Rapper’s Delight
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Topic: Rapper’s Delight
Posted By: Brian W.
Subject: Rapper’s Delight
Date Posted: 10 June 2005 at 1:55pm
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According to Jeff H. over on the Steve Hoffman site, the label on the 12" single of "Rapper's Delight" says the B-side version runs 6:30, but it actually runs 7:10.
If that's true, then the 7:10 version, which Pat has pegged as "neither the 45, LP, or 12" single version," is actually the 12-inch "short" version. Anyone own the 12" single who can check? I know Pat says there was more than one pressing, so it's possible there were different edits on the B-side. Also, Pat, you might want to add the word "promo" or "DJ" to the short and long "45 versions" on that song, since there was no commercial 7-inch single. |
Replies:
Posted By: Moderator
Date Posted: 11 June 2005 at 11:58am
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Here is the information I have on Rapper's Delight. There are indeed two 12" commercial singles. One has a "long version" with a stated time of 15:00 that actually runs 14:16 and one with a stated time of 15:00 that actually runs 14:52. On the other side is the "short version" which has a stated running time of 6:30 and on both copies the actual running time is 6:54. Now perhaps there are more than two commercial 12" singles but there is no doubt that the "short version" on both of my 12" singles is not the version that appears on "The Hip Hop Box" or "Kurtis Blow Presents The History Of Rap". On the vinyl 12" that I have the instrumental introduction runs :17 and on the cd's mentioned above the instrumental introduction runs around :34. Both of the above mentioned cd's state on the packaging that this is the "short version" of the 12" single but again, this 7:09 version is not what I have on either of my two commercial 12" singles.
Yes my vinyl 45 is a dj copy but Whitburn states that there is a commercial vinyl 45 available. ------------- Top 40 Music On Compact Disc Moderator |
Posted By: Brian W.
Date Posted: 11 June 2005 at 12:16pm
Thanks, Pat. But...
I think you're misreading that, as in my copy of the '97 edition of Top Pop Singles, Whitburn states just the oppposite. Both Rapper's Delight and 8th Wonder have a (T) next to the catalog number, which indicates it was only commercially issued as a 12", and a note below 8th Wonder says, "above 2 issued on 7" vinyl for promotional use on Sugar Hill 752 & 753, respectively." (752 being Rapper's Delight.) |
Moderator wrote:Posted By: Moderator
Date Posted: 11 June 2005 at 2:23pm
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The 1955-2002 edition of Top Pop Singles lists a T and a v with no comment at all regarding "above 2 issued on 7" vinyl for promotional use..." ------------- Top 40 Music On Compact Disc Moderator |
Posted By: Brian W.
Date Posted: 11 June 2005 at 3:21pm
| Hmm... interesting... |
Posted By: 80smusicfreak
Date Posted: 12 June 2005 at 2:12am
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Brian W.:
No disrespect to Pat, but for the record, the note about the promotional 45s below the listing for "8th Wonder" that you quoted is indeed still in the current 1955-2002 edition of Whitburn's book, as it was in the 1955-1996 edition (I have both), so I'm not sure where the confusion lies there... Pat is right, though, in saying that Whitburn has now added a "v" next to the "T" symbol, but he seems to be misinterpreting that. As Whitburn explains in his book under "Configuration Symbols" in the "User's Guide" (page xix), the "v" is used to mean that a commercial 45 exists only for those hits released from 1990 onward. And since "Rapper's Delight" precedes that date, the "v" is therefore used to indicate the existence of the promo 45s (as it appears next to the "T" for "8th Wonder" as well). Admittedly, the continued proliferation of symbols in Whitburn's books is beginning to make things a bit confusing... And just to throw in my own expertise, I can tell you that the Sugar Hill label was one of the few that was also releasing their singles commercially on cassette (in addition to vinyl) in the early '80s. And indeed all of the ones I've ever seen on tape from that era were maxi-singles (i.e., equivalent to the 12" vinyl), as opposed to regular singles (7" vinyl), so that would lend credibility to Whitburn's claim about the vinyl 45s for "Rapper's Delight" and "8th Wonder" being promo-only.......................... |
Posted By: Moderator
Date Posted: 12 June 2005 at 12:47pm
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My error, it is indeed in my book under the song title of "8th wonder". ------------- Top 40 Music On Compact Disc Moderator |
Posted By: Todd Ireland
Date Posted: 23 December 2005 at 9:09am
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Pat:
I was just browsing through Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight" in the database and the Rapmasters 10: Best Of Scratchin' CD listed as having the "short 45 version". Is this an indication that a commercial 45 release of this song does exist, or was this comment intended to read: (dj 45 "short" version)? If a commercial 45 does exist, I'm wondering if and how it differs from the promo 45. |
Posted By: Brian W.
