Ray Stevens-"Gitarzan"
Printed From: Top 40 Music on CD
Category: Top 40 Music On Compact Disc
Forum Name: Chat Board
Forum Description: Chat away but please observe the chat board rules
URL: https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3635
Printed Date: 22 May 2025 at 2:31am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.07 - https://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Ray Stevens-"Gitarzan"
Posted By: jimct
Subject: Ray Stevens-"Gitarzan"
Date Posted: 09 June 2008 at 11:30am
| My commercial 45, which is mono, and confirmed as Monument 1131, has a listed time of (2:59), but an actual time of (3:06). |
Replies:
Posted By: TomDiehl1
Date Posted: 09 June 2008 at 6:43pm
|
I've been told that some copies, possibly on a canadian pressing, were issued in stereo. I do know that the promotional 45 did contain a true stereo 45 rpm version as i have a dub of it on a cd-r that allegedly came off a promotional 45, but i've been trying to find an actual promotional copy of it for my own collection, for several years now with no luck...has anyone out there got one? ------------- Live in stereo. |
Posted By: sriv94
Date Posted: 09 June 2008 at 6:52pm
I do not have one, but your post sparked a query. Is that stereo 45 dub the same as the LP version (with canned laughter in the appropriate places), or is the same as the mono 45 just mixed to stereo (if that makes any sense)? ------------- Doug --------------- All of the good signatures have been taken. |
TomDiehl1 wrote:Posted By: Hykker
Date Posted: 09 June 2008 at 7:45pm
I do (though as the label says, it's "not for sale". 
|
Posted By: Gary Mack
Date Posted: 09 June 2008 at 7:57pm
|
I have the same stereo 45, though it's a stock copy. The matrix number is also the same, but the label doesn't show the "S" designation. "S" does appear in the trail-off area. The stereo mix is nice and it sounds the same as the mono, but the pressing is a little noisy.
GM |
Posted By: Yah Shure
Date Posted: 09 June 2008 at 8:36pm
| My stereo stock 45 matches Gary's description. The B-side, "Bagpipes-That's My Bag" is mono. |
Posted By: bwolfe
Date Posted: 10 June 2008 at 6:23am
|
Never knew that was ever issued in Stereo.
My promo and stock copies are both mono. Love the mono that eliminates all that extra laughter and added applause. ------------- the way it was heard on the radio |
Posted By: TallPaulInKy
Date Posted: 21 June 2008 at 1:14pm
|
Doug wrote:
Is that stereo 45 dub the same as the LP version (with canned laughter in the appropriate places), or is the same as the mono 45 just mixed to stereo (if that makes any sense)? The difference between the 45 and album versions of Gitarzan, for those who do not know, is the 45 starts cold without any laughter and applause. The laughter and applause comes in when he sings, "Give him a hand." That is the joke. When the song was placed last on one side of the followup album they dubbed in applause at the beginning like they did on the rest of the "made in studio" album. My dub of the stereo promo 45 does not have the canned applause at the beginning. As far as I know no commerical CD in release has the hit single version. |
Posted By: sriv94
Date Posted: 21 June 2008 at 1:59pm
|
I thought the LP version had fake laughter interspersed throughout the song (the first time right after Stevens sings "carry moonbeams home in a jar" as the horns come in).
And welcome to this forum, Paul. (I think we now have 14 people named Paul here now. :) ). ------------- Doug --------------- All of the good signatures have been taken. |
Posted By: TallPaulInKy
Date Posted: 21 June 2008 at 4:40pm
|
http://cgi.ebay.com/RAY-STEVENS-GITARZAN-MONUMENT-MN45-1131- VG-LISTEN_W0QQitemZ220245680443QQihZ012QQcategoryZ306QQssPag eNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Guess I didn't state it right the 45 version starts without applause. Here is a clip. |
Posted By: sriv94
Date Posted: 21 June 2008 at 5:47pm
|
It's not that you stated it wrong. Let me clarify--the LP version not only has the opening applause, but there is fake laughter throughout the song (the mono 45, which I do believe is on the Varese Sarabande compilation CD 25 All Time Novelty Hits, opens cold and has no fake laughter). What I'm trying to find out is whether the stereo 45 has the fake laughter throughout.
Here's where I hear fake laughter on the LP version: At (:21), right after Stevens sings "Ah-hoo-hoo-hoo. . ." At (:30), right after Stevens sings "carry moonbeams home in a jar. . ." At (1:01), during the second "Gitarzan" yell At (1:05), during the cough At (1:31), right after "Jane's" first "baaaa-by" (laughter remains audible through most of "her" solo) At (2:01), right before the monkey's solo At (2:29), during the "Gitarzan" yell as the three voices unite There are a few more sections, but you get the idea. I'm just trying to see if the stereo 45 matches the mono 45 as far as the laughter sound effects go. ------------- Doug --------------- All of the good signatures have been taken. |
Posted By: Gary Mack
Date Posted: 21 June 2008 at 6:41pm
My original Monument stereo 45 doesn't have laughter at any of those places. GM |
Posted By: sriv94
Date Posted: 21 June 2008 at 6:48pm
|
Gary, thank you. I think I get it now. ------------- Doug --------------- All of the good signatures have been taken. |
Posted By: bwolfe
Date Posted: 23 June 2008 at 6:53pm
|
I never understood why he was always compelled to sweeten the stereo mixes with the overabundant amount of canned laughter and applause.
I'm not 100% sure but doesn't "Along Came Jones" suffer the same fate in stereo. Extra fake applause and laughter? ------------- the way it was heard on the radio |
Posted By: TallPaulInKy
Date Posted: 19 May 2014 at 7:24am
The reason goes back to the album, "Gitarzan". The original 45 version was issued with Bagpipes That's My Bag on the b side. Gitarzan (the hit version) starts out cold and sounds like any other record until the joke, "Give Him A Hand" then you hear the audience applause. It's a joke that does not come across clearly on the album version. The song was a hit and Monument needed a quick album. So they took some previously issued singles (for example) Freddy Feelgood And His Funky Little Five Piece Band (from 1966)and recorded a few new ones. Overdubbed all of it the with audience noise to make it sound like a live album. Listening to the album, it's probably the best all round LP effort by Ray. It is still my favorite "album" by him. Admittedly he is not known as an album artist. But single Gitarzan was placed as the last track on side 1, instead of the first track on side two they had to add applause, etc to the intro, and throughout the song to match with the other material on the album. Fast forward this thread to 2014. The mono single version of Gitarzan was finally issued on CD, dubbed (I am told) from a mono single record as the stereo/mono tapes for the hit single are MIA, due to Monument using the stereo album versions (from the Gitarzan album)on reissue singles, etc. |
Posted By: Bondy
Date Posted: 20 May 2014 at 7:03am
|
Check out post #31 by Rico on BSN as he explains how to determine how to find the real one. I saw some on Ebay with that identical writing. The one I have the label is light green not white.
http://bsnpubs.websitetoolbox.com/post/mr-businessman-ray-st evens-hit-version-3795903?pid=1271779028#post1271779028 |
Posted By: KentT
Date Posted: 08 June 2014 at 7:59pm
|
There is a USA Commercial pressing of "Gitarzan" with that
side in true Stereo on US Monument (One pressing run did use the Stereo side Promo stamper in Vinyl) I used to own a copy of that variant. ------------- I turn up the good and turn down the bad! |
Posted By: Gary Mack
Date Posted: 09 June 2014 at 4:43am
|
There certainly is and I have one. The matrix # on the label is
H2W-2612 but the disc reads H2W-2612-S. It's a noisy vinyl pressing but once the drums start you won't hear it. Nice! GM |