Gloria Gaynor's side "B"

[rhessel]

Hi everybody:

Long time since my last post. But be shure, I read every post in this forum, specially the Marky's Billboard consensus.

I was listening to one of the first (AFAIK) Gloria Gaynor song. It was the "B" side of "Never Can Say Goodbye" (at least here in Brazil). The song is "We Just Can't Make It".

Do you know if this song was ever released in a LP back in the 70's?

Thanks and cheers,

Hessel.

[BrunoRepublic]

Not back in the day. There are three b-side tracks from this period which never appeared on LP: "We Just Can't Make It", "Come Tonight", and "My Man's Gone".

"We Just Can't Make It" was included on a fairly recent CD compilation, but if you listen closely, you can hear that it's actually a needle drop.

IIRC, "We Just Can't Make It" was penned by Ms. Gaynor herself.

[Disco Funk]

Hey, does anyone know if 'Come Tonight', the flip side to 'Honey Bee', is a philly production as well? Honey Bee was arranged by Norman Harris, written by the Steals' guys (sometimes they go by Mystro & Lyric), all of whom are philly guys. Thanks in advance.

Disco Funk

[PierreConstantin]

Early Gloria Gaynor 45s were :

- Honey bee 3:47/All it took boy was loosing you 5:17 (CBS 4-45909, 1973)
Both songs wr. by Steals & Steals, arr. & cond. by Norman Harris and prod. by Paul Leka. Both songs are unavailable on any album. The song «Honey bee» was then re-recorded in 1974 for the album «Never can say goodbye» but both versions are quite different. This earlier version of «Honey bee» was oddly released on the cd «The disco years, volume 5» (Rhino).

From the lp «Never can say goodbye» :
- Honey bee 2:58/Come tonight 2:36 (MGM 2006 419, 1974)
This is the well-known version of «Honey bee». The B-side is a Monardo/Bongiovi/Ellis production written by Casey Spencer, not available on the lp.
- Never can say goodbye 2:55/We just can't make it 4:10 (MGM 2006 463)
The B-side is a a Monardo/Bongiovi/Ellis production, arr. by Harold Wheeler and wr. by Gloria Gaynor, not available on the lp.
- Reach out I'll be there 3:07/Searchin' 2:55 (MGM 2006 499)
Another B-side wr. by Casey Spencer, available on the lp «Never can say goodbye» (same mix).
- All I need is your sweet lovin' 2:45/ Real good people 3:02 (MGM 2006 531) released only in Europe
Both songs available on «Never can say goodbye» (same mixes).

From the lp «Experience» :
- Walk on by 3:00/Real good people 3:02 (MGM 2006 522)
B-side wr. by Gloria Gaynor, on the album «Never can say goodbye» (same mix)
- (If you want it) Do it yourself 2:49/I'm still yours 3:28 (MGM 2006 543)
B-side wr. by Gloria Gaynor, on the album «Experience» (same mix)
- How high the moon 2:50/My man's gone 2:24 (MGM 2006 558)
B-side not available on lp
- How high the moon 2:50/Casanova Brown 3:25 (MGM 2006 577)
B-side on the lp in its 6:23 form.
- Casanova Brown (Part I) 3:25/Casanova Brown (Part II) 3:00 (MGM 2006581)
The lp version version split in two parts.

In 1977 Polydor issued an album «The best of Gloria Gaynor» (2391 279) with all the hits :
A
Never can say goodbye 3:00
How high the moon 2:50
Let's make a deal 4:20
All I need is your sweet lovin' 2:47
Casanova Brown 2:30 (yes, only)
Honey bee 2:58
B
Reach out I'll be there 3:07
I've got you under my skin 3:48
Walk on by 3:00
(If you want it) Do it yourself 2:49
We can start all over again 5:07

All songs are the 7" edits except «All I need is your sweet lovin», «Let's make a deal» and «We can start all over again».