Date Posted: 23 December 2005 at 4:17pm
| I think he just missed that one... it's supposed to say "dj short 45 version." |
Posted By: budaniel
Date Posted: 23 December 2005 at 6:08pm
| did either of the full length 12"s end cold, while the other faded? The version I have on Rhino's "Street Jams: Hip Hop from the Top volume 1" ends cold, and the version on Rhino's "Best of Sugarhill Gang" fades. |
Posted By: Moderator
Date Posted: 23 December 2005 at 7:20pm
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No neither of my 12" "long" versions end cold. ------------- Top 40 Music On Compact Disc Moderator |
Posted By: Moderator
Date Posted: 23 December 2005 at 7:26pm
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Apparently there was no commercial vinyl 45 of Rapper's Delight as my copy says "radio station and jukebox use only" so I have gone back and clarified the comments in the database. ------------- Top 40 Music On Compact Disc Moderator |
Posted By: aaronk
Date Posted: 23 December 2005 at 7:58pm
| I've found a couple other tracks on the Street Jams series that had strange edits or endings to songs. It wouldn't surprise me if the "Rapper's Delight" version on that disc was not correct. Even though it's not a top 40 hit, I'll mention the song "Rappin' Duke" by Shawn Brown which is on the series. Rhino unsuccessfully attempted to re-create the 45 version on that one. Also, the song "A Fly Girl" by the Boogie Boys is a different version than both my 12" and the version that appears on the Rapmasters & Rap's Greatest Hits series (the latter two both on Priority Records). |
Posted By: MMathews
Date Posted: 26 December 2005 at 7:28pm
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Hi
I was always confused by the Whitburn entry of Rapper's Delight, since I purchased and owned a commercial 45 of the song in 1980. -MM |
Posted By: Moderator
Date Posted: 26 December 2005 at 8:44pm
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You have a commercial vinyl 45 copy of "Rapper's Delight"? ------------- Top 40 Music On Compact Disc Moderator |
Posted By: Grant
Date Posted: 27 December 2005 at 1:15am
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Very interesting! What is the catalog number?
I was always under the impression that the first Sugarhill 7" single was "Apache" from 1982. BTW, give me the long 12" version of "Rapper's Delight" anytime! |
Posted By: Brian W.
Date Posted: 27 December 2005 at 2:09am
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What is B-side of your "Rapper's Delight" 7-inch, Mark, if you still have it? Can you give us catalog number, running time, etc.? Are you POSITIVE it's a commerial issue?
