Deniece Williams Free

[nathanj06]

Does anyone happen to have "This Is Niecy" reissue that includes the single version [[3.27) of "Free"? Nowhere to be found to buy, only the long album version. Willing to trade anything if I have it. Thanks!

nathanj06@yahoo.com

[soulster]

Does anyone happen to have "This Is Niecy" reissue that includes the single version [[3.27) of "Free"? Nowhere to be found to buy, only the long album version. Willing to trade anything if I have it. Thanks!

nathanj06@yahoo.com

Hi,

I do have it and I will not trade. here's the problem with that CD: what they have is NOT the single version. I have the original Columbia 45 so I have proof. I had to recreate the single edit myself.

That CD remaster is available everywhere I look. Strange that you cannot find it. It's even on Amazon.

[nathanj06]

I should have made myself more clear. I do not want the entire cd, just the long single version [[3.27) of "Free". Yes it is on amazon but not available to download. It also says it has a short single version [[2.50) which I had never heard of or want. The original 45 clocks at 3.25 and that's all I was interested in. If anyone does want to help, please email me here:

nathanj06@yahoo.com

This is the one I'm referring to:
http://www.israbox.com/1146415155-deniece-williams-this-is-niecy-remastered-2012.html

[soulster]

Nathan, you have an email.6110

[nathanj06]

Many thanks soulster! I'm always rediscovering songs I use to have and forgot about. What a gorgeous song this is. I can easily hear Susaye Greene doing this.

[jdwheat]

What memories. One of my all-time favorites from my teen years.

[soulster]

What memories. One of my all-time favorites from my teen years.
The song wasn't that big where I grew up. During that time, everyone was trippin' to "Dazz" by Brick and "I Wish" by Stevie Wonder.

[roger]

The song wasn't that big where I grew up. During that time, everyone was trippin' to "Dazz" by Brick and "I Wish" by Stevie Wonder.

Aha!! It was HUGE in the U.K. Soulster .. zoomed into the charts in April 1977 and went all the way to #1 on the official/national listings!! :)

Roger

[heikki]

Hi!

Deniece briefly talks about "Free" here:
http://www.soulexpress.net/deniecewilliams_part2.htm

Best regards
Heikki

[glencro]

The song wasn't that big where I grew up. During that time, everyone was trippin' to "Dazz" by Brick and "I Wish" by Stevie Wonder.
Soulster, where did you grow up at? I heard this song so much as a kid. Didn't know anything about charts back then but it was a very popular song in Detroit and I'm sure the rest of the country.

[Soul Sister]

Won't trade either, love Niecy!
Still my fav is her cover of "It's Gonna Take A Miracle"!!!

S.S.
***

[soulster]

Soulster, where did you grow up at? I heard this song so much as a kid. Didn't know anything about charts back then but it was a very popular song in Detroit and I'm sure the rest of the country.
I grew up in the southwest near a then-major Army installation. "Dazz" was the bomb! I don't quite recall where I heard "Free" at first, probably "Soul Train", but I bought it soon after hearing it...along with "Dazz".

[nathanj06]

Won't trade either, love Niecy!
Still my fav is her cover of "It's Gonna Take A Miracle"!!!

S.S.
***

If you read the comments you would see I already received it. But thank you for letting me know. I'll make a note of it. :confused:

[soulster]

I dig the 12" extended version of "I Found Love". When I made my needledrop of the "When Love Comes Calling" album years ago, I included that 12" version on the end. I took the 12" version from a CD, so all I had to do is EQ it to match the track on the proper album to make it all fit.

My favorite "Niecy" albums are "Niecy" and "That's What Friends Are For" with Johnny Mathis.

[Jerry Oz]

Am I the only one who loves Will Downing's version of "Free" as much as the original? He absolutely laid that song out; it's still my favorite cut by him and one of my favorites by her.

[soulster]

Am I the only one who loves Will Downing's version of "Free" as much as the original? He absolutely laid that song out; it's still my favorite cut by him and one of my favorites by her.
I just hope he changed the lyrics to a male perspective.:D

[stephanie]

Does anyone know if Susaye was responsible for the words or melody or a little bit of both. Its nice to know that a former Supreme was a successful songwriter for Ms Williams, Michael Jackson and others.

[Jerry Oz]

I just hope he changed the lyrics to a male perspective.:D
Give a listen to. I think that's Doug Grigsby on the bass.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pQc50Dwq_Y

[Soul Sister]

CONGRATS, Nathan!
Enjoy it!!! :)

S.S.
***

[soulster]

Give a listen to.
I hate that "90s" sonic aesthetic. It sounds bright, trebly, and has that digital sound, and it sounds artificial. Nothing organic. And, the backing music is uninspired and the arrangement goes nowhere.

Oh, I know you and I are probably listening for different things, but I cannot just listen to the voice. I hear the whole package, and I don't like that package.

[Jerry Oz]

I hate that "90s" sonic aesthetic. It sounds bright, trebly, digital sound, and it's artificial. Nothing organic. And, the backing music is uninspired and the arrangement goes nowhere.

Oh, I know you and I are probably listening for different things, but I cannot just listen to the voice. I hear the whole package, and I don't like that package.
I'm surprised because you and I appreciate a lot of other things in common. But I can respect your opinion. Believe it or not, when I heard it again today, it set a good vibe for the rest of my day.

[soulster]

I'm surprised because you and I appreciate a lot of other things in common. But I can respect your opinion. Believe it or not, when I heard it again today, it set a good vibe for the rest of my day.
I'm guessing that you are listening primarily for the feeling of it. I have the ear of an engineer, producer, and arranger. I just hear that generic, cold sound and it turns me off.

[Jerry Oz]

It's all good, pahtnuh. I actually like Will Downing's voice in that one. And the bass was admittedly turned up and effected with a lot of treble, but I thought they played well off of each other. I also thought that it took balls to do a cover of a song that was everywhere on the radio at one point knowing that a lot of folks turn their noses up at cover versions.

[TomatoTom123]

Many thanks soulster! I'm always rediscovering songs I use to have and forgot about. What a gorgeous song this is. I can easily hear Susaye Greene doing this.

Sorry for bringing back this old thread but when I saw this post [[and that no one else had mentioned it!) I just had to say... Susaye Greene did record this song! It was in the early 1990s, at Motorcity Records, and produced by Ian Levine I believe. It's really nice!

Enjoy!!!!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-aaqm5RgHY&app=desktop

[Guy]

Soulster, where did you grow up at? I heard this song so much as a kid. Didn't know anything about charts back then but it was a very popular song in Detroit and I'm sure the rest of the country.

Agreed, Glencro. I grew up in Chicago and "Free" was inescapable. A lovely song. I was surprised to learn as an adult that it was only a moderate chart hit. It got as much airplay as any No.1 classic hit single.

[Guy]

Only Chante Moore has recorded a version of "Free" that comes close to Niecy's.

https://youtu.be/wzJuJTpBCdQ

[sansradio]

Niecy's "Free" is easily one of my top 3 tracks of all time. Gives me goosebumps.

On a side note, I scored used copies of Niecy and I'm So Proud on CD today for 5 bucks each. I'm a happy camper!