In my opinion, more interesting rare 7"s are :
- Anybody wanna party 3:28/Please be there 4:30 (Polydor 2095 059/PD 14558, 1978)
The A-side is an edit of the 12" remixed version (timing 7:41 on the 12" PD 507 and available on cd on «I will survive, the anthology», Polygram 1998).
- I will survive 4:53/Please be there 4:30 (Polydor 2095 034, 1978)
This is not the 3:15 US edit but the French edit available on the album «Love tracks» (In France the 8:00 version was not the version available on the lp; this 4:53 version is just a version that fades much earlier. I don't know why they did this).
- Midnight rocker 3:42/Can't fight the feeling 3:30 (Polydor 2095 184/PD 2056, 1979)
The B-side is an edit from the lp version but the A-side is a remix. Is there an extended version of this remix or this 7" version is the only one available ?

And two rare 12"s :
- Substitute 8:29/I will survive 8:02 (Polydor PD 504)
This is the 12" version of «Substitute» unavailable anywhere else (even the 2-cd set «I will survive, the anthology», Polygram 1998)
- I will survive 8:02/Yo viviré 7:57 (Polydor PD 512)
The B-side is a version in Spanish I've never seen anywhere else. Gaynor's Spanish is not that good but it's a quite interesting version.

In some Latin American countries, Polydor issued in 1980 a very rare 7" record (#2095 194) with two edits: «Yo viviré» on the A-side («I will survive» sung in Spanish) and «Tonight» on the B-side (sung in English). Strangely enough, «Yo viviré» wasn't a hit in Spanish-speaking countries and I never heard it there at the time, while the English version was an enormous hit.

«I am what I am», her 1983 7", has «More than enough» on the B-side. This song is available on the lp «I am Gloria Gaynor» in a 3:55 form but on the 45 it's a slower version, quite different, with less instruments, clocking at 4:46.

This site has some interesting informations about the singles :
lescharts.com - Gloria Gaynor - Honey Bee

So, to make it short, my question is :
- Is there an extended version of the remixed «Midnight rocker» or the 7" version is the only one available ?

Thank you

Pierre

[BrunoRepublic]

Originally Posted by Pierre Declercq

- Reach out I'll be there 3:07/Searchin' 2:55 (MGM 2006 499)
Another B-side wr. by Casey Spencer, available on the lp «Never can say goodbye» (same mix).

Are they the same mix? I seem to recall comparing these and noticing that the 7" sounded quite different in ways that couldn't be explained by mastering differences. For one thing, there was less distortion on the 7"... I have three different pressings of the LP, and they all have that compressed-to-the-point-of-distortion sound which seems typical of Tom Moulton's early mixes. The 7", oddly, seemed to have a lot more dynamics, which is the opposite of how most single mixes are compared to their LP counterparts.

[Disco Funk]

Originally Posted by Graham_Start

Are they the same mix? I seem to recall comparing these and noticing that the 7" sounded quite different in ways that couldn't be explained by mastering differences. For one thing, there was less distortion on the 7"... I have three different pressings of the LP, and they all have that compressed-to-the-point-of-distortion sound which seems typical of Tom Moulton's early mixes. The 7", oddly, seemed to have a lot more dynamics, which is the opposite of how most single mixes are compared to their LP counterparts.

I listened to an audio sample of Honeybee from Disco Years, and it sounds slightly different from the Tom Moulton remix version on the Anthology. I think Tom sped it up slightly, and changed some of the instrumentation. But it is the same take. It wasn't a re-record as far as I can tell. I can't comment on Reach Out, although I have found it odd that the extended mix has some distorting with the hi-hat. It sounds like it periodically gets muffled. Maybe it was a problem with Tom's mixing equipment, or the tapes they gave him were second generation and put onto cheap quality tape?

Oh yeah, thanks Pierre for your awesome and extremely detailed response. It certainly helped me decide on which Honeybee 7" to buy.

