Posted by RadioActive  Yesterday 10:56 am | #1 |
I've mentioned one of my favourite radio writers, Richard Wagoner, here many times. He does weekly columns for a chain of local California papers, and talks about stations most of us have never heard. But his topics are always somehow relatable.
Case in point - Monday's story about AM versions of songs vs. their FM counterparts. The latter are always longer, the former much shorter. It started in the 70s, when AM music stations were ordered by their P.D.s to play more music - which ironically, meant playing less of it per record.
Some of the tricks to make listeners think they were hearing more variety would be to cut down longer album songs to around three minutes or to speed up a 45 to 43 or so, to make the song play faster and be able to squeeze in one more record that hour.
I wasn't a fan of these things, but there are some records that benefit, especially those with long instrumentals that go on and on and on before getting back into the song itself. The Doors' "Light My Fire" and Manfred Mann's Earth Band's "Blinded By The Light" were two perfect examples where the so-called "middle eight" could stretch on for two minutes of extra guitar work.
Wagoner notes he can't stand the shorter versions he grew up listening to on KHJ anymore, and wonders if any AM station that still plays music (and there are fewer of them than ever) still chooses the truncated songs over the longer ones.
To be honest, I've never really thought about it the odd time I tune in an AM740 or a CKDO. Or even an oldies station on FM, like The Grand.
I'm not a regular music listener anymore, but I do find I now prefer the whole thing instead of the cut down version. Does this still go on over the radio?
And by the way, I don't think I ever knew this, but Wagoner says there were actually two different versions of "Magic Carpet Ride" by Steppenwolf, one cut down, the other full length - and the lyrics were slightly different on both of them.
"There were actually two versions of “Magic Carpet Ride” by Steppenwolf, the single version played on KHJ was about 40 seconds shorter than the album version played on KMET (now KTWV, 94.7 FM) and had slightly changed lyrics in the first verse: instead of “goes far, flies near” the KHJ version had a shorter opening and the line “flies far, goes near.” It truly is a different version. You can hear it on an aircheck if you search for “Shadoe Stevens KHJ.”
Have to confess, I never noticed this but I'll be listening next time the song plays on air somewhere to hear which version they're using.
Remembering AM radio’s 3-minute rule and the songs that broke it
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Posted by Binson Echorec Yesterday 11:12 am | #2 |
I have always been a fan of the longer, unedited album version of a song as that was the vision of the creators. Did my best to never play edits when working in FM radio.
Tangentially, I'm also not crazy about censoring swear words in songs, especially when the song has been airing unedited for years and the censoring is done only because we've recently become worried someone might take offense.
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Posted by Jody Thornton Yesterday 11:28 am | #3 |
Binson Echorec wrote:
I have always been a fan of the longer, unedited album version of a song as that was the vision of the creators. Did my best to never play edits when working in FM radio.
Tangentially, I'm also not crazy about censoring swear words in songs, especially when the song has been airing unedited for years and the censoring is done only because we've recently become worried someone might take offense.
I'm of the opposite though with Rough Trade's "Highschool Confidential". I find that hearing "cream my jeans" in a public place seems odd (and I'm no prude), especially if it's a small, upscale supermarket. Yikes!
I find single mixes are usually more to my liking, because THAT was heard more commonly on hit radio during its chart run. I miss the single versions of these songs, and actually prefer them:
Phil Collins - In the Air Tonight (also used in the video)
Wham! - Everything She Wants (it's actually longer, being edited from the 12" single)
Then there are songs that I think really benefit from editing. RA brought up one example of the Doors, with Light My Fire. When I hear the LP version, I think, get on with it already. Same with the LP edit of Steppenwolf's "Magic Carpet Ride". Now this one is different. The charting promo mono single was from ABC/Dunhill, and contained a complete vocal retake (awful in my opinion). However, MCA records made a better edit of the instrumental part, and that's what you hear on some classic rock stations now. It gets to the meat of the song, without feeling as though you missed anything.
Notice whenever Simple Minds' "Don't You Forget About Me" is aired, even on classic rock stations, the radio edit is played? The LP version just doesn't add anything compelling to the song. Editing really can improve some songs.
