High bid prices for the Song for You Gold Master CD

[SwimAMile]

So explain this to me!!!! Why are people getting $30-$100+ for this CD on ebay and elsewhere??? There certainly was a time when that quality wasn't available otherwise, but it's been equaled or superceded by the remastered version of the original and some cuts appearing elsewhere. For example, the title cut is different on the Gold compared to the original, but Richard used the Gold version on From the Top/Essentials/Love Songs.

Oh well, guess I don't understand what drives some collectors. Maybe it's time for me to add my Gold copy to the auction. LOL

 

[CraigGA]

I agree. The sound quality and Dolby enhancements are better on the remastered classics. However, the vocal mix on I Won't Last A Day Without You is different, especially in the beginning overdubbed oooh oooh oooh oooh. I do not recall that on any other release. I will have to re-listen to some other compilations to be sure.

Craig

 

[Rudy]

$25 and up is almost standard for a Mobile Fidelity pressing of a CD on eBay. I unloaded a couple of Steely Dan CDs. One went for $34.95...the other, I don't remember, but it was also in excess of $30. Something like that which is created in a limited edition (far less than any A&M reissue) is also a factor in pushing the price upwards.

 

[SwimAMile]

Rudy Posted: Fri 1/31/03 05:12 pm Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

$25 and up is almost standard for a Mobile Fidelity pressing of a CD on eBay. I unloaded a couple of Steely Dan CDs. One went for $34.95...the other, I don't remember, but it was also in excess of $30. Something like that which is created in a limited edition (far less than any A&M reissue) is also a factor in pushing the price upwards.

I had been aware that other MF titles were doing well, but I assumed, however incorrectly, that these didn't exist in some other form or one that was currently available. Is that true or are they just in demand regardless?

 

[Rudy]

Yes, it doesn't matter if titles are in print elsewhere or not. There could be a domestic release or two, Japanese and European imports, and the MFSL titles would still sell for a premium. Ditto other specialty labels like DCC, or even some of the gold CDs issued by the record companies.

In the case of the Steely Dans, I never felt they sounded as good as they could have. IMHO, the most recent remasters on MCA sounded better. Not to mention having new expanded booklets.

 

[SwimAMile]

However, the vocal mix on I Won't Last A Day Without You is different, especially in the beginning overdubbed oooh oooh oooh oooh. I do not recall that on any other release. I will have to re-listen to some other compilations to be sure.

Craig

OK, I was really intrigued by your comments, so I went back and synched up the two albums for most of the songs.

As for I Won't Last - I could be very, very wrong, but it really seems to me that the only differences are that the Gold edition 1) has been sped up, so it plays faster and thus has a higher pitch, and 2) was remixed to deemphasize that original oooh business but uses the same tracks.

The other tunes, except the obvious A Song For You difference, track the same on both, so its not my player. LOL

Interestingly, the Gold I Won't Last is faster than even the remixed version that was used for the single release.

Strange occurances...

 

[Harry]

After a discussion on the old board about "I Won't Last A Day Without You", I compiled this chart listing out the six (count 'em 6!) versions of the song available on CD:

“I Won’t Last A Day Without You” versions

1   ASFY (orig. CD)    Single  Fast
2   ASFY (Rem.)        Album   Slow
3   ASFY (MFSL)        Album*  Fast   *Liner Wrong
3   Singles 74-78      Album   Fast
3   A&M Gold Series    Album   Fast
4   Classics (YOM)     Single  Slow
3   Startrax           Album   Fast
3   Their Great.Hits   Album   Fast
5   22 Hits            Single  Slow   Remix
5   Readers Digest     Single  Slow   Remix
5   Love Songs         Single  Slow   Remix
5   YOM (new)          Single  Slow   Remix
6   Singles 69-81      Single  Slow   Remix   Extended End
5   Gold (UK)          Single  Slow   Remix
5   Essential          Single  Slow   Remix

The left column lists the version number (assigned by me).

Harry
...happy he saved this file, online...

 

[Harry]

Considering the above, it's interesting to note that the only place to find the single version of "I Won't Last A Day Without You" in its fast version, the way it appeared on the 45, is on the original CD issued for A SONG FOR YOU back in the mid '80s (big "heart" on the cover).

(For the uninitiated, the single version had an electric guitar/synth part added to the chorus at about the 1:30 and 2:30 points in the record.)

