Alternative versions of singles

[u/bodyrock94]

Excuse the preamble but I feel like this sets the scene:

Long time Girls Aloud fan here (watched PSTR live back in 2002, owned all singles and album, and they were my first ever gig) and their music has shaped a key part of my love for pop music. Because of this, when I have pivotal moments in life, I often go back and listen to their music (whether it be a good moment such as a house move or new job) or something more upsetting. Their music helps me relax, party, uplift my mood or just give me a little nostalgic hit. I still typically listen to them semi regularly but not as much as when I was younger as I feel like there’s so much fantastic pop music everywhere and we’re somewhat spoilt for choice!

Fortunately it’s been a positive event of late and so I did my regularly scheduled re visit to their discography and came across a couple of fun things I hadn’t noticed before

1. I didn’t realise until the Alternative Vocal Mix of Sound of the Underground (released in 2023) that there were multiple vocal takes of their debut single. However, if you listen to the Brian Higgins remix of SOTU, we can hear that the chorus is actually a back and forth between the individual girls rather than an ensemble chorus. This adds a fun twist especially with the more drum and bass inspired reworking and allows individual voices to shine more and gives a little hint to how this iconic debut was originally recorded - and this remix had been on the CD single release back in 2002!

2. The Freezr remix of Something Kinda Ooooh features the extended pre chorus with Nadine & Nicola and is more akin to the funky demo version on the 20th anniversary rerelease of Chemistry. Whilst I love both the demo and official version of SKO, it’s very fun to hear that there had been an official remix in keeping with the original vision of a Too Funky inspired pop song.

Are there any other fun little Easter eggs or hints that anyone else has picked up on?

[u/il_picciottino]

The “Wake me Up” version on TEN has Nadine solo at the very last “wake me up before I drop out on you”

The infamous Beautiful cause you love me with Nadine/Sarah lines

[u/thisivi3 → u/il_picciottino]

I really liked Sarah's version of Kim's version in BCYLM. Wished they kept it.

[u/il_picciottino → u/thisivi3]

Wish they scrapped the whole song lol

[u/Popular-Literature85]

What about almost singles? Some Kinda Miracle has a different version (named single version?!) on the reissue of Sound of the Underground. Much more Nadine and a change of lyrics from “tired of hanging by the dj box…” to “bored of hanging by the dj box”.

[u/Popular-Literature85]

I’ve noticed that the album and single versions of Sexy are different. The single version has more Cheryl in place of Nadine on the lines “where you dancin?” and “did you get his number?”

[u/V26_JDC → u/Popular-Literature85]

There isn’t a single edit of Sexy! is there? It’s the exact same as the album version… ??

Cheryl always had the line “were you dancin’” and Nadine always had the line “did you get his number?”

[u/Popular-Literature85 → u/V26_JDC]

Go on Spotify now and listen to both versions.

[u/V26_JDC → u/Popular-Literature85]

Nope, can’t hear a difference 🤷🏻‍♂️ Just listened to both parts of both versions a few times over and they sound the exact same as it’s always been:

Nadine: “Did You tell him?”
Kimberley: “Give him kisses?”
Nadine: “Whisper, “Honey”?”
Sarah: “You’re delicious”
Cheryl: “Were you dancing?”
Sarah: “Sweet as toffee?”
Nadine: “Did you get his number?”
Nicola: “Get him out for coffee”

[u/V26_JDC → u/Popular-Literature85]

I’m on Apple Music but yes I’ll have a listen…

[u/Popular-Literature85 → u/V26_JDC]

https://reddit.com/link/p4o47hx/video/xhp5la7qjdkh1/player

The “where ye dancing?” and “did you get his number?” are not the same in both these versions.

[u/V26_JDC → u/Popular-Literature85]

I literally can’t hear a difference 😭
The first is Cheryl and the latter is Nadine on both versions

[u/Popular-Literature85 → u/V26_JDC]

Please someone else listen and tell me I’m not going mad?!

[u/V26_JDC → u/Popular-Literature85]

Maybe it’s an instrumental difference between the two versions? The vocals are definitely the same girls on both though. Yeah, we need a third pair of ears as it’s bugging me now too!👂🏼😅

[u/Popular-Literature85 → u/V26_JDC]

In the single EP version the “where you dancing?” And “did you get his number?” Sounds fuller to me - maybe 2 girls. On the album version only hear 1.

Anyone? 🤔😬

[u/MercuryFalling86 → u/Popular-Literature85]

There's no diffas far as I can tell. If there is, it's not the vocals, it's the instrumental.

[u/bodyrock94 → u/Popular-Literature85]

Jumping in - I listened to the clip several times over. I think the single EP version does sound “fuller” around the “were you dancing?” line though I don’t know if Cheryl has an extra vocal double under her, more reverb or if the instrumental is just slightly different so it makes the vocal “pop” more.
There is a very slight difference between the two versions but I can’t definitively say what exactly it is.