Rick James - Super Freak (Part 1)

To this day, I still don't know if there's a Part 2 or what it sounds like.

There's not much controversy here, just some mastering info.

LP length, running about 3:24

The oldest CD I own that has the LP length is a mail-order 3-CD set from Motown/Silver Eagle called Motown 30th Anniversary (1988). It sounds like it's from a high-generation source tape, but otherwise sounds OK. It's actually my preferred source for the LP length. (I don't have any of the '80s-era Rick James single-artist discs to compare.)

The version on Priority's Mega-Hits Dance Classics Vol. 7 (1989) sounds dreadful in ways that are hard to describe. Overly mid-rangy EQ? Weird hiss and possibly vinyl artifacts on the fade? In any case, avoid.

The version on Razor & Tie's Those Funky '70s (1990) sounds kinda similar to Motown's 30th, but fades about a second earlier.

The single-artist Ultimate Collection (1997) used low-generation source tapes, but added compression/limiting, a slightly boomy EQ, and noise reduction. Raise the levels 15 dB to listen to the space after the first snare hit, and you'll hear the crackly sound of the digital NR easing up. You won't hear that particular artifact on any of the discs I listed above, including the Priority disc.

PolyGram's Pure Funk Vol. 1 (1998) is a differently EQ'd digital clone of Ultimate Collection.

Realm's 3-CD Ultimate Funk Classics (2002) is a differently EQ'd digital clone of Motown's 30th, but is about 4 dB louder and clips a bit.

Of the discs I listed for the LP length, I prefer Motown 30th Anniversary (1988).

(I should point out that many of the early '80s Motown CDs sound pretty good. Look for discs mastered by John Matousek and you can be assured that there's no extra compression/limiting, no weird EQ, and no digital noise reduction. Source tapes can be hit-and-miss. If Mr. Matousek mastered the '80s-era release of Street Sounds, Greatest Hits, or Reflections, they probably sound pretty good. Please post here if you have any of these and can confirm the mastering credit.)

45 length, running about 3:18

The first time the 45 length appeared on CD was on Motown's 4-CD Hitsville USA Vol. 2 (1993), and it sounds truly spectacular, trouncing everything that came before it. In particular, listen to the snare hits that begin the song - you can hear actual reverb in the space before the rest of the band kicks in. Contrast this with Ultimate Collection or Pure Funk Vol. 1, where the snare hits quickly evaporate to nothingness, with virtually no "air" around them. This is an excellent example of the "breath of life" that they talk about on the Steve Hoffman board. For Hitsville, the great sound comes from using the lowest-generation source tapes, not using any additional compression/limiting, and not using any additional noise reduction. Simple recipe, in principle, but one that's not as common as it should be.

There are a bunch that use the same analog transfer as Hitsville USA Vol. 2:

• JCI's Only Dance 1980-1984 (1995; has added compression and smiley-face EQ; avoid at all costs - JCI really botched this one)
• Time-Life's Sounds Of The Eighties Vol. 8 1981 (1995; differently EQ'd digital clone)
• Time-Life's Sounds Of The Seventies Vol. 47 '70s Dance Party 1979-1981 (1997; differently EQ'd digital clone)
• Time-Life's Solid Gold Soul Vol. 25 Early '80s (1999; differently EQ'd digital clone)
• Time-Life's Solid Gold Soul '80s Rhythm And Grooves (2001; differently EQ'd digital clone)
• Rhino's Millennium New Funk Party (2001; digitally exactly 0.477 dB quieter)
• Rhino's 7-CD Like Omigod (2002; too loud and clips a lot)

All of the above sound about as good as Hitsville, except the JCI disc.

The 45 length is also found on the 2-CD import Sampled Vol. 1 (2000), but it doesn't sound as good as Hitsville.

Run time is 3:18 for all the CDs I listed that have the 45 length.

Unsurprisingly, my recommendation for the 45 length is Hitsville USA Vol. 2 (1993).

Edited by crapfromthepast

crapfromthepast wrote: To this day, I still don't know if there's a Part 2 or what it sounds like.

Indeed, there was a "Part II" - and it was actually the B-side of the U.S. 45. I've never owned the 45, so I can't say I've ever heard "Part II" myself; in fact, I just did a cursory search for someone who may have uploaded the B-side of their original 45 onto YouTube, but alas, came up empty. :-( Printed time for "Part I" was (3:18), while the printed time for "Part II" was (3:32); combined, that comes to (6:50). The U.S. 12" version clocked in at (7:05), which is :15 longer than Parts I & II combined (assuming the printed times on the 45 are accurate), so I seriously doubt the 45 is the 12" version broken down into two segments - plus the 12" also had "Part II" w/ the same printed time of (3:32) on its B-side, so if "Part II" was basically just the second half of the 12" version, why would they repeat it there???

What has always made this whole matter w/ "Super Freak" confusing/puzzling to me (and I think many others) is why the LP version on Street Songs was simply "Part I" of the 45 extended by a mere :06 or so; in other words, why wasn't it Parts I & II combined, clocking in at roughly 6:50??? After all, to have such short versions of the first two singles (I'm also referring to "Give it to Me Baby") released off an r&b/dance album during this period was pretty atypical - in fact, the only track on Street Songs to clock in at over five minutes was "Fire and Desire". Very odd...

(I should point out that many of the early '80s Motown CDs sound pretty good. Look for discs mastered by John Matousek and you can be assured that there's no extra compression/limiting, no weird EQ, and no digital noise reduction. Source tapes can be hit-and-miss. If Mr. Matousek mastered the '80s-era release of Street Sounds, Greatest Hits, or Reflections, they probably sound pretty good. Please post here if you have any of these and can confirm the mastering credit.)

I bought Reflections on cassette back when it first came out in '84, and by coincidence, I came across a copy on CD only about 6-8 months ago, while out on my record-store travels. It's pretty rare on CD, so needless to say, I didn't hesitate to grab it. Much to my surprise, the one I found is a U.S. pressing; therefore, this copy must've been made circa 1985-86, as it wasn't in print too long beyond that (in any format), and I suspect that earlier Japan-for-U.S. pressings must also exist. Anyway, to answer your question, inside the front booklet it states, "Digitally Compiled by ALLEN ZENTZ - MASTERING, Hollywood, California, U.S.A."...

Isn't the 45 version of "Part 1" of "Super Freak" actually
an edit of the LP version? Using the Motown 30th
Anniversary CD as a guide, isn't the approximate 7 seconds
from 3:06.978 to 3:14.321 removed? Note that the 12"
version is missing this same 7 seconds. I am curious if
"Part 1" of the 45 version is actually just an early fade
of the 12" version. However, Mark mentions that the 12" is
a slightly different mix.

Great find, Jason!

There is indeed an edit somewhere in there.

The LP version has Rick's vocal of "Blow, Danny!" (for sax player Daniel LeMelle) at 2:59. There's an ad-libbed vocal of "ow girl" (or something like that) 8 beats after the downbeat following "Blow, Danny!". The ad-libbed vocal repeats 40 beats after the downbeat following "Blow, Danny!", or, equivalently, 32 beats after the first "ow girl".

The 45 version also has "Blow, Danny!" at 2:59. There's an "ow girl" 8 beats after the downbeat following "Blow, Danny!". The ad-libbed vocal repeats 24 beats after the downbeat following "Blow, Danny!", or, equivalently, 16 beats after the first "ow girl".

So, compared to the LP version, 16 beats are cut out of the 45 on the sax part at the end. I didn't figure out where the edit points are.

You guys have amazing ears. That's why I
figured that I would bring this
observation to the experts. Thanks for the
info.