Hit Parade | We Invented the Remix, Part 1

Host: Chris Molanphy
Producer: Benjamin Frisch
Release Date: February 19, 2022

Episode Overview

In this rich, encyclopedic episode, Chris Molanphy traces the multi-decade history and cultural evolution of the remix. Through storytelling, audio excerpts, and chart trivia, Molanphy explores how the remix transformed from a DJ’s dancefloor tool into a pop music juggernaut, redefining hits, genres, and even chart rules. Starting with current remix smashes and rewinding through pivotal historic moments, the episode investigates what actually counts as a remix and why it matters.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Modern Remix as Cultural Phenomenon

• Cold Heart (Pnau Remix)
  Opens with the current success of “Cold Heart (Pnau Remix)” by Elton John & Dua Lipa—a mashup-turned-radio hit blending four Elton John songs.
  • “This catchy Frankenstein’s monster of a track is termed a remix… But this recording is a lot of things: a mashup, an Elton John cover, a reboot of a 32-year-old Elton hit under a different title.” —Chris (05:30)
• The remix now encompasses mashups, genre-bending collaborations, and tracks that sometimes eclipse the originals.

2. The Remix: Origins and Definitions

• Explores early examples, questioning what historically qualifies as a “remix”:
  • Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence”
    The original was acoustic; producer Tom Wilson overdubbed electric instrumentation to capitalize on the ‘60s folk-rock sound without the artists’ knowledge—becoming the pop version everyone knew.
    • “Paul Simon hated it. But … the folk-rock remix of ‘The Sound of Silence’ revived their career.” —Chris (10:04)
  • The Beatles’ “The Long and Winding Road”
    Phil Spector’s controversial orchestral overdubs transformed the song for release, which McCartney despised.
    • “Dripping with newly added strings and choirs. The rearranged version of ‘The Long and Winding Road’ topped the Hot 100…” —Chris (13:10)
• These early “remixes” often involved adding instrumentation or altering arrangements post-recording.

3. Remix Culture’s Roots: Jamaica to the Bronx

• The art of the remix started with dancefloor ingenuity, not on records, but in live performance:
  • Jamaican Sound System & Dub Innovators:
    DJs like Lee “Scratch” Perry and King Tubby began altering tracks live to get the biggest reactions; eventually, dub became an art in itself.
    • “Yu Roy would toast over dub tracks by the likes of King Tubby, who could push and pull elements in and out of the recording on the fly.” —Chris (21:10)
  • Hip-Hop Origins:
    Kingston-born DJ Kool Herc brought these manipulative DJ techniques to the Bronx, pioneering “the very history of rap music and hip-hop as the history of the remix.” (21:51)

4. Birth of Studio and Commercial Remixing

• Tom Moulton—the Remix Architect:
  Began with reel-to-reel spliced edits for clubs, creating the first “remixed” disco records by extending dance tracks to keep energy up.
  • “One 45-minute tape took him 80 hours to compile.” —Chris (22:13)
  • BT Express’ “Do It (‘Til You’re Satisfied)” [28:00]
    Molanphy credits Moulton’s extended mix as the first hit commercial remix preferred by DJs and audiences, even though the band initially disliked it:
    • “BT Express absolutely hated his extended mix. But then, when it became a smash, they stole credit for it.” —Chris (32:30)
• 12-inch Singles & Disco Edits:
  1976’s “Ten Percent” by Double Exposure (remixed by Walter Gibbons) is cited as the first commercially available 12-inch remix.

5. 80s and the Remix Becomes the Definitive Version

• Duran Duran’s “The Reflex” (Nile Rodgers Remix) [37:00]
  Rodgers’ remix revamped album tracks into radio and dancefloor gold—his version became the canonical single and Duran Duran’s first U.S. #1.
  • “Nile Rodgers’ remix…added rhythmic elements and vocal chops that weren’t on the original album cut. The remix became the de facto version of the song.” —Chris (37:47)
• George Michael’s “Monkey” (Jam & Lewis Remix) [40:00]
  A case where the single is virtually a new recording, not just a tweak—demonstrating remixes as top-to-bottom reinventions.

