"We Are Family" - Sister Sledge - Top 40 Music on CD Forum

45 length (runs 3:34)

The 45 length first appeared on Atlantic's Golden Age Of Black Music 1977-1988 (1988), where it runs 3:35 and sounds quite nice. The same analog transfer is used on:

Time-Life's Sounds Of The Seventies Vol. 9 1979 (1990; differently EQ'd digital clone)
Warner Special Products' 2-CD Ultimate Party Album (1992)

I think the same source tapes as Golden are used for the first CD disco various-artists compilation, Silver Eagle/Warner Special Products' 2-CD Dancin' The Night Away (1988). The levels drop about 1 or 2 dB from the beginning to the end of the song, which doesn't happen on Golden. The same analog transfer is used on:

Priority's Mega-Hits Dance Classics Vol. 4 (1989; mastered loud and clips a bit)
JCI's Only Dance 1975-1979 (1995)

Bill Inglot did a new analog transfer for Rhino's Disco Years Vol. 3 (1992), which runs 3:34, sounds fantastic, and has a little boosted high-end typical of the Rhino masterings. This disc is my choice for the 45 length of the song. The same analog transfer is used on:

Rhino's cheapie Disco Hits Vol. 3 (1992; digitally exactly 0.239 dB quieter)
Warner Special Products' 2-CD Disco Collection (1993)
Time-Life's Solid Gold Soul Vol. 15 1979 (1997; differently EQ'd digital clone)
Rhino's Instant Party Disc (1999)
Rhino's Millennium New Disco Party (2000; digitally exactly about 1.2 dB louder, clips a bit)
Time-Life's 2-CD Body And Soul Ladies Got Soul (2002; differently EQ'd digital clone)

Two outliers:

EMI Australia's 5-CD Seventies Complete Vol. 1 (1997; fades a few seconds early, thin-sounding EQ)
Rhino's Atlantic Ultimate '70s R&B Smashes (1998; mastered way too loud and clips a lot

LP length (runs over 8 minutes)

I have the LP length on only one disc, Rhino's Best Of 1973-1985 (1992), which runs about 3.2% slower than all of the 45-length versions. That's a significant speed difference, and it sounds really draggy on this disc. Sound is good otherwise, if you can get past the speed difference.

1993 remix ("Sure Is Pure Remix Edit" runs about 3:56)

There was a remix that was a UK hit in 1993. I have it on Virgin EMI PolyGram UK's 2-CD Now 24 (1993) and Virgin EMI PolyGram UK's 2-CD Now 1993 (1993). You probably don't want this.

Edited by crapfromthepast

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Todd Ireland Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 16 October 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 18	Post Options Post Reply Quote Todd Ireland Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: "We Are Family" - Sister Sledge Posted: 04 June 2009 at 12:51pm
	The actual commercial 45 run time of Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family” is 3:34. (Timing info once again compliments of Jim. The printed record label time is 3:35.) Database CD appearances of this song containing a “45 version” comment run 3:31-3:36.

crapfromthepast Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 14 September 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9	Post Options Post Reply Quote crapfromthepast Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 18 October 2014 at 3:00pm
	45 length (runs 3:34) The 45 length first appeared on Atlantic's Golden Age Of Black Music 1977-1988 (1988), where it runs 3:35 and sounds quite nice. The same analog transfer is used on: Time-Life's Sounds Of The Seventies Vol. 9 1979 (1990; differently EQ'd digital clone) Warner Special Products' 2-CD Ultimate Party Album (1992) I think the same source tapes as Golden are used for the first CD disco various-artists compilation, Silver Eagle/Warner Special Products' 2-CD Dancin' The Night Away (1988). The levels drop about 1 or 2 dB from the beginning to the end of the song, which doesn't happen on Golden. The same analog transfer is used on: Priority's Mega-Hits Dance Classics Vol. 4 (1989; mastered loud and clips a bit) JCI's Only Dance 1975-1979 (1995) Bill Inglot did a new analog transfer for Rhino's Disco Years Vol. 3 (1992), which runs 3:34, sounds fantastic, and has a little boosted high-end typical of the Rhino masterings. This disc is my choice for the 45 length of the song. The same analog transfer is used on: Rhino's cheapie Disco Hits Vol. 3 (1992; digitally exactly 0.239 dB quieter) Warner Special Products' 2-CD Disco Collection (1993) Time-Life's Solid Gold Soul Vol. 15 1979 (1997; differently EQ'd digital clone) Rhino's Instant Party Disc (1999) Rhino's Millennium New Disco Party (2000; digitally exactly about 1.2 dB louder, clips a bit) Time-Life's 2-CD Body And Soul Ladies Got Soul (2002; differently EQ'd digital clone) Two outliers: EMI Australia's 5-CD Seventies Complete Vol. 1 (1997; fades a few seconds early, thin-sounding EQ) Rhino's Atlantic Ultimate '70s R&B Smashes (1998; mastered way too loud and clips a lot LP length (runs over 8 minutes) I have the LP length on only one disc, Rhino's Best Of 1973-1985 (1992), which runs about 3.2% slower than all of the 45-length versions. That's a significant speed difference, and it sounds really draggy on this disc. Sound is good otherwise, if you can get past the speed difference. 1993 remix ("Sure Is Pure Remix Edit" runs about 3:56) There was a remix that was a UK hit in 1993. I have it on Virgin EMI PolyGram UK's 2-CD Now 24 (1993) and Virgin EMI PolyGram UK's 2-CD Now 1993 (1993). You probably don't want this. Edited by crapfromthepast
	There's a lot of crap on the radio, but there's only one Crap From The Past.