Robert John - Sad Eyes

LP version (runs 4:11)

The LP version first turned up on CD on Warner Special Products' 3-CD Secret Love (1987), where it runs 70.6 BPM throughout. Unfortunately, that's about 1.3% too slow. The same analog transfer (also running too slow) is used for:

• Razor & Tie's 2-CD Easy '70s (1993)
• Warner Special Products' 2-CD Night Songs (1994)
• Warner Special Products' 2-CD Touched By Love (1997)

There was a new analog transfer done (probably for a Robert John collection), on Time-Life's 2-CD Singers And Songwriters Vol. 5 1978-1979 (2000). Here, it runs 4:11, and plays at the correct speed at 71.5 BPM. This version sounds superb. I think the same analog transfer may be used for Time-Life's 2-CD Seventies Music Explosion Vol. 4 Magic (2005).

The LP version sounds OK on EMI Australia's 5-CD Seventies Complete Vol. 1 (1997), where it runs at the proper speed.

45 edit (runs 3:30)

The 45 edit first appeared on CD on MCA/Silver Eagle's 3-CD Shades Of Love, where it sounds a little muffled. The same analog transfer is used for:

• Cema's 2-CD Mellow Gold (1991)
• Cema's Rock N Roll's Greatest Hits Vol. 5 (1995)

Bill Inglot did a new analog transfer for Rhino's Billboard Top Hits 1979 (1991), where it runs 3:30, and 71.5 BPM throughout. It sounds great here. The same analog transfer is used for:

• Rhino's Have A Nice Day Vol. 22 (1993; digitally identical)
• Time-Life's Sounds Of The Seventies Vol. 34 Late '70s (1993)
• Time-Life's Sounds Of The Seventies Vol. 39 Pop Nuggets Late '70s (1995; differently EQ'd digital clone)
• Time-Life's 2-CD Body Talk Vol. 3 Moonlight Nights (1996; differently EQ'd digital clone)
• Time-Life's AM Gold Vol. 26 1979 (1997)

The 45 version is much easier to find on CD than the LP version, but if for some odd reason you want to recrecreate the 45 edit, here are editing instructions, using the timing from Singers And Songwriters Vol. 5 1978-1979 for the LP version and Billboard Top Hits 1979 for the 45 edit:

Segment 1
16 beats long, begins and ends on a downbeat
Extends from 0:00.0 to 0:13.7 of the 45 edit
Extends from 0:00.0 to 0:13.9 of the LP version

Remove the 32 beats from 0:13.9 to 0:40.8 of the LP version.

Segment 2
176 beats long, begins on downbeat, ends on downbeat on the word "sad"
Extends from 0:13.7 to 2:41.5 of the 45 edit
Extends from 0:40.8 to 3:08.7 of the LP version

Remove the 16 beats from 3:08.7 to 3:22.2 of the LP version.

Segment 3
Begins on downbeat on the word "sad", extends to end of song
Extends from 2:41.5 to 3:33.9 (end) of the 45 edit
Extends from 3:22.2 to 4:14.6 (end) of the LP version

The fade starts and ends in the same place for both versions.

Best bets

For the LP version, go with Time-Life's 2-CD Singers And Songwriters Vol. 5 1978-1979 (2000).

For the 45 edit, go with Rhino's Billboard Top Hits 1979 (1991), or any of the digital clones.

Edited by crapfromthepast