6. Remix Mania in the Late 80s & Early 90s

• Pop and Rap Crossovers:
  • Suzanne Vega’s “Tom’s Diner” (DNA Remix) [45:43]: A folk acapella turned crossover club hit through creative bootlegging.
    • “Suzanne Vega, charmed by the dance remix, suggested that A&M acquire the rights to it instead.” —Chris (46:27)
  • SWV’s “Right Here/Human Nature” [52:30]: Teddy Riley’s remixed version, sampling Michael Jackson, achieved chart-topping status.
  • Everything But The Girl’s “Missing” (Todd Terry Remix) [53:30]: The house remix became their only major U.S. hit.

7. Label & Chart Implications of Remixing

• Molanphy discusses how labels use remixes for second (or third) chances at chart success:
  • Jewel’s “You Were Meant For Me” [55:45]: A folk ballad gets a pop-friendly re-record for single release, fueling lasting radio presence.
• Hip-Hop and the “Remix as Badge of Honor”:
  • Craig Mack’s “Flava in Ya Ear” (Remix) [58:13]: Puff Daddy (Sean Combs) assembles an all-star posse cut, creating a new hit from a fading track.
  • The Notorious B.I.G.’s “One More Chance” and Puff Daddy’s “It’s All About the Benjamins”: Each “remix” is essentially a new track, not just a tweak—a trend that becomes industry standard.

8. Remix Redefines the Charts

• The episode concludes with Jennifer Lopez, whose 2001 “I’m Real (Murder Remix)” (featuring Ja Rule) blurred the lines so much that Billboard had to rewrite its chart rules, showing just how powerful and pervasive the remix concept had become in pop music.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On “Cold Heart (Pnau Remix)”:
  “This catchy Frankenstein’s monster of a track is termed a remix…But this recording is a lot of things: a mashup, an Elton John cover by Dua Lipa, a reboot of a 32-year-old Elton hit under a different title. Like, just in general. What is this thing?” —Chris (05:28)
• On “The Sound of Silence” Remix:
  “Paul Simon hated it. But at a moment when Simon and Garfunkel were about to break up in the wake of their early failure, the folk-rock remix…revived their career.” —Chris (10:04)
• On Tom Moulton’s Influence:
  “One 45-minute tape took him 80 hours to compile.” —Chris (22:13)
  “Moulton told Bill Brewster…‘BT Express absolutely hated his extended mix. But then, when it became a smash, they stole credit for it.’” —Chris (32:30)
• On Redefinition of the Remix in the ‘80s:
  “Nile Rodgers’ remix added rhythmic elements and vocal chops that weren’t on the original album cut. The remix became the de facto version of the song.” —Chris (37:47)
• On Remix’s Power in Hip-Hop:
  “Puffy would not take that lying down. For the remix of Flava in your Ear, Puffy brought in a hip hop army…” —Chris (58:13)
• On Chart Impact:
  “This matters, because this classification affects how Billboard tallies remixes for its charts…The artist and especially the record company want both versions to count toward the song’s chart position, and they engineer remixes to ensure that both do.” —Chris (17:01)

Timeline of Important Segments

• [02:30] Introduction of “Cold Heart (Pnau Remix)” as an example of the modern remix phenomenon
• [07:41] Brief on “Old Town Road (Remix)” and how remixes break chart records
• [10:04] Early remixes: “The Sound of Silence” by Simon & Garfunkel
• [13:10] “The Long and Winding Road” and the transformation by Phil Spector
• [18:52] Jamaican sound system and dub’s foundational influence
• [22:13] Tom Moulton’s breakthrough edits and first club remixes
• [28:00] “Do It (‘Til You’re Satisfied)” and the DJ’s growing power
• [37:00] Nile Rodgers’ game-changing remix for Duran Duran’s “The Reflex”
• [40:00] George Michael’s “Monkey” as a radical, near-total revamp
• [45:43] The DNA remix of Suzanne Vega’s “Tom’s Diner”
• [53:30] Everything But The Girl’s dance breakthrough via Todd Terry’s “Missing” remix
• [58:13] Puff Daddy, Craig Mack, and the era of the hip-hop remix posse cut

Conclusion

Chris Molanphy’s deep dive demonstrates that the remix is far more than a club tool; it is a force that has shaped not only what the public hears and loves but also the very rules of the music business. From overlooked album cuts to unlikely smash hits, the journey of the remix—through technical innovation, cultural shifts, and industry maneuvering—has had an indelible impact on pop history.

"Creativity was always at the root of the remix, which is more than a technique, it's a culture.”
—Chris Molanphy (18:52)

Stay tuned for Part 2, where the story continues with the remix’s impact in the 21st century and its enduring legacy on the charts.