There's Something About This Vince Montana Jr Single...

[Disco Funk]

I've been listening to these two tracks for the past few months, and didn't even realize the unusual nature of this single until yesterday. I'm referring to Brown Sugar's 'The Game Is Over' b/w 'I'm Going Through Changes'. This Capitol single was released in 1976 and probably didn't make waves back in the day, but now it goes for crazy amounts of money on Ebay.

Here are a couple of audio samples, one for each song. Let's see if you guys can hear what I heard, or should I say, didn't hear.

I'm Going Through Changes Now

The Game Is Over


I won't let this drag out too long, maybe a year or so like Remick's thread! :) Nah, I think you guys will get this pretty quickly. Just listen to the two samples and you'll probably notice the missing elements, which some may number as two, but they can also be considered one.

Disco Funk

[remicks]

*****

Well I know what I think I 'm not hearing when I hear it , but why ruin the joy of a nice two year thread !!!

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[Mixmachine]

Vince doesn't play his trademark marimbas?


Brown Sugar The Game Is Over (7") DiscoMusic.com

[Disco Funk]

With Vince productions, you can be sure of one thing - he almost always plays his marimbas/vibes. So they're on there, but that's not what I was fishing for.

I'll give another clue - this element or group of elements would also be missing on later 70s tracks by producer Giorgio Moroder like From Here To Eternity or The Chase.

Disco Funk

[Mixmachine]

never mind, I'm beat

[remicks]

******

Well I'm still not hearing what I didn't think I wasn't hearing !!



and when does a marimba stop being a xylophone ???


*****

[Disco Funk]

It's definitely not about the marimbas, vibes, xylophones or anything of that nature. Don't worry guys, I'm a huge philly music fan, and I listened to this song at least once a week for the last several months, and only noticed what was missing recently. Actually, I did notice one of the elements was missing a while ago, but on the weekend I realized that another element (both of which, as I said before, could be considered as different, but yet kind of the same), a crucial element that one usually finds almost every pop era song, was also missing. Needless to say, the way Vince Montana put the track together was certainly unique, not just for a disco song, but for most songs.

Disco Funk

PS, I'm not referring to the melody, lyrics, chords, etc... so you don't have to worry about going down that route.

[remicks]

*****

Could we say this song relates ....

BTW ...check that out. This 1975 12" lists its beats per minute !! in 1975 !
Is this the first 12" ever to do so ??? Had to be ......


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[Disco Funk]

I'll give one last clue. The element that is missing is something that was all over a former Funk Brother's album from '71. In fact that album promoted itself as featuring exclusively this element to the exclusion of other elements of funk or dance music.

Disco Funk