Cheers,
Jody Thornton
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Posted by mace Yesterday 12:20 pm | #4 |
In some cases the LP version is split into parts 1 and 2 on the 45. Eric Burdon did this on Sky Pilot. I have the LP version of Whole Lotta Love on a 45. All 5;33 on the A side.
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Posted by Jody Thornton Yesterday 12:33 pm | #5 |
In some cases the LP version is split into parts 1 and 2 on the 45. Eric Burdon did this on Sky Pilot. I have the LP version of Whole Lotta Love on a 45. All 5;33 on the A side.
Similarly to "MacArthur's Park", these singles usually lower the modulation level and squeeze the grooves closer together. I can't speak for your Zeppelin 45-rpm disc, but Richard Harris' 1972 RCA re-issue was awful for this reason.
What I REALLY wish, was that we followed the US's lead on promo singles in the 70s and 80s. Many of them were released as 12" promo singles, just like extended dance songs were commercially. However, these 12" singles were just the radio versions (and sometimes, the LP version on the flip-side. They were quieter surfaced, louder and more dynamic. Plus you had the grooves spaced out enough in the first two-thirds of the side, so that tracking error was less.
I know WEA released some of these for Blue Rodeo and One to One, here in Canada, but the US did so for much longer.
Cheers,
Jody Thornton
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Posted by mace Yesterday 12:41 pm | #6 |
In some cases the LP version is split into parts 1 and 2 on the 45. Eric Burdon did this on Sky Pilot. I have the LP version of Whole Lotta Love on a 45. All 5;33 on the A side.
Similarly to "MacArthur's Park", these singles usually lower the modulation level and squeeze the grooves closer together. I can't speak for your Zeppelin 45-rpm disc, but Richard Harris' 1972 RCA re-issue was awful for this reason.
What I REALLY wish, was that we followed the US's lead on promo singles in the 70s and 80s. Many of them were released as 12" promo singles, just like extended dance songs were commercially. However, these 12" singles were just the radio versions (and sometimes, the LP version on the flip-side. They were quieter surfaced, louder and more dynamic. Plus you had the grooves spaced out enough in the first two-thirds of the side, so that tracking error was less.
I know WEA released some of these for Blue Rodeo and One to One, here in Canada, but the US did so for much longer.
Well I was 16 when I bought the long version of Wole Lotta Love on a 45. Albums were out of my price range. As for the sound quality, it got played on a portable SeaBreeze with detachable speakers. I was just happy to have the unedited version.
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Posted by Binson Echorec Yesterday 12:49 pm | #7 |
I have always been a fan of the longer, unedited album version of a song as that was the vision of the creators. Did my best to never play edits when working in FM radio.
Tangentially, I'm also not crazy about censoring swear words in songs, especially when the song has been airing unedited for years and the censoring is done only because we've recently become worried someone might take offense.I'm of the opposite though with Rough Trade's "Highschool Confidential". I find that hearing "cream my jeans" in a public place seems odd (and I'm no prude), especially if it's a small, upscale supermarket. Yikes!
I find single mixes are usually more to my liking, because THAT was heard more commonly on hit radio during its chart run. I miss the single versions of these songs, and actually prefer them:
Phil Collins - In the Air Tonight (also used in the video)
Wham! - Everything She Wants (it's actually longer, being edited from the 12" single)
Then there are songs that I think really benefit from editing. RA brought up one example of the Doors, with Light My Fire. When I hear the LP version, I think, get on with it already. Same with the LP edit of Steppenwolf's "Magic Carpet Ride". Now this one is different. The charting promo mono single was from ABC/Dunhill, and contained a complete vocal retake (awful in my opinion). However, MCA records made a better edit of the instrumental part, and that's what you hear on some classic rock stations now. It gets to the meat of the song, without feeling as though you missed anything.
Notice whenever Simple Minds' "Don't You Forget About Me" is aired, even on classic rock stations, the radio edit is played? The LP version just doesn't add anything compelling to the song. Editing really can improve some songs.
@Jody - I don't entirely disagree but I feel you're approaching this from a jukebox-esque perspective, where you're hearing individually isolated songs on their own, outside of its album context. And that's okay.
I'm coming from a much more album-oriented angle. When I put on an album I listen to it from front to back, so I want to hear it untainted, as the artists envisioned it. Song sequencing was an art form once.
I guess I've always treated the radio edits of songs as "testers". If I liked a 3-minute tune on the radio and later found out there was a longer version available somewhere, then I was determined to seek it out.
