Larry Lurex - Going Back: something I've been wondering about

Thanks, Golden Salmon! I assumed that, if the pitch was in fact shifted in 1973, it would have been done by simply speeding up the tape, which would change both the pitch and the tempo, so I deliberately 'reversed' the hypothetical change in the same manner. I actually prefer Going Back running a little more slowly, but that's just personal preference, of course.

I hadn't yet tried it with I Can Hear Music, but the effect seems even more pronounced there, so I think you might well be right.

I do know that messing with tape speed was not that unusual in the '60s and '70s, especially speeding things up a little to apparently give more 'punch', I wonder if other ways of shifting pitch were also in use at the time?

but then some other things now sound a little off:

ICHM
■ 01:03 - 01:07 - strings
■ 02:30 - 02:53 - guitar

playback speed would definitely make a difference. but, how do the strings and guitars sound more natural in the faster original?

We're waaaay into speculation territory here, but I could imagine those parts having been recorded at the 'final' pitch and mixed in with the already-sped-up remainder of the song. String parts would typically be one of the later things to get added. Mind you, I'm not saying this is what happened, or is even a likely scenario, simply that it's possible.

What do you think of the piano sound just after the 2:10 (slightly earlier in the 'official' version) mark, in Going Back, Brenski?

apols for sidetracking a little: Been transcribing the lyrics of the different versions. 

Although Carole King was a co-writer, with Gerry Goffin being the lyricist, we'll take the Dusty Springfield version as being the official. So, for the sake of argument. Goldie's release did pre-date Dusty but was withdrawn. I can see why Gerry Goffin insisted on it being withdrawn Goldie's version being a bit of a hack n slash. Carole's own recording was more in line with the Byrds cover.  
Key to lyrical changes:  Dusty Goldie  Byrds  Carole King

I think I'm goin' back
To the things I learned so well in my youth,
I think I'm returning to
Those days when I was young enough to know the truth (the)

Now there are no games
To only pass the time
No more colouring books (growing pain) (electric trains) (electric trains)
No Christmas bells to chime  (poems to write/rhyme?) (trees to climb) (trees to climb)

But thinking young and growing older (Lord knows) is no sin
And I can play the game of life to win (love with you)

I can recall a time,
When I wasn't ashamed to reach out to a friend
And now I think I've got
A lot more than just a skipping rope to lend (memory to end) (just my toys to lend) (just my toys to lend)

Now there's more to do
Than watch my sailboat glide (Like be by my man's side)
And everyday can be my magic carpet ride 
And I can play hide and seek with my fears
(I'm starting to walk on back down that track)
And live my days instead of counting my years (So catch me if you can - I'm goin' back (I'm goin' back), yeah.) (Goldie version ends here these two inserted lines)
(A little bit of courage is all we lack)   (A little bit of courage is all we lack)
(So catch me if you can I'm goin' back) (So catch me if you can I'm goin' back)  (Byrds and Carole King versions end with these two inserted lines)

Let everyone debate the true reality,
I'd rather see the world the way it used to be
A little bit of freedom's all we're lack
So catch me if you can,  I'm goin' back


So despite the many variations (there are more believe me) to the lyrics between 1966 and 1973, Freddie (Larry's) version is 100% loyal to Dusty's (original Goffin) lyrics.
Hope this little sidetrack was interesting.

That's from Brian back in Feb 2020 for the Tribute of Robin. It is about all these Phil Spectror sound on Queen and Larry Lurrex songs.


So sad to hear of the passing of Robin Geoffrey Cable, talented Record Producer and Engineer, and an old friend.

Robin started his career as a ‘house engineer/producer’ at Trident Studios, the organisation which first signed Queen up for management, publishing and recording.

He, along with Roy Baker and Ken Scott took on the clients that used the studios and became a team with a kind of team spirit, I'd say, and they were responsible for the “Trident Sound” as heard on Robin’s work with Carly Simon, and Ken’s with David Bowie. Roy met with some resistance from us because we were looking for a much more ‘live' sound, and we got our way from the second album on, with his approval, and he eventually became known for live-sounding studio recordings.

