Mistakes on the FOUR TOPS 50th Anniversary Singles Collection?

[Buttered Popcorn and so forth]

I compared some of the songs on disc 3 of the Four Tops Singles Collection to other CDs that I have and noticed some differences:

"[[It's The Way) Nature Planned It"

-The FOUREVER box set from 2001 has the single mix which is a 3:35 edit [[same time as on the 45 label).

-The new singles collection uses the 4:00 minute album version.

http://s.pixogs.com/image/R-1614058-1279908405.jpeg


"Simple Game" [[UK Version)

-On the new singles collection, they use a stereo mix of the US Version. [[Actually, I don't mind having it, cuz it's mono on all of the other CDs I have...)

-The ANTHOLOGY CD from 2004 has the UK Single Mix which is an alternate mix with a different edit at the end [[you can tell the difference when Levi says "You and meeeeeeeeee!" during the fade) and it's mono.


"I Can't Quit Your Love"

-The FOUREVER box set from 2001 says it has the single mix, which appears to be the same mix as the album version but in mono.

-The new singles collection uses a mono version that sounds like it's missing some instruments, but has additional synthesizer sounds. [[That same version also appears on the ANTHOLOGY CD from 2004.) I don't have the actual 45, so I don't know which one is the right mix.


"Can't Seem To Get You Out Of My Mind"

-The FOUREVER box set from 2001 says it's the single mix and is mono

-The new singles collection has it in stereo.

[soulster]

Thanks! You just saved me some money!

[Buttered Popcorn and so forth]

I compared "L.A. [[My Town)" to the album version and noticed the single version they used is special cuz it goes on longer at the end instead of blending into the next song like it does on the album. So I know they went to the master tape for that one. I'm just wondering if maybe there's more than one single version for some of these songs...?

[Sotosound]

For me, the definitive version of "Simple Game" is the UK single mix since the track was recorded in the UK and that was the original UK hit mix before the USA woke up to what a great track it was. The intro with plenty of echo on the horns is a killer and ear grabber when compared to the stereo and US mono mixes.

From what I can tell, the original single version of "I Can't Quit Your Love" was just a fold-down of the stereo mix. In the UK they didn't even bother folding it down. We just got the stereo mix, complete with weird and unwelcome [[to me) wide panning of Levi's voice in the fade. IMHO, the version with additional synthesizer sounds should never have seen the light of day. The synth doesn't sound as though it's been correctly blended into the mix, i.e. this mix sounds unfinished [[and awful).

As for "Can't Seem To Get You Out Of My Mind", I suspect that there was never a true mono mix. This album track from "Yesterday's Dreams" was released in mono in the UK as the B-side of "Do What You Gotta Do", which we Brits were lucky enough to have released as a single. As a UK B-side, "Can't Seem.." is missing the opening pick up on drums. Instead it goes straight into the bass and glockenspiel unison melody and the EQ is so hot that the maracas fill the stereo picture even though the track's in mono. Thereafter, it's clear that it's a fold-down of the stereo album mix as the sound is pretty much the same, i.e. very, very clean and dry and with the drums well back in the mix. Also, Levi's voice is EQ'd in the same way. We also have to remember that this track is from the time when mono had just been dropped from Motown albums and presumably, therefore, any stereo mix had to sound reasonably decent in mono. [[As it is, and IMHO only, the tracks on "Yesterday's Dreams" aren't that fab in stereo as everything is panned but very dry, thus robbing the stereo picture of any ambience - worst on headphones.)

Love "Can't Seem...", however, in mono or stereo. One to sing along to [[or strain along to in Levi Stubbs style) in the car [[with no passengers)!

[Sotosound]

PS I also have to echo Soulster's words. This collection doesn't sound like it got enough love.

[Amithesameboy]

Four minor "mistakes". So what ?

[soulster]

Did HW produce this set? He likes to shake things up a bit, but I don't think people expect surprises on singles collections. They expect the single versions.

[soulster]

Four minor "mistakes". So what ? Mistakes matter. If you are going to advertise something as having the singles, the buyer expects THE SINGLE VERSIONS. That's what!

[Sotosound]

Mistakes matter. If you are going to advertise something as having the singles, the buyer expects THE SINGLE VERSIONS. That's what!

Yep! Especially with Motown.

[Starguard4]

Mistakes matter. If you are going to advertise something as having the singles, the buyer expects THE SINGLE VERSIONS. That's what!


...and not, repeat NOT, ALBUM VERSIONS.

[hwume]

Hmm.

For all of these UK mixes, I had:

- copies of the actual U.K. masters
- rundowns [[needle drops) of all of the U.K. singles

And then we painstakingly made sure these matched, and used the U.S. tapes where they were the same, as they had MUCH better fidelity than the U.K. tapes from Abbey Road.

[Amithesameboy]

Well I am a buyer too, and I couldnt care less about four miniscule mistakes.

[smark21]

Purists and die hard 4 Tops fans may be put off, but I suspect those who are buying the set to learn more about the 4 Tops or are not that concerned about the difference between single mixes and album mixes may not be as offended. Are the non single mixes of the offending songs that vastly inferior to the single mixes? If so, how?

[soulster]

It was not mentioned that this was a U.K. release. I am in the U.S., so I have a U.S. perspective.

Carry on...

[carole cucumber]

[QUOTE=Starguard4;159323] It was not mentioned that this was a U.K. release. I am in the U.S., so I have a U.S. perspective.

Carry on...

Soulster,

The post from Starguard4 you quote and then reply to seems to have disappeared..... I assume it was there before Harry clarified that the U.K. only single sides were examined and the best source tape used.

[soulster]

[QUOTE=soulster;159462]

Soulster,

The post from Starguard4 you quote and then reply to seems to have disappeared..... I assume it was there before Harry clarified that the U.K. only single sides were examined and the best source tape used.
I fixed my post after I saw Harry's post, yes.

[Buttered Popcorn and so forth]

Hmm.

For all of these UK mixes, I had:

- copies of the actual U.K. masters
- rundowns [[needle drops) of all of the U.K. singles

And then we painstakingly made sure these matched, and used the U.S. tapes where they were the same, as they had MUCH better fidelity than the U.K. tapes from Abbey Road.Thanks for explaining, Harry. I was only comparing it to what I already had on CD, so it's good to know the new collection was compared to needle drops of the actual UK singles.