DRATS - Forever Came Today - Japan Quad version

[thanxal]

The presumed never before released Japan Quad version of Forever Came Today on the LP "Diana Ross and the Supremes Greatest Hits" [[CD4W-7093). All other alternate tracks have been released on CD or digitally elsewhere.


https://youtu.be/YG08lrAzijo

Enjoy!

[copley]

My fav DRATS single. Perhaps it's just my ears but I don't hear any difference!

[lucky2012]

^ I don't hear a difference either. Good to hear this song again, though. I don't play it much, with so many others to choose from. Does anyone think it would have been a bigger hit if it had been the follow-up to Reflections? Now I think so, but back then it was such a different sound for the Supremes. But then again, so was Reflections. I thought, even then, that In And Out of Love was not special enough.

[mowsville]

Ive waited years to hear this and ...........its no different to the original .

[luckyluckyme]

If you open 2 screens and alternate between the quad version then the one below, you may pick up differences in the background vocals. Pay attention at 0:29, for example.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5DUyRCrO5E

[thanxal]

I had to listen a couple of times to hear the differences.

[RanRan79]

Thanks Thanx!! Yes, this is the version I had [[have) although I remember Ross' lead vocal being different. Maybe I'm recalling it wrong. But those backgrounds are definitely the ones I remember and I did not like them.

[thanxal]

Thanks Thanx!! Yes, this is the version I had [[have) although I remember Ross' lead vocal being different. Maybe I'm recalling it wrong. But those backgrounds are definitely the ones I remember and I did not like them.
So, honestly it is difficult for me to tell the difference. Could you elaborate so I can re-listen for the difference?

[RanRan79]

So, honestly it is difficult for me to tell the difference. Could you elaborate so I can re-listen for the difference?

It's the alto. In the quad version it's prominent and IMO flat. In the usual version the alto is either mixed in or absent. The harmony is not tight at all in the quad version. Listen to the quad version at about 1:18 and then listen to the other version at about the same mark. Can you tell the difference in the harmony?

Also on the chorus, on the quad version when they sing "into my life" [[and I'm going to try to describe this the only way I can via written word), the word "life" is sort of one note: "walked into my liiiife", whereas on the other version, when they sing "life" they sing "walked into my li-yfe" as maybe two notes, if that makes any sense.

[thanxal]

It's the alto. In the quad version it's prominent and IMO flat. In the usual version the alto is either mixed in or absent. The harmony is not tight at all in the quad version. Listen to the quad version at about 1:18 and then listen to the other version at about the same mark. Can you tell the difference in the harmony?

Also on the chorus, on the quad version when they sing "into my life" [[and I'm going to try to describe this the only way I can via written word), the word "life" is sort of one note: "walked into my liiiife", whereas on the other version, when they sing "life" they sing "walked into my li-yfe" as maybe two notes, if that makes any sense.

That's helpful. After listening closely [[twice) I heard it. I think all the backgrounds are in a lower key on the Quad version. Do you hear it? What helped is when I compared LP to LP rather than CD to LP.

You know what would be nice? If we knew someone who might be doing an upcoming Expanded Edition of this album who could include this and then include tracks with just the background vocals. Wink, wink.

[mowest]

It seems to me that whichever version I listen to, I find the backing singers sounding anonymous and murky; a lost opportunity to have made this a very good recording.

[RanRan79]

It seems to me that whichever version I listen to, I find the backing singers sounding anonymous and murky; a lost opportunity to have made this a very good recording.

I can just barely tell that the quad version is the Andantes, but I remember first hearing it and thinking there is no way anyone can say who those singers are. But on the original release version, I can tell it's the Andantes.

[kenneth]

Without an actual Quadraphonic stereo system, I don't think the differences can really be discerned, can they? The old Quad systems used to come with 4 speakers, kind of like a home theater component system does but just with audio.

[thanxal]

Without an actual Quadraphonic stereo system, I don't think the differences can really be discerned, can they? The old Quad systems used to come with 4 speakers, kind of like a home theater component system does but just with audio.
I have a quadraphonic system and still have trouble hearing it.
Edit: I do hear the shift in key and some of the background distinctions that Ran pointed out, but boy do I have to really strain. Its clearer if I compare LP to LP.

[kenneth]

@thanxal, thanks for that. Is your system one of the original quad systems from the 70s? What kind of system do you have? Can they even be bought today?

[thanxal]

@thanxal, thanks for that. Is your system one of the original quad systems from the 70s? What kind of system do you have? Can they even be bought today?
I have a very old Yamaha amp that promises "four channel sound" when the speakers are wired into the four main outputs separately. Its not from the 70s but I can't find a modern amp with a true four channel separation. Unfortunately the serial number and model number plaque on the back fell off years ago and I can't find a similar on on eBay. I bought it in the mid-90s and it was about 8-10 years old then. Its not a tube amp. Wish it were.

[jobucats]

That's helpful. After listening closely [[twice) I heard it. I think all the backgrounds are in a lower key on the Quad version. Do you hear it? What helped is when I compared LP to LP rather than CD to LP.

You know what would be nice? If we knew someone who might be doing an upcoming Expanded Edition of this album who could include this and then include tracks with just the background vocals. Wink, wink.

I believe what we are hearing is not that one is in a different key than the other because musically both are in the key of Db. Although difficult to hear, the background harmony appears to be stacked differently in several places on each version. For example, to harmonize an Ebminor chord, you might have the higher voice on a Bb note and the lower on a Gb or the higher voice on a Gb and the lower voice on a Bb [[that is lower than the Gb) or a higher voice on Gb and the lower voice on an Eb [[lower than the Gb) and the possibilities go on and on. What I am hearing is on the quad version, the background voices are stacked where one doesn't hear the top harmony note as pronounced as in the other version. That accounts for the 'lower key' sound in the quad version. I actually believe I am hearing 3 part harmony in both of them during several phrases.