connie francis frankie

my commercial 45 for the connie francis song 'frankie'
issued as the B-side of mgm 12793 lists the run time as
2:35 but actually only runs 2:30.....this brings it in line
with most of the db entries....this 45 info s/b added to
the db......

I found the mono on one import CD, but it's a fold-down.
I tried to create the mono from the stereo version
(which is only twin-track stereo), and it sounded right
except for one little part sounded different, and I
could never get it quite right. But if it makes you
feel any better, there was a stereo 45 issued at the
time the song came out, so the stereo version can be
legitimately considered the "45 version" as well.

Although I don't believe it has ever been officially confirmed, it has long been rumoured that many MGM tapes were destroyed in a flood that may have occurred as far back as fifty years ago. (Universal has similarly never come clean about which tapes were lost in their fire in 1990.)

For many artists such as Connie Francis, Tommy Edwards, Conway Twitty, The Lovin' Spoonful (on MGM-distributed Kama Sutra Records), and Roy Orbison (on MGM) the only tapes believed to have survived were the then-current "go-to" tapes, whether mono or stereo. You will notice in the database that most of these artists' hits have been issued on CD only in stereo or only in mono, because these are the only tapes believed to have survived.

Copies of some mono MGM tapes for artists such as Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs, The Cowsills, and The Lovin' Spoonful have been located in recent years, so there is still hope more will be uncovered. But for now, the reason that the mono mix of "Frankie" has never been issued on CD is that no tape of it is known to still exist.

I appreciate everyone adding insight. I will let you all know if I happen to find it on CD in mono somewhere.