icicle works "whisper to a scream..."

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eriejwg

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Posted: 21 October 2016 at 5:30pm

Could be the UK single version on iTunes etc listed as
the single version.

I came across a cleaned up vinyl dub of the 12" online
and no female spoken part. I also listed to the version
on Rhino's Just Can't Enough and no female spoken part,
though it fades 2 seconds early at 3:45.

The vinyl 12" dub I heard, and apparently Ed's 45 both
run 3:47. Last part sung on the 12" is "...finding our
way..."

crapfromthepast View Drop Down

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Posted: 21 October 2016 at 6:10pm

Confirmed that the above three discs don't have the female spoken part, along with

Time-Life's 2-CD Modern Rock Vol. 3 1984-1985 (1999)
Classic Alternatives Vol. 4 (2000) - a 5:17 extended version

There's a lot of crap on the radio, but there's only one Crap From The Past.

Santi Paradoa View Drop Down

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Posted: 21 October 2016 at 6:42pm

I never bought this Arista 45 in '84 and (like Ron) do not recall ever hearing a spoken female part over the intro. If Ed has an original 45 and hears no spoken female part then those discs Ron has already identified above should be labeled 45 version (if they run 3:47 or there about). Thanks to Ron I also went to youtube to listen and watch the video. Did MTV play this video a lot back in '84? If they did then I have no memory of that one. This might be one of a few '80s music videos that used some other version or mix instead of the US 45 version.

Santi Paradoa

Miami, Florida

MMathews

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Posted: 21 October 2016 at 11:32pm

Just to clarify, the mix with spoken part in the intro
was
not on the primary 12" version, it was one of the shorter
mixes on side B of the 12". I do not recall what it was
described as.

[EDIT]: I had to google to find the version of the 12" I
owned..turns out I had the second Arista promo release
with 3 versions on it. The short version was simply
labeled "single version" as it is in the digital 12".
Shown here:
http://www.45worlds.com/12single/record/adp9187

And I found this info that sheds some light:
"In the U.S., Arista Records refused to release the
record unless some changes were made. First, the track
was remixed slightly in order to remove a brief spoken-
word intro that was heard over the opening bars of music.
(The woman performing this intro was identified only as
“Mariella” on the original Situation Two single sleeve.)
Then the song title was reversed, becoming “Whisper to a
Scream (Birds Fly)”. This change was made so that the
record’s primary title would match the words sung
repeatedly in the chorus, making it easier for radio
listeners to track down the record in the stores.

Finally, Arista shortened the band’s name to “Icicle
Works”, removing the initial “The”. With these changes
made, in the summer of 1984 “Whisper to a Scream (Birds
Fly)” by Icicle Works reached #37 on the Billboard Hot
100 chart and #34 on Cashbox’s singles chart.

Just to make things a little more confusing, the Canadian
version of the single (credited to The Icicle Works) used
the original UK mix with the spoken word intro, but the
revised US title “Whisper to a Scream (Birds Fly)”. This
was the most successful commercial release of the single,
reaching #19 on the Canadian charts in the summer of
1984."

Edited by MMathews

eriejwg

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Posted: 23 October 2016 at 9:38am

Mystery solved!

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Posted: 08 September 2018 at 8:12am

BTW, this song appears on the double CD One Hit Wonders (BMG Special Products 48882) but that listing is currently missing in the online database.

Santi Paradoa

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MikeM

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Posted: 19 November 2021 at 7:05am

I actually found this version on a Deluxe Edition of
Icicle Works. It's track
9 on CD 1. So, is this the original mix or U.K. LP
Version, or what would it be called? Discogs doesn't
elaborate on it. I'm assuming that it may be the LP
Version because CD 1 in this edition is the original
album. The other 2 discs are remixes and alternate
versions. The Same version is on the Stranger Things S2
soundtrack and The Best of Icicle Works. Can anyone
confirm if the LP version is this same version?

