[78-L] Subject: Re: Juiced Speeds

[David Lennick]

There were also a couple of recordings where part was played back at high speed 
for comic effect..Danny Kaye's "The Babbitt and The Bromide", last chorus, and 
Paul Nero's "Barnyard Suite" (one chunk). And there's Les Paul playing with 
himself at various speeds (let's not hear from the peanut gallery regarding 
this, okay Messrs Vein and Harkin?), various Mel Blanc records like Woody 
Woodpecker Song (Sportsmen normal, Blanc overdubbed slow to sound fast) and the 
like, all before the advent of tape.

dl

mgstill at bellsouth.net wrote:
> From: David Lennick <dlennick at sympatico.ca>
> 
>> One deliberate 
>> juicing up in a transfer to 78 that's been documented is Al Jolson's first 
>> Decca, which was because Jack Kapp didn't think it captured the old Jolie.
> Thanks.
> 
>> Many Capitol 78s in the 40s are running fast..this has been noted in a Nat King Cole 
>> discography
> I've wondered if some of the Capitol country recordings from the 40's weren't also sped up.
> 
>> Dickie Valentine's "Finger of Suspicion" was supposedly recorded with the 
>> singer dubbing to a track that was slowed down slightly because he couldn't hit 
>> the high notes.
> Hah. Good story.
> 
>> Some Elvis RCA sides sound WAY fast to my ear,
> yeah, "Milk Cow Blues" for instance
>> and Johnny Mathis's "Twelfth of Never" sounds as if it was slowed down substantially..the 
>> timbre of the voice never rings true.
> Interesting - I'll listen & compare to his other recordings.
>>From the late 78 era, I've always suspected Ricky Nelson's "Shirley Lee" - and from after the era, there's Lesley Gore.
> 
> From: Michael Biel <mbiel at mbiel.com>
> 
>>> my question is about speed changes made to the original recordings
>>> before they were put on discs, for the purpose of making them more
>>> commercially viable, or for novelty or experimentation.  Margaret G. Still
> 
>> As for the latter part of the question, novelty or experimentation, my daughter 
>> Leah did a recorded term paper on this subject a couple of years ago, and the 
>> two of us presented an expanded version of it at ARSC in Seattle.  I have the 
>> video recording of it, but the audio recording is available thru ARSC.
> 
>> Mike Biel  mbiel at mbiel.com 
> 
> Thank you. I will contact them later this month.
> 
> Happy New Year, and thanks to all for your knowledge and fine humor.
> 
> Best,
> Margaret G. Still
> ________________________________