Jermaine Jackson - "Let’s Get Serious"

The on-line database indicates that the 45 version of "Let's Get Serious" runs ~(3:33), while the LP version clocks in at ~(7:58). So is the 45 version an edit or remix of the LP version??? Or perhaps this is even one of those examples where Pat uses the "version" designator in the database even though it's actually just an early fade, like w/ "Owner of a Lonely Heart", "Slow Ride", "Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel", etc. (as aaronk pointed out he sometimes does)???

I realize the 45 version can be had on many CDs, so I'm not looking for a complete dissection, although because it seems that no one has ever brought this one up on the chat board before, perhaps others may be interested. I don't know about anyone else here, but I feel that Jermaine's extensive musical output from 1980-92 is often criminally overlooked (or just plain forgotten???), and it's a shame. :-( In fact, I felt he was second only to Michael when it came to the Jackson siblings - I'll take "Let's Get Serious", "Let Me Tickle Your Fancy", and the original version of "Word to the Badd!!" (among others) over anything Janet did anytime...

Thanks for the additional info... :-)

Yep, and he had 27 that cracked the r&b chart in Billboard altogether, including the ones that missed the top 40 (1972-92). IMO, quite a few of them could've - and should've - done just as well on the pop chart. And then of course there was his huge duet w/ brother Michael in '84, "Tell Me I'm Not Dreamin' (Too Good to Be True)", which of course wasn't even released as a commercial single (and therefore, didn't chart r&b or pop), but certainly got quite a bit of top 40 radio play in SoCal, where I lived at the time. Great stuff...

For about 12-15 years now, I've been trying to collect pretty much all of the songs that cracked the top 100 on Billboard's r&b chart from 1975-89. Right now, if I had to guess, I'd say I'm about 50-60% there - though not necessarily all in their 45 versions. That's a big part of why I've said several times on this board over the years that I'd love to see an R&B/Hip-Hop Annual from Joel Whitburn & Record Research, even if it's just a single edition, and they never do another again (like it appears is happening w/ the Country Annual)... :-)

Gene, there is an old thread for "Tell Me I'm Not Dreaming". Do a search.
The highlights of it were that Andy Chouffi correctly relayed that Epic
wouldn't sign off on the duet being the lead single from Jermaine's new
album. So Arista went to "Plan B", and sent promo 12" singles of it to Top
40 radio instead. Our Arista rep briefly explained the situation to us. We
decided to add it immediately, and treated it as a normal 45 release. It did
very well for us. Tons of other Top 40 stations followed suit, even though
the track was not Hot 100 eligible, since it wasn't released as a
commercial 45. Aaron noted that it was actually Jermaine's highest-
peaking single ever on the then highly-respected trade mag Radio &
Records (who had no such "it must be a 45 to chart" restriction.)

Aaron also pointed out that "Tell Me I'm Not Dreaming" was placed on the
B-side of the subsequent Jermaine Jackson 45, "Do What You Do". By then,
the "Tell Me..." track had come and gone as a Top 40 hit, so Epic must've
relaxed their stance on it appearing on a 45, by this point. That's surely
how your dentist got his "Tell Me...." 45 copy - you just never noticed
then that "Do What You Do" was that 45's actual A-side.

Edited by jimct