Talk:The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde

Info Book Genre section and instrumentation
What makes this song R&B? Also I hear no trombone in the song. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.193.122.12 (talk) 15:29, 12 November 2014 (UTC)
 * Sorry was listening to the wrong version. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.193.122.12 (talk) 15:35, 12 November 2014 (UTC)

Two versions
There's two different versions of the song released by Georgie Fame, one in mono and the other in stereo, that both play on the radio. Notable differences include the lack of the sound FX in the stereo version and Fame sings it differently, holding notes longer or with different/lack of vibratos in his voice.


 * Here's the 3:15 stereo version, no sound FX (the police sirens in the solo are replaced by a guy going "woo-woo-woo" in the background), Fame sings "tried to take them all alone" at circa 0:59, he draws out the words "dyin' " and "lyin' " lazily at 1:59 and 2:07, he draws out the last word "them" in a much longer breath at 2:36-2:43 (where there would be the shoot-out sound FX in the mono version): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJYey5BQypU


 * Here's the original 3:06(?) mono version with a fake, after-the-fact electronic stereo effect, live applause/clapping from the studio audience, and set to a 1985 TV stage choreography to the playback of the mono version: http://prerelease.myvideo.de/watch/8392962/Georgie_Fame_The_Ballad_of_Bonnie_and_Clyde_1985 Sound FX are in at 1:15-1:35 and 2:24-2:42 (with even some additional gunshots added in at 2:36 by that stage production), Fame sings "tried to take them alone" at 0:59 (without the "all" from the stereo version), no lazy drawing out of "lyin' " and "dyin' " at 1:46 and 1:54.

As an educated guess, I would say there's at least a few years between the recording of both versions, with the mono version being first. Overall, I like the mono version better, not only because of the sound FX but because of the different, more tasteful arrangement and mixing of the instruments and most of the vocal timing. I once did my own mash-up of the two versions about 15 years ago, with only a few small bits taken from the stereo version.

Also, is the song really R'n'B? The mono version sounds more like swing/big band to me, while the stereo version sounds like a very schmaltzy, cheaply-produced TV show appearance awash in echo/delay. --87.180.197.207 (talk) 23:56, 31 December 2014 (UTC)

Genre
I agree with the previous point - I don't think this is R & B - is it ? -- Beardo (talk) 00:00, 17 January 2016 (UTC)
 * Absolutely not. More vaudeville or trad jazz, I'd say, possibly even [[Swing music|

1930s swing]]? Martinevans123 (talk) 00:11, 17 January 2016 (UTC)

Release date
This article states that Fame recorded the song after seeing the film. The page for the film gives a theatrical release date of August 1967 but this article says Fame's song came out in February of 1967. Biograph1985 (talk) 12:59, 21 October 2019 (UTC)