I love The Platters...what say ye?

That song is always either wonderful or horrible. I've never heard any rendition that wasn't one or the other.

 

The West German CD of Golden Hits was mastered by Gert Van Hoeyen. I wonder whether the original US pressing has the correct mono mastering?

I wonder what this new download version of the album is taken from - a Japanese master, or have they just corrected the tracks?

 

Listening to the samples on Quobuz it sounds the same as the West German CD - stereo reverb on the mono songs (all except "September Song" which is stereo). If you sum to mono and compare you'll hear the effect more clearly.

[On a Mac you can just go to the apple > system preferences > accessibility options and select "Play stereo audio as mono" - you can switch between stereo and summed mono playback to highlight the difference]

 

I guess it's very subtle, because I can barely hear it. That's frustrating then. Pity no compilation just has them all in mono. It's basically Twilight Time, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes and Harbour Lights that are usually stereo. What are those like on Special Memories? Any other sources for those tracks in mono?

 

The stereo effect is not so obvious on speakers perhaps - more so on headphones. Although, however you listen will have more reverb.

Special Memories is not perfect mono either although I think this maybe more to do with unstable stereo tape copies of the mono songs being used.

 

For a decent and very comprehensive single disc Mercury era Platters, keep an eye out for the Heartland Music "The Very Best of The Platters."
https://www.discogs.com/Platters-The-Very-Best-Of-The-Platters/release/4298709
The Very Best of The Platters cd HD 1164/1165, 1991 Heartland Music | eBay »

 

I've DJed this track a few times and people are always baffled that it's The Platters. One of several great tracks they recorded with the Detroit production/songwriting team of Richard "Popcorn" Wylie and Tony Hester.

 

A great vocal group. I always classified them as "rock and roll" when young as they were in the rock and roll movies, but couldn't reconcile their style as being rock and roll. I have since learned about the history of rock and roll, and understand their context. Having said they are a great group, and I enjoy listening to their songs, I don't find myself putting their disks on to play.

 

I played my 2 - CD Anthology for the first time in years after this thread was revived. I would guess that most of the ~ 3000 CDs I have haven't been played in a decade, but I have them here if I want to listen.

 

I have about a half dozen 78s as well as an old Mercury best of LP (a mono and a stereo pressing).
The Platters are one of the greats of vocal harmonizing with solid songwriting. I love them the way I love the Ink Spots and the Boswell Sisters. Certain vocal harmony groups just do it for me, the Platters are top 3.

 

Here's the mono:


Here's the Stereo:


Here's some original mono:


And their flipsides:

 

Those are quite nice, Lou Ming. I have the stereo LP as pictured, but my cover looks to be a bit shinier than yours. I picked mine up at a yard sale in the early 1970s.

 

They are glossy, more than the pictures show.

This is from the same time as the others judging by the inner sleeves, super glossy cover also:

 

Love them. Some of my earliest musical memories. My parents had a compilation album they played to death. I cut my teeth on The Platters, The Drifters, Nina Simone and Sarah Vaughn. I was a lucky kid.

 

adore them! especially my Bear Family Platters Box!

 

I saw them live a couple of weeks ago. Am I right in assuming that only one of them is an original member? The lead singer has a great voice, but is much younger than the other ones.

 

The classic lineup that recorded most of their hits are all dead. One original member, Gaynel Hodge, is still alive, but he was fired from the group before they became famous. (Don't feel sorry for Hodge: he wrote "Earth Angel", thus securing his place in R&B history all the same!) For quite some time now, the group performing under the Platters name has been at best a tribute band.

 

Thanks. Their biggest hits were recorded around 60 years ago, so an original member would have to be 80+ years old. Only one of them seemed to be over 70 and he's in pretty good shape, coming down from the stage between songs to talk to women in the audience. The lead singer (youngest member) has a great voice and I enjoyed the show very much.

 

They were before my time, but this is the one I grew up with.

I'm currently in search of the mono version.

 

Reviving this thread to ask if Tony Williams' solo albums were ever released on CD?

 

I couldn't say. I guess you've already Googled this?

 

Does this set have the hits in mono or stereo?

 

Eight of the thirty-four songs to chart on Billboard are in <<Stereo>> on the old Polygram 2 CD anthology from 1991. The other thirty-six hits are in mono. The only 0ne that should not be Stereo IMO is "Twilight Time" but the others were squarely in the era where mono was passé. I have had my set since it was originally released and have never felt the need to seek out an alternative.

 

A terrific vocal group!

 

I still have my copy. Most of these are re-channeled. This is not the case with The Magic Touch Anthology I referred to just above.