This x-rated intro version of The Manhattans KISS AND SAY GOODBYE- Authentic?

[Boogiedown]

I 'm a big Bobby Martin fan and when first finding this never wanted to believe he would disrespect his own work in this way ..... Still this version posted since 2012 , claiming to be a promo from 1976, remains on youtube unchallenged. A couple of comments there imply owning or at least remembering it ....



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wtsm7bXLTw4

Anybody have any information regarding this ????:confused:

[reese]

The guys might have been fooling around in the studio but it could be bogus. The voice on the monologue doesn't sound like Blue Lovett to me.

I did see X-rated versions of both this and I KINDA MISS YOU are supposedly being sold on Amazon as part of the ESSENTIAL MANHATTANS digital collection. But when I played the sample of KASG, it started near the end of the rap and didn't have the "Bye bitch!"

[midnightman]

Yeah I don't know if this is Blue speaking in this one...

[heikki]

Hi!

They cut an X-rated version. Please read Blue's own comments at [[after halfway):

https://www.soulexpress.net/manhattans_part3.htm

Best regards
Heikki

[marv2]

This is a joke overdub. That's Blue reciting those words LOL! I have to admit, I laughed when I heard it, but that part did come from the Manhattans.

[marv2]

This reminds me of Bill Cosby's comedy R&B record from 1977-78 called "Yes, Yes, Yes". LOL!

[PeaceNHarmony]

Not really X rated [[maybe an R); really just ugly and misogynistic.

[reese]

Not really X rated [[maybe an R); really just ugly and misogynistic.

Certainly not X-rated in the sense of Jackie Wilson and Lavern's Baker's THINK TWICE [[Version X). That one was a surprise.

[marv2]

Certainly not X-rated in the sense of Jackie Wilson and Lavern's Baker's THINK TWICE [[Version X). That one was a surprise.

I was thinking of that record too when I saw this thread.

[Boogiedown]

The guys might have been fooling around in the studio but it could be bogus. The voice on the monologue doesn't sound like Blue Lovett to me.

I did see X-rated versions of both this and I KINDA MISS YOU are supposedly being sold on Amazon as part of the ESSENTIAL MANHATTANS digital collection. But when I played the sample of KASG, it started near the end of the rap and didn't have the "Bye bitch!"

I'm disappointed to say reese, it appears to be real . [[thanks for the info Heikki)

https://i.ebayimg.com/thumbs/images/g/ok8AAOSwrXZeYWEI/s-l225.webp


you can grab it if you want over at ebay for 150.00! :p

[Boogiedown]

Hi!

They cut an X-rated version. Please read Blue's own comments at [[after halfway):

https://www.soulexpress.net/manhattans_part3.htm

Best regards
Heikki

thanks Heikki :
from https://www.soulexpress.net/manhattans_part3.htm

The company also released an X-rated version of the song [[Columbia As 263). Blue: “Mickey Eichner had me do an X-rated recording. Promotionally we sent the X-rated out to r&b stations before the original single came out, just to hype them, to get them ready. Everybody was excited and it was an excellent idea from Mickey. I Kinda Miss You also had an X-rated version” [[on the flip). Kiss and Say Goodbye was also released as a 12” maxi-single on Columbia 10506.

This had to have been released after KISS AND SAY GOODBYE had already been a hit as I KINDA MISS YOU, found on the other side of the 45, didn't exist yet when KISS was released . MISS YOU's theme was written as the group's follow-up to KISS and it comes from their next album.
There's just no way imo CBS would've thought that proceeding KISS , which they planned to push hard ,with this foul promo would somehow be appropriate or clever.

I'm amazed anyone thought releasing it at ANY point was a good idea [[I agree with the description of it being ugly and misogynistic ) or funny ?, .... it didn't help advance the follow-up single I KINDA MISS YOU....it bombed surprisingly miserably not making the Top 40.

[heikki]

Hi Boogiedown!

I believe what Blue meant was that they sent only promo singles, DJ copies, to those r&b stations prior to the official version, and the same goes to "I Kinda Miss You", too, later: the official version on the plug side and the x-rated version on the flip; but only to selected stations.

Best regards
Heikki

[Boogiedown]

Hi Boogiedown!

I believe what Blue meant was that they sent only promo singles, DJ copies, to those r&b stations prior to the official version, and the same goes to "I Kinda Miss You", too, later: the official version on the plug side and the x-rated version on the flip; but only to selected stations.

Best regards
Heikki

Hi Heikki! ,

So are you saying they did this twice , sending these naughty intros of their soon to be released songs to the radio stations , first with KISS AND SAY GOODBYE and then again with KINDA MISS YOU ?? That seems most bizarre.

These are interesting thoughts Heikki , let me ponder it.

[[ added: I sense I'm not reading you right..... if not, sorry)

[heikki]

Hi Boogiedown!

I believe that is what Blue meant: first the x-rated version of Kiss... to SELECTED R&B stations, and then the official single to ALL stations, and the same thing later with I Kinda Miss You.
That's how I understood his words.
I could, of course, check this with Gerald Alston, but I'd like to do that whenever there's something else to talk about with him, too :-).

