Indie Release [Level 4]
I just bought a couple of disco cds by popular female disco artist CLAUDJA BARRY, and its a bit of a toughie.
First of all, I once had the original vinyl album SWEET DYNAMITE back in the 70's, but we parted one way or another. However, "Boogie Woogie Dancin Shoes" 12", and CLAUDJA vinyl album with "Johnny Johnny Please Come Home" stayed with me like glue.
Here's my question.
I just bought CLAUDJA on Cd, and "JJPCH" was barely three minutes long, and minus the well remembered extended dance break. I was gipped since this was supposed to be a re-issue original album by Hot Productions, who I later learned edits tracks.
So I got The Best Of Claudja Barry Cd, with extended version collections.
"JJPCH" was there in its full form as I closely recalled, thank-God.
But while listening to the song SWEET DYNAMITE, I seem to recall a longer version than the five minutes on this particular Cd.
Was the version longer on the first original album, because I remember one of the soft breaks in the song doing a double "twang", whereas in the five minute version, I only get one set of soft "twang" breaks in every form it appears. A real DJ would know what I mean by those intermitant soft breaks Im refering to in this song. I seem to recall a double break "twang" 3/4 into the song. Thanks for listening. Robert.
disc jockey from the mid 70s to late 80s, and got free booze for it.
Chart Hit [Level 6]
sweet dynamite on the SALSOUL Lp (tom moulton mix) is 7:22
hot productions leave me cold, they rarely if ever put out the versions of songs people wanted.
I'm guessing, without hearing it, that Hot productions licensed the original version of Sweet Dynamite that came out on Lollipop recordings before the maestro Moulton got his hands on it.
Double Platinum Record [Level 9]
Is this one of those albums where the Salsoul version is different from the original Canadian/European copies?
Chart Hit [Level 6]
yes, there were 2 versions of the LP.Originally Written by Graham_Start
my promo LP of sweet dynamite on salsoul even has a sticker they put over the original tracklistings and times, before Tom moulton remixed basically all the tracks. "love for the sake of love" on the original Lollipop LP and "sweet dynamite" are the most radically changed. Tom made them smoother and extended them as well. the canadian 12" of "love for the sake of love" is not the Tom Moulton mix, it's the original LP version, and IMO not as beautiful as the re-do by Tom.
Indie Release [Level 4]
THE BEST OF CLAUDJA BARRY has the cover photo of her, as in original "Sweet Dynamite" vinyl Lp, but this is actually a collection of her songs, rather than a duplicate of the original album. Hencforth, it contains RADIO ACTION, plus the long version of JOHNNY JOHNNY. . .which were never on the first album. Also "Boogie Woogie Dancin Shoes".
I am getting so used to these disco version length quirks, that I analyse the times of songs on cds, or reviews from customers online prior to ordering.
Thanks Disco Kid for the response, I knew my disco mental rolodex was not out of whack!
disc jockey from the mid 70s to late 80s, and got free booze for it.
Indie Release [Level 4]
By the way. . .WHERE can I get the original seven minute version of SWEET DYNAMITE on cd?
disc jockey from the mid 70s to late 80s, and got free booze for it.
Chart Hit [Level 6]
I just did a search on Amazon and there's this CD released last month called "Deep Disco Culture" by Suss'd in the UK. They were the ones who did all those Salsoul "flavas" compilations from the past couple of years. The tracklisting says "Sweet Dynamite" is the original Tom Moulton 12" Mix.. I don't have it yet, but judging from some of their Salsoul compilations, I'm guessing much of the collection was mastered from vinyl.. But if you're not bothered by that, it's there.. :)
In any case, they need to release a better version of her Greatest Hits, the sound quality of some of those tracks on there are downright awful..
Test Pressing [Level 2]
Yep - the Deep Disco Culture CD is the place to get Sweet Dynamite on CD. Top track that i'd never heard until I got the CD.
