Single File singles edited compared to original issues.

[endwar@phys.psu.edu (Andrew Russ)]

I recently had the joy of getting The Single File (copy no. 2795) for an 
embarrasingly low price.  The singles were apparently remastered, and I
was able to notice at least two changes on a casual listen:

        The Single File version of "Army Dreamers" fades while the 
original 7" does not fade.  I think the original single mix is thus about ten 
seconds longer, and the line "Mommy's Dying" that KaTe says at the end is 
cut off the Single File version.  Also, the inscription "Life Is To Love" 
was not scratched into the Single File master.  The matrix numbers are:
        original:  EMI 5106 A 1
        Single File:  EMI 5106 A-3-1-1-2
The matrix numbers of the B-sides are identical.  

    There was other musical difference i was able to find:  my German copy
of "Babooshka" has about 10 seconds more of the breaking glass effects at the 
end of the song than does my Single File version.  

Otherwise, i've noticed some of the wind-off groove inscriptions have been 
removed, and again the matrix numbers of those sides are changed (at least for 
the two that i can check against regular EMI issues:

Breathing:
        A-side matrix numbers and inscription identical.
        B-sides differ:
        original:  EMI 5058 B-3
                inscription:  "Happy Aniversary to the P's"
        Single File:  EMI 5058 B-4

The Dreaming:  both sides have different matrix numbers:
        original:  
        A side:  TOWNHOUSE EMI 5296 A-1U-1-1-2
        A side inscription:  "For Rolf"
        B side:  TOWNHOUSE EMI 5296 B-1U-1-3-15
        Single File
        A side:  EMI 5296-A-3-1-1-1
        B side:  EMI 5296-B-3-1-1-1

I didn't detect any musical differences in either of these singles.  

The remastered sides of "Army Dreamers" and "The Dreaming" and 
"Babooshka" all have the matrix numbers in the same style of lettering, 
whereas the original matrix numbers (c.f. side two of "Army Dreamers" 
and both sides of "Breathing") are in a smaller lettering (Thus i 
suspect the different matrix numbers for the second sides of my two 
copies of "Breathing" originate from the original single release rather 
than with the Single File).  

I would like to ask a few questions, though:

1.  How many copies of the limited edition of the Single File were issued?  
The four digit number would seem to indicate less than 10000.  

2.  The signature on the inside cover of the booklet (with the inscription 
"I hope you enjoy this collection") looks like a printed facsimile.  
Is it?  

3.  Anybody have any idea if a copy of the Breathing single that is missing a
side 1 label (the one with the many KaTes danging around the spindle hole) is
any kind of rarity?  My copy of this oddity has no picture sleeve.  

4.  Anybody else noticed these (or other) musical differences between 
Single File versions of songs and original single mixes?  I would expect 
that many of the songs were slightly remixed for the singles, so there 
might be slight variations from the album versions (and not so slight, as 
in the intro to "The Man With the Child In His Eyes").  

5.  Is my guess about the differences in lettering indicating remastered 
sides correct?  Some expert may know.  

___________________________________

Finally got the Red Shoes singles & listened to them.  I like "You
Want Alchemy" well enough, but it was a lot slower than i was expecting from 
the lyrics.  I was expecting something maybe a bit more silly, like
something showing some influence of Captain Beefheart or David Thomas.   
On second and third listens, i'm beginning to like it a lot.  There's a 
definite Van Morrison influence in the song (have we Hibernian Soul Music 
here?).  Actually, it's Van Morrison's imitation of James Brown (especially 
live).  It's also definitely not a song that fit on the album with its 
concept.  

Nice to have the Video Mix of "Cloudbusting".  I guess it was included 
since the video depicts "A cloudbusting kind of day."  :-)  

"Shoedance" is OK, but i think the production touches don't seem like KaTe 
touches.  I assume the spoken samples come from the 1948 film and they 
add to the storytelling element.  I'm disappointed that this song has 
been "de-Irished", as opposed to the long mix of "Eat the Music" that if 
anything emphasized the African instruments more, which i liked.   


andrew