Arbors "The Letter"

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   What do you guys have on timing on this one? I don't have an original 45 but I do have a Columbia Hall of Fame reissue with the song in mono. 

Label says 3:15 but it runs 3:37. Sped up compared to the LP but still runs longer than the LP version due to a longer fade. Does anybody have the DJ or stock to compare? Do those versions list 3:15 but run 3:37? 

LP version clocks in at 3:31. 

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BillCahill Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 13 October 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote BillCahill Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Arbors "The Letter" Posted: 04 December 2007 at 10:07pm
	What do you guys have on timing on this one? I don't have an original 45 but I do have a Columbia Hall of Fame reissue with the song in mono. Label says 3:15 but it runs 3:37. Sped up compared to the LP but still runs longer than the LP version due to a longer fade. Does anybody have the DJ or stock to compare? Do those versions list 3:15 but run 3:37? LP version clocks in at 3:31.

jimct Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 07 April 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote jimct Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 05 December 2007 at 10:10am
	Bill, both my commercial and promo 45 for this (both are in mono, FYI) have a listed time of (3:15), but an actual time of (3:35). My promo deadwax is "ZSP150049-1B", while my commercial 45 deadwax is "JZSP-150049-1A".

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: 23	Post Options Post Reply Quote Todd Ireland Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 15 August 2009 at 6:12am
	I've always found it rather odd that all database CD appearances of the Arbors' "The Letter" are a combination of stereo and mono. Has anyone come across this song anywhere on CD where the song is either entirely mono or entirely stereo? Also, the song's last 45 seconds of mono on my Rock Artifacts, Vol. 2 CD (Sony Music Special Products 33678) sound badly out-of-phase to me. I don't know if this was the intended effect, but is this the case on all database CDs? Edited by Todd Ireland

AndrewChouffi Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 24 September 2005 Status: Offline Points: 25	Post Options Post Reply Quote AndrewChouffi Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 15 August 2009 at 6:50am
	Yes Todd, The intended effect of the ending was purposely a flanging effect (not unlike Toni Fisher's "Big Hurt"). The reason why the ending was mono is because stereo flanging had not been "perfected" yet & there probably wasn't room on the multi-track for a stereo flanging experiment. Andy

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: 23	Post Options Post Reply Quote Todd Ireland Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 16 August 2009 at 12:00am
	Thanks for the interesting background info, Andrew. So was this stereo/mono mix first created in 1969 when "The Letter" was a hit, or did this mix later surface after the fact?

Bill Cahill Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 27 June 2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1	Post Options Post Reply Quote Bill Cahill Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 16 August 2009 at 6:58am
	The stereo/mono mix first surfaced on the Arbor's LP "I Cant Quit Her/The Letter". Probably 1969 although there is no copyright date on my LP. I just figured they didn't want to bother to try to phase it again.