If you don't still have it, it's possible what you're remembering is an "Apache" single from early '82 or late '81, which had as the B-side "Rapper's Delight." It's also possible you had an import and didn't know it. |
Posted By: MMathews
Date Posted: 27 December 2005 at 8:09pm
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Hi
Alas - 'owned' was in the past, got rid of with a ton of other singles and albums. Sorry, i didn't think it was anything remarkable. I may know where that one went, I'll contact a friend and see if it's living there. I do recall very well though, it was not "Apache", I bought that one later. It was a commercial issue, regular light-blue Sugarhill label. I can't remember what was on the b-side. All i remember about the time was in the 4:00-ish range, started cold with the words "Now what you hear..." and towards the end, cuts to the verse with the friend's house where the "food ain't no good" and then quickly faded after that verse. I'm guessing one of the above-mentioned dj 45's would also have that edit.... -MM |
Posted By: abagon
Date Posted: 23 October 2008 at 12:31am
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"Rapper's Delight" of the 12" single that I possess, it has the actual running time of (14:28) with the listed time "15:00" on the record label. (Sugarhill SH-542)
Therefore three different 12" pressings exist! |
Posted By: crapfromthepast
Date Posted: 23 October 2008 at 7:26am
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I won't be able to play them for a few days, but I thought you might want to see label scans. These are permanently posted on my website at http://crapfromthepast.com/favorites/sights2/index.htm
You'll see that there are indeed different label/sleeve designs, along with different writer's credits (after Nile Rodgers & Bernard Edwards leaned on them). Whether or not there are different edits on the various incarnations will have to wait a few days... |
Posted By: Jody Thornton
Date Posted: 23 October 2008 at 12:48pm
I have two commercial copies on "Quality Records" here in Canada of Rapper's Delight on 7" 45-rpm discs. The first one I bought in January 1980, and wore it out. I replaced with another identical copy from a used record shop, sometime later in the 80s. They are indeed, NOT promos. The A-Side is an edit which starts cold right on the vocal "Now what you hear is not a test...", and fades on a repeat of the vocal "Hip-Hop-Hippety Hip-Hop....." following the whole kaopectate story. The B-Side is a slight edit of the 12" B-Side, and I think it does run at about 6:30. It starts with instrumental and goes into the "Hip-Hop-Hippety Hip-Hop....." It then fades on the "Chic - Good Times" Instrumental. Cheers, Jody Thornton ------------- Cheers, Jody Thornton (Richmond Hill, Ontario) |
Posted By: aaronk
Date Posted: 23 October 2008 at 2:14pm
| Thanks to Jody, I was able to hear a copy of the A-side of his 45. This version matches the copy I have on Rhino's Millenium Funk Party. |
Posted By: MMathews
Date Posted: 23 October 2008 at 6:27pm
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Hi all,
I hate mentioning things i no longer have, but for many years i owned a commercial, not promo, U.S. 45 of this on Sugarhill. I bought it in 1980, and it had the exact edit that Jody describes above. The only other thing i remember about it, that i thought was odd it had the same number on the label as the 12" single had, 542. I really wish i hadn't dumped it, i didnt know what an oddity it apparently was. -MM |
Posted By: Brian W.
Date Posted: 23 October 2008 at 9:59pm
Are you sure this isn't it, "Here I Am" b/w "Rapper's Delight"? It did come out in 1980: http://cgi.ebay.com/The-SUGARHILL-GANG-Here-I-Am-rappers-delight_W0QQitemZ400001299808QQcmdZViewItem?_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116 - Here I Am |
Posted By: abagon
Date Posted: 23 October 2008 at 10:30pm
Great web site, crapfromthepast! My 12" differs from the record label scans on the c.f.t.p's web site. My record has the blue label while this has the different description on the record label. This matrix number on the runout groove is "VID-152-RE2" 
--abagon |
Posted By: Steve Sharp
Date Posted: 24 October 2008 at 9:47am
Here's what I've got on 45 for this one. I don't think it's a promo:
|
Posted By: aaronk
Date Posted: 24 October 2008 at 10:24am
| Cool scans! That 45 for "Apache" was released a couple years later, as the copyright date is 1982. |
Posted By: eriejwg
Date Posted: 24 October 2008 at 10:35am
| Every wedding I do, "Apache" goes over very well. |
Posted By: Pat Downey
Date Posted: 24 October 2008 at 11:54am
| But the charting version of Rapper's Delight was issued in 1979 on Sugarhill 542 and may or may not be the same version as released as the B side of Apache in 1982. |
Posted By: aaronk
Date Posted: 24 October 2008 at 11:56am
| I agree with Pat. We still haven't found an existing US copy of a commercial 45 for the original non-B-side release. |
Posted By: Brian W.
