"Gold Dust Woman" - 8-Track Version?
 

When I was first getting into Stevie in Early 1982, a friend gave me her copy of Rumours on 8-track which I could play in my Blazer. Loved, loved, LOVED "Gold Dust Woman"!!! Well, a year and more later in May 1983, I bought the cassette of Rumours to play in my new car. Imagine my surprise at then hearing a significantly shorter "Gold Dust Woman" compared to the 8-track version I was used to!!!

Has anyone else heard the 8-track version of "Gold Dust Woman"? It has the slow fade intro that some of the other mixes do, but the ending is the killer. There is NO fade at all, Stevie has all her wails, the chimes are chinking, the "wolf" is howling... As the instruments stop playing in a natural ending, and the clanking stops and one final "wolf howl", there is a finality to the song: one long bass roll. It's still VERY clear in my head: Bum, bum bum bum bum BUM...

It ENDS. No fade or even kinda fades.

Now, I've heard many other mixes that almost get there, but not quite. None ever make it to that bass roll ending the song.

Has anyone else heard this and does anyone have it?

Mike, I can't remember which song it was- but I thought it was GDW- on the 8 track, how part of the song was on one track, and then had to click to the next track for it to finish. I recall (incorrectly, maybe) that the songs were not in the same sequence as on the LP and cassette.
I do remember clearly, though, GDW blaring, as I lay in the back of "a van" of my older cousin, and a girl in the van saying "I'm scared!" as the song finished.
GDW did sound great on 8 track!
I just "flashed" on all the custom airbrush artwork on the outside of vans back in the 70s.
Airbrushed art on autos was very intricate and beautiful back then. Whatever happened to it?

Interesting - I'd love to hear this. Maybe somebody has or someone will buy a copy on eBay and rip it - if that's even possible.

Funny you mention this because, I'm 100% certain that there is also a difference between the "Straight Back" that is on the album and the "Straight Back" that is on the cassette. I can't recall which is which but I know one of them did NOT have the extra vocals that are in parentheses on the lyric sheet, while the other one DID have them.

If anyone still have an 8 track player with the RCA (the white and red plugs) on the back they SHOULD be able to use the same methods they use to rip LPs. Since most the modern record players are Preamp built in like a 8 track or cassette player there really is no difference.

The other way is to simple use a iPod to RCA (or headphone to RCA)cord and patch the 8 Track player directly into a computer and use whatever recording program you happen to have. I recommend something that can sample at or above 44K and in at LEAST 128bit if not 160 or HIGHER. The closer to lossless the better. The 8 track will already have HISS on it. Then from there there might be a hiss filter (remember Dolby B?) and from there we should have a decent quality "rip" of this version of Gold Dust woman.

I will look to see if i still even HAVE my Rumours on 8 track

You're right: The vinyl album of Mirage that was available on release date in June 1982 did not have the extra Stevie overdubs. There is also a different guitar mixed in there at the end. The cassette has the extra Stevie vocals (as shown in the lyrics sheet), as does the CD.

Nik, that "Gold Dust Woman" seemed so much scarier, yeah!!!!

Oh, and the 8-track version of "Crystal" from Fleetwood Mac (1975) is much longer than on vinyl or cassette (or CD), those instruments going on and on and on. I guess trying to fill up the space of that part of the 8-track. there was little dead air on an 8-track!

I THINK the version of Rumours WITH White Album on it that was on cassette (it was a rare combo cassette) had the same extra long crystal.

Wow, that's exciting!!!

If we're speaking about subtle differences in songs, has anyone ever heard a different version of Say You Love Me? Almost everytime that I hear it on the radio it has extra guitar parts over it that I have never heard on any of the versions I have. Just curious :P

I had that combo cassette as well, but I didn't listen to it as much as I did the 8-track back then, so that's how I remembered "Crystal" going on and on and on and on... :)

I even remember the packaging that combo cassette came in!

In 1979 I remember visiting my cousins in Maryland. Russ had the best stereo system with the loudest speakers I had ever heard. I played his Rumours 8 track tape a million times that weekend even though I had the album at home. His 8 track sounded a million times better than my LP but I figured that was due to his expensive speakers. I don't remember anything different.

It was on this same trip that his sister Lois told me she saw Fleetwood Mac in 1978(she was at the Largo show) and she said Stevie Nicks "spooked" her. I never forgot that. I figured Stevie did her job well.

:laugh::laugh::laugh:

All these '70's stories are cracking me up!!

I think you're just hearing the single remix which can be found on the re-issue of the White Album as well as the 2002 Very Best Of FM CD. Not that hard to obtain ;-)

I heard this 8-track version as well long time ago. It was at a friend's house about '86 or so. Her mother had the 8-track and we listened to it. I remember being amazed because I had never heard that version of GDW before. Glad you posted this because I thought I was out of my mind how that version ended. But I guess I was right all along. I only heard it once and that was it. Have never heard it since.

I have an 8-track someone gave me years ago as a gift but no player. :(

This conversation inspired me to hunt down the 8 track - there was a brand new sealed copy on eBay yesterday and I won it. Now, just need to find a way to rip it once I get it.

Thank you, Joe!!! I knew I wasn't crazy! The ENDING!!! :blob1:

I Remember...
 

Hi Mike:
YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
I loved the 8-track version of GOLD DUST and I played that in my car until 1979/80.
It is the BEST version and I have purchased EVERY Fleetwood Mac Greatest Hits CDs hoping to get THAT special mix... but no luck! I though the 1992 BOX-SET would have that version!

I also hoped that the Audio DVD of RUMOURS would have THAT version... OH WELL!

