"The Kid’s American" - Matthew Wilder
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Category: Top 40 Music On Compact Disc
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Printed Date: 05 June 2025 at 4:54am
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Topic: "The Kid’s American" - Matthew Wilder
Posted By: Todd Ireland
Subject: "The Kid’s American" - Matthew Wilder
Date Posted: 08 September 2005 at 8:24pm
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Here's another 45/LP distinction not noted in the 10th edition as this one concerns "The Kid's American" by Matthew Wilder. Ed has e-mailed me an mp3 of his commercial 45 and the actual single run time is 3:34, not 3:25 as stated on the record label. The 45 is an edit of the 4:36 LP version.
The 10th edition shows "The Kid's American" as only having appeared on the long out-of-print domestic CD release: I Don't Speak the Language (Private 139112). Yet the Collectables label reissued a CD in 1999 titled I Don't Speak the Language/Bouncin' off the Walls (Collectables 6028), which is a "2-fer" consisting of both of Wilders' album releases on one CD. I'm assuming this disc also contains the LP version of "The Kid's American". |
Replies:
Posted By: EdisonLite
Date Posted: 08 September 2005 at 10:09pm
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<the long out-of-print domestic CD release: I Don't Speak the Language (Private 139112).>
This reminds me -- there was another top 40 hit on the same label, "Tragedy" by John Hunter, which reached #39 in Billboard. Does anyone know if the CD for his album "Famous At Night" also came out on Private I (either US or import)? I thought I remember seeing a used CD once in a store, but I'm not sure. |
Posted By: edtop40
Date Posted: 09 September 2005 at 6:14am
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i've never seen the john hunter album on cd... ------------- edtop40 |
Posted By: aaronk
Date Posted: 20 December 2008 at 10:26pm
| The 45 of "The Kid's American" is definitely remixed; therefore, the LP version cannot be edited to create the 45 version. The 45's label says "Remixed by Andy Johns." There is more reverb on the percussion of the 45. |
Posted By: aaronk
Date Posted: 30 December 2008 at 8:30pm
| Does anyone happen to own a very rare, old CD sampler called "Prime Cuts" on CBS? It has "The Kid's American" on it. Just wondering if it might contain the single mix. |
Posted By: 80smusicfreak
Date Posted: 31 December 2008 at 8:47am
Are you sure that was a promo CD that you found a reference to, aaronk??? If so, I can tell you that the "Prime Cuts" V/A sampler in question was also issued as an 8-track commercial VHS video in 1984 (probably on Beta as well), on CBS/Fox Video Music #7111-30, which I have. After reading your post, I just dusted it off the shelf for the first time in about five years. (I KNEW I recognized that title from somewhere!) Yes, it includes the original production video as seen on MTV for "The Kid's American" (a song I've always liked just as much as "Break My Stride", BTW)... The complete track list is as follows: 1) JOURNEY - "Chain Reaction" 2) QUIET RIOT - "Cum on Feel the Noize" 3) THE ROMANTICS - "Talking in Your Sleep" 4) TOTO - "Rosanna" 5) CYNDI LAUPER - "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" 6) MATTHEW WILDER - "The Kid's American" 7) BONNIE TYLER - "Total Eclipse of the Heart" 8) MEN AT WORK - "Down Under" I put my stopwatch to the video for "The Kid's American", and the audio runs (3:38) - four seconds longer than the timing quoted by Todd above for the 45. I'm willing to wager that the timing difference is due to the 24-year-old VHS video playing a tad slow in my VCR, so to answer your question, YES, it does indeed appear to be the 45 version (assuming the companion promo CD matches the VHS video)... Geez, I'm pretty sure I've NEVER seen the video for "TKA" on VH-1 Classic, which I watch regularly. (Once in a blue moon, they do play the one for "Break My Stride", though.) And I've probably only seen the one for "Chain Reaction" about 2-3 times in the past year as well, which is also a shame, as I consider that tune to be among Journey's best. VH-1 Classic plays the other six videos from "Prime Cuts" to death (probably at least once daily!)... I've owned both "I Don't Speak the Language" and "Bouncin' Off the Walls" on cassette practically since they first came out in '83 & '84, respectively, and a couple years ago, I added to my collection the Collectables 2-on-1 CD from 1999 referenced above by Todd... |
aaronk wrote:Posted By: 80smusicfreak
Date Posted: 31 December 2008 at 8:54am
"Tragedy" is indeed another great lost '80s hit; in fact, I don't even remember hearing the song on the radio in SoCal, where I lived at the time. I recall that I got around to picking up "Famous at Night" on cassette around 1988, and of course it was already long out-of-print by then. I still have the cassette, but to this day, I've never seen it on CD - domestic or import - but would take that one on CD as well... |
Posted By: aaronk
Date Posted: 31 December 2008 at 9:07am
I guess it was just wishful thinking! I came across the listing for that sampler on allmusic.com, and I had only assumed it was one of those V/A CD samplers that were common in the early to mid 80s. I double checked allmusic, and it does indeed say "Various Artists, Video." Bummer! |
Posted By: 80smusicfreak
Date Posted: 31 December 2008 at 10:04am
As a buyer & collector of original/early CD pressings the past few years (circa 1982-88), I can say that the promo CD samplers that you're referring to didn't really start to emerge here in the U.S. until 1985-86 (although I've seen & read about some exceptions that came earlier), which is why I was suspicious of the "Prime Cuts" collection you'd found, knowing it was from '84... One such early example that I recently added to my collection is titled "Super Sampler" (although given as "Chevy Sampler" on the disc itself) on RCA JCD1-7192, from 1986. It features 11 tracks (7 of them top 40 pop hits) by the Pointer Sisters, Alabama, Juice Newton, Earl Thomas Conley, Mr. Mister, and Starship, and is marked "For Promotional Purposes Only - Not For Sale"... |
Posted By: eriejwg
Date Posted: 31 December 2008 at 11:41am
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Does the video then contain the 7" version? Perhaps, I'll see if someone I know might have it on DVD, if possible.
