Mono/Stereo "Numero Cinco"

[Harry]

While speaking with Capt. Bacardi the other night, I was reminded of a small anomaly regarding "Numero Cinco" on Herb's SOUTH OF THE BORDER. When I first got the CD, I was amazed and delighted to hear the little opening by the "engineer" in Spanish. Here on the Corner, I learned that that opening hailed from the mono version of SOUTH OF THE BORDER and wasn't on the stereo version. Since I'd always had a stereo verion of the LP, I'd not heard it until I got the CD. That brought up the question as to why it would be there when the CD was stereo and it had always been on the mono LP.

Last month, I tracked down a bunch of mono LPs of the early TJB albums. I had a scratchy old WHIPPED CREAM, and an SRO and SOUNDS LIKE in mono, but that was about it. I really wanted to hear the old albums again with the mono mixes that I gave up years ago, and found a bunch of clean mono versions on eBay. When I got the package, one of the things I looked for was the opening on "Numero Cinco" but guess what -- it's not there. This mono copy has no Spanish "engineer" opening.

Anyone else have a mono copy without the opening?

Harry
...wondering, online...

 

[Tom Wallace]

Yes, I grew up with a mono copy of SOTB--my favorite when I was a kid and still my favorite today--and it did not have the vocal introduction. Got myself a used stereo copy in the 80s, also without the "engineer," and almost jumped the first time I played my Japanese CD in 1992 and suddenly heard this Spanish-speaking guy interrupt my listening. Very amusing.

Well, I used to post with some regularity, but haven't in well over a year. Shame on me. I've been checking in regularly and continue to love the site. Now that I replaced my relic computer at home, I may actually post a bit more often.

Cheers,

Tom

 

[Harry]

Welcome back, Tom. Nice to see you posting again. Now I know that there are truly variations in the mono SOUTH OF THE BORDER. Cap't Bacardi said his mono copy had the engineer. How about others out there?

Harry
...curious about variations in pressings, online...

 

[Larry]

Harry, I had the stereo version which I had bought back in 1966. It did not have the vocal intro and my mother-in-law had the mono version and I don't recall it having it either.

Larry B.

 

[Rudy]

I had the opposite experience: for almost a couple of decades, all I heard, and remembered, was the introduction on my parents' mono copy of the LP. And it really threw me for a loop to purchase the stereo LP and not hear the intro...it always felt like something was missing. And with this experience, that makes it all the more odd that the intro would reappear on the CD after all these years. Since the CDs were basically taken from LP masters, it makes me wonder if any stereo copies were pressed with the introduction. Doesn't make sense they would edit the stereo master just for CD release.

-= N =-
...curiouser and curiouser...

 

[romanj]

Hello, everybody.
Most of my childhood was surrounded with the music of the TJB. And being from Mexico, that was not extrange at all.
The very familiar introduction of "¡espérate un momento,... un baile mexicano número cinco!" was a trade mark for me - I mean, every LP either stereo or mono sold in Mexico (or at least the many copies I heard with my parents, relatives and friends of my parents) has this introduction in spanish. Later on, in 1997, I was able to buy a new copy of the LP "South of the border" in Detroit and... I was shocked when I did not hear that intro. Somebody have had stolen such a pretty memory.
Well, that's all I can sat about this topic.

Best wishes.

 

[Captain Bacardi]

Cap't Bacardi said his mono copy had the engineer. How about others out there?

I think I misspoke when I said that to you. It was actually the 45 version that had the spoken intro. My bad.


Capt. Bacardi
...correcting myself online...

 

[Harry]

OK, it's all clear as mud now. I have Rudy's mono LP memories and the Captain's 45, both with the engineer opening. Anyone else have an LP WITH the engineer?

Harry
...avoiding the liquid sunshine in Florida, online...

 

[venturaguy49]

Because our family didn't have a stereo when we first bought T.J.B. albums, when I finally recieved a portable stereo, and aquired 2-channel versions of my our mono disks, the variations were clear, and not only were they subtle. There is an absent horn-honk from the mono version of "T.J.Taxi", and on the "Lonely Bull" LP, "Crawfish" features a completely different 'obbligato', or solo. One album "What Now My Love" has two separate stereo issue, which explains the alternate 'take' of "Plucky", which may be the Master take (the familiar one is a cut-and-spliced mix, but then there's also "Brasilia", sans Bob Edmondson's cool 'bone overdubs. Perhaps someone will issue the 'official' version of this beloved album on c.d., and provide the odd mixes as 'bonus tracks'. In addition to the 'mono/stereo items, then there are singles that also contain variations, as in the overdubbed bass tones from piano on the 45 version of "Mexican Corn", or the (what I can only say by memory, as I've only heard this one once, and that was some 35 years ago) totally remade take of "La Virgin De La Macarena"...lol that subtitle gets me. Does it mean that there's only one virg!n involved? Well, then maybe Macareners are real swingers! No wonder that dance is so popular.Yet, the difference that grabbed me, was revealed on the "South of the Border" c.d., with the opening section panning across the stereo, and that was years before the Beatles intoduced that effect in their productions, and S.O.T.B. was also true stereo, which most Beatles recordings weren't, with the vocals on one channel, and their intstumentation on the other. True, the Fab Four used overdubbing, but then again, so did the T.J.B., and yet the 'Brass' were represented in true stereophonic. Oh, it's F.Y.I. that to listen correctly to stereo, make a equalateral triangle with the speakers; that is, if the speakers are 6 feet apart, then position yourself 6 fee t in front and centered between to gain the full effect. I'll conclude by mentionining the one effect found on T.J.B. albums, but this one appears on the cover, and it beats the 'Paul is dead' clues, so here, the T.J.B. has one up on the Beatles for more than just superior stereo, and it this item concerns the track listing of S.O.T.B.'s way of running two titles together. Note how the fourth selections of both side, which become "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face, Health, Love and MONEY! Me thinks that that fair lady should get a pre-nuptual, right away!
Warm Wishes,
Steve, who will now ponder those sexy Macareners

 

[venturaguy49]

It may have been another of my glorious 'senior moments' that I've been having ever since my mid-30's, which means that I got a headstart on ocassional mem'ry lapses, and such, but me fergot a cool quipe, so here it goes: as an 'Apple' guy, I can still remember my "el v!rgin de el Macintosh", which roughly means my 'first-time experience with a Mac'
Apple/Macintosh is my comp/O.S. of choice, and I've sound reasons for it!
To be honest with y'all, I can't trust Micro$oft. I have read many of the depositions in their (M.$.'s) anti-trust suit, and the allegations I believe to be true, as the are corroborated by many respectable members of the Internet community...from Netscape to Compaq, and Sun, TrueVision, and of course, APPLE...well, unless all of these plaintiffs are lying, I'll have to conclude that Micro$oft shouldn't be trusted any closer that ole Hubble can see them! In my estimation, M.$. is after a colossal power grab that can restrict the freedom of every Internet User in ways that Apple won't ever...make no mistake that Apple is a business, and the aim of any business is to make dinero, and Apple is no exception to the rule, but the main difference between Apple and M.$. is that unlike M.$., Apple doesn't want to dominate the Web...lol they just want to become the comp-maker/O.S. of choice, and that's alright with me.
Warm Wishes,
Steve, your Macinhookahboy at large...lol I shall return!