Best version of Bob Dylan's "Positively 4th Street" on CD?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by George P, Apr 10, 2008.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    Aside from the Japan stuff, what's the best mastering of this song?

    I saw an original Columbia CD of the Greatest HIts that has this song, but figured I'd check in here first.

    :wave:
     
  2. The only one I have is the 1997 reissue of the Biograph boxed set, which has always been my favourite Dylan release when it comes to sound quality. You can't go wrong with that one. The SACDs were great, but this set is easily just as good. Great liner notes and song selection as well.
     
  3. MikeP5877

    MikeP5877 V/VIII/MCMLXXVII

    Location:
    OH
    The original stereo mix as found on the old Greatest Hits and Biograph CD's has this high-frequency tone running through one of the channels which is pretty annoying.

    I like the remix that's on my 1999 GH CD, though it fades about 20 seconds later.
     
  4. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    Can you link me to that 1999 GH CD?
     
  5. MikeP5877

    MikeP5877 V/VIII/MCMLXXVII

    Location:
    OH
  6. David Powell

    David Powell Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Atlanta, Ga.
    CD-R needledrop from either the original Columbia or Sundazed mono Greatist Hits LPs:winkgrin:
     
  7. DJ WILBUR

    DJ WILBUR The Cappuccino Kid

    nothing like the original 45 needledrop from a mint promo copy like i'm enjoying these days....:winkgrin:
     
  8. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
  9. Larry Geller

    Larry Geller Surround sound lunatic

    Location:
    Bayside, NY
    It's not a remix, just the regular stereo mix, extended. This is the best place to hear it.
     
  10. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    *Insert green-with-envy emoticon.*
     
  11. MikeP5877

    MikeP5877 V/VIII/MCMLXXVII

    Location:
    OH
    I guess I just assumed it was a remix since it's about 20 seconds longer.

    So if the longer version was actually mixed back in the day, do we know why they would have re-dubbed it for the GH album with a shorter fade? Does it match the mono version in terms of length?
     
  12. Larry Geller

    Larry Geller Surround sound lunatic

    Location:
    Bayside, NY
    Yes. They just let it run longer for the 1999 CD (yay).
     
  13. George P

    George P Notable Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    NYC
    On amazon, it is listed as the "single version," perhaps the other one is the regular version?
     
  14. David Powell

    David Powell Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Atlanta, Ga.
    According to the Searching For A Gem Dylan site, the remastered CD contains an alternate stereo mix, longer than standard single, which first appeared on the Columbia Disco Teen 66 compilation album.
     
  15. Larry Geller

    Larry Geller Surround sound lunatic

    Location:
    Bayside, NY
    The only thing alternate about the mix is the length. Everything else is identical. To me, that is NOT a remix, just a different edit of the SAME mix.
     
  16. David Powell

    David Powell Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Atlanta, Ga.
    Then there's the UK Greatist Hits version, with different track listing that omits "Postively 4th Street". It contains a slightly longer, unfaded version of "One Of Us Must Know (Sooner Or Later)".
     
  17. ricks

    ricks Senior Member

    Location:
    127.0.0.1:443
    Is the one on Essential Bob Dylan the original or the Teen 66 edit or something else?
     
  18. MikeP5877

    MikeP5877 V/VIII/MCMLXXVII

    Location:
    OH
    The "single version" is in mono and has never been released on CD.

    The stereo mix as originally released in 1967 runs about 3:50, give or take a few seconds. It's the version found on the original GH vinyl, GH CD and Biograph CD. All of my copies have a high-frequency signal running throughout the song. In fact all songs on side 2 of GH, both my vinyl and the old CD have this noise. For that matter, so did my Simon & Garfunkel collected Works LP box set, (also on Columbia, but I digress...)

    The 1999 GH remaster uses the same stereo mix, except it runs about 20 seconds longer, sounds much better (fuller sound) and doesn't have the annoying high-frequency noise. This is the one you want, unless you want to needle-drop a mono 45 or LP copy.
     
  19. David Powell

    David Powell Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Atlanta, Ga.
    The original stereo version (clocking in around 3:54).
     
  20. Joel1963

    Joel1963 Senior Member

    Location:
    Montreal
    Any story behind this high frequency noise? Steve?
     
  21. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host

    Last time I played my Dylan "Greatest Hits" album was in 1969 on my old Zenith fold-down stereo. Didn't hear any noise. :D

    Listen, dudes, if you want to hear this song (AND "Like A Rolling Stone") like it was meant to be heard you must, repeat, MUST hear the 45 RPM cut.

    That being said, I don't know what caused the noise. Probably the tone generator being left on during a mixing or mastering session. It's happened before (Bill Evans' "Portrait In Jazz", Love "Forever Changes" first CD, etc.) It can really drive one bonkers, that's for sure.

    Find the mono 45 version!
     
  22. Joel1963

    Joel1963 Senior Member

    Location:
    Montreal
    Thanks, Steve. Another addition to my previous thread on needed mono-only CD comps of 1960s music- Dylan's Greatest Hits with the mono single mixes. Sigh.
     
  23. JA Fant

    JA Fant Well-Known Member

    Great info!
     
  24. Mick Jones

    Mick Jones Senior Member

    The longer stereo Positively 4th Street is also available on the (possibly Euro only?) 2000 release The Best Of Bob Dylan Volume 2. The booklet gives the time as 4:08 and the sound seems very good to me, with no extraneous noises that I could hear, and the compilation is mastered by Vic Anesini.
     
  25. OobuJoobu

    OobuJoobu Forum Resident

    Location:
    Yorkshire, UK
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine