All Right Now

[Father Gino]

Listen to these two versions where the bass comes in @ about 0:50. I’m assuming the shorter version was the single (made for the crappy AM radio in my ‘67 Buick) and the longer one is from the album. Am I deaf (well yes, a little) or is the bass an octave lower on the shorter version? Assuming that this is the case, how do you suppose that was done? Is there really an additional take, or did they just change the EQ drastically in the mix? Just curious.

https://youtu.be/qjjs4thy-R0

 

[FilterFunk]

That is very interesting...the bass is an octave lower in the shorter version, and now I'm curious as to why it was done.

 

[smeet]

Interesting. Those two mixes are quite different.

 

[SkylineFiver]

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[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]Senior Member
I'm guessing the version you heard is the one remixed by Bob Clearmountain for the 1991 Free comp All Right Now The Very Best Of Free. All of the tracks were remixed to sound more "modern" (think late 80's hair metal).

 

[Father Gino]

It was very common back then to have a “single” and an “album” version of songs. The “single” version was shortened for time constraints for radio play and to fit on a 45 rpm record. That they would remix them for AM radio play makes sense, but I was never aware that the would do things as drastic as drop the bass an octave.

In this case, I’m curious as to whether or not there were two separate takes for the whole song or at least the bass track. I suppose it was possible in 1970 to drop the bass an octave after the fact (certainly easy today). Maybe they did such things all the time.

 

[JRA]

it could have been as simple as:
"do we like the bass an octave up, or down?"
"IDK, let's record both and decide later!"

later = different mixes!

 

[jerry]

I'm a.huge Free fan and maybe I never heard the single edit before but it's not just the bass, the guitar riff is different too, good catch.
I still love that Fraser waits until the chorus to come in, one of the best ever bassist at using space and tension and release in his basslines.

 

[Father Gino]

I still love that Fraser waits until the chorus to come in, one of the best ever bassist at using space and tension and release in his basslines.

there’s a live BBC recording of them playing this song on YouTube where he’s playing subtle low A under the chorus



I only noticed all of this because I was learning it for a new band project. I watched a YouTube “how to play all right now” and the demo had the higher A. I had been listening to the single version.

 

[Michedelic]

I'm a.huge Free fan and maybe I never heard the single edit before but it's not just the bass, the guitar riff is different too, good catch.
I still love that Fraser waits until the chorus to come in, one of the best ever bassist at using space and tension and release in his basslines.

The single version that was all over Top 40 radio and made it a hit edited out an active guitar solo over just a marching style drum rhythm. On that single it would go straight into that funky bassline part with the high notes, and a slow burn solo from Kossoff. I heard that one more than any other version back then.

 

[jerry]

Back in 1971 this was one of the most played albums on my turntable, Andy plays along on the second verse, this was the version our little band did at dances back then. Pound for pound one of the best rock bands ever and why the -&%$ Paul Rodgers isn't in the R&R Hall of Fame I can't phantom. He is the archetype of the stage stalking frontman with one of the best voices in rock.
Rant over.