debarge "rhythm of the night"

In fact, the video is not only a different mix, but it's a different vocal take in some places. The keyboard solo in the middle is totally different, too. This is the first time I've ever seen the music video, and I've never heard this alternate take before.

(Related to the previous discussion, going all the way back to the beginning)

I believe some masterings of this run longer not because they are slower, per se (although they are slightly slow compared to the 45), but rather mainly just because they have a several seconds more music before the fade ends.

As often happens, the song was recorded without a "proper" big-finish ending, the intention being to just fade it out and imply that the party just keeps on going...and before any mistakes or underwhelming endings are heard. And as often happens, the exact point where the music starts fading and where it disappears to silence varies from mastering to mastering.

During the fade, from about 3:38, the vocal refrain goes like this:

[chorus:] Feel the beat of the rhythm of the night
[lead:] Dance until the morning light
[chorus:] Forget about the worries on your mind
[lead:] You can leave them all behind
[chorus:] Feel the beat of the rhythm of the night
[lead, overlapping "night":] Oh-oo-woh*, oh-oo-woh, oh-oo-woh**-oo-whoa
[chorus:] Forget*** about the worries on your mind
[lead, overlapping "worries":] Aaah, can't you feel it?****

* Rhythm of the Night album on CD ends here
** The Last Dragon soundtrack LP ends here
*** single ends here
**** Billboard & Like, Omigod! CDs end here

In the middle of that final "Ah, can't you feel it?" ad-lib, the rest of the music suddenly stops with a braking tape-reel sound (kinda like a synthesizer going "pew!") and the ad-lib finishes solo with a little bit of echo. This is especially audible on the Like, Omigod CD, although verifying any of this stuff does require really cranking the volume up during the last seconds of the fadeout.

As for speed variations, based on very small number of rips I've checked, the 45 and the soundtrack LP for The Last Dragon have the right speed; the music is perfectly in tune. The very small number of CDs I checked were a touch slow, like Ron reported, about 0.6% to 0.9%.

But this is even true of the original album on CD, which despite running a little over 3:48, is actually a slower mastering than the ones with the ~3:52 durations. So I am not sure whether it really should be characterized in the database the way it is now, with the 3:51+ versions all being marked "slower than the 45 or LP". I mean, yes, they are slower, but so are at least some of the ones that have the ~3:47 duration. The fadeout point is what is accounting for the main difference.

Wow, that’s a cool find! I’ll have to see if I have the reissue 45.