"Knockin’ Boots" - Candyman

"Knockin' Boots" by Candyman runs (3:52) on his album Ain't No Shame in My Game and therefore is considered the LP version. But then I have a different version on Hits of 1990 (Sony Music Special Products 31690), which runs (4:04). On the LP version, the passage from :50 - :59 contains a female voice singing "Ooh boy, I love you so... Never, ever, ever gonna let you go... Once I get my hands on you", while the 4:04 version has an instrumental bridge featuring a giggling female and a cheering crowd during this :50 - :59 time frame.

I'm pretty sure the 4:04 version, which runs 12 seconds longer than the LP version, is a radio mix. But does anyone know if this is the 45 version as well?

Thanks, Ed. Though I haven't been able to confirm it yet, I think the 4:04 version is indeed a radio mix that can be found on 12" vinyl single and DJ promo single copies. In fact, www.allmusic.com lists "Knockin' Boots" on the 100% Party Hits of the 90's Volume 1 (Priority 50946) CD as being the "Radio Mix".

source: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:2fq67ue080jg

The (4:04) version that Todd mentions above is, indeed, the "Radio Mix," which is featured on my 12" vinyl single. I have seen CD singles (unsure if they were US or import) that also list the "Radio Mix" in the track listing. The database should probably be amended from "neither 45 nor LP version" to "radio mix."

Additionally, there are a few CDs with the comment "rerecording." I listened to snippets of the CDs with this comment, and I do not hear any difference in the vocal take. There has been a lot of reverb added to the vocals (and probably mix differences), but to my ears, it's the same take.

I have the commercial 7" single for "Knockin' Boots", Epic 34-73450.

The A-side is listed as "Ooh Boy Mix", with a printed time of 3:45 and an actual run time of 3:48. The label says "Special version taken from the Epic release AIN'T NO SHAME IN MY GAME", but there's no "mixed by" or "remixed by" credit. To my ears, it's the same mix, but with a few edits and an early fade.

The B-side is "Keep On Watcha Doin'", with a printed time of 3:35.

The only place I have the song on CD is on Rock On 1990 (Madacy EXR-2-9790, 1997, printed 4:01, actual 4:01). This version has three 16-beat instrumental/giggly breaks from 0:50-0:59, 2:34-2:43 and 3:22-3:31. There's only one 32-beat "ooh boy I love you so" passage from 1:37-1:55.

It's easy to edit this 4:01 version down to the "Ooh Boy Mix":

Keep 0:00.0-0:50.3 of the 4:01 version.
Edit on the snare following the word "boots" - it's on the downbeat.
Keep the 15 beats from 1:37.7-1:46.6 of the 4:01 version. This is the first half of the sung "ooh boy" break, and it exactly replaces the first 15 beats of the 16-beat giggle break in the 4:01 version.
Edit at the 1-beat sampled drum fill before the downbeat.
Keep 0:59.2-3:50.6 of the 4:01 version, with a 32-beat fade from 3:31.6-3:50.6. The shape of the fade on the true 45 isn't quite sinusoidal - it's rather abrupt from beats 8 to 16 of the 32 beats, with an extremely long tail.

Your mixdown will have edits at 0:50.3 and 0:59.2, with a 32-beat fade from 3:31.6-3:50.6.

Note that this is an OUT-OF-SEQUENCE EDIT! <puts on party hat> Wooooooo! Out of sequence! Woo-hoo! Not since Expose's "Come Go With Me" has there been such exciting out-of-sequence editing! Woo! <takes off party hat> :)

I was programming a Music of Your Life affiliate in 1990, so out of Top 40 radio at that point, and wasn't paying attention to our sister station then.

Which version received more airplay in 1990, the "ooh boy mix" or the "radio mix?"