Date Posted: 24 October 2008 at 12:47pm
| The book "45 RPM" by Jim Dawson erroneously lists SH-755 as the 7-inch single for "Rapper's Delight." Apparently he confused the A and B sides. |
Posted By: Steve Sharp
Date Posted: 24 October 2008 at 1:31pm
| I've only ever heard one edit of "Rapper's Delight" in the 5 minute range, and that's what's on this 45, which starts at the vocal. It's really a horrible edit. We played this edit as a "gold" at the CHR station I worked a short stint at, around 1983. |
Posted By: aaronk
Date Posted: 24 October 2008 at 1:40pm
| I agree that the 5 minute edit is lousy. They could have at least left part of the intro in tact. |
Posted By: Jody Thornton
Date Posted: 24 October 2008 at 7:11pm
Yeah but in all honesty, I'm so used to the edit (to me it's the definitive version of the song.) And all of the "Big Bag Hank", and "Little Worm/Super Sperm" commentary from the longer versions is pretty tasteless anyway. Plus the cold vocal sounds good mixed with a cold ending from a previous song, or tight off of a jingle. Cheers, Jody Thornton (Hamilton, Ontario) ------------- Cheers, Jody Thornton (Richmond Hill, Ontario) |
Posted By: aaronk
Date Posted: 24 October 2008 at 7:42pm
| No doubt, it is the definitive version to me, too. I've heard the short version more times than any other. (Still a bad edit, though.) The "super sporm" lyric is a reference to the disco song "Super Sporm" by Captain Sky. |
Posted By: Jody Thornton
Date Posted: 25 October 2008 at 7:55am
I'm sorry - I never knew that it was a reference to a song. I just thought, since when I was a wee tyke, that it was naughty ... lol. They could have improved that edit, by starting with the first syllable as acapella "Now ... (music starts on the downbeat) ... what you hear..." I wonder if that would have sounded better? We should start a thread on bad edits. I think that the radio edit of Steve Winwood's "While You See a Chance" has to take the cake for the worst blade cut in history. (this is what I wrote on the Radio-Info Forum...) In attempts to edit out the first bridge and second verse, Island records attempts to join ".....your waaaaaaaay" with "can you beeeeeeee". What they think they will accomplish is making Stevie sound like he's improvising. I'm sure it sounded good in their heads. What you end up with is "your waaaaaa/eeeeeee". It is severely abrupt. Driving over speed bumps at 90 mph is a gentler experience. Cheers, Jody ------------- Cheers, Jody Thornton (Richmond Hill, Ontario) |
Posted By: abagon
Date Posted: 03 November 2008 at 7:03am
Pat: My report has not updated yet. Please use my information.
--abagon |
Posted By: MMathews
Date Posted: 03 November 2008 at 4:43pm
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Hi
i forgot to get back to this subject... Brian's suggestion above about my 45 being the 45 for "Here I Am" could be possible. I bought it at a small shop. The big chains never had it. They could have simply sold it as the Rapper's Delight single, as long as there was no designation for side A or B, i would have noticed that. It is entirely possible that after 28 years i remember the label# wrong. However, i remember the version perfectly and it was edited the way mentioned earlier here. Not sure about the time, but it started cold on "now what you hear..." and quickly faded right after the food saga. And it was on Sugarhill and not a promo, and i bought it in '80. At least that would explain the many archivists here not having this single that i know i had, so i'll go with that! Sorry about the confusion! -MM |
Posted By: Steve Sharp
Date Posted: 03 November 2008 at 10:45pm
| MM just jogged my memory! I was an avid Billboard reader, and chart follower, and I remember reading that "Here I Am" was a 45, with "Rapper's Delight" being on the b-side. I was also the singles manager at two different shops (at different times) and we stocked 3 charts of 100 singles each (hot 100, "black" singles, and country singles). We had a slot for "Here I Am" which did very little on the charts, but I don't think I ever saw a copy of the 45, in our store or any others, so the slot remained empty, and I had to direct people to buy the 12" of Rapper's Delight (which was what they wanted anyway), for more money. |
Posted By: chendagam
Date Posted: 31 December 2008 at 3:46pm
| OK time for my two cents. This song has always confused me just because it's so long. I have the "definitive" version on a compilation..."hot dance classics vol. 1" I believe. I just picked up a compilation from Target called "old school hip hop" that has a 4:19 listed version. It starts with 4 measures of the "hip hop to the bla bla" and then goes into the "cold start" lyric on the "definitive" version. Then when Hank starts rapping it goes right into "well, im imp the dimp the ladies pimp" up to "everybody go hotel motel holiday inn you say if your girl starts actin up then you take her friend." After that it goes into the entire bad food rap. At the end of that it has some instrumental bars before fading out, unlike the quick fade on the commercial 45. |
Posted By: aaronk
Date Posted: 31 December 2008 at 5:09pm
The version you are describing starts and ends exactly like the 6:30 version on Rhino's Hip Hop Greats compilation. Obviously they have done further editing on your newly discovered version. |
Posted By: chendagam
Date Posted: 31 December 2008 at 5:36pm
| So I'm assuming this is not an official edit. |
Posted By: aaronk
Date Posted: 31 December 2008 at 5:50pm
| Not that I know of. The shortest official edit is the 5:03 promo 45 version. |
Posted By: chendagam
Date Posted: 01 January 2009 at 11:27am
| I think this new version is edited a little bit better. |
Posted By: aaronk
Date Posted: 13 March 2010 at 6:46pm
| I was listening to this song again today, and I noticed something I hadn't before. The short promo version (5:03) on my CD copy does not have any echo on the vocals in the right channel. By contrast, the longer versions have echo in both channels on the vocals. So, it appears that the short promo version is a unique mix, unless the CD version has it wrong. I don't have the actual vinyl to compare. |
Posted By: crapfromthepast
Date Posted: 23 April 2014 at 8:46pm
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This one turned out to be a real mess.
