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crapfromthepast
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| Posted: 08 October 2014 at 7:47pm | IP Logged
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I didn't like "Still" at the time, but I was 11 in 1979, and didn't know better. Now, I think this is a really classy ballad. Lionel hit paydirt with "Easy" in 1977, and he really hit his ballad stride with "Three Times A Lady" and this record. No more funk for the Commodores after this one.
LP version (runs 5:48)
The oldest CD I have the LP version on is Motown's Compact Command Performances 14 Greatest Hits (1983), which is a very old CD. The sound quality is pretty good, considering that this was one of the first batch of CDs that Motown released. But the levels are painfully low; there's about 9 dB of headroom on this song. Amazingly, there's a differently EQ'd digital clone of this version, with a volume boost of about 9 dB, on Time-Life's 2-CD Body And Soul Vol. 9 Sweet Embrace (1999).
I think (?) that the same analog transfer for Compact may be used for Motown's Commodores collection Ultimate Collection (1997), but with its absolute polarity flipped and a very large volume boost. It clips quite a bit in the last minute of the song. There are digital clones of Ultimate Collection on:- Time-Life's Singers And Songwriters Vol. 31 Classics (2001; 1 dB quieter)
- Time-Life's Ultimate Love Songs Collection Secret Lovers (2004; 3 dB quieter)
All of the above have fine dynamic range and no evidence of noise reduction on the fade. I'll cast my vote for Body And Soul Vol. 9 Sweet Embrace, but only because it has good volume levels and doesn't clip in the loud parts.
None sound bad, but I think they're from higher-generation source tapes than some of the 45 versions you'll see below.
I also think that all of the LP versions may have their left/right channels swapped. To check, listen for a buzzy string sound at the 14-second mark. It's in the left channel on all the LP versions, but in the right channel on all the 45 versions. I don't have any of the vinyl to compare.
45 edit (runs 3:47)
The 45 is a simple edit of the LP version that removes 0:57.3-3:02.1 of the LP version (timing from Body And Soul).
I think the best-sounding version of the 45 is on Motown's 4-CD Hitsville USA Vol. 2 (1993), where it has a rich, full EQ, plenty of dynamic range, and the longest tail on the fade of any of the CDs I have, including all the LP versions. Listen to the detail in the plucked strings about 4-5 seconds into the intro - it sounds a little blurred out on all the other discs, including all the LP versions. There are differently EQ'd digital clones on Time-Life's 2-cD Body Talk Vol. 7 Hearts In Motion (1996) and Time-Life's Solid Gold Soul Vol. 15 1979 (1997; 0.925 dB quieter than Body Talk).
The oldest CD I have the 45 edit on is Motown's 25 #1 Hits From 25 Years Vol. 2 (1985). There's a digital clone on Time-Life's AM Gold Vol. 26 1979 (1997; 0.5 dB quieter).
There are a few Warner Special Products discs that sounds similar to each other, but not as good as Hitsville.
The Motown 2-CD Commodores Anthology (1995) is actually a little compressed/limited in the loud parts of the song. Surprising, considering how well these 1995 Anthology sets were done.
Lionel Richie's Back To Front also sounds good.
Best Bets
For the LP version, I half-heartedly recommend Body And Soul Vol. 9 Sweet Embrace (1999), but it may have its left/right channels swapped. There must be a better CD with the LP version out there somewhere, which uses lower-generation source tapes.
For the 45 edit, I emphatically recommend Hitsville USA Vol. 2 (1993), which sounds significantly better than all the LP versions I found.
Edited by crapfromthepast on 09 October 2014 at 8:14am
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80smusicfreak
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| Posted: 09 October 2014 at 12:27am | IP Logged
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crapfromthepast wrote:
| No more funk for the Commodores after this one. |
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Hey, it might've been "funk lite" compared to 1977's "Brick House" - or even other '81 crossover hits such as "She's a Bad Mama Jama", "Give it to Me Baby", or "Fantastic Voyage" - but don't forget "Lady (You Bring Me Up)"! :-) I generally prefer the Commodores' uptempo stuff over the ballads as well, and "Lady" has always ranked among my top three faves of theirs...
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Top 40 Music on Compact Disc : Chat Board
Topic: Commodores - Still
