Susie Cincinnati Mixes

[JeffRetro]

I keep hearing that there are different STEREO mixes of "Susie Cincinnati" (one for the 1970 B-side of "Add Some Music..." and  one for 15 BIG ONES).  In Brad's book he points out that the car sounds in the song as mixed for 15 BIG ONES are heard midway through the song and that earlier releases have the sounds at the beginning of the song.  Plus someone on the Steve Hoffman forum says that he has a stock (i.e. stereo) copy of the "Add Some Music..."  single with the car sounds at the beginning of the song (my own copy has the sounds after the first chorus, just as on the BEST OF THE BROTHER YEARS CD).

Now, there ARE two different mixes of the song, both made in 1970 - a stereo mix with the car sounds following the first chorus and a mono mix with the sounds during the intro (this mono mix also has more electric piano and Dennis vocals in a significantly longer fade).  These were issued on the stock and promo copies of the "Add Some Music..." single respectively (Brother/Reprise 0894).  When "Susie..." was recycled as the B-side of "Child Of Winter" in 1974 the mono mix was used.

A/B'ing the stereo mixes on the stock "Add Some Music..." 45 and 15 BIG ONES LP it's apparent that these are the same mix, despite Brad Elliot's rather ambiguous claim to the contrary.  There are some extremely slight differences in the sound between the two, but this is most likely because they were mastered slightly differently (and six years apart).  The balance of instruments/vocals and the stereo picture between the two seem to be identical.

So if anyone can point out any differences to me proving that they indeed are different i'd appreciate it.

[GLarson432]

I can't point out any differences but congratulations on spelling 'Cincinnati' correctly. 

[MBE]

I had a stock Add Some Music and got rid of it because Susie was the same mix as on 15 Big Ones. I have the rare one on the Landlocked LP boot.

[Awesoman]

I always felt that the 15 Big Ones mix of this song never sounded as thick as the B-side version. 

[c-man]

I had a stock Add Some Music and got rid of it because Susie was the same mix as on 15 Big Ones. I have the rare one on the Landlocked LP boot.

Personally I prefer the rare Landlocked mix...the falsetto in the fade is more prominent. 
I love this song...great groove.  And ingenious how the key changes in the last verse...to a LOWER key...can't think of any other song that does THAT.

[MBE]

It's a great one, really tight.

[The Heartical Don]

I  find SC one of the few truly badly mixed BBs songs. Like hearing it underwater. BTW, all others are on Wild Honey.

[JeffRetro]

I can't point out any differences but congratulations on spelling 'Cincinnati' correctly. 

And the amazing part - I didn't even have to look it up! :-)

[JeffRetro]

I had a stock Add Some Music and got rid of it because Susie was the same mix as on 15 Big Ones. I have the rare one on the Landlocked LP boot.

My LANDLOCKED CD (the Vigatone two-fer with ADULT CHILD) has the regular stereo mix of "Susie Cincinnati" from the B-side of "Add Some Music..." (and I'm guessing that had the album been released that would have been the mix that was used).  I'm guessing you have a different issue of LANDLOCKED that's substituted the mono mix of the song becuase it's harder to find.

Though the mono mix isn't too hard to find.  Promos of "Add Some Music..." are pretty easy to find and also contain a noticeably different mono mix of "Add Some Music..." that's available nowhere else.

[JeffRetro]

Personally I prefer the rare Landlocked mix...the falsetto in the fade is more prominent. 
I love this song...great groove.  And ingenious how the key changes in the last verse...to a LOWER key...can't think of any other song that does THAT.

Yeah, the mono mix is definitley the better of the two and is about eight seconds longer, giving you more of Brian's falsetto during the fadeout.

But the key doesn't lower going into the last verse.  It actually modulates from G to A flat, but how it does it is pretty clever.  During the repetition of the guitar riff before the last verse there are four extra guitar notes that are a descending chromatic run with the final note being an A flat - the root note of the new key.  Because of the descending guitar line it's easy to think that the key has lowered when quite the opposite is true.

[JeffRetro]

And ingenious how the key changes in the last verse...to a LOWER key...can't think of any other song that does THAT.

Oh, and while the key doesn't go to a lower key in "Susie Cincinnati" I can think of a couple songs off the top of my head that do, both by The Cryan' Shames.  The A-sides of their first two singles ("Sugar and Spice" and "I Wanna Meet You") both modulate down a full step before the last verse to great effect.

