Logged
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I should have also noted that I own the LP version of "Sunglasses at Night" on "The Greatest Hits Of The 80's, Volume 6." The intro is indeed intact on this disc.
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