Hard To Find 45s On CD, Vol . 19

Finally the hit version of "Big Yellow Taxi" by the Neighborhood appears on a legit CD release. I never thought I'd hear "Why Can't We Live Together" in stereo. I'm glad to see the low charter "You Are The One" by the Sugar Bears was included on this disc too. Not too shabby.

And a 2nd question about this - aimed more towards Mark because probably only you have heard this: While mono CD versions were pretty hiss-free, the stereo versions I've had were terribly hissy until the loud part kicked in midway through the song. Even with our Waves de-hisser, I could never properly remove enough hiss from that section without it losing too much high end - so I've always settled for a semi-hissy first half of the song, rather than a hiss free, no treble version. Have you managed to remaster this to eliminate all that hiss and still keep the treble we like? :) Maybe you've had access to a better (less generation) master tape...

Regarding "Dueling Banjos" and Gordon's first question: There are several stereo entries in the database that are incorrect edits of the LP version. There are also two mono entries that are the correct 45 edits. This release would simply include that same hit 45 edit but in stereo this time. Mark I'm sure can chime in on the hiss factor that you inquired about.

I can definitely help with some info!

Re: Dueling Banjos: First I'll tackle the tape hiss.
Gordon, I can't say for sure about first pressing of the
soundtrack album, but I suspect the LP master was copied
several times as the album stayed in print for many
years, and the tapes got worn along the way. The brand
new vinyl copy I purchased in the early 80's was VERY
hissy. The moment the song started you could hear a
shower of hiss.

In the CD era this tired master was the first digitized.
Rhino was given this tape for HAND and someone there
attempted to re-create the 45 version from it. But they
were unsuccessful because they missed one ten second edit
in the intro. They likely thought it was correct because
it ran the same time as the 45. That's because they
overlooked the 45 was SLOWED DOWN, by a LOT! Had they
pitched it to match the single, their edit would run 10
seconds longer.

A little later in the CD era the song appeared on a TV
type V/A comp in its full LP version, but this time a
fresh transfer from the original tape was done. You can
hear some tape hiss, sure, but MUCH more normal, no need
for any damaging hiss reduction at all. This was what we
used to re-create the single at the correct speed with
all the correct edits.

[EDIT]: for teh curious about the mono 45, the song was a
two mic acoustic stereo recording and the 45 was of
course a fold-down of that.

Some extra info about a few other songs for the curious:

Re: "Right Down The Line" .. Brian, Warner could not
locate the 45 master (neither could Universal), so what
you will hear is the painstaking re-creation done by
Aaron.

Re: "Couldn't Get It Right" ... this is the CD debut of
the correct U.S. mix from the master tape. Even though
Warner no longer controls their music, the Sire master
went to Warner and they found the tape for us.
The only other CD with the correct mix was the Fuel CD of
the "Gold Plated" album, and that was a vinyl dub.

Re: "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" ... when doing 45
comparisons I discovered that the 45 is a different mix
from the LP, and that all CDs to date have issued the LP
version. The mix differences are subtle so you have to
A/B them to hear it. One thing is the lead vocal has
more reverb on the 45. Some of the stereo panning is
different. The opening bass on the LP mix has a wide
stereo effect on it and it leans left, but in the 45 it
sounds mono in the middle.
But the easiest thing to hear is at the fade out. On the
common LP version, her vocal is at full volume til the
end and the last vocal you hear is the full line "love
don't live here anymore" ... but in the 45 they fade her
vocal out in a wash of far-away reverb, and finish with
instrumental..so the last vocal you hear is her faint
"love don't...." and then only music.

Re: "Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" .. sorry no mono
Brian but to my ears the 45 was a basic fold-down of the
stereo. If there is a mix difference I did not pick it
up.   

MM





Edited by MMathews

EdisonLite wrote: <Re: "Right Down The Line" .. Brian, Warner could not locate the 45 master (neither could Universal), so what you will hear is the painstaking re-creation done by Aaron.> Aaron or Mark, Do you know if it was this (Aaron-made) edit used for the recent Varese Sarabande Gerry Rafferty compilation CD? I bought that, listened to it a month ago, and assumed they found the master tape of the single. Anyone know?

Not sure on that one, Gordon, but I have to assume they did not have Aaron's edit. They sent us the LP version first. We didn't have them do an off-site vault search because I already had an edit that matched the 45 exactly, so I took the easier road. Varese may have had them look harder!
Just curious, I assume the Varese CD was licensed from Warner?

Note: There was also a period of confusion when a lot of artists got moved from Universal to Warner through the Parlophone divestment a few years back.

Edited by MMathews