Disco Funk

[Disco Funk]

Speaking of Honey Bee:



Disco Funk

[Cdnbob]

Wow! She's so young there. Thanks for sharing that! One thing I noticed and hadn't really noticed before is is it me or does here voice back then sound slightly higher in pitch than she does now? Last time I saw her on tv she sounded a bit raspy when she sung. Could they have pitched her voice higher when recording these songs?

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

Originally Posted by Cdnbob

Wow! She's so young there. Thanks for sharing that! One thing I noticed and hadn't really noticed before is is it me or does here voice back then sound slightly higher in pitch than she does now? Last time I saw her on tv she sounded a bit raspy when she sung. Could they have pitched her voice higher when recording these songs?

It's higher pitched because it's over 30 years ago. The years take their toll on the vocal chords.

Compare any Diana Ross, Donna Summer, or Madonna recordings, from the start of their careers, to now. You'll hear the same thing.

[BrunoRepublic]

Originally Posted by STEPHEN L FREEMAN

It's higher pitched because it's over 30 years ago. The years take their toll on the vocal chords.

Compare any Diana Ross, Donna Summer, or Madonna recordings, from the start of their careers, to now. You'll hear the same thing.

True, but wasn't Madonna's voice pitched up on her first (major) album?

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

Originally Posted by Graham_Start

True, but wasn't Madonna's voice pitched up on her first (major) album?

Could be. I hadn't heard that, myself.
But when I saw her at The Copa, in Fort Lauderdale, when "Lucky Star/Holiday" came out. She sounded exactly like the recording. (And wasn't lipsyncing, either.)
I recall it because so few artists sound the same, live, as they do after studio tweeking.

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

I know that this is a bit off-track, but it's Gloria Gaynor related. And I couldn't justify starting a new thread for it...

Please, OH PLEASE!!! Someone tell me if the French version of "Never Can Say Goodbye" is by Gloria?
Back in '77 I had a Disco Queen acetate of "Never Can Say Goodbye", with the English and French versions edited back-and-forth. The French arrangement was (obviously) geared towards dupliating the original. Possibly in a slighly lower key, though.
I'd assumed it was Gloria, but never really knew. (The edits were abrupt and predictable, but it was great fun to dance to.)
Shortly after I'd acquired it, it was stolen. And I've never seen another one. :o(


5/31/08 UPDATE:
WOO HOO! Never mind. I think I found it. Released in '74. Not by Gloria, but got my fingers crossed that it's the same version from the acetate.

[Westwood]

Originally Posted by Disco Funk

Speaking of Honey Bee:



Disco Funk

I have GOT to start keeping track of NDR's programme, I can see it and I remember they have disco-themed nights sometimes.
This video is just wonderful, look at the great location, the hilarious choreography (à la "stop!" and then smell your armpit lol), and the interview at the end? hehehehhe

[tmob]

Originally Posted by STEPHEN L FREEMAN

Please, OH PLEASE!!! Someone tell me if the French version of "Never Can Say Goodbye" is by Gloria?
5/31/08 UPDATE:
WOO HOO! Never mind. I think I found it. Released in '74. Not by Gloria, but got my fingers crossed that it's the same version from the acetate.

Don't keep us in suspense! Did you find the version you were looking for? Who was it by? I used to love to play with the Vigor 45 of "Il Est Toujours Temps Pour Partir" by Napoli & Glasson, since it was so close to the Gaynor version of "Never." So...tell!

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

Originally Posted by tmob

Don't keep us in suspense! Did you find the version you were looking for? Who was it by? I used to love to play with the Vigor 45 of "Il Est Toujours Temps Pour Partir" by Napoli & Glasson, since it was so close to the Gaynor version of "Never." So...tell!

Yes. That's the one. Except, the original canadian 7" single, on LONDON Records, has the instrumental on the flip. I'm trying to get that one. I've found one copy, but they want $60 for it and it's only listed as "VG" condition. That's unreasonable.