Amazon-U.S. | Amazon-U.K. | Amazon-Germany | Amazon-France
Indie Release [Level 4]
Is that DDC cd any good, or worth the 30.00? Just because they bill it as a collection of original 12" mixes and original album mixes, doesnt mean the cuts are worthwhile. It sounds like most of the cuts are relative unknowns, underground, hard-to-find, and out of the ordinary. Possible very early disco era hits I'm assuming. Robert.
disc jockey from the mid 70s to late 80s, and got free booze for it.
Platinum Record [Level 8]
Back in the day there was a 6 songs disco mix of Claudja Barry's best songs, which included the extended versions of certain songs including Sweet Dynamite. Hot Productions re-released the album on CD. The only problem was that the original record had overlapping fades between songs, so you don't get a clean intro to Sweet Dynamite.
Here's the write-up from allmusic:
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p...0:cu5m96oofepf
Disco Funk
Indie Release [Level 4]
You know I saw that on Amazon.com, but was hesitant about it because of the reviews.
Which actually brings up another matter. Why is everyone so apologetic about her career, I think she did great. They keep going on that she never achieved the recognition that she should have. In a way, I'm glad where she landed. . . out of the focus light of contemporary music radio. I think she achieved the huge tremendous cult following she deserved, and if she or her producers are pouting about not being on the same scale of Donna Summer, that's too bad.
As a matter of fact, her music sounds better to me because of her non commercial venture. She has, what I call, affixed underground status and is a star with those who enjoy her for what she brings. I think she's fabulous, and Claudja Barry only needs to prove herself to those who love her. That is honor enough, my dear.
Robert
disc jockey from the mid 70s to late 80s, and got free booze for it.
Indie Release [Level 4]
My record says 7:22 also.
she dont look so good on the back cover:-?
Gold Record [Level 7]
I didn't know she had a Christmas album.
Amazon-U.S. | Amazon-U.K. | Amazon-Germany | Amazon-France
Claudja is also number 11 and still climbing on the Billboard dance club play chart with I Will Stand.
Chart Hit [Level 6]
One song from Claudja I want to have on CD is Love Machine, which appeared on Salsoul Records' Disco Boogie, Vol. 2. I love that song.
"Everyone knows the real reason why you got that part it was the time you spent on that casting couch"--Antoine Merriwether
"Excuse me, Miss Thing, but both of us spent time on that couch"--Blaine Edwards
Double Platinum Record [Level 9]
This is good .
She is one of those "secret" biggies :D in the disco line-up.
Bring her name up in conversation instead of Donna Summer or Gloria Gaynor and if you get a blank stare .... you'll have a good sense of just how "disco" the person is ......
Sweet Dynamite was way out there by itself ( well, maybe a hint of Devil's Gun in attitude ) it really changed up the floor ..... raw... rough ... harsh
and with that perfect album cover of Claudja to sell it ... looking as menacing and hard and "different" as the music inside .... ( I looked at it and right away had to have it) ...
*****
Last edited by remicks; June 25th, 2006 at 02:08 PM.
Baby, take me
high upon a hillside
high up where the stallion
meets the sun
Chart Hit [Level 6]
That's definitely one of the things I love about "Sweet Dynamite," the vocal and the mix are just ferocious.. A little rough around the edges.. Probably the funkiest thing Ms. Barry ever did..
Wow! Not bad at all.. Good to know it's doing well and climbing. Not too shabby for someone who hasn't had a single for some ten or so years.. In any case, I really like her new song. Although it's interesting that J.S. Korduletch isn't involved with this one.. I don't think she's ever done a record without him involved in some way.. Kind of puts the song's lyrics in a new context..
Chart Hit [Level 6]
Ditto that, Salsoul 1975. That's my favorite track from CB.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]"I can see Prussia from my house!". :icon_mrgreen:
Indie Release [Level 4]
Even though I was disappointed with the JOHNNY JOHNNY PLEASE COME HOME song at being only just under 3 minutes on CLAUDJA CD Hot Productions re-issue (I have the vinyl album), I kept it because it still had the credible version of LOVE MACHINE, which I'm surprised isnt included in more of her dance collections. The version on the album is a bit longer than the Cd, because the winding down deranged vocal of "Machine, out of control" winds down like a spiral, and the cd fades this out. . .just a bit quickly.