I'd think that fact would make that CD a bit more valuable since it's out of print in that configuration. But the MSFL name-recognition tends to inflate those CDs. One thing that used to be unique to the MSFL package was the restoration of the original LP's lyrics pages, missing from A&M's original CD. That was corrected with the Remastered Classics CD.

Harry
...hip deep in Carpenters CDs, online...

 

[CraigGA]

Again, I will have to relisten, but there are guitar leads missing right before the first chorus in all versions that were added to the original A Song for You album version for single release, except the Reader's Digest or Love Songs: there is one, I just cannot remember it.

The opening is strenghtened on the Gold release of A Song For You, and if it is not noticable to a casual listener, that listener is in great need of either a stereo system with higher fidelity, a better set of ears, or possibly both.

Also, this is probably the reason some remixes are cited as preferred. The only place I can see a preference in these over synthesized remixes with bass enhancements is in a bad car stereo system.

Back to my original post on the topic....
The only intention was to point out the fact that there is an enhanced intro of 4 part vocal harmony on the ooh's of I Won't Last A Day Without You on the GOLD version of A Song For You that does not appear anywhere else.

Craig

 

[pogWo4life]

I feel lucky cause I only paid 14.99 for a used copy of the MFSL version of "A song for you"

Crying shame that Mobile Fidelity went out of business, cause I have a bunch of cd's that would have looked cool with the MFSL imprint on them.

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Sorry, I know this is an old post but I had to comment that I bought this Gold CD, gosh a very long time ago, I saw it at a record store & paid I think about 19.99 for, at that time it was alot of money, I hesitated but then got it.

I'm glad I did, I see it on ebay for alot higher.

Craig is really right, the opening is stronger, I can hear it. All of her words on Song for You is really up front & clear.

What I like too is we get Richard's liner notes on all the songs, I always like that. He mentioned on I Wont Last a Day that this is the single mix version and mentions that this was the last song culled for the album ASFY, neat isn't it?

I like how the insert is the lift style jewel case so you open it & it hands you the gold disc, that's classy.

Why was ASFY the only Original Master Recording ever done by the C's?

 

[Steven J. Gross]

Ebay has turned music collecting into something like stamp collecting- which is not a bad thing!

 

[CraigGA]

Chris...I am not sure, but I think that the Mobile Fidelity Gold Releases were done on specific artists targeting their signature lp's...or at least that is the way they were marketed. The Carpenters were close to third in line of record sales of the seventies, behind Elton John and Chicago, so that alone would consider them a target for such a project.

Craig

 

[Rudy]

Chris...I am not sure, but I think that the Mobile Fidelity Gold Releases were done on specific artists targeting their signature lp's...or at least that is the way they were marketed. The Carpenters were close to third in line of record sales of the seventies, behind Elton John and Chicago, so that alone would consider them a target for such a project.

That's pretty much correct, Craig. MoFi used to pick selected titles for their remastering. Thing is, when they did the CDs, I'm beginning to feel that they were past their prime. Some of their later CDs are questionable at best--either poor choices in albums, or sound that didn't live up to the quality of their LPs. A better (IMHO) premium label is DCC...or was DCC...that label is also defunct, and the discs are highly sought after. There's a site that sells the DCCs, and they still have quite a few titles available (this person bought out DCC's entire remaining inventory):

http://www.dccblowout.com

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

Does anyone know when the exact release date this 24k gold disc came out officially?

It makes sense now why this album was used, there were sooo many hit songs from the album.

...who still thinks the heart cover art is awesome....

 

[mr J.]

I'm confused-what's the difference between the fast version and slow version?I know the original version(with the guitar embellishments) appeared on the 1985 YESTERDAY ONCE MORE.But,every compilation since then has a single mix or remixed single mix.(there's a version on the mobile fidelity gold A SONG FOR YOU-without the guitar parts.Is that the single mix?)Incidentally, I think it's pretty obvious Richard was never happy with the production on A SONG FOR YOU-every song has been remixed or rerecorded or remixed twice.(or all 3!)

 

[Harry]

The first time anyone ever heard "I Won't Last A Day Without You" by Carpenters was on the original LP of A SONG FOR YOU. That version (now thought of as the 'original') is the one that doesn't have the guitar/oboe embellishments toward the ending. The track remained an album track for quite a while, until Richard finally relented and released it as a single. For the single release, the guitar and oboe were added, giving the track a little something extra as it worked its was up the singles charts.

Notice in my chart earlier in the thread, that the MFSL Gold disc notes are wrong about this track. It says it's the single mix, but in fact the disc presents the original album mix.

Harry
NP: early morning silence on a foggy morning