Silver Convention - Fly Robin Fly

What a mess!

LP version (printed 5:31)

I have the LP version on EMI Australia's 5-CD Seventies Complete Vol. 2 (1999), where it runs 5:33, and fades from about 5:26 to 5:33. Sound is OK here; I can't complain because the LP version is so hard to find on CD.

LP version faded early

I'm pretty sure none of these early fades existed on record in 1975, but can't confirm.

The version on Priority's Mega-Hits Dance Classics Vol. 7 (1989) runs 5:00, and fades from 4:48 to 5:00. The same analog transfer is used on:

• Razor & Tie's 2-CD Disco Fever (1991)
• Time-Life's Sounds Of The Seventies Vol. 44 '70s Dance Party 1975-1976 (1997; differently-EQ'd digital clone of Mega-Hits Dance Classics Vol. 7)
• Razor & Tie's 6-CD 70 Number One Hits Of The 70s Vol. 4 (1998; differently-EQ'd digital clone of Disco Fever)

The version on Rhino's cheapie Disco Hits Vol. 1 (1992) runs 5:20, and fades from about 5:09 to 5:20. I like the sound on this disc quite a bit more than everything listed above, and I'll provide instructions below on how to create the 45 versions from this disc.

Long 45 version (printed 3:45)

This version exists on CD. It first appeared on Rhino's Disco Years Vol. 7 (1995), where it runs 3:47. There's a differently-EQ'd digital clone on Time-Life's Solid Gold Soul Vol. 10 1975 (1996).

Note that all of the above CDs run at about 100.1 or 100.2 BPM throughout, with no significant drift in tempo over the course of the song. It's a live drummer playing to a click track.

Here are editing instructions for creating the long 45 version from the LP version, using the timing from Rhino's cheapie Disco Hits Vol. 1 (1992):

Remove the first four beats (effectively cutting the bass-only intro in half and using only the second half) from 0:00.0 to 0:02.6 of the LP version.

Segment 1
292 beats long
Begins and ends on a downbeat
Extends from 0:02.6 to 2:57.4 of the LP version
Extends from 0:00.0 to 2:55.1 of the long 45 version

Remove the 64 beats from 2:57.4 to 3:35.7 of the LP version.

Segment 2
88 beats long
Begins and ends on a downbeat
Extends from 3:35.7 to 4:28.4 of the LP version
Extends from 2:55.1 to 3:47.5 of the long 45 version

Fade
32 beats long
Begins and ends on a downbeat
Extends from 4:09.2 to 4:28.4 of the LP version
Extends from 3:28.7 to 3:47.5 of the long 45 version

Your mixdown will run 3:47.5, with an edit at 2:55.1, with a fade from 3:28.7 to 3:47.5.

Short 45 version (printed 3:05)

This version doesn't exist on CD. It also can't be edited down from the long 45 version, because the first 30 seconds or so of segment 3 (see below) isn't in the long 45 version.

Here are editing instructions for creating the short 45 version from the LP version, using the timing from Rhino's cheapie Disco Hits Vol. 1 (1992):

Remove the first four beats (effectively cutting the bass-only intro in half and using only the second half) from 0:00.0 to 0:02.6 of the LP version.

Segment 1
72 beats long
Begins and ends on a downbeat
Extends from 0:02.6 to 0:45.7 of the LP version
Extends from 0:00.0 to 0:43.1 of the short 45 version

Remove the 64 beats from 0:45.7 to 1:24.0 of the LP version.

Segment 2
172 beats long
Begins on a downbeat with a crash cymbal to start the drum fill
Ends on a downbeat, not at a drum fill
Extends from 1:24.0 to 2:28.6 of the LP version
Extends from 0:43.1 to 1:47.7 of the short 45 version

Remove the 56 beats from 2:28.6 to 3:02.2 of the LP version.

Segment 3
134 beats long
Begins and ends on a downbeat
Extends from 3:02.2 to 4:22.4 of the LP version
Extends from 1:47.7 to 3:08.0 of the short 45 version

Fade
24 beats long
Begins and ends on a downbeat
Extends from 4:09.3 to 4:22.4 of the LP version
Extends from 2:54.9 to 3:08.0 of the short 45 version

Your mixdown will run 3:08.0, with edits at 0:43.1 and 1:47.7, and a 24-beat fade from 2:54.9 to 3:08.0.

Incorrect edits

These didn't exist in 1975.

There's a 3:17 edit on Time-Life's Sounds Of The Seventies Vol. 27 Dance Fever (1992). This version removes the LP version sections from 1:47.9 to 2:16.7 and from 2:57.4 to 3:35.7 and fades early. It's also pitched up by 1.9% to run at 102.1 BPM. (Timings are pre-speed adjustment.) I don't know if any of the 45 versions run faster, but would be happy to check any needledrops sent to me. There are digital clones of this version on:

• Time-Life's Sounds Of The Seventies Vol. 39 Pop Nuggets Late '70s (1995; differently-EQ'd digital clone)
• Madacy's Rock On 1975 (1996; digitally exactly 1.4 dB louder)
• Time-Life's 2-CD Seventies Music Explosion Vol. 4 Magic (2005; differently-EQ'd digital clone)

There's a different incorrect edit running 3:41 on Hip-O's Best Disco In Town Vol. 1 (1994). This CD has plenty of odd edits on it, all probably done in-house for no good reason.

My recommendations:

For the full LP version, try and hunt down EMI Australia's 5-CD Seventies Complete Vol. 2 (1999).
If you're fine with having the LP version fade 11 seconds early, go with Rhino's cheapie Disco Hits Vol. 1 (1992), which has better sound than the EMI set.
For the long 45 version, go with Rhino's Disco Years Vol. 7 (1995).
For the short 45 version, pick up Rhino's cheapie Disco Hits Vol. 1 (1992) and follow the editing instructions above.

Edited by crapfromthepast

The (3:05) edit isn't on CD because the rights-owner for the U.S doesn't have it. This was a European production and the masters for it live in Germany. They have a tape for the long 45 because that edit was also issued in other countries. The shorter edit was done here by Midland-Intl. and any tapes they had vanished when the label dissolved.
MM

MMathews wrote: The (3:05) edit isn't on CD because the rights-owner for the U.S doesn't have it. This was a European production and the masters for it live in Germany. They have a tape for the long 45 because that edit was also issued in other countries. The shorter edit was done here by Midland-Intl. and any tapes they had vanished when the label dissolved. MM

This is why it pays to have a turntable. I simply did a
needledrop of the short version from the Midland 45.