Elton John-"Crocodile Rock"

My commercial 45, which is stereo, has a listed time of (3:56), but an actual time of (3:53).

Thanks for that great link, David. After folding down my version on the old DJM CD and tweaking the EQ, I'm not sure I agree with you. It kind of sounds to me like the mix in the video is a fold-down of the stereo version. I'm not hearing anything that jumps out to me and screams "different mix."

I have a couple of the mono promo 45s, which included "Elderberry Wine" - also in mono! - on the B-side. Anybody who was a college radio MD in the early-to-mid '70s might remember longtime New York promoter Paul Brown, from whom I received a promo-stickered stereo stock copy from MCA's Gloversville, NY plant. My two mono promos and the stereo stock copy I bought in December, 1972 all came from the Pinckneyville, IL plant.

The labels on all of my "Croc Rock" copies (as well as promos and stocks of MCA 40001, Rick Nelson's "Palace Guard") are all on a very, very dark chocolate brown (not black) label. What's interesting about the Elton mono DJ 45 is that the record's label is an adulterated stock label, with the white "STEREO" designation above the stock label's "MCA 40000" overprinted in the same, very dark brown color. The usual mono/stars/promo designations are printed higher above the overprinted rectangle in silver ink (ditto for "Elderberry," minus the stars.) My label scan may look black, but it is not.

Both promo and stock "Croc Rocks" were initially pegged for release on Uni, as the .1219 /.1219-S matrix numbers falling within the usual Uni assignment range were scratched out and replaced with MCA 1024-M and MCA 1024 respectively.

David, I'll shoot you a dub when time permits.

Jim, maybe I should replace the siding on my house with nothing but early '70s DJ 45s, just to see how long it would take you to sniff 'em out from halfway across the continent. Better yet, I could use nothing but promo 45s of Frankie Avalon's "Gingerbread" to reel in you, Hansel and Gretel in one fell swoop. :) Anyway, glad to help, as always. Considering the silver-ink-on-stock-label slapdash nature of the mono DJ 45 (and its apparent rarity, judging by your firsthand experience) I have to wonder whether it might have been a last-minute rush job, pressed only in the Midwest. Sheer speculation, I know; but why aren't there more copies out there?

Regarding that initial MCA label color: compare your "Crocodile Rock" 45 with either "Daniel" or any other black rainbow MCA stock 45, and you'll immediately see the difference. The black background color on the black rainbow labels is truly black. Also, here's the MCA 40001 "Palace Guard" I mentioned above, which turned out to be Rick Nelson's final Hot 100 charter, at #65. This is another one of those let's-pull-a-fast-one-on-the-radio-folks "3:70" timings on the short side; the (5:10) flip is the same as the commercial 45. By the time this one came out in January '73, the white-colored star and promo designation looked more finalized. Like the Elton record, "Palace Guard" also has the originally-assigned matrix numbers (Decca's 7-L16297 and 7-L16076 for the promo) scratched out in favor of their respective MCA replacements.

Back to the mono "Crocodile Rock": I don't think the audio in that promo video clip was sourced from the US mono DJ 45. The bass on the clip has some deep bottom end to it, just as it does on the track's various stereo CD appearances. The bass on the mono DJ and stereo stock 45s lacks any significant deep bottom end, so there's nothing there that could be EQ'd enough to sound like anything but rumbly and indistinct thumping (as in Dee Murray either playing from inside said croc or valiantly attempting to escape therefrom.)     

Not that it matters, anyway. Brian's hunch was right: the mono DJ 45 is essentially folded down from the stereo track, although it does run slower (3:55 actual) than my stock 45. The only reason I could think of for the fold-down was to be able to cut the promo single a little louder. And, hey, if that extra couple of db made Hooterville's 250-watt AM station sound like WLS whenever "Crocodile Rock" came on, who was gonna argue? :)

(A bonus track, of sorts, for any true promo geeks: here's that promo blurb from Paul Brown that was still stuffed into the sleeve of my promo-stickered stock copy.)

Hykker wrote: No, these promos were serviced to New England stations (at the very least ones in Mass & N.H.) as I've seen (and played) them at stations I've worked at in both states.

Thanks for clarifying that, Steve. End of speculation. :)