[Fall Breaks]

Does anyone know if the car sounds was canned or if it was taped live a la "409" and "Loop de Loop"?

[c-man]

And ingenious how the key changes in the last verse...to a LOWER key...can't think of any other song that does THAT.

Oh, and while the key doesn't go to a lower key in "Susie Cincinnati" I can think of a couple songs off the top of my head that do, both by The Cryan' Shames.  The A-sides of their first two singles ("Sugar and Spice" and "I Wanna Meet You") both modulate down a full step before the last verse to great effect.

Hmmm...I was remembering the sheet music, which I thought indicated a downward modulation from A or Ab to G, but now that you point it out, the new key IS a half-step higher than the key the song starts in, but that clever descending riff DOES create a downward modulation illusion...

[MBE]

Add Some Music is different too? I will have to add it to my want list.

[gxios]

The most noticeable thing on first hearing the mono promo of ASM is the absence of strings.  Nice strong bass and acoustic guitars all the way through.

[The Heartical Don]

The most noticeable thing on first hearing the mono promo of ASM is the absence of strings.  Nice strong bass and acoustic guitars all the way through.

Is it allowed to say here that ASMTYD would be better in a pared down version? It is too stuffed, too full. Make no mistake, I like it, but in its official guise it is too MOR for me.

[JeffRetro]

The most noticeable thing on first hearing the mono promo of ASM is the absence of strings.  Nice strong bass and acoustic guitars all the way through.

Actually the strings are still there, but mixed so low as to be almost inaudible.  Also, the kick drum is mixed much higher in the first verse/chorus which gives the song a nice forward momentum before the strong bass comes in in the second verse.  The whole impression is that this mix is sparser sounding, yet more propulsive, a good AM radio mix (which is, of coures, what this would have been made for).

Definitely one for your want lists (copies of this promo are fairly easy to find and can generally be had for a very reasonable price).  I'm just hoping that if we're lucky enough to get a U.S. Singles Collection box Volume 3 that the bonus tracks on the "Add Some Music..." disc would be these mono promo mixes of ASM and SC.

[Rocker]

And ingenious how the key changes in the last verse...to a LOWER key...can't think of any other song that does THAT.

Oh, and while the key doesn't go to a lower key in "Susie Cincinnati" I can think of a couple songs off the top of my head that do, both by The Cryan' Shames.  The A-sides of their first two singles ("Sugar and Spice" and "I Wanna Meet You") both modulate down a full step before the last verse to great effect.

I believe you can count Charlie Rich's "Whirlwind" into that list, too

[MBE]

Good call "Whrilwind" does get lower especally right before the fade.

[Aegir]

And ingenious how the key changes in the last verse...to a LOWER key...can't think of any other song that does THAT.

Oh, and while the key doesn't go to a lower key in "Susie Cincinnati" I can think of a couple songs off the top of my head that do, both by The Cryan' Shames.  The A-sides of their first two singles ("Sugar and Spice" and "I Wanna Meet You") both modulate down a full step before the last verse to great effect.

Hmmm...I was remembering the sheet music, which I thought indicated a downward modulation from A or Ab to G, but now that you point it out, the new key IS a half-step higher than the key the song starts in, but that clever descending riff DOES create a downward modulation illusion...

Hm, never realized Al was that clever.

[c-man]

And ingenious how the key changes in the last verse...to a LOWER key...can't think of any other song that does THAT.

Oh, and while the key doesn't go to a lower key in "Susie Cincinnati" I can think of a couple songs off the top of my head that do, both by The Cryan' Shames.  The A-sides of their first two singles ("Sugar and Spice" and "I Wanna Meet You") both modulate down a full step before the last verse to great effect.

Hmmm...I was remembering the sheet music, which I thought indicated a downward modulation from A or Ab to G, but now that you point it out, the new key IS a half-step higher than the key the song starts in, but that clever descending riff DOES create a downward modulation illusion...

Hm, never realized Al was that clever.

Well...the credits on "15 Big Ones", if they are to be believed, list Brian as the arranger for this song...so perhaps that was HIS idea...

[MBE]

Got the mono promo today. Add Some Music sounds really great, less slushly. Susie is the alt mix on the Landlocked boot but it is longer. Really cool to hear the fade this way and you can hear Brian very loud. Man he could sing in 1969!