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aaronk
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| Posted: 10 February 2015 at 3:33pm | IP Logged
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Although this was not a top 40 hit (#82, 1987), here are the promo CD details that were requested in another thread:
ASCD 9575
1. Single Version (actual 4:40)
2. Album Version (actual 6:21)
3. Street Mix-Radio Edit (actual 5:30)
Apparently the "Single Version" on this disc does not match the 7" vinyl single; however, there is a strong possibility that it matches the US 12" single.
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Aaron Kannowski
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Bwci Bo
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| Posted: 10 February 2015 at 4:47pm | IP Logged
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Thanks for the follow up, Aaron. That's exactly the information I was looking for.
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80smusicfreak
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| Posted: 11 February 2015 at 1:19am | IP Logged
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Here's the deal w/ "Rock-a-Lott": In addition to the commercial 7" single that was issued here in the U.S. on Arista 9574 in May of '87, the label also simultaneously released a commercial 12" single on Arista 9575 (note consecutive catalog nos.). That 12" single featured five versions/mixes of the song, which is what Funky Town Grooves included as tracks 10-14 on disc one of their recently-released expanded edition of Franklin's 1986 album, Aretha - the only difference being, FTG put them on the CD in a different running order vs. the original 12" on Arista 9575. (Okay, and while they were at it, they also slightly re-worded the names of some of the mixes on the CD - e.g., shortening "Street Mix-Radio Edit" to simply "Radio Edit", etc.) According to Discogs, the contents of the commercial and promo versions of Arista 9575 were exactly the same...
As for the promo CD single issued on Arista ASCD 9575 (which aaronk just acquired - oh, and note that the catalog no. matches the commercial 12"), both the (4:40) "Single Version" and the (5:30) "Street Mix-Radio Edit" (tracks 1 & 3, respectively) were taken straight off the commercial 12" single. However, track 2 - the (6:21) "Album Version" - was NOT featured on the commercial 12" single, but is of course still included on disc one of FTG's expanded edition of Aretha (track 5). So when it comes to "Rock-a-Lott", FTG's recent CD re-issue gives you EVERYTHING that was on both the commercial 12" and promo CD singles... :-)
I went back and re-read the posts re: this song in the other thread that aaronk mentioned. While I don't own a copy myself, I see that the commercial 7" single for "Rock-a-Lott" on Arista 9574 had a printed time of "4:20"; Bwci Bo stated that it has an actual time of (4:13). (Although he didn't say, I assume his copy is a U.S. pressing.) Clearly, that timing makes it different from any of the versions that appeared on the commercial 12", so just why Arista called the (4:40) mix on the 12" the "Single Version", I have no idea - but obviously FTG chose not to do any additional research themselves while putting together the CD re-issue, and just took for granted that it matched the commercial 45 on Arista 9574. So that would make a SEVENTH version of the song (and no, I'm not currently aware of the 4:13 version appearing on CD)...
But wait - the plot thickens! While looking into this, I discovered that here in the U.S., "Rock-a-Lott" was also featured on the B-side of a 1989 re-issue 45 on Arista AFS-9816, as part of the label's "Flashback" series (the A-side being Franklin's hit duet w/ George Michael, "I Knew You Were Waiting [For Me]"). And guess what??? It seems the printed time for "Rock-a-Lott" on that re-issue 45 is even shorter still, at just "3:58"! So assuming that printed time is reasonably accurate, that makes an EIGHTH version of the song, for those who may be interested (and sorry, I'm not currently aware of the 3:58 version appearing on CD, either). Here's a copy of the "Flashback" 45 currently listed on eBay, w/ photos of both sides: U.S. "Flashback" 45 w/ "Rock-a-Lott" (3:58)
Edited to add: There was also a cassette maxi-single released for "Rock-a-Lott" here in the U.S. at the same time as the vinyl 12". (In fact, Arista even included a promo sticker for the cassette on the cover of the vinyl 12".) While its contents most likely mirrored that of the vinyl 12", there's a possibility it also included the (4:13) version, or maybe even one or two others not available on vinyl...
Edited by 80smusicfreak on 11 February 2015 at 1:33am
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Bwci Bo
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| Posted: 11 February 2015 at 5:08pm | IP Logged
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80smusicfreak wrote:
| Bwci Bo stated that it has an actual time of (4:13). (Although he didn't say, I assume his copy is a U.S. pressing.) |
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My copy also states a running time of 4:20 on the label, however it is a New Zealand pressing. I'd be curious to know if U.S. pressed 45s are the same or if they feature the 4:40 version.
It's worth noting here that the 4:13 version is an edit of the LP version. There are a handful of edits - one or two of them a little clumsy sounding - but it can be replicated, which is clearly what I'll have to do.
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cmmmbase
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| Posted: 11 February 2015 at 7:32pm | IP Logged
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My US 45 times out to 4:40.
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80smusicfreak
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| Posted: 11 February 2015 at 8:41pm | IP Logged
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cmmmbase wrote:
| My US 45 times out to 4:40. |
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Ah, so the commercial 12" single on Arista 9575 (as well as the promo CD single that aaronk has) contains the U.S. 45 version after all - now it makes more sense. Interesting how both the U.S. & New Zealand pressings of the 45 both have a printed time of "4:20" but are different as far as what's actually in the grooves, though. W/ that new info in mind, I wonder if the U.S. "Flashback" 45 w/ a printed time of "3:58" actually contains the (4:13) edit found on Bwci Bo's NZ 45??? I should note that according to Discogs, U.S. promo copies of Arista 9574 had the same version of "Rock-a-Lott" on both sides, w/ a printed time of "4:20". So even if the U.S. promo copies have an actual time of (4:40) on both sides, that would still make the version found on the "Flashback" 45 unique to that pressing, at least here in the U.S., anyway...
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Bwci Bo
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| Posted: 15 February 2015 at 7:56pm | IP Logged
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I'm still surprised to learn that the 4:40 version is the US 45 version. Even the video uses the 4:13 version which matches my NZ vinyl 45 exactly.
It would've been nice to have seen the 4:13 version on the recent 'Aretha' deluxe edition CD. It's highly unlikely that'll ever happen now.
Incidentally, I don't recall hearing 'Rock-A-Lott' anywhere when it was released. It only came to my attention in 1990 when Aretha's vocals were sampled on Touch Me by The 49ers, which was a smash here and in Europe. It was one of a raft of hits at the time which "borrowed" vocals from other artists or songs, using models to mime in the videos (think Black Box, Technotronic featuring Felly, Milli Vanilli, C&C Music Factory et al)
Edited by Bwci Bo on 15 February 2015 at 8:07pm
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Loveland
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| Posted: 20 May 2019 at 9:18pm | IP Logged
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To Aaron and anyone else who enjoys great Italo-House. I highly recommend DJ H. featuring Stefy's first two singles, "Think About..." -released as "Oh Yeah (Think About...)" in the U.S.-, and "I like It". Both sample Aretha Franklin's "Rock-A-Lott" to great effect. Of course by the time their second single was released, 'controversy erupted' when people found out Stefy did not sing either song, although DJ Herbie assured everydody that Stefy would be singing on the follow up singles. I don't think she ever sang a note, a la Kelly Overett (Cappella), Katrin Quinol (Black Box), and Felly (Technotronic).
Unlike Stefy though, Felly released two singles, Kelly Overett released one single, and Katrin Quinol released one single in the early to mid 90s.
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Top 40 Music on Compact Disc : Chat Board
Topic: Aretha Franklin - Rock-A-Lott
