D.C. LaRue's "Forces Of The Night" LP Question

[Cdnbob]

Something odd has always stuck out with me regarding the track Hot Jungle Drums and Voo Doo Rhythm by D.C. LaRue on the Forces of The Night album. On the copy of the album I have, this song just cuts dead and then progresses on to the next track. It seemed the track was just getting going and then the producers decided "oh well, 5 minutes, time to end the song". Is this a fault on the pressing I have or are all copies of this album this way? I've always found this odd and wondered if others did too?

[Graham_Start]

Well first of all, which pressing of the album do you have? Does it end at a logical point, or does it sound like they ran out of tape?

I'll try to remember to check this when I get home. I have a 12" of this which I *think* runs about 9 minutes long, but I'm not sure on that.

[markydefad]

according to the Vault listing...it is 4:46 on the LP

D.C. LaRue Forces of the Night (LP) Disco Music.com

[Cdnbob]

Originally Posted by Graham_Start

Well first of all, which pressing of the album do you have? Does it end at a logical point, or does it sound like they ran out of tape?

Going by memory here - its the Casablanca album version (same as on the Vault listing) - picked up years ago for about $1.99 in the deleted/sale records section of a record store here in Canada - and to me its what I'd call a cold dead stop - the music is playing, the background singers are singing and then it just cuts dead. One of the female background singers does a kind of "whoooo hoo hooo" and the song cuts just as she does this. It doesn't fade out, or otherwise. It just stops dead like the song was cut short instead of the usual slow fade out. (It's time like these I wish all my vinyl wasn't in storage.)

[Graham_Start]

Okay, I have the Canadian pressing on Pyramid, and it too ends cold and abruptly (but still at the end of a bar, so I'm assuming it's an intentional effect).

The 12" is not a promo but a commercial release (with a custom sleeve; rather unusual for the time) and the label clocks it at 9:16. It ends with a fade-out.

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

Originally Posted by Graham_Start

Okay, I have the Canadian pressing on Pyramid, and it too ends cold and abruptly (but still at the end of a bar, so I'm assuming it's an intentional effect).

The 12" is not a promo but a commercial release (with a custom sleeve; rather unusual for the time) and the label clocks it at 9:16. It ends with a fade-out.

They're both the same as the Casablanca releases. And the LP mix does fade-out abruptly. (The 12" even moreso. Though after a looong period of repetition.) But as Graham mentioned, it does happen at the end of a bar, finishing out the 2nd repeat of the 2-part chorus. (Albeit a quick, 32-beat fade.) So, mathematically and lyrically, it's intentional. Sloppy, yes! But intentional.

I've heard a couple interviews with DC and he still carries a grudge over this LP. When asked if he's warmed-up to it, after all these years, his answer was "No". He says that Bob Esti completely took-over the production and wouldn't listen to anyone else's ideas. As DC put it..."he was working with Barbra Streisand, and all these major stars. So there was just no talking to him." Even "Hot jungle Drums..." was concieved around a hot drum/percussion line that DC came-up with. It's nowhere to be found, in the final version.

[SandraDee]

Talking of the 'FOTN' LP, I recently got 'Cant Stop The Music' on DVD (yes I'm the one!) & it's the first time I've noticed pictures of this LP on the wall of the record company's office in the film. (I must get out more!). Proof I s'pose that the film was made in '79 when D.C.'s LP was out.

[discokicks]

Originally Posted by STEPHEN L FREEMAN

I've heard a couple interviews with DC and he still carries a grudge over this LP. When asked if he's warmed-up to it, after all these years, his answer was "No". He says that Bob Esti completely took-over the production and wouldn't listen to anyone else's ideas.

That's sad to learn this as I've always enjoyed this album although I have to say that Hot Jungle Drums is my least favourite song on there. The entire first side is a joy for me...just love the chorus to the title cut Forces Of The Night...a proud, celebratory message called out to the dancefloor. I've always pictured this being one of those songs mixed in early to unite a half-full floor and entice the rest to join in. Was this cut well-received? How popular was this album in general? What months of '79 was it most played?

Have A Good Time and On With The Dance are such standouts too. Fun and joyous...smiles all around!

[SandraDee]

'Dont Be Afraid Of The Dark' is a lovely song with a nice lyric.

[discokicks]

Originally Posted by SandraDee

'Dont Be Afraid Of The Dark' is a lovely song with a nice lyric.

Love it and Makes Me Believe In Love Again...soooo beautiful! Sorry to disappoint you Mr. Larue but it's a great album!

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

Originally Posted by discokicks

That's sad to learn this as I've always enjoyed this album although I have to say that Hot Jungle Drums is my least favourite song on there. The entire first side is a joy for me...just love the chorus to the title cut Forces Of The Night.