For some reason, a 9-minute version of Bowie's "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)" was released in Australia only. Does it add much to the song? Probably not. Doesn't make me love it any less.
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Posted by Jody Thornton Yesterday 1:25 pm | #8 |
@Jody - I don't entirely disagree but I feel you're approaching this from a jukebox-esque perspective, where you're hearing individually isolated songs on their own, outside of its album context. And that's okay.
I'm coming from a much more album-oriented angle. When I put on an album I listen to it from front to back, so I want to hear it untainted, as the artists envisioned it. Song sequencing was an art form once.
I guess I've always treated the radio edits of songs as "testers". If I liked a 3-minute tune on the radio and later found out there was a longer version available somewhere, then I was determined to seek it out.
For some reason, a 9-minute version of Bowie's "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)" was released in Australia only. Does it add much to the song? Probably not. Doesn't make me love it any less.
Absolutely, I'm coming from hearing a variety of music mixed together, not listening to an LP side. I do love that too however, especially for progressive rock titles. But when listening to a mix of music, I enjoy hearing the songs the way they were promoted during their chart run.
However, mixing the two listening styles together, you may recall that 1050 CHUM (during its punk/rock heavy) era from 1978 through to maybe 1983, they played hits, but mostly used LP versions. I enjoyed this somewhat, but sometimes missed the single versions, because they were more familiar. The other thing is that many single versions contain different mixes than the LP version. If the album had a longer version of the single mix, I might ever prefer that, because of the familiarity. Does that make sense at all? 
Cheers,
Jody Thornton
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Posted by Binson Echorec Yesterday 1:41 pm | #9 |
Does that make sense at all?
Fully and completely.
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Posted by markow202 Yesterday 5:42 pm | #10 |
I have always been a fan of the longer, unedited album version of a song as that was the vision of the creators. Did my best to never play edits when working in FM radio.
Tangentially, I'm also not crazy about censoring swear words in songs, especially when the song has been airing unedited for years and the censoring is done only because we've recently become worried someone might take offense.I'm of the opposite though with Rough Trade's "Highschool Confidential". I find that hearing "cream my jeans" in a public place seems odd (and I'm no prude), especially if it's a small, upscale supermarket. Yikes!
I find single mixes are usually more to my liking, because THAT was heard more commonly on hit radio during its chart run. I miss the single versions of these songs, and actually prefer them:
Phil Collins - In the Air Tonight (also used in the video)
Wham! - Everything She Wants (it's actually longer, being edited from the 12" single)
Then there are songs that I think really benefit from editing. RA brought up one example of the Doors, with Light My Fire. When I hear the LP version, I think, get on with it already. Same with the LP edit of Steppenwolf's "Magic Carpet Ride". Now this one is different. The charting promo mono single was from ABC/Dunhill, and contained a complete vocal retake (awful in my opinion). However, MCA records made a better edit of the instrumental part, and that's what you hear on some classic rock stations now. It gets to the meat of the song, without feeling as though you missed anything.
Notice whenever Simple Minds' "Don't You Forget About Me" is aired, even on classic rock stations, the radio edit is played? The LP version just doesn't add anything compelling to the song. Editing really can improve some songs.
I agree with this - its almost like "lets get to the point" with certain songs. Really depends on the song, genre.
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Posted by Chrisphen Yesterday 5:51 pm | #11 |
I agree with this - its almost like "lets get to the point" with certain songs. Really depends on the song, genre.
Lucky for you, K-Tel records are still widely available in thrift stores.
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Posted by Paul Jeffries Yesterday 8:16 pm | #12 |
In some cases, the artist prefers the single version over the album version. The members of U2 are said to have preferred the "Temple Bar Remix" of "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses", the version that was released as a single in 1992. I myself prefer it over the weird, screechy album version.
When it comes to single vs. album versions, I also agree that it really depends on the song. Some songs you don't dare take a hatchet to no matter how long they are, like The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again" (although somebody at the record company did, and the end result was horrendous). In other cases, some songs could do with some fat-trimming and maybe even a little spicing up with a remix to make it a little more flavorful.
Some may argue that the album version is "the way the artist wanted you to hear the song". But if I prefer the single, I don't really care...this is the way I want to hear the song! 
PJ
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