What is your favorite Strawberry Fields Forever mix?

The mono mix doesn't do that much for me and I have no problems with the 1971 stereo mix. I've never heard the original 1966 stereo mix so I'll stay out of the poll. What's your favorite mix of SFF and why?

Chris

 

I like the '71 stereo.

However, I also really like the take 1 stereo mix with the backing vocals. For some ungodly reason, these backing vocals were eliminated from the released Anthology 2 mix.

 

The '71 stereo mix is my choice. One of the few times a post-breakup remix betters an already released, and one would suppose to be, a definitive mix. Ron

 

I'll go for the 1971 remix. W German MMT is one of the best sounding pieces of vinyl.

 

The take 1 with the lovely harmony vocals is very nice, I agree. The stereo from MMT is definitely the best. But I also like the original mono Odeon single, which has it's own charme, that somehow makes the song sound even more mysterious.

 

Original mono, of course.....

 

Ditto

 

I am drawing a blank. Where was a '66 stereo mix used? I thought (possibly incorrectly) that the first stereo mix was done in 1971 and appeared on the German MMT. Did a '66 mix appear on a foreign MMT album before then?

 

You had to be there to appreciate the original mono. It's how they wanted it and how I hear it in my mind

 

The '66 stereo mix first appeared on the US Capitol "Magical Mystery Tour" album. It's also available on UK copies of the album pressed before it was digitally remastered from the West German (1971) tape.

 

For some reason I thought the SFF on MMT was fake stereo. Maybe I just confused it with the other fake stereo (Baby You're a Rich Man, etc.) tracks. Thanks for the info.

 

Sometimes it gets confusing . The 3 duophonic mixes on Magical Mystery Tour were for Penny Lane (stereo mix not done until 30 Sept. 1971), Baby You're a Rich Man (first stereo mix done 22 Oct 1971) and All You Need Is Love (stereo mix 29 October 1968) The US stereo mix of SFF is called remix stereo 3, intended solely for the US market. One needs to be careful here regarding mono and stereo mixes....and the artists intentions....The Beatles WERE starting to attend stereo mixing sessions by 1966 and actually loved the panning effects it brought. George Harrison specifically requested that the swordmandle sound (sort of a small table harp) be panned from L to R on the soundstage...and John suggested that the horns nearing the fade pan as well. Starting with the Revolver sessions the Beatles were definitely intrigued by, and attended many stereo mixing sessions....indeed, the first track cut for Revolver, Tomorrow Never Knows, shows just how INTO they were. Cheers, Ron

 

I believe (hope I'm correct) that the two cds you mention use the 1971 mix.

**edit - just noticed you wanted the British LP of 67-70 and not the cd. However, I did realize you meant the MMT cd and not Past Masters**

 

I think Steve is checking to see if we are on our toes. SFF isn't on Past Masters...

 

To me the most significant difference is the pitch. The '66 version is lower...
The higher 1967-70 version sounded to me more "original", because it was the only version I knew for years.
(Strawberry Fields isn't on Past Masters because it is on the MMT CD already)

Martin

 

According to Brennan’s Guide to Beatles Recording Variations, the ’66 mix is on the UK blue LP. I haven’t listened to my UK 67-70 in quite some time, so I can’t confirm that what it says is correct:

stereo 29 Dec 1966. edited.
US: Capitol SMAL 2835 Magical Mystery Tour 1967, Apple SKBO-3404 The Beatles 1967-1970 1973.
UK: Apple PCSP 718 1967-1970 1973.

[c] stereo 26 Oct 1971 at AIR. edited.
Germany: Hor Zu SHZE 327 (later Odeon and Apple 1C 062-04 449) Magical Mystery Tour 1971.
CD: EMI CDP 7 48062 2 Magical Mystery Tour 1987, EMI CDP 7 97039 2 The Beatles 1967-1970 1993.

The newer stereo mix [c] was once known as the German stereo mix and is now the standard CD stereo mix. It has better percussion sound than the older stereo mix and more stereo separation. The older mix has a nice effect at the edit, quickly moving the cello and trumpet track across the image from left to right, where it stays, distracting the listener from the edit itself; in the newer mix [c] this track just starts suddenly on the right. The swordmandel at the start of both verse 2 and 3, which sounds like a harp, moves from left to right in the newer mix [c], while it's just centered in the older one . John counts down the rest before the start of verse 2 and 3, properly mixed out in the older mix but heard in the newer one [c]. The fadeout-fadein near the end goes to a moment of silence in the newer stereo mix [c], but comes back immediately in the others. The newer stereo mix [c] has a slightly longer final fade so we hear a second "cranberry sauce" in the drum track, left. The differences in the two stereo mixes helps in working out what is on the 4 tracks although there are still some questions.

 

Well, tonally the 66 stereo and mono mixes are similar - as they should be I guess... So I should go with the 66 stereo.

But the 71 mix is a lot softer and I prefer it that way!

 

I believe his name is Joe Brennan and the info on his pages regarding the different mixes of SFF is correct although his assumptions about what is where on the 4 track tapes is not quite correct. Please correct me if I'm wrong but Take 26 has 2 brass tracks and not an artificially split single track.
I also prefer the 1971 "German stereo" now standard CD stereo mix done at Air by George Martin along with Penny Lane, Baby You're A Rich Man and All You Need Is Love. Its a cleaner mix imo with a warmer EQ.
Finally, the US Blue album has the original stereo and I think the UK Blue has the later stereo but I don't have it with me to make sure.
Bob.

 

Steve wrote:
Is it safe to assume that the stereo 1966 tape was mixed for Capitol and sent to the USA and that is why Parlphone/Apple had to do a stereo remix in 1971?

I think so. It was also a great opportunity to mix Penny Lane into stereo for the first time. Also, I was wrong about All You Need Is Love. It had already been mixed to stereo for the Yellow Submarine LP in 1968.
Bob.

 

This will shock many of you who know my tastes, but I prefer the original 1966 mix over the mono mix. I don't like the 1971 remix.