Ashford And Simpson - Solid
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Category: Top 40 Music On Compact Disc
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URL: https://top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6908
Printed Date: 14 June 2025 at 8:30am
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Topic: Ashford And Simpson - Solid
Posted By: crapfromthepast
Subject: Ashford And Simpson - Solid
Date Posted: 05 June 2012 at 7:53am
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I need a little help sorting through the versions for this one.
The US 45 version runs about 3:46 and starts with Valerie's a cappella vocals. The US 45 version sounds great on Rhino's Billboard Hot R&B Hits 1984 (1996), with digital clones on Time-Life's Solid Gold Soul Vol. 26 Mid-'80s (2000; differently-EQ'd) and Time-Life's Solid Gold Soul '80s Rhythm And Grooves (2001; digitally exactly 0.1 dB quieter). It also sounds very good on Warner Special Products' 3-CD After Hours (1990). The LP version runs about 5:09 and also starts with Valerie's a cappella vocals. The LP version sounds fine on the single-artist Capitol Gold The Best Of (1993). (A little compressed, but not life-threatening.) The same analog transfer is used on Cema's 2-CD Cool Rock (1995; differently-EQ'd digital clone), Madacy's Rock On 1984 (1996; digitally exactly 1 dB quieter), and Disky's European 8-CD Greatest Hits Of The '80s Disc 3 (1998). I encountered a shorter edit, running about 3:21, which sounds like it just cuts off the intro. To me ears, it feels like it starts mid-song, which is a little unsettling. Wikipedia calls this a "radio edit", but I don't have the promo 45 to confirm this. The 3:21 edit shows up on a bunch of European compilations, including EMI/Virgin/Polygram's 2-CD Now 1985 (1993; sounds great and doesn't fade early), EMI's Time to Remember 1985 (1997), Skifan Iceland's 2-CD Pottþétt 80's (1999) and Disky's 8-CD Greatest Hits Of The '80s Disc 7 (2001; white cover art). I poked around on the web and found that the UK 45 has two configurations, both Capitol CL 345, both copyright 1984 - a purple label with the 3:21 time, and a silver label with the 3:46 time. I'd thought that this song was released twice, once in 1984 (3:46 version, not a hit) and again in 1985 (3:21 version, was the hit version over there). Can anyone confirm? Can anyone also confirm if the 3:21 version ever came out in the US? Promo 45, perhaps? And finally, there's the 12" version, which starts with instrumentation, not with Valerie's vocals. I'm 99% sure that the New York City radio stations played a homemade edit of this 12" version on-air, because the intro sounds right to me. Anyone else remember? |
Replies:
Posted By: budaniel
Date Posted: 05 June 2012 at 4:09pm
| I don't know if this helps at all, but on his "Grand 12 Inches Volume 5" collection, long time DJ/remixer Ben Lebrand included his special rework of the 12" version, which includes the acapella intro. I'm not sure if this mix was created way back in the day or if he made it special for this CD release, which he sometimes does. But, if you're looking for the 12" version WITH the acapella intro, that's the one place I know you can get it that way. |
Posted By: Smokin' TomGary
Date Posted: 05 June 2012 at 6:19pm
| I have Capitol white label promo 45 P-B-5397 (dead wax S-45-B-5397-99525-A Z1). Both sides are Stereo and have an actual time of 3:43 (3:46 listed). It has a cold intro with Valerie's acapella voice and ends with "Solid, solid, solid" |
Posted By: crapfromthepast
Date Posted: 05 June 2012 at 7:39pm
Thanks, Tom! That's the same as the commercial 45. So it sounds like the weird 3:21 edit was a UK-only release (or at least a non-US release). Good to know. |
Smokin' TomGary wrote:Posted By: Hykker
Date Posted: 06 June 2012 at 7:03am
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I remember WHTT in Boston playing a version with a slightly longer ending...it went "solid, solid, solid (pause) solid as a rock!"
How did the album version end? |
Posted By: crapfromthepast
Date Posted: 06 June 2012 at 7:23am
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The 5:09 album version ends with the "solid solid solid",
pause, "as a rock". The 3:46 45 version and the 3:21 UK 45 version both end with just the "solid solid solid". No "as a rock", at least not on the versions I have on CD. (I don't have the vinyl for this song.) |
Posted By: aaronk
Date Posted: 06 June 2012 at 9:42am
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There is no "as a rock" at the end of the commercial 45. I have a copy of that one. ------------- 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: promojunkie
Date Posted: 15 September 2022 at 1:18pm
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Bringing this one back up after 10 years. I lived in the
NY area back in the 80's and Ron G. is correct. WPLJ and Z-100 played a version that did not have the acapella intro. As a matter of fact I have heard several radio airchecks on youtube (most of the major market players) from the mid 80's that do not use the acapella intro which makes me wonder if there was an official edit sent out after stations balked at the original intro. ------------- Rick |
Posted By: aaronk
Date Posted: 15 September 2022 at 3:22pm
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That’s a shame. I really like the acapella intro! ------------- 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: 15 September 2022 at 3:28pm
| Could they have been playing the "Special Club Mix" off the 12"? It has an instrumental intro and is pretty radio friendly even though it's six minutes. |
Posted By: edtop40
Date Posted: 16 September 2022 at 2:35am
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my commercial 45 also only runs 3:43 with a stated run time
of 3:46 ------------- edtop40 |
Posted By: promojunkie
Date Posted: 16 September 2022 at 7:36am
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I think Ron G. is accurate. The stations that opted not to
use the original intro used the the 12" and either made a custom edit or spliced the LP version on after the 12" intro. If there was an alternate intro promo 45, the members of this board would have uncovered it by now. ------------- Rick |
Posted By: sriv94
Date Posted: 16 September 2022 at 12:56pm
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From the few times I listened to WPLJ, I never knew them to make custom
edits. I used to be a member of the New York Radio Message Board, and Larry Berger (WPLJ’s PD until Scott Shannon came back to NY from LA) posted several times to it. I asked him about how the music was presented since the shift from AOR to CHR (and before CDs and hard drives became standard). He said if the 45 version was available to them on a 33 1/3 disc they played it from that (since the turntables were set at that speed from their AOR days). If it was only available to them as a 45, they carted it. ------------- Doug --------------- All of the good signatures have been taken. |
Posted By: Hykker
Date Posted: 17 September 2022 at 5:47am
Well that's odd. I don't think I've ever seen a single-speed professional turntable. I guess it solves the problem of DJs starting something at the wrong speed, but it also limits flexibility. |