"Every 1’s a Winner" - Hot Chocolate

Does anyone know if the complete and unabridged LP version of Hot Chocolate's "Every 1's a Winner" has ever appeared anywhere on CD? I believe it runs 4:49 and is the same version that was issued on the B-side of DJ 45 copies. According to the database, the LP version is edited down to a run time of between 3:54 and 4:00 on all domestic CD appearances. Anyone have any inside knowledge or theories as to why this is?

OTOH, MCA seemed pretty good about getting two edits and an LP version of "Radar Love" by Golden Earring...

When Rhino came calling for its "Have A Nice Day" inclusion, (its first CD appearance, I believe) they probably asked MCA for the 45 version, and it appears were lucky to get a competant person to handle that request. Rhino probably had a "go-to" guy inside MCA, since they were a "steady" customer.

Well, Rhino had Bill Inglot, who either inssted on getting the right tapes, or was allowed by that time to go in himself. In the case of Hot Chocolate, e could have gotten the tapes from England.

Usually, if one has the catalog number, they can pull the right tape out of the vault, if the vault is in good shape.

Edited by Grant

Going to re-arrange this a bit...

jimct wrote: Who ever bought Hot Chocolate LPs?

I realize you were speaking from the label's perspective,
but I certainly did! It took me several years, but I was
able to track down all of HC's U.S. album releases on
cassette (much rarer than the LP versions), in addition
to obtaining several import hits collections from the
'80s and '90s. Although they did manage eight chart hits
here in the U.S., including three that cracked the top 10
(and two of them certified gold), to this day it still
amazes me that they weren't bigger here on this side of
the big pond - just as many others say the same about
another huge '70s act, ABBA (oh, and Cliff Richard,
anyone???). After getting hooked by "Every 1's a Winner",
I eventually picked up the rest of their back catalog by
the late '80s, and wasn't disappointed. Although they
were both released as singles here in the States as well,
why their original version of "Brother Louie" wasn't a
hit is a crime; same w/ the ultra-funky "Heaven is in the
Back Seat of My Cadillac" (which didn't even make the r&b
chart!)...

They actually started in the U.S. on Apple ("Give Peace A Chance")...

True. That's the one American release of theirs I've yet
to obtain, since it never appeared on any of their albums
- but I've always wanted to hear it. Hopefully it'll turn
up on CD someday, along w/ the B-side ("Living Without
Tomorrow"), assuming it hasn't already been made
available on an import (never researched it, actually)...

The U.S. label for "Every 1's..." (Infinity) went bankrupt only about a year after it opened.

Sad, but again, true. However, it was long enough for HC
to actually release a SECOND album on the label, 1979's
"Going Through the Motions"...

MCA inherited [Infinity's] catalog.

Wasn't MCA the label's distributor??? I know Infinity
used the same catalog-numbering code and pressing plants
as MCA, anyway. And most of the Infinity albums are still
pretty easy to find to this day, including the two by
HC...

...[HC] had the original UK hit of "Brother Louie" (with MUCH cruder lyrics), that Stories tamed down a lot for the U.S. hit.

Actually, I feel that's a bit of a stretch. HC's original
included two spoken-word interludes: One toward the
beginning where "Louie" meets and speaks w/ the black
girl's father, and later in the song, when the black girl
meets and speaks w/ "Louie's" white father. Those
interludes - which included the expressions "honky" and
"spook" - were what was cut when Stories later recorded
the song (otherwise, their cover was faithful). I could
see how the terms "honky" and "spook" might've been a bit
questionable by 1973 standards, but certainly not
today...

Incidentally, back in the late '90s, I had the pleasure
of meeting Ian Lloyd (lead singer of Stories) and seeing
him perform "Brother Louie" live. He continues to record
off and on, and his more recent material is highly
recommended...

80smusicfreak wrote: However, in the event you're seeking the full "LP version" because you really like the song and simply want more of it (which admittedly strikes me as odd, as I know you prefer single versions/mixes, and the 45 version is available on several U.S. CDs)

What's so odd about it? Yes, I do happen to really like the song but I also like to collect LP versions as well. The reason I seldom mention LP versions on this board is because 98% of the time they are readily available on CD, whereas 45 versions are so often not.

It's been a while since I did comparisons on this one, but I believe the Rhino Have A Nice Day version has an :04 later fade than the actual 45. I'd have to go back and check this to be sure. I have managed to re-insert the missing LP audio seemlessly into the 45 version on CD, and the end result is quite nice!