Marvin Gaye-"Distant Lover"

Pat, my commercial 45 has different listed & actual timings than the (3:28) listed, (3:54) actual timings that you currently note in the database, which probably represents your commercial 45's info. Mine, which states (Edited Version) right next to the title, has a listed time of (3:18), and an actual time of (3:42). My painfully long deadwax is "T54253F-62919-3C -1-M-08A", followed by, in "lighter" writing, "T-54253-A". I also believe I have two different promo 45s for this song, and I will pull them and add any relevent details as soon as I can make my way over to my "promo 45s" section.

Pat, I am following up, as promised, on this one. My commercial 45, which states (Edited Version), has a listed time of (3:18), but an actual time of (3:42). As earlier mentioned, I have two differemt promo 45s for this. The first, also stating (Edited Version) on both sides, has the same listed (3:18), actual (3:42) version as my commercial 45, on both its mono and stereo sides. My second promo 45, which states (Live Version) on both sides, has a listed time of (3:28) on both sides, but features the information that you have already correctly entered in the database: actual (3:53) on the mono side, and actual (3:42) on the stereo side. Long short short: ALL 45 versions are actually (3:42), except for the mono side of the listed (3:28) promo, which runs (3:53), and is the ONLY version that includes the "RE1" info in the deadwax.

Pat:

The database currently claims the version of "Distant Lover" on the Marvin Gaye Anthology 2 CD set (Motown 314530529) is the "45 version but :11 longer". I've compared my copy of the Anthology CD to Jim's commercial 45 dub and found the CD does not contain the 45 version. For starters, the song's 45 intro on vinyl runs approximately 1.5 seconds longer than on the CD before Gaye begins speaking the opening line: "You know, when you're in love and your lover needs you...". Also, the 45 contains two other edits that do not match up with what's on the Anthology disc.

As a result, I'm wondering if this 3:53-3:55 version that has also appeared on several other CDs is really the longer DJ 45 version running 3:53?

As with all live songs, it's a little tough to know where the "beginning" is, but I'm basing my times on the song starting with the three pick-up note beats right before the piano comes in and Marvin sings "hoo-hoo." Once I have the 45 intro established, I then give both 45 and LP times.

There are only seven edits in this song to make the 45 edit, with a fade-in and fade-out. You may want to go get a sandwich and lie down for awhile before you tackle this one.

To start, there's an awkward edit during the fade-in on the 45, which, I hasten to add, is a real dirty trick to pull on a guy. You'll have to edit out his spoken "Some people told me" before you can perform the fade-in. It's a ridiculous edit of only three beats. You may need to jump the edit a little to avoid the "s" sound when he starts to say "some."

Remove from 0:41.4 to 0:42.7.

Now go back and start your fade at 0:38.5. The fade-in ends at (i.e.: you should be at full volume by) 0:42.1 when Gaye says "You know..."


The next edit takes out a segment starting at 1:25.3 (LP) or 0:46.0 (45). It's a clean edit on the snare:

Remove from 0:45.5 [45] (1:25.3 [LP]) to 1:28.0 [45] (2:07.8 [LP]).


The next edit is also on the snare beat:

Remove from 0:53.5 [45] (2:15.8 [LP]) to 0:58.8 [45] (2:21.2 [LP]).


The next edit starts with the backup singers on a key change and then Gaye singing "As I reminisce." That gets cut out. You're left with the same backup singers singing the same note, then Gaye singing "The promises we made, baby."

Remove from 1:08.0 [45] (2:35.9 [LP]) to 1:19.0 (2:46.7 [LP]).


The next edit is back on the snare, and is only two measures long (six beats). The second measure you remove has the backup singers softly singing "lover":

Remove from 1:44.8 [45] (3:23.2 [LP]) to 1:47.5 [45] (3:26.0 [LP]).


The next edit is on the snare beat during the sax solo; you'll pick the 45 version back up on the beat right before Gaye belts out a lusty "WOOO":

Remove from 2:30.9 [45] (4:12.0 [LP]) to 2:47.0 [45] (4:28.1 [LP]).


The last edit (yay!) is on the snare right before Gaye sings "Come back...hooooome" (the 45 will have him basically singing "come back home / come back...hooooome" twice in a row):

Remove from 3:24.8 [45] (5:22.1 [LP]) to 3:41.3 [45] (5:38.7 [LP]).


My 45 fades out to zero by 3:44.2. It's a very quick fade that starts around 3:41.

Now treat yourself to fattening desert because you deserve it for giving this one a twirl.

Was the commercial 45 mono or stereo? The "Mono and Stereo Commercial
45 Releases of Top 40 Singles from 1974" list has "?" beside stereo.