The discussion of We Could Be So Good Together in this thread is super-confusing, because people keep talking about a "longer" version with an extra bridge. But that's just the regular LP version, isn't it? Both my LPs, my 1988 CD (with the wrong vocal take of Wintertime Love), the 7" version, and my downloaded copy of a first pressing LP -- all of them have the ~2:23 running time. It's only the oddball European CD (plus, apparently, a few Japanese releases) that has the shorter version with about 14 seconds edited out right after Manzarek's "Straight, No Chaser" quote. So there's no such thing as a "longer" version, just a shorter, edited version that's missing a piece of the song -- right?
Precisely. I don't really understand what the objections are to the 'added' highs and f bombs. As you say they either are there already, just mixed down or were there and had been edited out against the bands wishes. I have no issue with the 99 edits whatsoever.
My “objection” is that it totally changes the rhythm - the “she get” phrasing has been so engrained that the full line with “high” is rhythmically disruptive and just doesn’t work for me.
Agreed -- and in any event, they ended up playing it live without the "high", right? In both cases, it strikes me that the implication is more effective than saying it outright. For "Break on Through", I just like the song and vocal melody better without the "high"' so that it keeps breaking off, leaving something unsaid. And then Morrison's wail at the end resolves it somehow without words. "The End", sort of the same thing -- vs. the live versions, it's more effective if what he wants to do to his mother is so shocking and transgressive that he can't even put it into words, and has to be left implied. Then later on when we get the grunts and the F-bombs in the remixed recording, it's just too...obvious, I guess. It feels more like drunk Jimbo, wanting to thrust his crotch in everyone's face, than Jim Morrison the artful performer who holds something back. And the little lyrical trick in "L'America" -- "Change the weather, change your luck / And then he'll teach you how to f-f-f-f...find yourself" shows he knew the value of that sort of thing, comedic and otherwise.
The problem here was that "high" in Break on Through was muted, but on The End his f-part was just brought down in volume and the volume was restored for '99 remaster. That's the main deal. Me - since BoT was censored originally, I have no complains with getting "high" back but at first it definitely sounded odd to me.
It seems people in this forum don't much care for Bernie Grundman's 1999 remasters. I consistently like all of them and think the first two albums sound better than the 2017 remasters. I havent heard WFTS 50th. If I'm right about the lack of enthusiasm for the BG masters, why is it?
It's because they are pretty loudly mastered. I liked them ok. If I ever directly compared them, I'm guessing I'd prefer them over the APs & 50ths. They sound weak and odd to me. Not to mention the debut coming from a copy. As much as it went against my audiophile tendencies, I'll continually went back to the '99 CDs. That is until I got the HDtracks. For me, it was he right mixture. They retained enough of the power I was hearing in the '99s without the loud mastering moves. I'm set for The Doors albums now. The censoring thing doesn't really come into play for me. I'd take whichever sounded best. In this case, the HDtracks are in the originally released form. Aside from Light My Fire which I returned to the speed of the stereo album.
I can only judge by what I hear and they do not strike me as being particularly loud. I don't hear it.
The 1999 debut then uses a few different edits but is the stereo mix with a new mastering. This first came out in the cube box and then got an individual release - is that correct? I think this version was used for a Japanese card sleeve. The Doors of Perception is where I get lost. There is a 5.1 I think but I do not have 5.1 at home. Then there is a stereo mix which I think is the 5.1 but in stereo if that makes sense. Was the 1999 version also included in the box? I shall go through the Doors cd Confusion thread again. For 6 (all great) studio albums this catalogue really is a mess (states a lay person). I think you really have to go through each studio album one by one on cd to see what there is. I like the mono versions of the debut and Strange Days and of course on cd that is easy because so far we only have one mastering of each on cd!
You can get it on Weird Scenes Inside The Gold Mine which was reissued on cd. It is possible it was omitted because Ray sings on it and not Jim.
Thanks. I have The Cube, standalones, Perception, DCC, Audio Fidelity and mini card sleeves from Japan etc of the studio albums plus the high resolution downloads! Oh and a bunch of pre 1999 cds. Time for a sort out. On the Frisbee band favourites cd from the 1997 box what masterings were used. I assume they were different to the 1999 cube box versions.
The first time I've listened to this song it was version with 'high' and to me this is "original" and "correct version". Vintage version sound castrated to me, I cannot stand it. So this is all matter of perspective.
Compare 99 remasters with HDtracks, 50th Anniversary reissues (SD and WftS specifically) and laslty DCC without changing the volume - you'll hear.
1999 Cube box contains new 24-96 remasters of original mixes (but with added "high" on BoT and higher volume "f-part" on The End) made by Bernie Grundman. They were reused again for CDs in the Perception boxset released in 2006. And yes, 1999 remasters had their individual releases as well. Now going back to Perception: - on CDs you have 1999 remasters I've already mentioned; - on DVDs you have: --a) new 40th anniversary stereo remixes by Bruce Botnick --b) new 5.1 mixes by Bruce Botnick Both variants on DVD are newly made in 2006 from original separate tracks master tapes. Yep, 1997 box contains 1988 remasters (actually first digital remasters from original tapes done by Botnick and Rothchild).
Yes, they might have more volume which you control by reducing volume on your amp but when people complain about loudness they often mean compression where overuse results in music where everything in the mix SHOUTS at you. I don't hear that aggressive touch in the 99s.
Yes and it's not that aggressive, but still more compressed if you'll listen closely to all the elements in comparison to other versions.
Wow so the 2012 Waiting for the Sun is a misprint saying it's the 40th ann. but actually the 1988 mix? AND they messed up the vocals on "Wintertime Love"? That's a big blunder. And the 2012 The Soft Parade actually is the as-advertised 40th anniversary remix?
which CDs are you talking about? 2012 is the year of A Collection box, which only has 40th ann. mixes. Other than that I can only think about HDtracks 2012 hi-res Studio Collection, which has all original mixes but that mastering never got released on CDs (only LP, if we can count 2008 vinyl box and separate releases prior to 50th anniversary campaign). The Wintertime Love vocal track issue was only present on 1988 remaster.
