The Acoustic Guitar Forum

The Acoustic Guitar Forum (https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/index.php)
-   LISTEN (https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=60)
-   -   The perfect single? (https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=576584)

frankmcr 03-29-2020 02:33 PM

The perfect single?
 
Not my favorite, although it's great, but I would nominate just for perfection in concept and execution:


SprintBob 03-30-2020 03:09 PM

I’m with you that not all of the Carpenter’s material is my cup of tea but every time I hear Karen Carpenter’s voice, it is simply amazing to my ear how good she was. Together with the production values and quality she and her brother crafted their music with, they were and always will be quite impressive. Such a preventable tragedy her premature death was.

Inyo 03-31-2020 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankmcr (Post 6332687)

I would nominate just for perfection in concept and execution:


That version certainly preserves an excellent audibly detectable extension of Tony Peluso's extraordinary fuzz guitar solo (played on a 1957 Gibson, through a fuzz unit they called "Big Muff"), before it eventually fades out completely.

But of course, one must observe--it's not the original 45rpm record.

There are several variant iterations of the original 1972 45rpm single record available on YouTube. Richard Carpenter has re-mastered his collaborative composition "Goodbye To Love" (penned with John Bettis) several times over the years--most notably in 1985 and then again in 1991.

Significant differences exist between the original 45 record and re-mastered variations. For one, The 1972 vinyl 45 issue is 3:50 long (as is the 1972 album cut, as well, of course), but all later versions run out to about 3:58 or so. That's because Richard Carpenter thought that the original recording was too slow to release as a single, so the audio engineers used a variable speed oscillator to speed it up a bit (AKA, "vso-ing")--much to Richard's self-admitted regret, eventually. So for all his re-mastered issues of "Goodbye To Love," Richard went back and used the 3:58 speed.

Too, beginning with the 1985 release, one can hear Karen take a breath just before the song begins; but that noticeable inhalation is absent from the 1972 45rpm single (and the 1972 album cut, as well: from the lp, "A Song For You").

Perhaps the most dramatic difference between the vinyl 45rpm version and later re-mastered releases is timing of the guitar solo fade-out. On the 1972 vinyl records (both the 45 and album cut), the fade-outs begin late and conclude rather abruptly with the needle running off the grooves. But later versions have the end fade-out begin a few seconds sooner, which produces a more gradual diminishing of audio volume.

For musicological comparison:

The original 1972 45rpm single issue of "Goodbye To Love":



The 1985 re-mastered version of "Goodbye To Love":



The 1991 re-mastered version of "Goodbye To Love":



The 1972 album version of "Goodbye To Love" (from the lp "A Song For You"):


Brucebubs 03-31-2020 04:47 PM

For me it's got to be ... 'Good Vibrations' by the Beach Boys.
So much crammed into that song.
- The chorus you can sing along to
- The high note you can't
- The quiet part
- The reprise
- The harmonies
- ... and of course .. the 'spacey' Theremin.

frankmcr 03-31-2020 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inyo (Post 6334501)

Waddayou, some kinda audiophile? :D

But seriously, wow, thanks! A post worth waiting for!

frankmcr 03-31-2020 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brucebubs (Post 6334723)
For me it's got to be ... 'Good Vibrations' by the Beach Boys.
So much crammed into that song.
- The chorus you can sing along to
- The high note you can't
- The quiet part
- The reprise
- The harmonies
- ... and of course .. the 'spacey' Theremin.

It's a fantastic record. Listen to Sergeant Pepper right after and you can hear the influence of Good Vibrations all over the place.

Kerbie 03-31-2020 06:07 PM

Interesting post, Inyo... thanks!

Karen Carpenter did have a remarkably clear voice.

Sonics 04-04-2020 01:19 PM

After much deliberation this gets my final vote. This is a masterpiece in lyrics and production...thanks to the secretary!



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:09 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum

vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=