https://www.discogs.com/release/1170277-The-Icicle-
Works-
The-Icicle-Works

Edited by MikeM

Author	Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic
eriejwg Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 10 June 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 111	Post Options Post Reply Quote eriejwg Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 21 October 2016 at 5:30pm
	Could be the UK single version on iTunes etc listed as the single version. I came across a cleaned up vinyl dub of the 12" online and no female spoken part. I also listed to the version on Rhino's Just Can't Enough and no female spoken part, though it fades 2 seconds early at 3:45. The vinyl 12" dub I heard, and apparently Ed's 45 both run 3:47. Last part sung on the 12" is "...finding our way..."

crapfromthepast Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 14 September 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 161	Post Options Post Reply Quote crapfromthepast Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 21 October 2016 at 6:10pm
	Confirmed that the above three discs don't have the female spoken part, along with Time-Life's 2-CD Modern Rock Vol. 3 1984-1985 (1999) Classic Alternatives Vol. 4 (2000) - a 5:17 extended version
	There's a lot of crap on the radio, but there's only one Crap From The Past.

Santi Paradoa Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 17 February 2009 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 33	Post Options Post Reply Quote Santi Paradoa Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 21 October 2016 at 6:42pm
	I never bought this Arista 45 in '84 and (like Ron) do not recall ever hearing a spoken female part over the intro. If Ed has an original 45 and hears no spoken female part then those discs Ron has already identified above should be labeled 45 version (if they run 3:47 or there about). Thanks to Ron I also went to youtube to listen and watch the video. Did MTV play this video a lot back in '84? If they did then I have no memory of that one. This might be one of a few '80s music videos that used some other version or mix instead of the US 45 version.
	Santi Paradoa Miami, Florida

MMathews Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 18 August 2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote MMathews Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 21 October 2016 at 11:32pm
	Just to clarify, the mix with spoken part in the intro was not on the primary 12" version, it was one of the shorter mixes on side B of the 12". I do not recall what it was described as. [EDIT]: I had to google to find the version of the 12" I owned..turns out I had the second Arista promo release with 3 versions on it. The short version was simply labeled "single version" as it is in the digital 12". Shown here: http://www.45worlds.com/12single/record/adp9187 And I found this info that sheds some light: "In the U.S., Arista Records refused to release the record unless some changes were made. First, the track was remixed slightly in order to remove a brief spoken- word intro that was heard over the opening bars of music. (The woman performing this intro was identified only as “Mariella” on the original Situation Two single sleeve.) Then the song title was reversed, becoming “Whisper to a Scream (Birds Fly)”. This change was made so that the record’s primary title would match the words sung repeatedly in the chorus, making it easier for radio listeners to track down the record in the stores. Finally, Arista shortened the band’s name to “Icicle Works”, removing the initial “The”. With these changes made, in the summer of 1984 “Whisper to a Scream (Birds Fly)” by Icicle Works reached #37 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #34 on Cashbox’s singles chart. Just to make things a little more confusing, the Canadian version of the single (credited to The Icicle Works) used the original UK mix with the spoken word intro, but the revised US title “Whisper to a Scream (Birds Fly)”. This was the most successful commercial release of the single, reaching #19 on the Canadian charts in the summer of 1984." Edited by MMathews

eriejwg Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 10 June 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 111	Post Options Post Reply Quote eriejwg Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 23 October 2016 at 9:38am
	Mystery solved!

Santi Paradoa Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 17 February 2009 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 33	Post Options Post Reply Quote Santi Paradoa Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 08 September 2018 at 8:12am
	BTW, this song appears on the double CD One Hit Wonders (BMG Special Products 48882) but that listing is currently missing in the online database.
	Santi Paradoa Miami, Florida

MikeM Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 18 August 2021 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote MikeM Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 19 November 2021 at 7:05am
	I actually found this version on a Deluxe Edition of Icicle Works. It's track 9 on CD 1. So, is this the original mix or U.K. LP Version, or what would it be called? Discogs doesn't elaborate on it. I'm assuming that it may be the LP Version because CD 1 in this edition is the original album. The other 2 discs are remixes and alternate versions. The Same version is on the Stranger Things S2 soundtrack and The Best of Icicle Works. Can anyone confirm if the LP version is this same version? https://www.discogs.com/release/1170277-The-Icicle- Works- The-Icicle-Works Edited by MikeM