Patrick Simmons - "So Wrong"

Okay, I'm a bit surprised that no one else here has mentioned this yet, but back on February 27, this top 40 hit from 1983 was released on a U.S. CD for the first time! (And it therefore needs to be added to Pat's database, if he hasn't done so already - sorry, still not a subscriber at this time.) Credit the good ol' Wounded Bird label, which has re-issued the song's original 1983 parent album, "Arcade" (catalog no. WOU 225)...

"So Wrong" has always been one of my all-time favorites, as I bought "Arcade" on cassette back when it first came out in '83 (still have it), and I've also since acquired both promo 12" vinyl singles that were issued for the song here in the U.S. (and I generally despise vinyl!)...

So naturally, I've picked up the new Wounded Bird CD as well - the track runs (3:21) on it, BTW. (I see that Joel Whitburn's "Pop Annual" lists the 45 length as [3:23], so I'm willing to wager that the 45 and LP versions are the same, but I'll leave that to the "experts" here, lol...)

crapfromthepast wrote: I, too, am a fan of the song, which is pretty well forgotten by oldies radio. FYI, it turns up on a 4-CD set from Holland called "One Hit Wonders And Hard To Find Classics" (BR Music #1013, rel 1999). That version is 3:24, and it sounds like the hit to my ears. If you can find it, this is a very odd collection - about half of the songs never charted in the US or in the UK, leading one to wonder where they were hits. More FYI - there was also a 12" with a "Dance Mix", on the A-side of Elektra 12" #0-67929 (printed time of 5:22).

Yep, as I stated above, I have both U.S. promo 12"ers: Elektra 67929 as you noted above, as well as Elektra 67928, which features the (3:23) "LP version" b/w the (5:22) "extended version"...

I'll look into that 4-CD set from Holland (I've seen CD compilations on that label before) - thanks for the tip... :-)

Todd, even more frustrating is that "Savannah Nights" WAS originally to be on the Doobies' Box Set, appearing on pre-release track listings, but was removed at the last moment. I always thought perhaps Simmons may have felt it a slight that his "So Wrong" wasn't also to be scheduled for inclusion (which it wasn't). Although I thought Elektra (which "Arcade" was orignally put out on) was part of the WEA (Warner/Elektra/Atlantic) family, and therefore should've been easy to Rhino to cross-license, perhaps Rhino ultimately decided to leave off ALL individual solo works, in the name of fairness to all (except the collector, of course.)
     Just as an aside, for one of the VERY few times in the 80s, our Top 40 station played Simmons' "Have You Seen Her", off of "Arcade", as a "secret weapon spike" LP cut, for more than two months! We also got solid requests for it. Elektra was aware of our success with it, but still chose to release two OTHER Simmons songs as follow-up singles to "So Wrong", which of course both stiffed out.

I don't think the recent release of Pat Simmons album is the first time this song made it to CD. I remember seeing it on a Guitar Rock collection CD set way back in the early 90's when I was living in the UK. I downloaded off Napster quite a few years ago. I thought it sounded different than the 45 I used to have but it might of just been the difference of hearing in digital form that threw me.

"FYI, it turns up on a 4-CD set from Holland ....this is a very odd collection - about half of the songs never charted in the US or in the UK, leading one to wonder where they were hits"

Well since the CD comes from Holland I would assume they were hits in Holland.