Diana Ross-"Ain’t No Mountain High..."

Jim, does the mono 6:18 match the stereo version or does it contain the "one more time" section right after the instrumental break, that is only on the mono 45 version? If it does that would make it a unique version.

I'm bumping this thread back up again because I too am wondering if the 6:18 long mono DJ 45 version of Diana Ross' "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" matches the stereo LP version? Also, I notice all commercial 45 version CD appearances in the database are in mono. Does anyone know if a stereo commercial 45 version can be extracted from the LP version, or is there unique audio on the 45 that prevents this from being possible?

No, Todd, the commercial 45 version has unique ad-libs over the chorus that are present in no other version. Some of those ad-libs are present on the Motown Original Artist Karaoke CD with this song. I did a pretty close approximation of the a stereo single version a while back... because of the way the song is mixed on the karaoke CD, it doesn't have the "punch" of the original stereo album mix.

In answer to Bill's question: no, neither the long promo or short promo mono version feature the "one more time" line. Both are identical to the LP version.

Thanks to Jim for forwarding me a copy of the 6:18 mono long DJ version of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"... I've finally gotten around to comparing it to the stereo LP version and have concluded that the two versions are the same, except of course for the inherent channel and panning differences between the mono and stereo mixes. And as is usually the case with Motown singles, the mono mix packs a lot more "punch" than its stereo counterpart.

Well, here goes...

Stereo LP version (6:16)

Appeared first on CD on Motown's Compact Command Performance 14 Greatest Hits (1984). It also appears on a few Motown label compilations and Motown Diana Ross compilations, and Motown Diana Ross single-artist CDs. If it's over 6 minutes and in stereo, it's the LP version.

Mono long promo 45 version (6:18)

Appears only on Hip-O Select's The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 10 1970.

Mono short promo 45 version (4:05)

The mono version also appears only on Hip-O Select's The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 10 1970.

There are three discs out there that have this version in stereo; I'm guessing that the stereo version was re-edited from the LP version, but can't confirm.

Mono commercial 45 version (3:28)

Appeared first on CD on Motown's 4-CD Hitsville USA The Singles Collection 1959-1971 (1992). This is a dedicated mix that can't be edited down from the LP version, with different ad-libs from the LP version, like the "one more time" line that's on the commercial 45 and nowhere else.

I think the Diana Ross Ultimate Collection has the proper 45 version, but it seems to be re-edited. I can hear a stereo splice at 0:08 (a stereo burst at the edit, then quickly settles back into mono).

Non-hit 3:29 edit

It's edited down from the LP version, and sorta matches the structure of the 45 version, but it's missing 16 beats from 2:44 to 2:54 of the 45.

This edit appeared on CD on a few of the early Motown various-artist compilations, including:

• Motown's 25 #1 Hits From 25 Years Vol. 1 (1985)
• Motown's Every Great Motown Song The First 25 Years (1986) - digitally exactly 0.78 dB quieter than 25 #1 Hits
• Motown's Motown's Biggest Pop Hits (1986) - digitally exactly 1 dB quieter than 25 #1 Hits
• Time-Life's Sounds Of The Seventies Vol. 21 Rock 'N' Soul Seventies (1991) - digitally exactly 1 dB quieter than 25 #1 Hits

I'm sure there are more.

Non-hit 3:56 edit

It, too, is edited down from the LP version, and sorta matches the structure of the 45 version, but it includes an extra 8 beats from 0:11 to 0:16.

This edit first appeared on Rhino's Billboard Top R&B Hits 1970 (1990). The same analog transfer is used on:

• Time-Life's Superhits Vol. 4 1970 (1990) - fades about 10 seconds early
• Time-Life's AM Gold Vol. 2 1970 (1990) - this whole disc is identical to Superhits Vol. 4 1970 , so it also fades about 10 seconds early
• Time-Life's Solid Gold Soul Vol. 5 1970 (1996) - fades about 5 seconds early
• Time-Life's Solid Gold Soul #1 Love Songs Of The '70s (2000) - digitally identical to Solid Gold Soul Vol. 5 1970, so it fades about 5 seconds early

Non-hit 3:35 remix

This remix sorta matches the structure of the non-hit 3:56 edit, but it a fresh new mix from the multitracks. Listen for the harp in the left channel on the intro, and how the tamborine that follows is also in the left channel. Compare to the other stereo versions, where the harp is in the left, and the tamborine is in the right channel.

I only have this remix on Motown's Motown Year By Year 1970 (1995). I don't know if it was done especially for this CD, or appeared earlier somewhere else.

My recommendations

I'll always recommend Motown's 4-CD Hitsville USA The Singles Collection 1959-1971 (1992) to anyone who will listen. That will get you the mono commercial 45, which is the hit version.

As for the other versions, if you really must own them, then go for the oldest CDs with those edits. I listed those above.