Wow! Me, too!!! I keep hoping every single Fleetwood Mac compilation/re-release will finally have that amazing "Gold Dust Woman" on it, and they never do. Some mixes are better than others (some are atrocious), but nothing compares to that 8-track version!

I was really expecting it on the never-happened Rumours Boxed Set that was to accompany the Unleashed! Tour.

I used to have both FM & Rumours on 8-track, but I do not remember there being any different mixes on them. Of course, most of my memory from that period went up in a cloud of smoke. :]
I do have a 8-track player (recorder no less) and a way to transfer to mp3, I just do not own the tapes anymore.

Oddly...
 

when my Mom passed in March 2005, I inherited her music collection, which included "Fleetwood Mac", "Rumours" and "Tusk" on 8-track tape. All are in mint (Which is a family habit when it comes to preserving music) and when I get the time I'm going to copy the 8-track versions to CDR for ****s & giggles and do my usual comparisons of the mixes.

Mike, please help me out...
I don't remember the version of GOLD DUST to be a different mix, it was just LONGER with no fades... so we could really HEAR the spectacular ending, right?
Some are saying it is a different mix, I just remember the track being complete with NO FADE. Brilliant!

Too bad I last heard it (!!) thirty one years ago! No wonder I'm called Old Man Wise!

Well, mix-wise, I mean that the Stevie wails and wolf howls are more prominent than in the Rumours CD mix, as well as the NO FADES ENDING.

And some versions/mixes have the fade intro and some don't, and the 8-track does have the slow fade intro.

I seem to recall from Mick's book that they had recorded all of Gold Dust Woman and then a tape machine eating the master and they had to record it all over again. Am I right about this? If so, were there any mixdowns of the lost version floating around?

Whatever happened with this? Was anyone able to find this 8-track version on mp3?

I have a brand new 8-track of Rumours that I purchased because of this topic but now it's a matter of finding a way to convert it. I haven't forgotten, just not on the top of my list. I'll make a note to see if I can find a way soon.

This 8-Track version REALLY is worth the wait. I just hope someone could do this. Thank you to those who are trying!

Keep trying!!!! It's amazing!!!!

I'm really surprised that with all the bootlegs, and master reels, and cd reissues and box sets that this doesn't seem to exist anywhere but on 8-track. That's wild.

Well...
 

There are so many mislabled tracks floating around in the FM/SN trade world that it could be sitting there and noone knows about it.

Always a possibility. :shrug:




I looked through the various versions I have on 'actual physcial compact discs' (Both bootlegs and officially released versions, Including the 2009 Japanese Import SHM version on Warner Bros Records Catalog #WPCR-13249) and I could only find one that has a slow fade-in and a near stop at the end (Actually a quick fade out without a sudden stop).

Don't know if this the version referenced in this thread, and I have no 8-track player to play my 8-track copy upon, so let me know your opinion:

Gold Dust Woman:
http://www.mediafire.com/?lm3k5xuv557yc49

Im familiar with the 8track version of GDW...even though i havent heard it in many years...i went thru what i have and didnt find it. i'm d/ling the version you posted and will listen in a bit to see if its it...im playing the STREET ANGEL album thru right now and don't want to cut in.

Gold Dust Woman:
http://www.mediafire.com/?lm3k5xuv557yc49[/QUOTE]

no...thats not it

Figured it probably...
 

wasn't.

I'm sure it will appear sooner than later ;)

If I could remember – Mike please correct me if I'm wrong– GOLD DUST WOMAN on the 8-Track goes over 5 minutes and comes to a complete stop - no fades - it is the most COMPLETE song released and one can hear - clearly - all the precious sounds almost lost in all other versions released.

When you hear this version - you will know you found GOLD.

Yep, no fades at all! There's NO way to mistake this version with others. I've described the rolling bass ending, which is so distinctive. Also, all the crazy stuff going on at the ending is so clear and distinct.

I've never heard this version on any tape of "demos" or outtakes from Rumours, none, nowhere.

I don't recall...
 

any known version of GDW that you described on any of the "demos", "outtakes", etc versions of "Rumours"

Still checking through CDR's I received from Sara M. (Owner of the "Stevie Nicks Underground") and thus far no luck...Will keep checking to see if it may be on one of the discs I received from her years ago, because if anyone would have had it, Sara M. would've been the one (Edit: all the various versions of GDW are the similar, but not the one on the 8-track tape)



Edit: Trying to get my late-Mother's 8 track player running...So far it's 'somewhat' working...The 8-track tape's head is degraded, but I have it playing...


Edit 2: I'm officially annoyed now...listened to the 8 Track tape I own (WB M8 3010) and the head is so degraded that you could hear the other tracks through one speaker and another track through the other...but it does stop in a manner that was described with John's bass. Tried turning the balance to the speaker with only GDW playing, but the degraded head on the cartridge still made the other track tracks somewhat audible (aka 'bleeding') through the one speaker.

Damn!!!

I've had this version floating around my library pretty much from when i first discovered Stevie... I've never been able to match it to any particular released version, and sounds too clean to be a vinyl rip... Could this be it, and if not, has anyone any idea where it's from?

maybe?

No idea. Why don't you make it easy and put it on mediafire? (My iMac won't play your link).

Here's the previously...
 

mentioned track posted by candlebright86:

http://www.mediafire.com/?d8ko18awhlk373y

no, this isn't it. this sounds like the cd version.

That's strange... I use a Mac myself and it's just an mp3 file... sorry about that guys...

I think I'll buy the 8-track of RUMOURS from e-bay... now to find a player.... I MUST hear this version again!