Deniece Williams Lets Hear It For The Boy

I've been talking with Aaron about Deniece Williams' "Let's Hear It For The Boy."

All evidence indicates the only version released in 1984 was the 4:20 album length: the LP, the single, & the promo single. However, I thought I remember an edited version being played on the local top 40s.

The version on the movie (Footloose) is smoothly edited, & reminds me of the version I thought I heard on the radio back in the mid-80s. When I edited the 4:20 album / 45 version down to match the movie, it ran 3:35, which is shorter than the "edited / instrumental" on the flip side of the 45.

Does anybody else remember such an edit? Does anybody have a promo copy that DOESN'T run 4:20? (You might time it, even if the label says 4:20... just in case.)

Thanks for any insight you can provide!

Here's a link to the scene from the movie Footloose containing the edited version of the song "Let's Hear It For The Boy":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBbSPsMbMNs

Edited by NightAire

Perhaps, Jody, that was NOT a custom edit, but the B-side of a promo 12". Look here:

Deniece Williams - Let's Hear It For The Boy

I find roundabout references to a collection called "Classic Cuts 80's Night The Ultimate DJ Collection," allegedly a 16-CD collection. I can't find this actual CD collection for sale, or any legitimate source for it.

Having said that, I can confirm that the version making the rounds on the web contains this mix / edit.

THIS version is the version I think I remember hearing on the local top-40. The station was not affiliated with any service like TM Century; they took what the record labels sent.

Discogs ONLY promo release listed for this single is the 12" above. The A side was 6 minutes, way too long for most stations to play... so it makes sense to me they'd flip it over and play the edit.

Does anybody have a 7" promo-only copy of this song from 1984?

This could tell us, for certain and for sure, whether radio stations were serviced with (and / or played) the "Jellybean remix / edit."

The mix is different than the movie scene, and the edit points are different as well.

Here's another reference to this promo 12":

Columbia As 1838 - Let's Hear It For The Boy (6:00) / Let's Hear It For The Boy (3:34) - 1984 (12" promo issue only)

EDIT:

Aw, fer HEAVEN'S sake! Now I've found a version that only has the bass notes of the keyboard at the beginning instead of doubling an octave higher!!! It's a Polygram(German label) CD called "Best Of 80s Black."

Shazam

Amazon

Gert Hellmann

(BABELFISH TRANSLATION OF PAGE, ABOVE (slightly cleaned up): "Here you can buy from a range of music CDs on-line. Naturally you can also simply only inform. Description: In order to get these music CDs you must exchange one of your music CDs against them. Conditions are a tidy packing, as well as that the CD is scratch-free and is not falsified or a copy.")

I REALLY think there was a lot more going on with this single than we realize right now. I'd sure like to get the differences sorted out!

Edited by NightAire

Gene, kind sir, I can sense the very strong level of hope/confidence you have regarding still-undiscovered details for this song, and I love your level of enthusiasm. And I have learned to never say never. But we on the Board have already gone over the 80's with a fine tooth comb, far more than any other decade to date. First off, I tried to listen to your original posts's YouTube link, but that clip has since been removed - no help there. Secondly, I own and have pulled both the 1984 promo 45 and the AS 1838 promo 12" single for you. I just don't know what else to tell you about your strong "gut feeling" that a second, different promo 45 does actually exist, other than to say that I am certain we got in just the one promo 45 version, and it's the common, exactly-the-same-version on both sides of it, right down to the deadwax info! I was way deep into the Music operation at my longtime Top 40 radio station during 1984. As for the Jellybean remixes promo 12", the short side of that 12" does have both a listed and actual time of (3:34). I remember that we did listen to this version when it came in, but both my boss and I both thought it to be far inferior to the 45/LP version (just too "busy" for us), so we passed on it, and stayed with the common version. Now that doesn't mean other North American Top 40's didn't go ahead and air it. And it was not uncommon back then for radio to request that a label "give us a shorter version of the hit mix, that mimics the edit points of the Remix/Edit". Or, "Give us the 'Movie Version Edit'". Sometimes they would, but more often they wouldn't. Then, depending on a station's conviction level about it, they'd either just "live with" the longer version, or splice up a "custom version" the way they want it - it often wasn't that time-consuming a task. These were then often shared in several different markets (everyone knew everyone in radio back then); I felt you may have been a bit quick to dismiss this fact with your "radio played what they were sent" comment - not always, based on my long expereince in the trenches. Hope this info helps, Gene, and continued success with your show!

Edited by jimct

Hi Gene:

Are you sure that the B-Side of the 12" single was a remix? I thought it was the LP version (maybe with an early fade). I really don't think that the video clip "version" from the movie ever made it to vinyl.

I am pretty certain, though not 100% on this that TM Stereo Rock edited their own "single-length" version of the 12". You'll remember my custom edit right? Except for the fade length (because Stereo Rcok used fast 5-second or so fade with their automation tapes so that the 25 Hz cue could be detected, the edit I did is spot on with what they aired.

TM and Drake-Chenault commonly edited their own single-length versions from either the LP or 12" single, because the vinyl quieter and more flexible than a 45-rpm disc. There were better dynamics and less sibilance in most cases too.

Jody, I now agree that the movie edit never made it to vinyl or CD, to my knowledge.

The edit I was remembering appears to be the edit of the remix on the B-side of the promo remix Jim is referring to, rather than the "movie edit."

Jim's also right that the differences REALLY jump out: greater reverb on some of the snare hits, greater reverb on her voice, an extra keyboard part (or a buried keyboard part brought WAY up in the mix) during the verses, and then when A/B'ing it with the album version, completely different vocal takes on SOME but not ALL of the lines.

You've made curious to find out if TM Stereo Rock really DID do their own edit of the 12"... it would seem an odd thing to do, since there was already a nice edit on the flip-side... but, stranger things have happened. :)