https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/ Copyright (c) 2006-2013 Web Wiz Forums - All Rights Reserved. Sat, 11 Apr 2026 08:29:12 +0000 Sat, 21 Nov 2020 14:10:47 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 12.07 360 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/RSS_post_feed.asp?TID=1064 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum//images/Top-40-Music-on-CD-Forum-Logo.png https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/ https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1064&PID=56540&title=gladys-knight-midnight-train-to-georgia#56540 Author: VWestlife
Subject: 1064
Posted: 21 November 2020 at 2:10pm

In addition to the reverb and tom-tom drum, the 45 version also has the electric guitar and the horns much louder in the mix, and centered. Personally, I find it all a bit cluttered, and it distracts from the vocals.

There's also the "Compilation Version", which has the extra reverb, but lacks the tom-tom, and the guitar and horns are quieter and only in the one channel, like the LP version. I would actually prefer this mix, if only I could find a copy of it which didn't sound like a worn-out 8-track tape.
]]> Sat, 21 Nov 2020 14:10:47 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1064&PID=56540&title=gladys-knight-midnight-train-to-georgia#56540 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1064&PID=47601&title=gladys-knight-midnight-train-to-georgia#47601 Author: The Hits Man
Subject: 1064
Posted: 16 June 2017 at 4:39am

Cleaned out!

I remember now! The 45 is massively compressed!]]> Fri, 16 Jun 2017 04:39:12 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1064&PID=47601&title=gladys-knight-midnight-train-to-georgia#47601 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1064&PID=47600&title=gladys-knight-midnight-train-to-georgia#47600 Author: crapfromthepast
Subject: 1064
Posted: 15 June 2017 at 8:24pm

Edit: (Hits Man: Empty out your Inbox.)

Edited by crapfromthepast]]> Thu, 15 Jun 2017 20:24:49 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1064&PID=47600&title=gladys-knight-midnight-train-to-georgia#47600 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1064&PID=47586&title=gladys-knight-midnight-train-to-georgia#47586 Author: The Hits Man
Subject: 1064
Posted: 15 June 2017 at 1:02am

I checked the five CDs I have of the song and It comes in
three lengths, and none of them have that tom sound, not
even the two that claim to be the 45 version. I'll have
to dig for my 45 to see what that extra sound may be.

The "Dick Bartley Presents Collector's Edition 5" CD
fades very early at 3:36, so it can't be the single
version. I don't know what tape they used.

The Buddha promo 45 is the same length as the commercial
45 at 3:55, and that's what appears on the "Original Hit
Single Versions" CD.   But, as Ron points out, it does
sound unique.

At this point, i'm wondering if that beat Ron hears on
the 45 is some kind of anomaly, or another mix no one has
found, or just never bothered to use. It happens all the
time: a tape box or two is incorrectly labelled as the
single master, and that's what every CD reissue producer
uses without checking it against the actual 45. They
trust what is on the box. Or, there were two pressings
made from different master tapes at different plants, or,
the label pulled one in favor of another, which also
happens quite frequently. It was from their first Buddha
album, so they probably prepared several mixes trying to
get the songs just right. And, things got all screwy in
the CD age. ]]> Thu, 15 Jun 2017 01:02:47 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1064&PID=47586&title=gladys-knight-midnight-train-to-georgia#47586 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1064&PID=47585&title=gladys-knight-midnight-train-to-georgia#47585 Author: crapfromthepast
Subject: 1064
Posted: 14 June 2017 at 8:32pm

Thanks to Grant, I can report that the Varese CD also does not have the true 45 mix. This, too, is the LP mix. I didn't check if the edit points are correct.

But boy, does it sound crisp on this disc! The hi-hat is right there. It may be a treble boost, or may be better source tapes. Either way, it's pretty eye-opening.]]> Wed, 14 Jun 2017 20:32:54 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1064&PID=47585&title=gladys-knight-midnight-train-to-georgia#47585 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1064&PID=47577&title=gladys-knight-midnight-train-to-georgia#47577 Author: crapfromthepast
Subject: 1064
Posted: 13 June 2017 at 7:53pm

Thanks to Tom O, I can report that the French import CD Knight Records (KNCD 12004) does not have the true 45 mix. Instead, it seems to be the LP mix with a little bit of reverb. Listen at 0:42 to the true 45, and you'll hear a distinct low tom-tom in the right channel. There's no such tom-tom in the LP mix, or in the version on this CD. I didn't check if the edit points are correct.]]> Tue, 13 Jun 2017 19:53:10 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1064&PID=47577&title=gladys-knight-midnight-train-to-georgia#47577 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1064&PID=47554&title=gladys-knight-midnight-train-to-georgia#47554 Author: The Hits Man
Subject: 1064
Posted: 11 June 2017 at 6:57pm

I notice that there is no mention of the single version on
the Greatest Hits 1973-1985 Hit Single versions on the
Varese Sarabande label.]]> Sun, 11 Jun 2017 18:57:03 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1064&PID=47554&title=gladys-knight-midnight-train-to-georgia#47554 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1064&PID=47540&title=gladys-knight-midnight-train-to-georgia#47540 Author: crapfromthepast
Subject: 1064
Posted: 06 June 2017 at 7:55pm

The song was originally recorded in 1972 by the guy who wrote it, Jim Weatherly, as "Midnight Plane To Houston". Wasn't a hit.

