Indiana Wants Me

Ed was kind enough to send me a dub of his short version 45, to try to recreate from the LP version.

Well, it's not possible... the vocals fade out in in the LP version and not the 45 version. I tried to dub in earlier parts of the song into that spot, but it doesn't work.

So someone describe the long 45 version. Is it just an early fade of the LP version?

I must say, there is perhaps no song with a more complex DJ and commercial single release history than R. Dean Taylor's "Indiana Wants Me". And the most irritating thing about it is that none of these single versions are available on CD!

Speaking of which, did the original LP release contain the song's sound effects in true stereo or electronically rechanneled stereo?

Bill, here's what I have: 2 different promo 45s: The first, on red vinyl, has a listed time of (3:35) on both sides, but both sides contain the same mono mix, with an actual running time of (3:01). (Deadwax D2-D2-D2-781M05, with 2 LENNY on it is well. This does NOT match up with the info on its label, which lists the other promo's info in error.) The second has a listed time of (2:19) on one side, and a listed time of (3:35) on the other. However, both sides are both EXACTLY the same, actual running time (3:35) mono mix. (Deadwax D2-P2-T2-717M11 with Z4KM-2133-1 stamped on both sides). I just listened to the first; then the second. Besides having the sirens chopped off the intro, the pitch on the (3:01) version is MUCH faster. Sounded like someone had placed a BRICK on my turntable when I played the (3:35) version - it was just SO much slower, by comparison.

Edited by jimct

May I muddy the water some more?

I have an original Rare Earth stock 45 with a label time of 2:53 that actually runs 3:01. Deadwax reads D2-D2-D2-781M05 followed by 8 Lenny. Guess what? No sirens, no gunshots, no efx whatsoever other than the cop on the bullhorn repeating three times, This is the police, you are surrounded, give yourself up over the end fade.

I also have the promo stereo LP and the song is mono with siren panned left to right at both the beginning and the end. Label run time says 3:15.

Seems to me that that was the true original version, but when the single started getting airplay, radio stations realized - ours (KRUX/Phoenix) was one of them - there was a serious problem. An FCC rule said stations could not broadcast a siren sound as an attention-getter. Uh-oh.

Motown, not sure what to do, had producer Taylor remove the siren from the beginning, but he left it in at the end where it was thought to be obvious it was part of the record.

But that only obscured the meaning of why he was wanted! The siren set the stage that the singer was on the run from the law.

Meanwhile, Motown was losing momentum until a solution could be worked out. Poor Taylor! Stick to his art, or go along with Motown, which held the publishing rights?

Eventually, all efx were removed and I do remember Motown notifying stations that the real official version was that one.

A little of the preceding was, admittedly, my speculation but most of it is in my memory from 1970.

GM

jimct wrote: Another quality, "Oh, Wow!" post, Mr. Mack. Now that you refreshed my memory, you are exactly correct about that FCC rule involving sirens - they didn't want drivers pulling over to the side of the road because of sfx on a song played on the radio. About your "8 Lenny" stock 45: 1) Did you guys at KRUX ever play that "no sfx" version on-air? 2) Did Motown/Rare Earth provide KRUX with that stock copy, or did you just happen upon it? A little weird that a "completely stripped, FCC sqeuaky clean for radio" no-sfx version, devoid of sirens/gunshots, may NOT have been issued as a promo? More searching to do - thanks again for the knowledge, Gary.

Actually, the FCC rule was written mostly to prevent advertisers from using sirens to attract attention, but it's worded in a way that could easily be applied to music or any non-news broadcast. Their concern was that listeners would likely be confused and possibly distracted by such tactics.

As best I remember, KRUX played the promo mix that had the siren/shots only at the end. As soon as the clean version arrived, that's what we stayed with. I doubt very much that any promo issue had the clean mix, however, since by the time the problem was resolved, Motown had no need for promo copies - stock 45s with or without a sticker were sufficient.

GM