Her DOWN AND COUNTING 12" version mix included in the recent find of mine. . .3-disc DISCO DANCE (slipcase) collection, was another song I'd never heard before from her. I was happily surprised by the intro with her kicking out a hip boyfriend, by giving him the rundown on his fancy clothing materials. Now that you've got everything. . ."take your gucci shoes and get out of here. Good-bye, BOY!" I laughed so hard. I would love to meet this woman in person, does she make personal appearances now in days? I think Im going to end up getting the DISCO MIXES.
disc jockey from the mid 70s to late 80s, and got free booze for it.
Chart Hit [Level 6]
The original version of the album «Sweet dynamite» from 1976 features 9 songs. The 1977 Tom Moulton remixes are only 5; two 12" were available: «Sweet dynamite» (7:22)/«Love for the sake of love» (7:53) [12D2023] and «Dance dance dance» (6:43)/«Why must a girl like me» (7:21) [12D2046]. The fifth track on the lp is «Live a little bit» (3:28-. All songs are extended except the latter (3:45 on the original album).
Her next album is «The girl most likely» (1977 in Europe and Canada). Both are almost identical with 10 songs. The European album doesn’t have «Johnny Johnny please come home». Instead he has «I'll be dancin' no more». «Johnny Johnny please come home» on the Canadian album is 3:51. A Canadian 12" was issued with «Dancin’ fever» in its 6:00 lp version on the A-side and «Johnny Johnny please come home» in a 8:18 remix. The Canadian 7" has «Dancin’ fever» 3:26 and «Summertime» 3:11 by Gershwin (not on the album). In 1978 Salsoul issued its own version of the album under the name «Claudja». The songs were the ones available on the Canadian lp except «Long lost friend» unavailable on the US album (but available as the B-side of the «Dancin’ fever» 7"). Five songs were remixed by Tom Moulton: «Dancin’ fever» 5:14, «Johnny Johnny please come home» 7:09, «When life was just a game» 3:50, «Open the door» 5:48 and «Love machine» 4:50. The latter three are extended. The Salsoul 12" 12D2049 has «Dancin’ fever» 6:00/«Johnny Johnny please come home» 8:18. The 12" SG 2065 has «Take it easy» and the unreleased «I wanna win your love again».
A 1977 duet by Barry and Ronnie Jones is «It takes two» (7:45) available on 12" but not on the albums.
As a curiosity, there is a French version of «Johnny Johnny please come home» sung by Sylvie Vartan called «Disco queen» (on her self-titled 1978 album).
«Boogie woogie dancin’ shoes», Barry’s big hit is originally on the lp «I wanna be loved by you» from 1978. The original version is 5:05 on European and Canadian labels. Both have eight songs in common. The European lp has the additional «Down by the water» and the Canadian lp has «Forget about you» instead. An European 7" features both songs. Another song not on the lp is «Sunshine love» (B-side of the 12" «Boogie tonight»). In 1979 «Boogie woogie dancin’ shoes» is also on the album with the same name from 1979, but it’s the 12" remix (7:50). On the album this song is with six others taken from «I wanna be loved by you» (all but «I wanna be loved by you», «Forget about you», «Down by the water» and «Love of the hurtin' kind»).
Well, it’s hard to have everything and there’s almost nothing on cd. Stay away from Hot productions : they don't use the masters but their own vinyl collection (with some scratches), every song is edited on the compilations «The best of...» and they seldom are on the re-releases of the lps.
Indie Release [Level 4]
2 CDs and one pending! So far I got CLAUDJA BARRY "The Girl Most Likely", and THE BEST OF CLAUDJA BARRY "Dancin Fever".
This is real messed up on paper.