Early pressings of the 12" single (SH-542) and promo 45 (SH-752) used a plain red label on the records, with a boring-looking "SUGARHILL RECORDS" at the 12 o'clock on the label. The artist on both is credited to "Sugarhill Gang", not "Sugar Hill Gang" as appears on some later versions. The first pressings credited the writers as S. Robinson-H. Jackson-M. Wright-G. O'Brien, published by Sugarhill Music Inc., and a Sylvia Inc. Production. No mention of Chic or "Good Times" on the original red-label pressings. Later pressings, all with the familiar blue label, credit the writers as "Bernard Edwards-Nile Rodgers" and the publisher as Chic Music. Later pressings say "Music Taken From Good Times". The 12" singles (SH-542), both red-label and later blue-label, all have an A-side denoted as "Long Version", with a printed time of 15:00, and a B-side denoted as "Short Version", with a printed time of 6:30. The promo 45 (SH-752), which only exists with a red label and was never released commercially, has an A-side denoted as "Short Version", with a printed time of 4:55, and a B-side denoted as "Long Version", with a printed time of 6:30. So apparently, 6:30 can either be considered short or long, depending on whatever's on the flip side. There was an album released in 1980 called Sugarhill Gang (SH-245, blue label only), which includes "Rapper's Delight" with a printed time of 4:55, written by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers, published by Chic Music Inc, produced by Sylvia Inc., "Music taken from Good Times". There was no commercial 45 in the US that used "Rapper's Delight" as an A-side, but the song did appear as B-sides to 1980's "Here I Am" (SH-755) and 1982's "Apache" (SH-774), both with a printed time of 4:55. That's all that was released in the US at the time - printed times of 15:00, 6:30, and 4:55. I'll break these down in detail below. It seems that there were European 45s with printed times of 3:58 - I don't have these. 15:00 version Starts with a percussion-oriented intro for the first 17 seconds. I'd heard that this intro part was supposed to be the hook from the 1979 disco hit "Here Comes That Sound Again" by Love De-Luxe, but producer/writer Alan Hawkshaw wouldn't allow it. Too bad for Alan Hawkshaw, who remains largely unknown today. The Good Times bassline starts at 0:17. Lyrics start at 0:34, with "I said a hip, hop..." There's another repetition of the intro at 4:35. There are multiple pressings of the 15:00 version, which complicates things. I assume that red-label 12" was the first pressing. It has a matrix number of "VID-152-RE". The RE usually means a reissue, so there could conceivably be an even earlier version somewhere. My red-label VID-152-RE version starts to fade at 13:54 and fades out completely around 14:18. I have a blue-label version of the 12" that also has a matrix number of VID-152-RE. This version tracks very closely with the red-label version - it's clearly based on the same source tape. It also starts to fade at 13:54, but fades out sooner at 14:16. In both of the above, there's an odd dropout in the left channel at 12:16 on the line "Frankie Crocker in stereo". The drummer stops playing the hi-hat for 4 beats over that line. I only bring up the dropout because I have a later version of the 12" that overcorrects for the dropout. It's matrix number VID-152-REXX. After about 12:17 or 12:18, the left channel increases in volume by about 2 dB. On this version, the fade starts at 14:10 (16 seconds later than the first pressing), and extends out to 14:25 (7 or 9 seconds later than the first pressing). The fade points and lengths are the only differences. Pat states earlier in the thread that there was also a version of the 12" that ran 14:52. (Pat - can you confirm that it's 14:52 and not 14:25, and can you provide the matrix number?) Abagon reports a version running 14:28, with a matrix number of VID-152-RE2. When it comes to finding the "15:00" version on CD, your best bet is probably Rhino's Rapper's Delight