Best regards
Heikki

[midnightman]

Hi!

They cut an X-rated version. Please read Blue's own comments at [[after halfway):

https://www.soulexpress.net/manhattans_part3.htm

Best regards
Heikki

Thanks! :) I forgot I read that article where Blue talked about it lmao

[midnightman]

Not really X rated [[maybe an R); really just ugly and misogynistic.

True though. I wonder why they even did that...

[Boogiedown]

Hi Boogiedown!

I believe that is what Blue meant: first the x-rated version of Kiss... to SELECTED R&B stations, and then the official single to ALL stations, and the same thing later with I Kinda Miss You.
That's how I understood his words.
I could, of course, check this with Gerald Alston, but I'd like to do that whenever there's something else to talk about with him, too :-).

Best regards
Heikki
Hi Heikki!

I would be curious what Alston has to say , hopefully you can work it into a conservation sometime Heikki!

more thoughts:

In order to send these special versions to select R&B stations , wouldn't they have had to send them as pressed 45's? [[ Or ?) I haven't found any evidence of such pressings or tapes of them . All I have been able to confirm is the double sided promo that has both the 'x-rated' KISS/GOODBYE and KINDA MISS combined...which to me suggests this was a one time event , this double sided 45, coinciding with the legit release of MISS YOU. [[?)
Also,
I noticed Blue gives 'credit' for this idea to Micky Eichner, but when I look at the credits for The Manhattans project [[ pun) around the KISS/GOODBYE album , I don't see his name. However for the next album , with KINDA MISS , he is credited there as its executive producer ..... So that he was even involved with KISS/GOODBYE could be questionable.

imo, I think it would be VERY RISKY to provide radio stations with 45s that they would never want to have mistakenly wind up onto their airwaves , which could cause serious FCC repercussions ....funny maybe once ...but not as an ongoing trend.

cheers!
-------

Also I can't find this "x-rated" version of I KINDA MISS YOU...two contributors to youtube identify the following as this being it :


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FO3ppsfuLi0

Am I missing something??:confused:

[heikki]

Good points, Boogiedown!
I'll ask about this, but in connection of some other issue, so let's now wait for awhile.

Best regards
Heikki

[heikki]

Let me still add, Boogiedown, that I also became interested in this matter.
Unfortunately I don't have those special edition singles, but they were played to me.

Best regards
Heikki

[Boogiedown]

Hey Heikki ,
I look forward to what you may find out . Good luck and please post your findings !:cool:


Meanwhile, check this out !!

I thought for sure we were discussing an anomaly here , this playful yet risky angle of promotion which only The Manhattans had implemented....
But, nooooo!!



Here's Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes doing the same thing with one of their releases:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1y-KEAgoMg

I SHOULD BE YOUR LOVER X-Rated Not For Airplay :eek:



.......and this ain't the end of all this ...........there's more ! Stay tuned .

[heikki]

Hi Boogiedown!

I received a short answere from Gerald:

I do remember those x-rated versions. Blue was putting the rap on “Kiss and Say Goodbye” he started joking around and said “This is rated X”. That was the beginning of our rated X versions!

Unfortunately, this doesn't clear matters up in terms of sequence and A- & B-sides.
This was so far our email change, but the next time I call Gerald - usually in case of a new CD release - I'll still ask about this.

Best regards
Heikki

[Boogiedown]

Excellent Heikki!

Here's my take on the whole thing :
For fun, Blue does an impromptu but inappropriate intro for KISS. Good for a laugh , but meant for the studio crowd only. But it gets saved. For the next single , Blue does it again . Producer Eichner gets a kick out of it , they dig out the one Blue had done for KISS and they decide to double side it on a promo 45 with the MISS YOU one and send it out here and there , just for fun .

That's my theory ...could be wrong .....



I do remember those x-rated versions. Blue was putting the rap on “Kiss and Say Goodbye” he started joking around and said “This is rated X”. That was the beginning of our rated X versions!

That's the perfect lead in to what I was hinting about ! There being more to the story : Gerald mentions "x-rated versions" .

It looks like The Manhattans made a practice of doing this with several songs !!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIWWZbLm2P4

[heikki]

... and it doesn't stop there, Boogiedown -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INHst1RUsfI&feature=youtu.be&autoplay=1

Best regards
Heikki

[Boogiedown]

Boy that's a risky one heikki! The rated x part doesn't come in until the second half of the song. Can you imagine if that made it over the airwaves!!?
I imagine that one didn't get pressed and sent out to radio stations .....

I wonder what the source is for these versions to wind up on youtube?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INHst1RUsfI&feature=youtu.be&autoplay=1

Strangest thing....doing this to your music .....:confused::p:rolleyes:

[JohnUK]

Here's trilogy of X-rated tracks from the Manhattans, not sure abut the third song though, as it's a Harold Melvin tune.


<a href="https://youtu.be/bneFZo6ig1g" target="_blank">
https://youtu.be/bneFZo6ig1g
[[https://youtu.be/bneFZo6ig1g)