Carpenters - Rarest CD?

[Harry]

This auction on eBay seems to have a few bidders willing to part with some bucks:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=43632&item=4703493481&rd=1

It's the UK/CD version of YESTERDAY ONCE MORE from back in 1984. I knew that it existed, but I was unaware that it was as rare as the seller claims.

I have the LP version of this album, and all that it really has going for it is that nothing is remixed, since Richard hadn't done any remixes yet for the US 1985 version of this title. Two tracks are updated from their original album versions: "Ticket To Ride" appears here in its 1973 remix, and "Top Of The World" is presented in its single mix.

Currently the bids are over $200 US, and the 'reserve' still hasn't been met!

Harry
...likely sitting this one out, online...

 

[Chris May]

Yeah, I talked to that guy about it. Apparently, it was a non-sealed EMI promo release. I tossed around the idea about bidding, and too decided to opt out! -Chris

 

[davidgra]

Hi all.

I bought this one on CD in 1984 and never knew it was so rare -- I found it at a Sound Warehouse store in Houston, which makes me tend not to believe much of what the seller on eBay says about it being withdrawn...

I don't have it with me at the moment, but if I remember correctly it has two unique aspects to it:

1) "Those Good Old Dreams" is presented in its original album mix, not in the remix that has been used on every CD release (including the "Remastered Classics" release). I think we visited this topic last year some time.

2) "Make Believe It's Your First Time" does not contain Karen's spoken comment at the beginning

I always figured this CD set was rare because it came out so early in the life of the Compact Disc -- very few people had CD players in 1984. It was a big deal for me at the time because many of the songs had not been released yet on CD (the only Carpenters CDs on the market in the U.S. in mid- to late-1984 were THE SINGLES: 1969-1973 and VOICE OF THE HEART). But I find it hard to imagine that the set is as rare as the seller on eBay would like us to believe -- if copies were making it to a chain store in the U.S., there have to be at least a fair number of them floating around out there.

David

 

[Jeff]

Got it upon release.

Jeff

 

[350hunny]

This set is the only compilation that has Please Mr. Postman SINGLE MIX, if I'm not mistaken.

I have the set from US on LP, casette, cd and from UK on LP but not on cd.
A friend of mine, a Carpenters collector, got one for himself years ago and was very pleased with it.

I wish I could have one just for that mix.

 

[davidgra]

That's what it was -- the single mix of "Please Mr Postman." It wasn't the single mix of "Make Believe It's Your First Time." (I just pulled out my CD to check)

I did a quick glance over a few other tracks to make sure I wasn't missing anything. "Calling Occupants" and "Solitaire" are both the album versions here, not single versions.

David

 

[Rick-An Ordinary Fool]

This set is the only compilation that has Please Mr. Postman SINGLE MIX, if I'm not mistaken.

This post made me dig up an older post here at A&M, here is a excerpt written by Harry regarding the Please Mr Postman Single-Promo/Mono 45 (of which I finally got a copy)

"Please Mr. Postman" was a revelation - not so much in mono but on the stereo side. I'd heard before that there was supposed to be some kind 'single mix' that had never appeared on an album, but had never heard it. It was included in this bunch, and this whole 45 is an anomaly. The stereo mix is indeed different than what appeared on HORIZON. It sounds like it's been CSG'ed on the stereo single, giving it that out-of-phase quality that we've come to know and hate. The single is EQ'ed strangely too, all mid-rangey and mushy with no real presence. Listening to the album mix is like hearing the group in your living room. Playing the single sounds like you're listening to them on the radio. The mono side is EQ'ed just as badly, but because it's mono, there's no annoying CSG processing. Which brings up the anomaly: if there's a mono side, why do CSG processing in the first place? By the way - there's no mention of the CSG processing on the label, but it sure sounds like it to me.

Here is the full link this was taken from page 3.

http://forum.amcorner.com/viewtopic.php?t=1316&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=mono&&start=50

 

[davidgra]

Chris -

You're right about the single mix sounding "mushy." The vocals are all mixed to the center -- ALL the vocals. There's no separation of the lead and backing vocals across the stereo field like there is on the album version. The instruments are mixed similarly to the album version, but the vocals seem mixed for AM radio play.

And the single mix sounds quite compressed and processed, although on the CD it doesn't sound particularly out-of-phase (like with CSG processing). It just lacks depth, and it's completely understandable that Richard remixed it for the album in 1975.

David

 

[Harry]

The bidding on the CD ended yesterday with a maximum bid of around $743 USD - and the 'reserve' still hadn't been met.

Maybe this seller wanted to retire on the proceeds!

Harry

 

[Chris May]

I have to chime in here on this one;

First of all, I am ticked that this guy actually thinks this thing is worth that much. NO, I don't have this particular copy, but I do own a rather extensive collection of Carpenters related material and I can't for the life of me figure out why someone thinks this is actually worth this much money!

I have the original "YESTERDAY ONCE MORE" both on LP (sealed) as well as the original U.S. release on 2-CD and that is enough to put the wind in my sails. I dunno, call me crazy, but $750 bucks for a single mix of "POSTMAN" is a bit extravegant! There really isn't that much difference in the set, and if I am not mistaken, isn't it the original 1984 T.V. promo version of this set that has the "SINGLES '69-'73" medley on it? That medley isn't even on this EMI copy. Maybe David [Grant] knows. -Chris

 

[Harry]

and if I am not mistaken, isn't it the original 1984 T.V. promo version of this set that has the "SINGLES '69-'73" medley on it? That medley isn't even on this EMI copy. Maybe David [Grant] knows. -Chris

I have the LP version of the UK set, and yes, the SINGLES 1969-1973 "Medley" of "Superstar/Rainy Days/Goodbye To Love" finishes out one of the four sides of the LP.

I agree with you though - this thing COULDN'T be as rare as he's making it out to be - and even if it is, it ain't worth the better part of $1000 bucks.

Harry