"I Go Crazy" by Paul Davis clarification

Just following up on this. Anyone have any thoughts?

Actually, the majority of the entries in the database have a time of approx 3:52, however there are several entries with a time listed between 3:37-3:40. So where I am confused is the difference between the 3:37 versions and the 3:52 versions?

Thanks.

-Jeff

I think I have everything sorted out for "I Go Crazy". I think the 45 is the same as the LP, but slowed down by about 1.2%.

For reference, I turn to the fantastic disc Rock Artifacts Vol. 2 (1991). There are four volumes plus a promo disc, and I can't say enough good things about them. They're produced by Bob Irwin, mastered by Vic Anesini, and have liner notes by Mike Callahan (Both Sides Now website) - this is really the all-star team among all-star teams.

The liner notes on Rock Artifacts say: "The single (3:37) was edited from a longer version used on the LP Singer Of Songs Teller Of Tales (3:52) by fading it early. It is presented here in its full-length version from the original un-EQ'd mixdown tape."

If the Rock Artifacts Vol. 2 version really is the LP version, then the LP version runs 3:52, and 70.8 BPM throughout (live drummer playing to a click track). The following discs use the same analog transfer as Rock Artifacts Vol. 2:

• Razor & Tie's 2-CD Easy '70s (1993)
• Time-Life's 2-CD Body Talk Vol. 1 Forever Yours (1996; differently EQ'd digital clone)
• Warner Special Products' 2-CD Touched By Love (1997)
• Time-Life's Body Talk The Language Of Love (1998; digitally identical to Body Talk Vol. 1 Forever Yours)
• Time-Life's 2-CD Singers And Songwriters Vol. 5 1978-1979 (2000; differently EQ'd digital clone)
• Time-Life's 2-CD Seventies Music Explosion Vol. 3 Miracles (2005; differently EQ'd digital clone)
• Time-Life's 2-CD Classic Soft Rock Vol. 6 The Air That I Breathe (2006; differently EQ'd digital clone)

There's another analog transfer on the Paul Davis CD Sweet Life His Greatest Hit Singles (1999), but it's severely compressed/limited - avoid.

As for the 45, I disagree with the Rock Artifacts liner notes. I have a needledrop of the 45, and it's the same as the LP but 1.2% slower. Same fade points, same everything, just 1.2% slower. As a result, the 45 version runs 3:54, and 69.9 BPM throughout.

I have two CDs that run at the 45 speed (69.9 BPM), but fade a few seconds early:

• Time-Life's 2-CD Heart Rock (1988; this collection has a whole lot of early fades)
• Sony's After The Love (1991)

I don't believe that there was a true 3:37 version of "I Go Crazy" when it was a hit in 1978 (unless there are multiple pressings of the 45, or a promo 45 that I don't know about). I believe that this early fade version was created for Rhino's Billboard Top Hits 1978 (1991), in an attempt to match a printed time of the 45. It sounds spectacular, and runs at the LP speed (70.8 BPM), but unfortunately fades earlier than the true 45 or LP versions. (Similarly, the version of Rupert Holmes's "Escape (The Pina Colada Song)" on Billboard Top Hits 1979 is an early fade of the LP version, rather than the true edit on the 45.)

These discs use the same analog transfer (and early fade) as Billboard Top Hits 1978:

• Time-Life's Sounds Of The Seventies Vol. 34 Late '70s (1993)
• Time-Life's 2-CD Body Talk (1994; digitally exactly 0.4 dB louder)
• JCI's Only Love 1975-1979 (1995; fades earlier than BB)
• Rhino's Listen To The Music '70s Male Singer Songwriters (1996; digitally identical)
• Simitar's Love Rocks 3 Love Time (1998)

My recommendation:

For the LP version, or more properly, LP speed, go with Columbia/Legacy's Rock Artifacts Vol. 2 (1991), or any of the Time-Life differently EQ'd digital clones. All sound great.

For the 45 version, or more properly, 45 speed, manually slow down your copy of the LP version by 1.2%.

Edited by crapfromthepast