Comments on: Top 5: Solitary Man

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 19:36:34 +0000

“Rubber Duckie” was a hit single? That just blows my mind.

By: Sean Dwyer

Sean Dwyer — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 03:01:56 +0000

jb, get out of my head. You’ll see what I mean tomorrow. First, I’m glad to see that you immerse yourself in 1970 the way I do. I don’t feel silly about loving that year now. And as for “Solitary Man,” Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich produced it. There are two different vocal takes. Neil’s phrasing is distinctive, but what I notice most is that the single mix doesn’t have Jeff and Ellie singing aahs on the chorus. The stereo LP mix also has the extra keyboard doodles by Jeff that Yah Shure mentioned. I should have some source comments on the mixes, but I’ll have to sift through some long recorded conversations to find them. As for Bang, by the time the label reissued the early songs to compete with the Uni material, Bert Berns had passed, and Jeff and Ellie were off doing other things. So the competition is not their fault, but I am frankly glad more of ND’s early stuff finally got enough exposure to catch my ear.

By: Yah Shure

Yah Shure — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 19:10:28 +0000

After having made my first comment, I’ve listened more carefully to the middle variation mentioned above (from the ‘Shilo’ and ‘Greatest Hits’ Bang vinyl LPs.) I had first said that the backing track was “essentially” the same as the one on the 45s. It *is* a bit different, with some guitar overdubs beginning in the second verse, along with a little extra keyboard work through the remainder of the tune. In addition, the background harmonies on the choruses are more prominent here, whereas they’re very nearly inaudible on the 45s.

Neil’s vocal is double-tracked on this version, but *only* on the final chorus . On the Frog King ‘Early Classics’ LP, *all* choruses feature Neil double-tracked.)

By: Yah Shure

Yah Shure — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 04:39:08 +0000

I forgot to mention that an excellent source for getting to the bottom of various versions, mixes, edits and whatnots of hit songs is Pat Downey’s excellent database and chat board at http://www.top40musiconcd.com

And thanks a ton for the great work on Vinyl Record Day! It was a highly-rewarding way to spend a day off.

By: Yah Shure

Yah Shure — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 04:28:20 +0000

I have three Bang versions of “Solitary Man” on vinyl, and, yeah, it’s a mess to keep them all straight.

There are two different vocal takes involved. Your alleged 1970 sample is the 1966 *and* 1970 Bang 45 version. Bang 519 and 578 both contain the identical version of the song, and only in mono. The easiest way to spot this version is on the first line, “Melinda was mine ’til the time that I found her…” Listen to how Neil sings the word “time.” On the Bang 45s, “time” is sung as one note in a straightforward manner.

On the other vocal take, which was used on two different stereo mixes, Neil sings the word “time” in a two-note, high-to-low, slurred fashion, like “ti-i-ime.” I have two Bang vinyl LPs, ‘Shilo’ and ‘Neil Diamond’s Greatest Hits’ that feature this mix in stereo. The backing track here is essentially the same one used on the mono 45s, except that it is in stereo. Neither of your audio clips includes this variation.

A second variation of the stereo LP mix first appeared (as far as I can determine) on the 1978 vinyl LP ‘Neil Diamond/Early Classics’ (Frog King 1) after Neil acquired the rights to his Bang catalog. The version of “Solitary Man” on this LP takes the stereo LP mix, and adds guitar and vocal overdubs. The choruses on this version also feature Neil singing double-tracked harmony, unlike either of the first two versions mentioned above. It is this version that your second, allegedly 1966 clip comes from. This is also the version that seems to be heard most often on FM oldies radio.

The Frog King vinyl LP was also the first to feature “Kentucky Woman” in true stereo, although the mix differs slightly from the common mono version. I was also surprised to find that the “single version” of “Shilo” on Neil’s ‘In My Lifetime’ boxed set was not the same take as the version on my Bang 45 copies.

Yes, a mess, indeed.