It appears Matthew has done very well as a successful producer. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Wilder - From Wikipedia Since he has worked with Miley, did you know him, Aaron when you were at Radio Disney? |
Posted By: aaronk
Date Posted: 31 December 2008 at 12:25pm
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The video does contain the 7" version; however, there's at least one copy on YouTube where someone dubbed over the original audio track with what I presume is their own edit of the LP version.
Unfortunately, I never met too many record industry folks, other than promotions people and the artists themselves. After Mr. Wilder's short run of popularity in the 80s, I don't remember hearing about him again until he worked with No Doubt in 1995, producing their Tragic Kingdom album. Actually, I don't ever remember even seeing a picture of him until I recently saw the video for "The Kid's American" and the 12" picture sleeve. I think there was probably a reason my copy of "Break My Stride" wasn't issued with a picture sleeve. Hopefully he has at least changed his hair style since then. |
Posted By: edtop40
Date Posted: 21 February 2015 at 1:30pm
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pat, could you add the actual 45 run time to the db of
3:34....thx ------------- edtop40 |
Posted By: EdisonLite
Date Posted: 18 February 2016 at 4:05pm
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Has anyone here ever transferred the "Prime Cuts" video (single mix) version of "Kid's American" to digital? Turns out I have this VHS, but with my current system, if I transfer it, there will be a buzz that gets added into the mix. (I believe this is because some of the components are connected to different wall outlets, and there's no way I can get behind furniture to modify this arrangement.)
And Aaron, is the only difference between the mixes that the single has extra reverb on the percussion? |
Posted By: aaronk
Date Posted: 18 February 2016 at 5:43pm
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There's a MatthewWilderVEVO channel on YouTube, and the source for "The Kid's American" doesn't sound too bad. I'm betting you'd have better sound quality from this than an old VHS tape.
The main difference is in the percussion. The drums sound a lot duller on the LP version, and yes, there's different/less reverb on the drums. The high hat has also been move from the right channel to the left channel. The single is edited, too. ------------- 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: EdisonLite
Date Posted: 18 February 2016 at 5:49pm
| OK, thanks. |
Posted By: aaronk
Date Posted: 18 February 2016 at 5:57pm
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I totally forgot, but I purchased a UK stock 7" single for this a couple years back. Unlike the US stock 7", this one is pressed on nice vinyl. The problem I always ran into on the US styrenes was distortion on the vocals, but the UK copy sounds pretty darn good. I will have to clean this up in the near future and send it to you. Surely it must be better than the YouTube copy. ------------- 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: 995wlol
Date Posted: 19 February 2016 at 6:20am
Honestly, I think you will get better quality doing a needledrop from a clean 45. I can send you a nice sounding copy of my promo 45--send me a PM if you're interested. |
Posted By: EdisonLite
Date Posted: 19 February 2016 at 1:39pm
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Hey guys, I transferred my Prime Cuts VHS, and for some reason I didn't get the buzz or hum that I often get. The transfer came out quite good - no noticeable hiss on the VHS, no dropouts. I figured I'd just re-EQ it a bit, if need be.
But yeah, I'd be curious to hear your vinyl transfers, Aaron & Mike, and I can share my VHS re-mastered version and we can compare notes to see what's the best source to use. BTW, it seemed the 1st note of what's on the VHS tape was a bit weird (maybe bleedthrough from the music that came before), but it really seems to just be a kick drum hitting on that spot, so I substituted the next kick drum (which was also by itself) for that 1st spot, and it seems like the intro might be right now (not having the actual 45 to compare). I can always go back to the way it was, assuming the 45 does actually start the way it does on the VHS. |