Donna Summer - Bad Girls: Best CD?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by D.H., Sep 1, 2015.

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  1. D.H.

    D.H. Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Malmö, Sweden
    As the thread title asks: which is the best sounding CD version of Donna Summer - Bad Girls.
    And if the best one is an expensive OOP one, which is the best of the easily available ones?

    Thanks!
     
  2. Bobby Morrow

    Bobby Morrow Senior Member

    I thought there were only 2 versions. The original CD and the 2003 deluxe edition. Haven't played the former in a while, but I believe that's considered the best one. Think it's still in print, too.

    In 2012, a series of Donna's 70's albums were released as SHM CDs. Bad Girls was included but they used the 2003 master so it probably doesn't count.
     
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  3. D.H.

    D.H. Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Malmö, Sweden
    Thanks Bobby! :)
     
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  4. lv70smusic

    lv70smusic Senior Member

    Location:
    San Francisco, CA
    The original cd is better than the deluxe edition, which had unnecessary compression added.
     
  5. lv70smusic

    lv70smusic Senior Member

    Location:
    San Francisco, CA
    From the DR Database website:

    Original cd average dynamic range 15, minimum 13, maximum 17.
    SHM-cd (which, according to Bobby, matches the deluxe edition): av. 9, min. 8, max 11.

    Quite the difference!
     
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  6. D.H.

    D.H. Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Malmö, Sweden
    Thanks! I've now ordered the original. It was pretty cheap as well. :)
     
  7. pdenny

    pdenny 22-Year SHTV Participation Trophy Recipient

    Location:
    Hawthorne CA
    The original CD is the bomb. Man, what a great record!
     
  8. D.H.

    D.H. Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Malmö, Sweden
    Got it today! Yeah, it rules. Great set of songs as well, especially the first couple of tunes.
     
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  9. Bobby Morrow

    Bobby Morrow Senior Member

    Glad you like it. It's a shame the deluxe version doesn't sound as good as the packaging is lovely and the bonus disc is cool.
     
  10. D.H.

    D.H. Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Malmö, Sweden
    I can imagine the packaging is great on that one, as they usually are when it comes to deluxe editions. But I'm satisfied with this one.

    And the music... Well, this is a case where "commercial" definitely doesn't equal bad. Really groovy songs and some fine melodies as well. I only own "Love to Love You, Baby" prior to this one. I think this one is the better of the two.

    EDIT: In the same order, I also received Giorgio Moroder - E=MC2 and Vince Guaraldi - A Charlie Brown Christmas (yeah, a little early, I know, but if I didn't get my hands on it now, I probably wouldn't until Christmas is over).
     
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  11. drbryant

    drbryant Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    how about those nice West German CD's with the yellow "sunburst" face? The same?
     
  12. Bobby Morrow

    Bobby Morrow Senior Member

    There are lots of great albums in Donna's catalogue. 'On The Radio' is another good one.
     
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  13. D.H.

    D.H. Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Malmö, Sweden
    I will try it out!
     
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  14. ClausH

    ClausH Senior Member

    Location:
    Denmark
    Another vote for the original cd. Ted Jensen did a great job.
     
  15. andy75

    andy75 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sweden
    Recently I got a used copy in great condition of her last album 'Crayons'. It's one of the few albums I don't know if I like or not... Have listened to it a few times, but I can't seem to grasp it.

    'Bad Girls' is very good though. Have my favourite Donna Summer studio albums and 'Endless Summer on CD.
     
  16. D.H.

    D.H. Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Malmö, Sweden
    I think "My Baby Understands" is my favorite track from this album. And she wrote it all by herself.
     
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  17. RoyalScam

    RoyalScam Luckless Pedestrian

    That's the one I have. Sounds excellent to me.

    But, I don't think the Deluxe Edition sounds so horrible...
     
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  18. RelayerNJ

    RelayerNJ Forum Resident

    Location:
    Whippany, NJ
    If you have a turntable, the original vinyl is worth picking up. Terrific sonics, real club sound.
     
  19. RoyalScam

    RoyalScam Luckless Pedestrian

    Provided "Sunset People" doesn't skip. When I was a kid, I distinctly remember my father buying and returning several copies of Bad Girls that all skipped on "...spotting every star they can on Sunset...". Took about 5 or 6 shots to get one right.
     
  20. Bobby Morrow

    Bobby Morrow Senior Member

    Always thought 'I Remember Yesterday' was one of her best 70's albums. Even though they had the nerve to include the title track twice. On an 8 song album.:)
     
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  21. 99thfloor

    99thfloor Senior Member

    Location:
    Sweden
    If you like those two I am pretty certain you will like everything in between as well, the first one is not necessarily one of her best, besides the title track, there is stronger material on all the others: A Love Trilogy, Four Seasons of Love, I Remember Yesterday and my favourite Once Upon A Time... The second and third albums continue with and improve on the style of the first and develop the thematic ingredients. On I Remember Yesterday styles get more diverse, inspired by the theme they're ranging from Jazz (title track) to the future ("I Feel Love"), and it's one of the few times when they actually accurately predicted the future! This culminates with a full blown "disco-opera" in Once Upon A Time, with it's Cinderella themed story, and which, despite the lack of big hits, I think is the most even album, closely rivaled by Bad Girls.

    You also need some sort of compilation for all the singles and non-album tracks, like "Last Dance", "MacArthur Park", "Heaven Knows", "No More Tears", "On the Radio" etc., Gold is recommended, or if you can find the earlier The Donna Summer Anthology, they have different pros and cons, but they're both good. The advanced course is the mentioned On the Radio: Greatest Hits, which isn't a regular compilation, since it has the songs remixed into a continuous play, but it is very cleverly and well made by original producer Giorgio Mororder and I think it is essential as well, and then the Live and More album, both these double albums also had one side of brand new studio material. You would also eventually need some 12" versions, there's the excellent The Dance Collection: A Compilation of Twelve Inch Singles.

    I know I have now pretended like there is nothing beyond the Casablanca era, there is, but I'll leave that to someone else...;)
     
    Last edited: Sep 5, 2015
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  22. D.H.

    D.H. Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Malmö, Sweden
    Thank you very much for the recommendations. Will check them out. :)
     
  23. andy75

    andy75 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sweden
    Today I bought the "Bad Girls" 822 557-2 M-1 CD. It sounds perfect! It was in mint condition too.
     
  24. Bobby Morrow

    Bobby Morrow Senior Member

    It's been in print forever.

    I thought they might have deleted it when the deluxe edition came out in 2003, but they never did.

    'On The Radio' is supposedly another great sounding disc. I don't have the original. Just the Japanese 2012 remaster.
     
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  25. andy75

    andy75 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sweden
    I was lycky. Payed around 4 £ for it. It's just like new. You know I love these old CD's Bobby. Found Eurythmics "Revenge" PD 71050 at the same store. Another great sounding disc!
     
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