mitch ryder devil blue dress good golly

Stereo LP version (about 3:04)

It's hard to tell a coherent story with these, so I'll just list the CDs I have in chronological order:

• Warner Special Product/Heartland's 2-CD Fun Rock (1986) - sounds OK
• Silver Eagle/Capitol's 2-CD Rockin' Down The Block (1987) - also sounds OK
• DCC's Toga Rock (1987) - also sounds OK; the 1988 rerelease of this disc is just a differently-EQ'd version of the original release
• Time-Life's Classic Rock Vol. 7 1966 The Beat Goes On (1988) - same analog transfer as Toga Rock but shortens tail of fade by about 3 beats
• JCI's Dance Sixties (1988) - also sounds OK
• Rhino's Son Of Frat Rock (1988) - significantly more separation between left and right channels, comparable to how the 1965 stereo Beatles stuff was recorded; this means that everything released before this used tapes with some narrowing of the soundstage compared to how it was originally recorded
• Rhino's 3-inch CD Lil Bit Of Gold (1988) - same analog transfer as Son Of Frat Rock
• Warner Special Products/Sessions' 2-CD 60's Frat Rock (1990) - same analog transfer as Toga Rock but shortens tail of fade by about 3 beats
• Time-Life's 2-CD Rock Party (1990) - same analog transfer as Toga Rock but shortens tail of fade by about 3 beats and additionally swaps left/right channels
• JCI's Only Rock 'N Roll 1965-1969 (1994) - same analog transfer as Toga Rock but shortens tail of fade by about 3 beats

For the stereo LP version, seek out Rhino's Son Of Frat Rock (1988), which has a wider soundstage than any others I encountered, and plays out to the full length of the song. Toga Rock isn't bad if you want a narrower soundstage.

Stereo, similar to the 45 version but with some extra background vocals near the end and a :14 longer fade (3:28)

Much easier to tell a coherent story with this version of the song.

This first appeared on Rhino's Mitch Ryder And The Detroit Wheels best-of Rev Up (1989). The same analog transfer is used on:

• Rhino's promo Best Of The Best Ofs Sampler (1990, PRO2 90034) - digitally identical
• Rhino's promo Incredible Collections Wheel Of Knowledge (1991, PRO2 90081) - digital clone, about 0.2 dB quieter
• Rhino's Billboard Top R&R Hits 1966 (only 1993 RE-1 reissue, where it replaces "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'") - digitally identical
• Rhino's 2-CD Entertainment Weekly Presents Pure Party (1993) - not digital clone
• Rhino Special Editions' cheapie Sixties Rock Classics Vol. 3 (1994) - digital clone, about 0.5 dB quieter
• Time-Life's 2-CD Animal Rock (1994) - not digital clone
• Beverly Hills 90210 Songs From The Peach Pit (1996) - not digital clone
• Rhino's Instant Party Disc Extra Strength (1999) - not digital clone

All of the above sound basically the same. If you don't want to shell out for Rhino's Rev Up (1989), then Rhino's Billboard Top R&R Hits 1966 (1993 RE-1 reissue) will buy you the exact same 0's and 1's.

Mono 45 version, but a little faster (3:12)

This first appeared on Sundazed's Mitch Ryder collection All Hits (1994). It's appeared on a handful of Collectables compilations, all of which are likely digital clones of the Sundazed disc.

Edited by crapfromthepast

On the 45, at about 2:31, the song comes out of a drum fill (with "hey hey" vocals) into "fee-fee-fi-fi...". The "wearing her pearls" line comes in at about 2:44.

The LP version cuts out 32 beats from the 45, starting with the "fee-fee-fi-fi..." lines, so that at about 2:33, the drum fill (with the "hey hey" vocals) goes straight into the "wearing her pearls" line.

I don't know what the thought process was back in 1966 when this song was released. Maybe the LP came out after the 45, and when putting together the LP, some producer thought that the song flowed better without the 12 seconds from the "fee-fee-fi-fi" verse?

Mark, thanks for the tip about the proper speed 45 version.
Years ago, I slowed down my All Hits version
by 2% so it would run 3:15.

Edited by eriejwg

My commercial 45 for this (New Voice 817) has 2 listed times on the label...2:40 and 3:01. Actual time 3:12.

I see someone mentioned the Varese Mitch Ryder greatest
hits has the correct single version at the correct speed.
I remember that when I was preparing to get the sources
together that someone had mentioned about the correct
version so I found it and used it. I tried my best to get
the correct versions but wasn't always successful. When
Cary Mansfield offered that job when Bill Inglot left I
told Cary that I had never done this before and he said
"don't worry, you'll learn" which I tried to do as
quickly as possible. When I asked Cary about masters for
the songs we were using his answer was "find the best
source yourself" which was a challenge sometimes. It
wasn't until the last three years that I was getting
digital copies from Sony, WEA, and Capitol. Although I
will mention something about Capitol, when I got the
master for the Linda Ronstadt "Silk Purse" CD for some
reason Capitol left a half second between all the songs
so I had to work to separate the tracks without losing
anything.
Steve Massie

Edited by OldiesLover