Barry White - You’re the First, The Last

I recall hearing a version of this song on some CD that had some alternate vocals in spots - specifically, on the verse that starts "With you...", the "With you" had a very different timing in Barry's alternate take. Does anyone ever recall hearing this alternate version and what it is and where it's from? There are no entries in the database that say "neither the 45 or LP version", yet I could have sworn I heard this on a CD at an early point. I just checked out the 45 version, and the "With you" line is identical to the line on the album version. So wherever this alt version exists on CD, it doesn't seem to be indicated in the database.

LP version (4:33)

I have this on Casablanca's Barry White Greatest Hits (copyright 1975, released on CD in 1988). The same analog transfer is used on:

• Polygram's Dance Fever (1993) digitally exactly 0.4 dB louder in left channel and 0.2 dB quieter in right channel
• Time-Life's Sounds Of The Seventies Vol. 44 '70s Dance Party 1975-1976 (1997) - differently-EQ'd digital clone

45 version (3:31)

The 45 is one edit and an early fade of the LP version. Here are editing instructions, based on the timing from Greatest Hits:

Segment 1
8 beats long
Extends from 0:00.0 to 0:03.9 of the LP version and the 45 edit

Delete the 64 beats from 0:03.9 to 0:37.2 of the LP version.

Segment 2
Begins on the downbeat at which the high-pitched strings kick in
Extends from 0:03.9 to 3:32 of the 45 version
Extends from 0:37.2 to 4:05 of the LP version

Fade
16 beats long
Extends from 3:25 to 3:32 of the 45 version
Extends from 3:58 to 4:05 of the LP version

I believe that the 45 version showed up first on CD on Time-Life's Sounds Of The Seventies Vol. 16 1975 Take Two (1991). The same analog transfer is used on:

• MCA's multi-CD Soul Train 25th Anniversary Hall Of Fame (1995) - digitally exactly 3.4 dB louder
• Time-Life's Solid Gold Soul Vol. 10 1975 (1996) - differently-EQ'd digital clone
• Time-Life's Solid Gold Soul #1 Love Songs Of The '70s (2000) - digitally exactly 1.09 dB louder than Solid Gold Soul Vol. 10 1975

Non-hit 1975 remix from vinyl Greatest Hits LP (3:24)

I discovered that the vinyl Greatest Hits album (copyright 1975) has a different version than the CD Greatest Hits (also copyright 1975, released on CD in 1988)!

This is a dedicated mix that can't be edited down from the LP or 45 versions. Some differences:

• In the first line of the sung vocals, Barry sings "the last" at 0:10 in this version, but "my last" at the corresponding point of the LP version (at 0:59) and 45 version (at 0:26).
• I hear extra tinkly keyboards throughout in this version, but not the LP/45 versions.
• This version has extra background vocals in the portion after the chorus (1:04-1:08), which aren't in the LP version (1:54-1:59) or 45 version (1:20-1:26).
• There's a cool high-pitched descending guitar line after the vocals end, at 3:11 in this version, which isn't on the LP/45 versions.

There may be more differences, too.

The oldest CD I have this version on is Connoisseur Collection UK's 5-CD box 100 All Time Classic Dance Hits Of The 1970s (1988). It also turns up on:

• Dominion Germany's 4-CD Disco Fever (1993)
• Mercury's Barry White All-Time Greatest Hits (1994)
• PolyGram's Pure Disco (1996) - possibly uses same analog transfer as All-Time Greatest Hits but fades a little earlier
• Skifan Iceland's 2-CD Pottþétt 70's (2001)

My recommendations

For the LP version, go with Casablanca's Barry White Greatest Hits (copyright 1975, released on CD in 1988).

For the 45 version, go with Time-Life's Sounds Of The Seventies Vol. 16 1975 Take Two (1991).

For the non-hit 1975 remix from vinyl Greatest Hits LP, go with Mercury's Barry White All-Time Greatest Hits (1994).

(Edited to update GH LP info)

Edited by crapfromthepast

Thanks for the info, guys! It's funny, I looked at my original post/question, dated April 2008. And here we are 12 1/2 years later, and the mystery is revealed! :) That's what's great about this board; If you're patient, eventually all questions will be answered :)

Based on the timing being 3:24 timings listed in Santi's and Ron's post, I assume the version I refer to above -

"on the verse that starts "With you...", the "With you" had a very different timing in Barry's alternate take"

- is the 3:24 1975 remix on the CDs listed above. Can anyone confirm that this has a very differently timed "With you" on this remix?

Also, I wonder why in 1975, they even decided to do a remix and use alternate vocals - and place it on the 1975 "Greatest Hits" LP. Unless they accidentally grabbed the wrong tape and had no intention of releasing this. We'll likely never know.