Mickey & Sylvia - "Love Is Strange"

Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic

   I am having a bit of trouble locating the original post about this song. Perhaps this is it, because I sure thought I had asked about this before.

Since this song charted up to #11 in 1957, there have been at least a few instances where it showed up a few times in cinema. Like Dirty Dancing for instance.

I thought there was only one mix of this available, mono and pretty lo-fi at best. However, I stumbled upon a "One Hit Wonders" disc under the RCA label that

has a much different sound to it. Much cleaner overall and the background harmonies are brought forward quite a lot. It sounds to me as if it is the same recording,

e.g. not one that was recorded later than the popular single. From the data I have turned up this was a hit on the "Groove" label in 1957. I'm trying to look and

see if possibly this label was acquired by RCA at some point. The disc is called "RCA's Greatest One-Hit Wonders." (1996).

I have known about this song for a long long time and also discovered that this is the same Sylvia who recorded up into the 1970's (Pillow Talk.)

I just thought it was odd that this recording sounded so much different yet the same as the one I had heard so many times before. I wonder if they ended up

recording it again trying to sound as close to the original as the first time. It's one I'll never forget, especially when she sings, "Come Here Loverboy."

Author	Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic
AdvprosD Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 12 June 2020 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote AdvprosD Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Mickey & Sylvia - "Love Is Strange" Posted: 07 December 2021 at 10:13pm
	I am having a bit of trouble locating the original post about this song. Perhaps this is it, because I sure thought I had asked about this before. Since this song charted up to #11 in 1957, there have been at least a few instances where it showed up a few times in cinema. Like Dirty Dancing for instance. I thought there was only one mix of this available, mono and pretty lo-fi at best. However, I stumbled upon a "One Hit Wonders" disc under the RCA label that has a much different sound to it. Much cleaner overall and the background harmonies are brought forward quite a lot. It sounds to me as if it is the same recording, e.g. not one that was recorded later than the popular single. From the data I have turned up this was a hit on the "Groove" label in 1957. I'm trying to look and see if possibly this label was acquired by RCA at some point. The disc is called "RCA's Greatest One-Hit Wonders." (1996). I have known about this song for a long long time and also discovered that this is the same Sylvia who recorded up into the 1970's (Pillow Talk.) I just thought it was odd that this recording sounded so much different yet the same as the one I had heard so many times before. I wonder if they ended up recording it again trying to sound as close to the original as the first time. It's one I'll never forget, especially when she sings, "Come Here Loverboy."
	<Dave> Someone please tell I-Heart Radio that St. Louis is not known as The Loo!

PopArchivist Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 30 June 2018 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 17	Post Options Post Reply Quote PopArchivist Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 07 December 2021 at 10:24pm
	I don't see any other post for this song. For 1957, I have my 45 version off of Teen-Years in The Still of the Night. A DES version exists via Eric Records from several years ago as well. I've never heard anything other than the version on Dirty Dancing. You never know it might be a re-recorded version. BTW the guitar in this song is absolutely my favorite! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SwMB9v1pQ4 Edited by PopArchivist
	Favorite two expressions to live by on this board: "You can't download vinyl" and "Not everything is available on CD."

davidclark Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 17 November 2004 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 15	Post Options Post Reply Quote davidclark Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 08 December 2021 at 2:00am
	As for "Dirty Dancing" there are numerous issues of this, some containing the hit, other the hit from vinyl while still others feature an alternate version which to my ears has the female (presumably Sylvia's) answer vocal mixed much louder than the hit and Mickey's mixed out. I do not know how/when/why this alternate came to be (I would like to, though). Pat's database has the details for six issues of the soundtrack. Oh, and Groove Records was a subsidiary of RCA Victor. And, according to the database "RCA's Greatest One-Hit Wonders" has the alternate (non-hit) version. Edited by davidclark
	dc1

TomDiehl1 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 13 January 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote TomDiehl1 Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 08 December 2021 at 7:33am
	Do we know where the alternate version originated? In 1973, RCA reissued the tune on a Gold Standard 45, and issued a promo 45 on DJA0- 0080 with a different matrix number than the stock GS reissue, which maintained the matrix number from the original Groove release. I sold my copy of the promo long ago and can't remember what version's on it. I do have a mint 78 on the Groove label but my music room turned into a storage room so that does me no good, but I assume it, too, has the regular hit version on it.
	Live in stereo.

KentT Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 25 May 2008 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote KentT Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 01 January 2022 at 7:55am
	Groove was a RCA subsidiary label, originally set up as their R&B label, it later branched out to Country and other sounds, then closed and folded into RCA around 1964.
	I turn up the good and turn down the bad!