1st one-Love Machine 3:49 (sounds longer), JJPCH at pitiful 2:53, and Dancin Fever at 6:01. Ten songs in all off CLAUDJA vinyl album. The Dancin Fever version is better here.
2nd one-Boogie Woogie Dancin Shoes 6:53 (I have 12" vinyl still), Sweet Dynamite at terrible 4;03, JJPCH longer than first, but still only 5:04. Down and Counting is 6:30, but over nine minutes on 3-disc DISCO DANCE (slipcase) collections. Dancin Fever is 5:07.
Here's what I got from DISCO MIXES on Amazon.com:
1. johnny please come home (6:25)
2. you make me feel the fire (7:40)
3. boogie woogie dancin shoes (7:18)
4. dancin fever (4:25)
5. boogie tonight (6:52)
6. sweet dynamite (7:34)
I havent bought this CD yet, but thinking about it for SWEET DYNAMITE.
disc jockey from the mid 70s to late 80s, and got free booze for it.
Chart Hit [Level 6]
Apparently the original version of «The girl most likely» (Lollipop) features «Johnny Johnny» in its 2:55 form : I saw it on http://www.discogs.com/release/445038 but I don't own this particular record. Mine is a French one (Philips), same as the German one but without «Johnny Johnny» and with «I'll be dancin' no more» instead. The Canadian lp (London) is the same as the Lollipop lp but «Johnny Johnny» is in a 3:51 form (I've listened to the song and it's the actual timing). It seems that the 2:55 version is the original, at least the first one.
The page http://www.discogs.com/artist/Claudja+Barry has some interesting informations.
Last edited by PierreConstantin; June 27th, 2006 at 04:06 AM. Reason: spelling
Indie Release [Level 4]
That's alot of good information, and I appreciate the Discogs.com site, but my original intention was to try to find group collections from the same artist, if not the original versions of their once famous disco album released back in the disco hey day.
With todays technology, there are so many ways to advance the world of disco into another realm. Digitally remastered is one example.
Donna Summer put out an interesting Bad Girls Album Digi-Pak which featured not only the Bad Girls original album remastered, but a second cd with her greatest hits, and extension remixes of those hits. The packaging itself looked alot like the Bad Girls album as it unfolded in compact size.
This is a great example of disco progress-revamped.
KC & The Sunshine Band 25th Anniversary 2-disc cd with 3 seperate versions of PLEASE DONT GO and finally ending the slew of songs with Tom Moulton mix of GET DOWN TONITE, is another extreme fine example of creative packaging.
Whoever is assembling Claudja Barry's hits is simply putting a patch here, and a patch there, with various diffences, making the consumer literally purchase several cds in order to produce a coherant collection of her songs. This is exasperating and a financial burden on the consumer.
Im going to buy Disco Mixes with seven minute SWEET DYNAMITE, and thats it. Hasta la vista baby!
Being an ex dj, I dont need multi disco collections falling off my shelf, I have most of those songs already recorded on cassette, by me.
disc jockey from the mid 70s to late 80s, and got free booze for it.
Chart Hit [Level 6]
The «Disco mixes» cd is actually the Disconet Volume 3, Program 10, bonus disc issued in October 1980.
Underground Hit [Level 5]
Pierre thanks for the amazing info on Mrs. Barry.
I fell in love with her after buying the Best Of - Dancin' Fever cd reading rave reviews on Amazon and I have realised the only way to do her justice was to but all of her LPs, and 12" etc. The two first LPs are tricky, and therefore so lovely to collect. I am amazed at the large difference between pressings.
Ill check my collection for other stuff, but let me tell you I did buy a Brazilian CDR of "Claudja Barry" which sounds very good. Got it on ebay.
Chart Hit [Level 6]
Back to Claudja Barry, I've read somewhere that «Change of heart», a song from her 1987 lp «I, Claudja» was released before, in 1985, as a 12" [produced by Korduletsch and Bobby Orlando]. Anybody knows something about it?
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