Ohio Players - Fire

LP version (4:32)

The LP version has the intro sirens starting in the right channel and moving to the left channel. All of the LP version discs below are correct.

I have a few discs with the LP version, but not enough to tell a coherent story.

My preference is a promo CD from PolyGram called Funky Stuff (1993), which has nice levels, good EQ, no trace of noise reduction, and has the longest fade-out of all the discs I have. Priority's Mega Hits Dance Classics Vol. 10 (1991) uses the same analog transfer as Funky Stuff; more likely is that both of these discs use the same analog transfer as a third pre-1991 disc that I don't have.

Almost as good is another promo CD called Funk Essentials Soul Essentials And Reggae Roots (1996), which sounds a lot like Funky Stuff but with a teeny bit less dynamic range. Realm's 3-CD Ultimate Funk Classics (2002) is a differently-EQ'd digital clone of this, but is way too loud and clips a lot - avoid.

Polygram's Dance Fever (1993) also sounds pretty good.

Silver Eagle/Capitol's mail-order 3-CD Formula 45 (1988) sounds OK.

The Ohio Players collection Gold (1976) sounds quite nice, but fades in more abruptly than the others, and fades out more quickly than the others - avoid.

45 version (3:12)

The 45 edit has the intro sirens starting in the left channel and moving to the right channel, which is the opposite of the LP version. All of the 45 version discs below are correct.

Here are editing instructions for creating the 45 edit from the LP version. I got my timings from Funky Stuff (1993).

Segment 1
Extends from 0:00.0 to 1:47.4 of the LP version and the 45 edit
Ends on a downbeat eight beats into the conga/guitar break

Remove the 32 beats from 1:47.4 to 2:05.5 of the LP version.

Segment 2
Begins on a downbeat eight beats before the end of the conga/guitar break
15-1/2 beats long
Extends from 1:47.4 to 1:56.4 of the 45 edit
Extends from 2:05.5 to 2:14.5 of the LP version
Ends a half-beat before a downbeat

Remove the 32 beats from 2:14.5 to 2:32.5 of the LP version.

Segment 3
Begins on the horn note right before the key change, 1/2 beat before the downbeat
80-1/2 beats long
Extends from 1:56.4 to 2:41.2 of the 45 edit
Extends from 2:32.5 to 3:17.4 of the LP version
Ends on a downbeat

Remove the 40 beats from 3:17.4 to 3:39.2 of the LP version.

Segment 4
64 beats long
Begins and ends on a downbeat
Extends from 2:41.2 to 3:15.4 of the 45 edit
Extends from 3:39.2 to 4:13.4 of the LP version

Fade
32 beats long
Begins and ends on a downbeat
Extends from 2:58.4 to 3:15.4 of the 45 edit
Extends from 3:56.4 to 4:13.4 of the LP version

Your mixdown will run 3:15.4, with edits at 1:47.4, 1:56.4, and 2:41.2, with a 32-beat fade from 2:58.4 to 3:15.4.

I erred on the side of making the fade 32 beats long, since we DJs like 32-beat increments. The true 45 runs 3:12 or 3:13, so you can shorten as needed. Also, be sure to swap the left and right channels.

The 45 version appears on Time-Life's Sounds Of The Seventies Vol. 22 Seventies Top Forty (1992), where it sounds just OK. The same analog transfer is used on JCI's Only Soul 1970-1974 (1996). It's not nearly as lively as the LP version on Funky Stuff or some of the other discs, but I can't point to one particular element as lacking; it has a great dynamic range, a reasonable EQ, and no evidence of noise reduction on the fade. It could be that the 45 edit source tape just doesn't sound that good.

Apparently, the engineer for PolyGram's Pure Funk (1998) also thought that the source tape for Seventies Top Forty was lacking, because he (she?) recreated the 45 edit from scratch, using the editing instructions from above but omitting the early fade so that it runs 3:30. Pure Funk does use a better source tape, but is slightly compressed/limited, and has a brassy-sounding EQ. Plus, there's an offset of about two samples between the left and right channels, making it sound warbly when summed to mono. Not good. You can mimic the 45 by fading Pure Funk from 3:00 to 3:13, but you should probably re-synch the the left and right channels.

Previously unreleased edit (3:15)

There's an edit on Rhino's Didn't It Blow Your Mind Vol. 14 (1991) that was probably intended to mimic the 45, but isn't even close. You can't quite edit this version down to recreate the true 45, because you'd be about 30 seconds short. The sound quality is fantastic on this version. The left/right channels match the LP versions listed above (intro sirens start right, move to left). The same analog transfer is used on:

• Time-Life's Solid Gold Soul Vol. 10 1975 (1996; differently-EQ'd digital clone)
• Time-Life's Sounds Of The Seventies Vol. 43 '70s Dance Party 1972-1974 (1997; differently-EQ'd digital clone)
• Rhino's Millennium New Funk Party (2001; differently-EQ'd digital clone)

My recommendations:

For the LP version, I like Funky Stuff (1993).
For the 45 edit, I'll go with Time-Life's Sounds Of The Seventies Vol. 22 Seventies Top Forty (1992), even though it's not the liveliest disc I've heard.