Vanilla Fudge-"You Keep Me Hangin’ On"

BTW, the true 45 version with the fade finally got released
on the Atco singles set recently out on the Real Gone Music
label. It's about time.

Here are how the Vanilla Fudge Atco 45s I have compare with their A and B-side counterparts on Real Gone Music’s The Complete Atco Singles CD (thank you, Jim!) Unless otherwise specified, these 45s are all Plastic Products Atco stock vinyl pressings:


Atco 6554 (Monarch styrene pressing)

"WHERE IS MY MIND" [BB #73] (68C-13710-21 delta # 69893)
listed time: 2:43
actual time: 2:41.159
CD track actual time 2:42.913
CD track runs 1.754 seconds slower than the 45

"THE LOOK OF LOVE" (68C-13711-21 delta # 69892-X)
listed time: 2:46
actual time: 2:45.046
CD actual time: 2:46.846
CD track runs 1.8 seconds slower than the 45


Atco 6590 [DJ copy]

"YOU KEEP ME HANGIN’ ON" [BB #6] (67C-12458-11)
listed time: 2:50
actual time: 2:52. 548
CD actual time: 2:55.019 (fade-out does not match the 45 and runs a hair longer)
CD track speed is noticeably slower than the 45

"COME BY DAY, COME BY NIGHT" (68C-14558-11)
listed time: 2:53
actual time: 2:53.065
CD actual time: 2:56.567
CD track runs 2.544 seconds slower at the final drum beat


Atco 6616

"TAKE ME FOR A LITTLE WHILE" [BB #38] (67C-12459-12)
listed time: 3:20
actual time: 3:22.957
CD actual time: 3:24.276
CD track runs 1.319 seconds slower than the 45

"THOUGHTS" (68-C-14477-13)
listed time: 3:28
actual time: 3:27.508
CD actual time: 3:29.687
CD track runs 2.179 seconds slower than the 45


Atco 6632

"SEASON OF THE WITCH, PT. 1" [BB #65] (68-C-15616-12)
listed time: 3:30
actual time: 3:30.069
CD actual time: 3:31.040 (tail end of fade-out is a hair longer than on the 45)
CD track runs 0.669 seconds slower than the 45

"SEASON OF THE WITCH, PT. 2" (68-C-15617-12)
listed time: 3:14
actual time: 3:14.453
CD actual time: 3:14.877
CD track runs 0.424 seconds slower than the 45


Atco 99729 [stereo double A-sided DJ copy, both sides identical. Specialty vinyl pressing.]

"MYSTERY" (ST84C46674-1)
listed time: 3:39 (under which, label states “EDIT”)
actual time: 3:39.237
CD actual time: 4:36.276
I don’t know whether or not the 1984 “Mystery” stock 45 was edited, but the track on The Complete Atco Singles CD is obviously not the DJ 45 edit.


Analysis:

•     All of the above CD tracks run slower than their 45 ancestors, some audibly so.

•     All of the above mono CD tracks are sourced from the mono singles masters.

•     There is more tape hiss on the CD track fade-outs (for the most part) than on the 45s.

•     Distortion apparent on the 45s is also present on the CD tracks.

•     Although nowhere near brickwalled, the CD tracks are mastered for extra loudness and generally sound more compressed than the original Atco 45s.


Edited by Yah Shure

Having worked on one Real Gone release, I can say that
perhaps they were only able to work with the transfers they
were sent.... studio time being costly may have been a
major deciding factor in not wanting to spend the time or
money to get every single song to match the 45's 100%. For
the casual fan, the songs will likely be close enough.
Interesting that they didn't get the right fade on You Keep
Me Hanging On, though.

As for Mystery, according to 45cat, the stock copy has a
matrix number of ST-84C-46431. I suspect, then, that it
would be the longer version of the song.