Bitter Green 45RPM single version

[Andy T.]

Hi all-

I just did a search to see how often thiis has come up in the past, only a couple of times it looks like, and not recently. So I'm startinng a new thread on it.

I have owned a copy of the 45PRM single version of Bitter Green (UA) for many years now. This is the "strings and piano" version. My 45 copy visually looks good, but it has always played somewhat poorly, with quite a bit of noise. Among the previous posts I found was someone several years ago asking if anyone else had a better copy than they,themselves, had. I'm not sure if mine was any better or not. Several years ago now I made a low-bandwidth MP3 of my copy, and it's possible that some of you may also have it, as I think I passed it along to some of the old newsgroup/AOL GL group.

Well, I bring it up again here tonight, because of Christmas! Since I'll be working this year on Xmas, my family did our Christmas tonight and one of the things I asked for and recieved was a professional Audio-Technica turntable. My first record on it was one of my 2 MFSL copies of Sundown. Then I moved over to some 45s I wanted to try out. Bitter Green was the first of them. I found it sounded MUCH better on this new turntable than on my old one.

So I just made up a new MP3 to replace that old one from years ago. I thought I'd share it with you all too. Well, at least, for a short time - I'll have this up for download from an FTP folder I have. Enjoy!

(Now, if this version had ever been released on CD, I woulld not do this. But for a rare alternate version such as this, which I doubt will ever see any official re-release, I don't feel like I'm doing wrong by posting it. (I am somewhat surprised that Bear Family did not dig this one up for their 'plus' reissues) Also, despite it sounding better than before - it is still imperfect in the audio department. And note this - I do intend to take it out of my FTP "temp" folder in a few days, so if you want it, get it now!)

-Andy

Link:

http://members.trainorders.com/andro...0-%2045RPM.mp3

[Jesse Joe]

Thanks Andy this sounded really beautiful. The way he sings it seems to me like the same I have on the Album "Back Here On Earth" but with some piano & strings added to it.

Reminded me of the way the songs "Wherefore And Why" and "Hail Hero" sounded like in the movie 'Hail Hero,' which of course was Lightfoot singing those two songs that he wrote. And btw this movie was the first for Michael Douglas to star in, as Im certain a lot of you folks already know, but it may be news for others.

[charlene]

thanks Andy!

[TC]

Thanks for that Andy. After reading your post I looked to see if I owned that particular 45 and I do. Oh, and I too have 2 MFSL copies of Sundown...crazy aren't we. Back to my point (if I had one). Because my turntable is crap, I don't think I've ever played or heard that version of Bitter green. Again, thanks!

Tony

Thanks Andy! And that's a very nice Christmas present . I enjoyed listening to it and am impressed by the sound quality -can even hear a finger moving across the strings at the beginning.

And I hadn't known that @Michael Douglas Jesse J -

[Andy T.]

If you mean the bit of noise right at the start of the track, that's actually not a finger on strings, that's vinyl noise. It was much more noticable when played on the old turntable. I did a "fade-in" on it to make it even less noticable.

I've wondered if that was also a different performance than on BHOE - and not just strings and piano thrown on top over the LP track... it sounds like the vocals are just slightly different to me.

Here's a photo of the 45:



Oh, about that MFSL Sundown - one of my copies is the official release, by my other copy, that's a blank-label test pressing.

[Jesse Joe]

And I hadn't known that @Michael Douglas Jesse J -

podunklander

http://www.allmovie.com/work/hail-hero-21271





Plot Synopsis by Hal Erickson


Hail, Hero! stars Michael Douglas in his screen debut as long-haired college student Carl Dixon. Reversing the usual procedure in late-1960s films, Dixon decides to quit school and enlist in the Army, even though he's already run afoul of the law as a Vietnam protestor. It is our hero's intention to use love, rather than bullets, to combat the Viet Cong. Needless to say, his idealism is no match for the harsher realities of war, but this doesn't stop him from endlessly spouting the sort of agit-prop rhetoric so beloved of filmmakers of the era. In addition to Michael Douglas, co-star Peter Strauss likewise makes his first film appearance in Hail, Hero! Dated in the extreme, the film is saved by the musical score by Gordon Lightfoot.

[jj]

Originally Posted by Jesse Joe

Thanks Andy this sounded really beautiful. The way he sings it seems to me like the same I have on the Album "Back Here On Earth"

hey, jjo, i think that's cos that is the exact same vocal track just with a gain tweak perhaps...i can take or leave the piano (that sure aint Floyd Cramer) and string arangement (everyone liked strings on radio back then, eh... atleast they didnt add those cheesy type gal backup vox like they did for Elvis tunes...you know, they Remember Me and It's Too Late He Wins type...lol)

real nice of you to share this Andy...i never heard it, cheers

[Jesse Joe]

I knew that jj, was just waiting for you to confirm it.

[jj]

hey jjo, maybe that piano was added during post or maybe Bradley himself dropped in and laid down a track right off the old barn floor...i'd love to have been a fly on the wall for that Stockfish/Shea BHOE album session...probably the only place i'd rather have seen in TN than the Ryman...sad that the original studio burned (or so I've read)

i searched some old corfid/ng discussions re BG but couldnt find much info confirming anything about the track Andy's shared here

[Jesse Joe]

A fly on the wall is something I would have loved to be myself many times in Lightfoot's life. Especially to be in that 5 Beaumont Road Victorian Mansion during the partying years...

But I guess maybe someone like Bob Dylan would have said, oh a fly on the wall let me get it. lol !

After purchasing BHOE, that Album was my favorite for a long time. Two Guitars a Bass with Lightfoot's real good folk voice he had in those days. WOW ! That LP is probably the one that has played more times than any other on my turntable.

Remember coming home from school many nights @ that time & would give it a listen on a small record player that looked like a suitcase, having that LP picture up in the open cover of the turntable staring @ the guy smelling a flower and listening to the most beautiful songs & poetry ie: (The Gypsy). Those days will be with me forever.

Andy -I mean at the beginning between the words "as softly"

oh gee jjo LMAO have heard from some gals whom like me, were mesmerized by that cover...but never heard a guy admitting to it!

[Jesse Joe]

Originally Posted by podunklander

Andy -I mean at the beginning between the words "as softly"

oh gee jjo LMAO have heard from some gals whom like me, were mesmerized by that cover...but never heard a guy admitting to it!

Well it's not the same as some gals would view it, but hey... when I see a great picture of Gordon Lightfoot it's gold to me. I guess I always wanted to be like him, look like him, write, sing like him...aso...

A true devotee !

Originally Posted by Jesse Joe

Well it's not the same as some gals would view it, but hey... when I see a great picture of Gordon Lightfoot it's gold to me. I guess I always wanted to be like him, look like him, write, sing like him...aso...

A true devotee !

lol well I was 12 when I did that and just thought that he was the most handsome guy I had ever seen. And soon after, I met the 'man' of my dreams -he was a year younger and a foot shorter than I haha