But Robin actually gave Freddie (and me too) his first proper release on record. He was obsessed with the Phil Spector sound, and recreated it in his own way on recordings which he masterminded, of Spector’s song “I Can Hear Music” and Carole King’s “I’m Goin’ Back”. Robin had it all recorded but could not find a vocalist. He heard Freddie on the demos we were doing at a very early point, and asked Freddie to sing the tracks, which he did. He wanted a very ‘young’ sound, so he speeded up Freddie’s voice by recording it at a lowered tape speed. As I remember it, Robin was not happy with the solo section, so he invited me in to turn it into a guitar solo - which worked out very well. So then … what to call the artist for the release of the record ? Robin liked the idea of spoofing Gary Glitter and the Glam Rock movement, so he came up with “Larry Lurex” ! So in a sense our first ever release on vinyl was under the name "Larry Lurex”.

I do remember going to Robin when we were worried about the sound of our album when it was mastered. We thought it sounded too thin, and I remember Robin putting it through a graphic equaliser, and putting a little ripple in the frequency levels, up around 2k and down around 3K. It achieved just what we wanted. Robin had great ears - there is no question. We also considered asking him to produce our second Queen II album, and even got him to produce one track - "Funny How Love Is” - which we slotted into the album at the end of "The March of the Black Queen”. It, too, has Robin's take on the Phil Spector "Wall of Sound".

We used to see Robin frequently around Trident, but after his accident, he was much less communicative, and I got the impression he found life hard. And of course later on we had a bad falling out with Norman and Barry Sheffield, because they were holding us to a monstrously unfair deal, and we left, never to return, when Jim Beach negotiated us out.

So after that I didn't have any contact with Robin that I remember. I’m happy now to be in contact with his family, but I’m sad that it is under such sad circumstances.

RIP Robin Cable.

Most audio editing software can do this, but with varying degrees of success, depending on the source material. I've found Adobe Audition generally produces quite good results, but haven't tried it with this.

That is good observation. I always found the sound of MFM little weird compare to Queen treatment and also You nearly did me in of Ian Hunder ( which I don't think it has been sped up).
About FHLI I would love to hear a "speed corrected" since Freddie plays these beautiful chords on the piano and the backing vocals are really melodic and beutiful, but the speed up barriers them.

Do you think that Sheer heart attack is also speed up? The leaked demo sounds more natural.

I had always thought that it was sped up and altered a bit, the sound gives it away. Interesting to hear how it might have been done, though.

Interesting thread. I just remembered how these two songs were almost always in the wrong speed on 1990s bootleg CDs, particularily 'Queen in Nuce' and 'Pre Ordained'.

I am wondering if AKOM original soundtrack version has also been sped up. Also it is like having a sound vocal effect like on Save me single.

The vocals of the album - single version are more agreesive and scattered.

personally, having given this much more thought, i'm convinced that the sped up "Goin' Back" maybe just a red herring in the discussion.

I'm wondering if the slowed down sample used in "Mother Love" came directly from the final, original sped up version of "Goin' Back"

i think the slowing down of Goin' Back is for nothing more than making it an effective blend in that little montage.
I think there's a psychological aspect slowing the samples down that fit in with the "slowing down" during old age....before the final grind to a halt when we die - the song does gradually fade and die, before the baby cried.
Listening again, i'm pretty sure that "One Vision intro" "TYMD" and the "Wembley '86 ey-ohs" sound slower too.

well, discussions can be fluid. granted the discussion has moved in many directions - all valid.
i referred to the baby cries already. my point being it IS about mortality and the slow-down/decline and then death. the whole point of the song itself is a yearning to feel safe again. to not be terrified of the imminent unknown. I'd even (maybe) take a punt on the first verse being about the security of his relationship with Mary, and how sick he was of the passion, rows, and promiscuity of his life after he split with her - the very stuff that brought on his early death. i think he just longs for the true companionship he had with her. then again, it's a Brian co-write, so who knows?
I don't think the end of the song is rewinding us to birth, i think the point is much more metaphysical - and possibly about reincarnation. and as we know - reincarnation is not possible without dying first. the song is about death, regret and wanting a "do over".


the OP contains no reference to the possibility of going back to the masters. the OP was asking about what our opinions were on the two versions of the song. any comments about Mother Love - and the whys/wherefores as to the speed of the sample used, would be valid. surely?