Cliff Richard & The Shadows mono 45 mixes

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Gorilla, Feb 14, 2018.

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  1. Gorilla

    Gorilla Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Green Bay, WI USA
    Hello - Been on a big Cliff/Shadows kick lately. As has been discussed here, the CD mastering on many of the early releases leaves much to be desired. I have tracked down some LPs and 45s that feature songs in mono which I had only heard in stereo up until now. I haven't done any direct comparisons, but the dedicated mono mixes don't seem much different from the stereo ones. Does anyone know if this was by design? Are the mono versions of the early/mid 60s hits which are markedly different in mono and stereo?

    I might not continue seeking out more of the mono tracks if there isn't a huge difference. Then again, I might, since the overall mastering on the vinyl is much better than the digitally-enhanced CDs that are commonly available. As always, any insights are appreciated!
     
  2. Gorilla

    Gorilla Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Green Bay, WI USA
    Bump
     
  3. emjel

    emjel Forum Resident

    Location:
    Liverpool
    The only singles tracks that I know are radically different between mono and stereo are The Young Ones and Bachelor Boy although the latter one is different in the single to album because different takes were used. On The Young Ones, I believe that when they added the strings, it was mixed down into mono and there is no stereo variant of that song.

    As to whether the singles were simply fold downs from the stereo master, I am not sure, but I am curious so will see if I can find any other info.
     
  4. Billo

    Billo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Southern England
    the mono single version of 'I'll Be Me' is far stronger sounding, the Columbia (EMI) green label single is the sharpest sounding, notably re Hank's guitar solo which is right to the fore of the sound - on the Album versions it's rather less powerful overall while in stereo the lead guitar (and solo) is a bit diluted in power and 'divorced' from the rest of the band and put on a separate stereo channel !

    'Do You Wanna Dance' mono green Columbia single also sounds sharper and notably more 'punchy' than the LP versions mono or stereo

    'Dancing Shoes' has Hank's guitar more prominent on the mono Columbia single version, where as in stereo on the album it's less powerful

    'On The Beach' in mono is a more punchy sound on the Columbia single and virtually hides Cliff's coughing fit during the instrumental break (!)

    while in stereo The Shadows instrumentally are absurdly all 'squeezed up' on one stereo channel...leaving Cliff all alone (besides Shads backup vocals) over on the other stereo channel to splutter away quite clearly during the first instrumental break...especially noticeable if you listen on headphones !




    the Columbia singles in mono generally sound more powerful with more depth to the sound than either the mono or enhanced fake stereo LP versions (likewise with The Shadows singles and most sixties artists)
     
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2019
  5. emjel

    emjel Forum Resident

    Location:
    Liverpool
    Yes you're right in that respect - they made the singles more punchy for AM Radio. I Want To Hold Your Hand and Paperback Writer are two Beatles singles that spring to mind. It is a shame that when record companies put out "hit" compilation albums, that in most cases, they never retained those mono variants so that they could put them out in the same way as they were originally heard. Trying to purchase consistent good quality singles from an artist like Cliff where there are so many issued can get quite expensive. I always thought it was a shame that The Singles Collection tracks were not in their original mono and did not include the "B" sides.
     
  6. Billo

    Billo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Southern England
    yes while some CD sets include the wrong version of 'Dynamite' - a working alternate version has turned up on a few compilations

    this is the actual 'B' side of chart topper 'Travelin' Light' in 1959 which charted in the UK in it's own right and got to number 16

     
  7. Billo

    Billo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Southern England
    while no great difference mono here to a by then better sounding stereo version it's worth a listen

    Cliff and The Shadows surprise version of The Rolling Stones song 'Blue Turns To Grey' which reached no.15 in the UK in 1965

     
  8. vudicus

    vudicus Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    Does anyone know if the mono single mix of "In The Country" is available on CD or as a lossless download?
     
    MCE1965 likes this.
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