German 3rd cut (1979)
1C 072-04 177
Discogs | German Matrix Database
Matrix:
Side A: SHZE-A-2 04 177 A-1
Side B: SHZE-401-B-3 04 177 B-1
Banded
This version was cut in the late 1970s. No exact date can be found, but it seems around 1979, as the 2nd cut was still used for the BC13 boxset in 1978. My copy is, actually, from the early 80s (“Made in EEC” typed-style rimtext labels). Interestingly, the matrix numbers even contain stricken-out SHZE numbers (a seemingly unreleased SHZE-A-2/B-3 cut). In contrast to the 1st and 2nd German cut, this version is banded.
Now this version still seems to be based on the same source that the previous German versions were based upon (it has almost the same length, too). However, it has been remastered with some EQ trickery.
It’s louder than the UK -1/-1 by ~2db, but also has more both bass and treble. Sometimes it happens at the cost of the vocals, though. In the title track, the vocals are even more buried in the mix than they were originally (although Ringo’s voice stands out beautifully in “With a Little Help…”). On “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”, the bass is a tiny bit too strong, distracting from the singing, rather than underlining it. “Fixing a Hole”, however, sounds beautiful, here the vocals have great presence, the bass is not disturbing, the trebles are nice and clear. In “She’s Leaving Home” Paul’s vocals sound considerably clearer than in the UK -1/-1.
Now on “For the Benefit of Mr. Kite”, it becomes somehow weird. The weird thing is, the characteristic of the voice has changed, it sounds actually clearer and not as distorted – but I am not sure that’s how it’s supposed to be, as it doesn’t sound like that on any version I heard before. The trebles are somewhat excessive and sound almost brittle. This brittleness continues on Side B in “Within You Without You”, where that Indian instrument that I like to call “circular saw”* sounds somehow unpleasant on headphones. On the other hand, “When I’m Sixty-Four” and “Lovely Rita sound just splendid.
As for “Good Morning, Good Morning”, the vocals are once again changed in character, the voice has more substance on the low end (it sounds thinner on other versions). The “Reprise” has definitely more punch than the UK and German 1st, but combined with the hard treble it takes away from the singing a bit.
On “A Day in the Life”, John’s voice sounds somehow strange. Somehow less dreamy, less airy, more precise, but also somehow artificial. McCartney’s voice in Part 2 sounds muffled. The “Aaaahs” before Part 3 is somewhat buried in the mix, lessening the effect.
Note: the gibberish actually happens once on the runoff, not in the locked groove.
Overall: This may be considered a “Grail” and “audiophile”, but I wouldn’t go so far. It’s certainly not bad, but basically all it seems to have is a little bit EQ manipulation, which sometimes is beautiful and sometimes a bit weird.
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