The Best Of Sugarhill Gang (1996). Here, it runs 14:35. It also runs about 0.7% slower than the actual 12" singles. If you account for the speed difference, the tail of the fade extends three seconds longer than the tail on the 14:25 VID-152-REXX version of the 12" single. Neither the speed difference nor the length difference is really significant. This is probably as good as the 12" single is going to sound on CD, even though the mastering on Best Of is too loud and clips a lot on the snare/claps. I didn't hear any dropout for the "Frankie Crocker" line. The version on Rhino's Street Jams Hip-Hop From The Top Part 1 (1992) edits the instrumental intro back onto the end of the song, with an edit at 14:08. Not cool. Avoid. 6:30 version The 6:30 version on the 12" singles is different from the 6:30 version on the promo 45. The 12" 6:30 version starts with the second instance of the intro in the 15:00 version. The first 25 seconds of the 12" 6:30 version correspond to 4:35 to 5:01 of the 15:00 version. There's an edit right before the line "Now what you hear is not a test" in the 6:30 12" version. The portions of 0:26 to 1:00 in the 6:30 12" version correspond to 0:44 to 1:18 of the 15:00 version. From 6:18 onward in the 6:30 12" version, it's just instrumental. The red-label 12" has a matrix number of VID-153-RE-2. The two blue-label 12" singles both have matrix numbers of VID-153-RE. All of these 12" 6:30 versions start their fade at 6:35 and run 6:56. I don't have any CDs that feature the 6:56 version of the song. The red-label promo 45 6:30 version cuts off the 17-second intro to the 12" 6:30 version, and starts on the word "Hip". Its fade starts in the same place as the 12" 6:30 version, but the fade is about 11 seconds shorter. The promo 45 6:30 version starts its fade at 6:18 and runs 6:27. In other words, to create the promo 45 6:30 version, start with the 12" 6:30 version, cut off the first 17 seconds, and shorten the fade by 11 seconds. The promo 45 version is found on Rhino's Hip Hop Greats (1990), where it runs 6:32. Here, the fade starts at the same point as the promo 45 version, but extends out about 4 seconds longer. There's yet another printed 6:30 version on a Sugar Hill compilation 12" single (there no picture jacket, just a generic blue cardboard sleeve with a sticker on it) called The Great Rap Hits (SH-246, 1980). This version runs 6:38. It's just like the promo 45 6:30 version, but longer. To create this version, start with the 12" 6:30 version, cut off the first 17 seconds, and shorten the fade by only two seconds. The version on Kurtis Blow Presents The History Of Rap Vol. 2 has a different intro. It uses the first instance of the instrumental intro in the 15:00 version, which includes 17 seconds of the Good Times bassline, instead of the second instance of the instrumental intro, which doesn't. The fade is about six seconds shorter than the true 12" 6:30 version. Avoid. The version on Connoisseur Collection's 5-CD 100 All Time Classic Dance Hits Of The 1970s (1988) starts with the word "Hip" like the promo 45 6:30 version, but fades out way too early, right in the middle of the Kaopectate bit. Avoid. 4:55 version Starts with the vocal line "Now what you hear is not a test." It sounds like the 4:55 versions are mixed a little differently than the others. I hear reverb on the vocals, but the other instruments sound very dry. The claps have no reverb here, but sound like they do have reverb on the others. The red-label promo 45 version runs 5:00, and has matrix number VID-521-RE-2. The LP version on the Sugarhill Gang album (SH-245, 1980) also runs 5:00, and is essentially the same as the promo 45 version. The versions on the B-sides to both "Here I Am" and "Apache" both used the same metal stamper parts, so they're completely identical. Both matrix number 7-VID-526, both starting their fades a little earlier than the promo 45, and both running 4:55. The 4:55 version is well-represented on CD. Rhino's Millennium Funk Party (1998) runs 5:02 