Was this cut well-received? How popular was this album in general? What months of '79 was it most played?

For me, personally... The LP went nowhere. Hot Jungle Drums had a respectable premier on my dancefloors. (Moreso from the hype of the "Night At Studio 54" LP's release.) But died-out quickly.
I can't tell you which, or for how many months. Just that I ended-up playing the A-side medley for myself, when the club was quiet. It came out at the end of a string of Esty produced releases, over 2 years. The sound is completely "Esty", and it just got lost in the mass of 1979 releases. As well as, the full-side medley concept losing it's appeal. Dancefloor attention spans weren't what they'd been in '77, or '78.

Originally Posted by SandraDee

'Dont Be Afraid Of The Dark' is a lovely song with a nice lyric.

Lyrically and melodically, the LP is beautiful, to me. But, then again, D.C wrote everything on it. And I always appreciated his lyrics. Always an undertone. Some subject matter that would reveal itself upon closer inspection. And a lot more darker moments, than most pop lyricists of the day.

Originally Posted by discokicks

Love it and Makes Me Believe In Love Again...soooo beautiful! Sorry to disappoint you Mr. Larue but it's a great album!

Hold up... Wait a minute.. He didn't say that it was a bad LP. Just that he was never happy with it, because he had no creative control over it, because Bob Esty wouldn't listen to D.C.'s concepts or arrangement ideas.

Here's the audio of the show, where he talks about the "Forces Of The Night" LP. It's the first of 2 that D.C. did for Strictly Confidential.

http://www.nettally.com/pgodbold/fil...c_11_19_07.mp3

[Cdnbob]

Originally Posted by Graham_Start

Okay, I have the Canadian pressing on Pyramid, and it too ends cold and abruptly (but still at the end of a bar, so I'm assuming it's an intentional effect).

Originally Posted by Stephen L Freeman

They're both the same as the Casablanca releases. And the LP mix does fade-out abruptly. (The 12" even moreso. Though after a looong period of repetition.) But as Graham mentioned, it does happen at the end of a bar, finishing out the 2nd repeat of the 2-part chorus. (Albeit a quick, 32-beat fade.) So, mathematically and lyrically, it's intentional. Sloppy, yes! But intentional.

Thanks Graham and Stephen for clearing that up for me. I always found the abrupt ending so jarring and for years thought it might of been a fault on the pressing of the LP. Knowing now that that was intentional, its still a very bizarre way to end a song.

[EricHG23]

Just found this thread. I only got the album last year when, as I poste don here, I found out you could buy DC's albums from his website pressed to CD and I picked up this and my fave Confessions (ie the two Bob Esty albums...) Yeah everyone here knows I'm a Bob Esty slut and find him very underated--I like much of DC's stuff anyway but find the tracks with Esty have an element his own solo productions are missing. Interesting that DC wasn't happy with Forces as the CD he presses of it is complete--on Confessions though annoyingly he leaves off the slow song Lady from Atlanta--I sent him an email and he said it was cuz Casablanca forced him to include the song and he never liked it.

I do LOVE Don't Be Afraid of the Dark--it and Hot Jungle Drums are my highlights from Forces. Dark has this marvelous sad/melancholy quality to it, something in the chord changes and the little "sparkly" synth sound, hard to describe.

About Jungle Drums (which i think is a stunning fairly forgotten track--it and the Confessions Side A medley--including Let THem Dance--are prob my fave DC Larue) the 12" (which is on the Hot Best of CD Larue compilation) does sound more natural to me than the album version, maybe it was done first.

What always confused me was the 12" of Let Them Dance--that same compilation has a very long one (sadly in poor sound) but the 4 CD Casablanca Story set has a 12" (so the credits say) that's much shorter...

I also wish another of his Bob Esty tracks, I believe it was a bside to some pressings of Do You Want the Real Thing from TGIF and was called something like "Tell a Lady by the Company she Keeps" was easier to find.'

It's funny I never expected Esty to have a huge ego but I suppose he got one... The fact that he largely did the production work on Donna's Last Dance and Once Upon a Time and never took the credit always made me think as much I guess...

[kdavid13]

[quote=EricHG23;137775] everyone here knows I'm a Bob Esty slut quote]

Hmm I always thought you were just a musical theater-loving boy ???

Who knew ?
Next thing you'll tell me is that you also like Donna Summer,Giorgio Moroder & Kylie Minogue...

[EricHG23]

HAHA is it that obvious? try finding a boyfriend who likes Kylie, Donna, knows anything about disco AND is a fiend for Stephen Sondheim though