En Vogue - singles from "Funky Divas"

I'm a little confused about what were the "hit" versions of a few of their songs. I recently got their Best Of En Vogue CD from 1998 and their Funky Divas CD from 1992, and compared versions with each other and with various TM Century and Top Hits USA collections. Perhaps you can straighten me out a little here...

My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)

• Runs 4:42 on my copy of Funky Divas (matrix number 3 92121-2 RE-2 01)
• Same version but 0.4 dB louder on Best Of En Vogue
• "Radio Edit" runs about 4:09 on TM Century and a few seconds shorter on Top Hits USA

Giving Him Something He Can Feel

• Runs 3:58 on my copy of Funky Divas (matrix number 3 92121-2 RE-2 01)
• Same version but 1.5 dB louder on Best Of En Vogue
• Same version, unlabeled, on Top Hits USA

Free Your Mind

• Runs 4:52 on my copy of Funky Divas (matrix number 3 92121-2 RE-2 01)
• Same version but 1.2 dB louder on Best Of En Vogue
• Unlabeled version on Top Hits USA runs about 4:10 and is same mix as above two with a few pieces cut out. Mix for all three is totally rockin' guitar mix. Was this the "hit"?
• TM Century library has an anemic danc-y mix, with no rockin' guitars and repeated "ain't it funky now" bit, running about 3:58. Where did this mix come from? I don't remember this at all from '92.

Give It Up Turn It Loose

• Runs 5:10 on my copy of Funky Divas (matrix number 3 92121-2 RE-2 01)
• Same version but 0.1 dB quieter on Best Of En Vogue
• "Edit" on Top Hits USA runs about 4:00

Love Don't Love You

• Runs 3:54 on my copy of Funky Divas (matrix number 3 92121-2 RE-2 01)
• Same version but 1.2 dB louder on Best Of En Vogue

Can anyone untangle the following issues?

1. Which songs are different on which pressings of Funky Divas? Mine has an RE-2 matrix number.
2. Could someone post the promo CD single info for each of those? I'm especially curious about the "Free Your Mind" anemic mix.
3. Which versions were the "hit" versions in your markets?

Let me know if there's any interest in knowing where the edit points are in any of the above tracks, and I'll be happy to dissect them.

Edited by crapfromthepast

There are two simple edits to trim the 4:52 LP version of "Free Your Mind" down to the 4:14 version on my Top Hits USA collection. Timing is from my copy of Funky Divas, but should match up well with Best Of En Vogue (digitally exactly 1.2 dB louder than Funky Divas) and Hot Hits Pop Volume 16 (digitally exactly 0.909 dB quieter than Funky Divas):

Keep 0:00.0-2:48.9 of LP version.
Edit on true downbeat that would begin third repetition of the chorus, at 2:48.9.
Remove the 32 beats from 2:48.9-3:08.1.
Keep the 96 beats from 3:08.1-4:05.7.
Remove the 32 beats from 4:05.7-4:24.9.
Keep 4:24.9-4:52.5 (end) of LP version.

Your mixdown should run 4:14.1, with edits at 2:48.9 and 3:46.5.

I'm assuming that my Top Hits USA used a promo CD single as its source and didn't do an in-house edit.

Edited by crapfromthepast

To add to cmmmbase's comment, TM also has what they call the "LP Version" (actually about 30 seconds shorter) on a different HitDisc and GoldDisc 252. I have the latter disc, and it is the rockin' guitars mix that you also have on your Top Hits USA disc, Ron. This was the only version I ever heard on the air.

Also, I only ever heard the "Radio Edit" of "My Lovin'..."

Edited by aaronk

Though I don't own either, I recall seeing two slightly different US back inserts for the Funky Divas CD (the tracklisting is placed differently and is in a bolder text on one.)

This may be a way to determine which mix you're getting.

crapfromthepast wrote: Could someone post the promo CD single info for each of those?

Sorry for the long delay in responding, Ron - here you go:

En Vogue-"My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)" (PRCD 4464-2)
1-Radio Edit (listed 4:11; actual 4:10)
2-Extended Edit (listed 4:12; actual 4:11)
3-LP Version (listed & actual 4:41)
4-Extended Mix (listed 5:01; actual 5:00)

We also received into the station a second promo CD single for this song back in 1992, stating on it "Hot New Mixes" (PRCD-4552-2):
1-Radio Active #2 (listed & actual 4:41)
2-Hyperadio (listed & actual 5:12)
3-Theo's Cheaptrick Remix (listed 4:41; actual 6:47)(this is not a typo; a 2:26 time difference is present here)

En Vogue-"Giving Him Something He Can Feel" (PRCD 4559-2)
1-(non-described version) (listed & actual 3:56)

En Vogue-"Free Your Mind" (PRCD 4791)
1-LP Version (listed & actual 4:10)
2-Theo's Rec And Wreck Edit (listed 4:25; actual 4:24)
3-Tommy's Spoiled Brat Edit (listed & actual 3:58)
4-James' Remix Edit (listed 4:05; actual 4:04)

En Vogue-"Give It Up, Turn It Loose" (PRCD 4843)
1-LP Edit (listed & actual 4:05)
2-Kevin's Radio R&B Mix (listed 4:05; actual 4:09)
3-"Welcome To The Ghetto" Hip Hop Edit (listed & actual 4:20)
4-Kevin's Jazz Mix (listed & actual 4:20)
5-Somethin' For The People Remix (listed 4:20; actual 4:19)

We also received into the station a commercial CD single for this song back in 1993 (EastWest 96091-2):
1-Kevin's Extended R&B Mix (listed 5:27; actual 5:12)
2-"Welcome To The Ghetto" Hip Hop Mix (listed 5:26; actual 5:22)
3-Kevin's Extended Jazz Mix (listed & actual 4:58)
4-Somethin' For The People Remix (listed 5:50; actual 5:44)(same exact title as cut 4 on the promo CD single above; but the version on here is 1:25 longer than that one is.)

We got in two different promo CD singles for the last one on your list:
En Vogue-"Love Don't Love You" (PRCD 4988)
1-LP Version (listed 3:55; actual 3:54)

En Vogue-"Love Don't Love You" (PRCD 5011)
1-Remix Edit #1 (listed 4:03; actual 4:04)
2-Remix Edit #2 (listed & actual 4:04)
3-LP Version (listed & actual 3:54)



Edited by jimct