and sounds very good. Priority's Rapmasters`10 (1989) runs 5:01 and also sounds very good. Others Rhino's Best Of Sugar Hill Records starts off like the promo 45 6:30 version (on the word "hip"), but edits out a big chunk of it, jumping at 2:35 from "take her friend" to "have you ever went over". Avoid. Rhino's Tom Joyner Presents The Old School Mix Returns (2002) starts off like the 15:00 version, but runs too fast and mixes into another song at the second instrumental intro portion. Avoid. Disky's 8-CD Greatest Hits Of The '80s (2002) is an extremely early fade of the 15:00 version, fading out at the second instrumental intro portion to run only 4:51. Avoid. Connoisseur Collection saw it fit to include "Rapper's Delight" on both their '70s box and their '80s box. On the 5-CD 100 Dance Hits Of The 80s (1990), it may very well be the UK 45 version. (I don't have the UK 45, so can't confirm either way.) It runs 3:58. The intro uses only 9 seconds of the instrumental intro (instead of 17 seconds for the 12" versions), then 8 seconds of the Good Times bassline (instead of 17 for the 15:00 version). The first line at 0:17 is "I said a hip hop...", which mirrors the 15:00 version. There's a very pronounced edit at 0:26, going from "boogie the beat" to "now what you hear." Before the edit, the mix matches the 15:00 version, with reverb on the claps. After the edit, the mix matches the 4:55 version, with no reverb on the claps. This version matches the 4:55 version all the way to the end, but fades early before the line "Guess what, America, we love you." Conclusion Here are the versions, summarized: Printed 15:00 Actual 14:16, 14:18, 14:25, 14:28, and possibly 14:52 - all different lengths but otherwise the same Best bet on CD - Rhino's Rapper's Delight The Best Of Sugarhill Gang (1996, 14:35) Printed 6:30 12" version - actual 6:56 Not available on CD Printed 6:30 Promo 45 version - actual 6:27 Removes 17-second intro from 6:56 version and fades early Best bet on CD - Rhino's Hip Hop Greats (1990, 6:32) Printed 4:55 Actual 5:00 and 4:55 Different mix than 12" versions, not just a different edit Best bet on CD - Rhino's Millennium Funk Party (1998, 5:02) Possibly UK 45 version Runs 3:58 Edited together from both 15:00 mix and 4:55 mix Best bet on CD - Connoisseur Collection's 5-CD 100 Dance Hits Of The 80s (1990, 3:58) ------------- There's a lot of crap on the radio, but there's only one http://www.crapfromthepast.com" rel="nofollow - Crap From The Past . |
Posted By: aaronk
Date Posted: 23 April 2014 at 11:18pm
|
Wow, Ron. That was a mess! Thanks for taking the time to sort through all the edits and lengths, though. I never noticed the mix difference between the short and long versions until you pointed them out. ------------- Aaron Kannowski http://www.uptownsound.com" rel="nofollow - Uptown Sound http://www.919thepeak.com" rel="nofollow - 91.9 The Peak - Classic Hip Hop |
Posted By: Steve Carras
Date Posted: 24 April 2014 at 8:33pm
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I got the single in 1979,too and it's the blue Sugarhill label with 15:00 on one side & 6:30 on the other, with the Chic music credit disclaimer (:)) and Syvia's mention, and the radio stations that I'd HEAR it on played that 4:55 promo (NO instrumental intros, middle section OR endings, just "Now what you hear" on the open and "I said a hip hip" on the close!):D Surprised that the promo edit was still being playing years later, as for years I've been only hearing longer versions... ------------- You know you're really older when you think that younger singer Jesse McCartney's related in anyway to former Beatle Paul McCartney. |
Posted By: Brian W.
Date Posted: 25 April 2014 at 1:54pm
| Amazing analysis, Ron. Thanks. |
Posted By: Todd Ireland
Date Posted: 25 April 2014 at 7:38pm
| Excellent work indeed, Ron. Thanks for taking the time and effort to sort out and summarize all the info regarding the Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight". This is very helpful! |