It was covered in 1972 by Cissy Houston (Whitney's mom), and retitled "Midnight Train To Georgia". Wasn't a hit.

And then it got to Gladys Knight And The Pips. BIG hit, hitting #1 in 1973.

The LP version sounds quite nice, and there are plenty of CDs that feature the LP with nice sound.

Rhino's Billboard Top R&R Hits 1973 (1988) sounds great. The same analog transfer is used on:

• Time-Life's Sounds Of The Seventies Vol. 6 1973 (1990) - digitally identical
• Madacy's Rock On 1973 (1996) - digitally exactly 0.9 dB louder
• Time-Life's 2-CD Singers And Songwriters Vol. 17 1973-1975 (2002) - digitally identical

There's a different analog transfer on Rhino's Didn't It Blow Your Mind Vol. 11 (1991), which sounds about as good as the Billboard disc. The same analog transfer is used on:

• Time-Life's Solid Gold Soul Vol. 8 1973 (1996) - digitally exactly 0.4 dB quieter
• Time-Life's 2-CD Body Talk Vol. 10 From The Heart (1997) - differently-EQ'd digital clone

There's one more very clean analog transfer on Time-Life's Legends Of Soul Vol. 6 Gladys Knight And The Pips (2001), which has even more high end than the Rhino discs.

All of the above sound quite nice.

Now, the discs to avoid:

• Very Best Of (1988) - sounds like mud. Worst of the bunch.
• Razor & Tie's 2-CD Sweet '70s Soul (1991) - cuts off opening drumbeat entirely, but otherwise sounds close to the Billboard disc
• Time-Life's Superhits Vol. 13 1973 (1992) and AM Gold Vol. 3 1973 (1992), which are identical in every way - left/right channels reversed, but otherwise sounds close to the Billboard disc. There seem to be many, many tracks on this disc with their left and right channels swapped.
• JCI's Only Rock 'N Roll 1970-1974 (1994) - cuts off opening drumbeat entirely, and sounds muddy
• Warner Special Products' 2-CD Seventies Party Mix (1996) - left/right channels reversed, but otherwise sounds close to the Billboard disc
• Razor & Tie's 7-CD 70 Number One Hits Of The 70s Vol. 1 (1998) - digitally exactly 1 dB louder than Sweet '70s Soul, and therefore cuts off opening drumbeat entirely

And then there's the 45 version, which really does sound as bad as the 45 for "Magic Carpet Ride". Not sure how this ever made it out the door. On Have A Nice Decade, you can at least hear some tape hiss at the end of the track. Even the hiss is missing from Can You Dig It.

My recommendations:

For the LP version, go with Rhino's Billboard Top R&R Hits 1973 (1988).
For the 45 version, if you really insist on hearing it this way, go with Rhino's Have A Nice Decade.]]> Tue, 06 Jun 2017 19:55:06 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1064&PID=47540&title=gladys-knight-midnight-train-to-georgia#47540 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1064&PID=39722&title=gladys-knight-midnight-train-to-georgia#39722 Author: Santi Paradoa
Subject: 1064
Posted: 18 November 2013 at 12:49pm

Good info Aaron. I was pleasantly surprised at how good that "short" version sounded in comparison to the incorrect "single" version on this new release on the Funky Town Grooves label.

BTW, the version included on this disc for the group's song "Where Peaceful Waters Flow" is the same incorrect version that has been on every CD release before. This is not the first time this reissue label has included an incorrect single version on one of their CDs (they used the incorrect edit of "Disco Nights (Rock Freak)" by GQ that has been on countless discs prior). Apparently, if the tape is labeled single version they never bother to check if it's actually correct or not. ]]> Mon, 18 Nov 2013 12:49:52 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1064&PID=39722&title=gladys-knight-midnight-train-to-georgia#39722 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1064&PID=39720&title=gladys-knight-midnight-train-to-georgia#39720 Author: aaronk
Subject: 1064
Posted: 17 November 2013 at 11:21pm

I was just able to hear a copy of the "Single Version" and "Short Version" from the remastered CD. I can, unfortunately, report that the "Single Version" does not match the actual US 45 version (assuming that the Can You Dig It box set is correct). The version on this new CD does not have the additional reverb and percussion.

The "Short Version" also does not match the mix of the US single version. Interestingly, the "Short" and "Single" versions on the CD don't appear to have come from the same tape. The "Short" version sounds like it comes from a higher generation tape and has different EQ.]]> Sun, 17 Nov 2013 23:21:44 +0000 https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1064&PID=39720&title=gladys-knight-midnight-train-to-georgia#39720