OT: Sade - Hang on to Your Love

Sade's "Hang on to Your Love", a late 1984 release, was an urban radio and dance hit, and I can't imagine anyone my age not being at least somewhat familiar with it, yet somehow it only made the Bubbling Under The Hot 100 chart.

1984 versions:

Long Version ("6:00", actual 5:59) - This is the 12" version and the Diamond Life album version.

Short Version ("4:19", actual 4:22) - This edit is also on the U.S. 12", and can be found (with fade truncated 2 seconds early) on the Here Come the Hits Canadian CD. Starting from the Long Version, you can get the Short Version by cutting out 53s at 2:40 on the down beat, and then just fade early from 4:00 to 4:22.49 (aggressive fade at first, then gentle). A quick way to know if you've got this edit is to listen at 3:41 for "when you find your lo-ove (to your love)"—it should not be immediately followed by a higher-pitched "hoo" harmony.

45 version ("4:19") - This is on US 7"s and does not have a version title mentioned. I have not heard it, so cannot confirm if it's the same as the Short Version.

Edit ("3:58", actual 3:56 or 3:59) - This is on European 7"s and the music video. It is the Short Version, significantly sped up and faded early (last thing you hear is 4 beats of "hoooo" or the subsequent "got".

U.S. Remix ("5:13", actual 5:28 on CD, faded early at ~5:18 on 12") - Remixed in the U.S. by Michael Brauer but only released in Europe, this uses the same source tape as the Long Version, but is faded early and treated with "fuller" stereo and heavy reverb throughout, including gated snares and additional vocal delay-type echoes. Found on the "Paradise" import CD single in 1988, and Back to the 80s: The Long Versions 2 import 4xCD in 2003. Some European 12" releases claim to contain this version, but actually play the regular album/Long Version.

Edits released later:

The Best of Sade (1994 CD) edit (4:29) - This is mastered slightly slower than the singles (more correct, I think) and is similar to the Short Version. As compared to the Short Version, it cuts out an additional 17 seconds at 3:41, on the beat before the down beat (to catch the bass fill), and then fades early. So at 3:41 in this version you will hear the higher-pitched "hoo" vocal harmony.

The Ultimate Collection (2011 CD) edit (4:29) - Another special edit. Same speed as the 1994 CD. It's identical to the Long Version until just before the last piano chord at 2:57, then omits the next 53 seconds, so the same piano chord is heard but is immediately followed by the "so if you want it to" vocal. In the remaining portion, 17.7s is cut out at 3:43 (right before the snare that coincides with "your"). It then fades (aggressive, then gentle) from 4:12 to 4:28.7. The Ultimate Collection was reissued in 2014 as The Essential Sade; I assume it uses the same tracks.

If I've gotten any of this wrong, or if anyone can confirm for me that the US 45 has the Short Version, please comment. Thanks.

Edited by mjb50

PopArchivist wrote: IMHO this should have been a Top 40 hit. I love those first two albums from Sade so I guess I am bias!

Oh yeah, it was really popular in mainstream dance clubs
too. Epic was not too happy that it didn't cross over to
Pop; they made sure that next single "Smooth Operator" was
an across-the-board hit.

Andy

Happy to help! I still just need someone who has the U.S. 45 to check to see whether this "Short Version" really is what is on it, including whether its fade matches the Short Version on the 12". The answer is "probably" yes to both, but there's always a possibility the 45 was faded differently or a different speed.