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alternate versions played, other than the "hit" version

firepoint525

firepoint525

This is a phenomenon that I have noticed in recent years. Radio stations playing versions of "hit" songs, OTHER than the version that was played while it was a hit. By this, I do NOT mean playing the album version of something that was played only in its single edit back in the day. The most common example of this is playing the live version of something that was a studio hit back then, or the studio version of something that was a hit in its live version.

The most unusual example of this that I have noticed is that the AC station here in Nashville plays only the Kenny Loggins version of "Danny's Song," which is significant to me because he never had a hit with it. Only Anne Murray's version was the hit. I suppose that this can be at least partly attributed to the song still "testing" well, but maybe Anne Murray is not as popular with AC audiences as maybe she once was. So they get around this by playing the Loggins version.

Many Eagles hits are now being played in their live versions, but I have a feeling that this may be due to listener fatigue with the Eagles, yet apparently, they still "test" well, so stations are looking for new twists on old favorites.
 
I remember hearing a version of Dire Straits' "Sultans of Swing" that was different from the hit version. Mark Knopfler's vocal was more guttural. Also, there were a couple of lyric variations:

Hit version: "Drunk and dressed in their best firm baggies and their platform soles"
Alt version: "Drunk and dressed in their baggies and their platform soles"

Hit: "Good night, now it's time to go home"
Alt: "Good night, thank you, now it's time to go home"


There was an early version of James Taylor's "Carolina in My Mind" (on Apple, I think) which was at a faster tempo than the WB version.
 
Why do you assume that listeners are tiring of the Eagles when David and Michael have told us over and over and over just how the research is done and how the results are used? Again, most radio listeners DON'T tire of their favorite songs or of a certain station's playlist because they just don't spend long stretches of time with one station, or when they do, it's in an office/retail situation in which the station is merely pleasant background noise with advertising inserted to burrow into the subconscious.
 
rnigma said:
I remember hearing a version of Dire Straits' "Sultans of Swing" that was different from the hit version. Mark Knopfler's vocal was more guttural. Also, there were a couple of lyric variations:

Hit version: "Drunk and dressed in their best firm baggies and their platform soles"
Alt version: "Drunk and dressed in their baggies and their platform soles"

Hit: "Good night, now it's time to go home"
Alt: "Good night, thank you, now it's time to go home"


There was an early version of James Taylor's "Carolina in My Mind" (on Apple, I think) which was at a faster tempo than the WB version.
Click to expand...

Was it the Apple or the WB version that added the strings to the backing track? I'm pretty sure the original was just Taylor and a couple of guitars.
 
CTListener said:
Why do you assume that listeners are tiring of the Eagles when David and Michael have told us over and over and over just how the research is done and how the results are used? Again, most radio listeners DON'T tire of their favorite songs or of a certain station's playlist because they just don't spend long stretches of time with one station, or when they do, it's in an office/retail situation in which the station is merely pleasant background noise with advertising inserted to burrow into the subconscious.
Click to expand...
Maybe it is because people OUTSIDE of radio have told me the same thing. Come-in-last ran 97.1 according to the gospel of David and Michael, and yet they switched anyway.
 
firepoint525 said:
CTListener said:
Why do you assume that listeners are tiring of the Eagles when David and Michael have told us over and over and over just how the research is done and how the results are used? Again, most radio listeners DON'T tire of their favorite songs or of a certain station's playlist because they just don't spend long stretches of time with one station, or when they do, it's in an office/retail situation in which the station is merely pleasant background noise with advertising inserted to burrow into the subconscious.
Click to expand...
Maybe it is because people OUTSIDE of radio have told me the same thing. Come-in-last ran 97.1 according to the gospel of David and Michael, and yet they switched anyway.
Click to expand...

Had to hop threads to find this one.

There is no gospel of David and Michael. It's just sound programming basics. And I'll bet you David and I, Turnpike or any other programmer who understands those basics could have walked into 97.1 at 9AM on a weekday and had a list of where the station was getting it wrong by lunch.

McDonald's starts serving hamburgers at 10:30, right?
 
rnigma said:
I remember hearing a version of Dire Straits' "Sultans of Swing" that was different from the hit version. Mark Knopfler's vocal was more guttural. Also, there were a couple of lyric variations:

Hit version: "Drunk and dressed in their best firm baggies and their platform soles"
Alt version: "Drunk and dressed in their baggies and their platform soles"

Hit: "Good night, now it's time to go home"
Alt: "Good night, thank you, now it's time to go home"


There was an early version of James Taylor's "Carolina in My Mind" (on Apple, I think) which was at a faster tempo than the WB version.
Click to expand...


I've heard this version too. It sounds like a demo that got out somehow. Not nearly as pristine as the more familiar version.
 
The Apple "Carolina" did have strings, and slicker production than the WB version. I found it on a Capitol "Quik-Q" sampler album.

In another thread I mentioned an alternate version of Wild Cherry's "Play That Funky Music" that omitted the words "white boy."
 
CTListener said:
Why do you assume that listeners are tiring of the Eagles when David and Michael have told us over and over and over just how the research is done and how the results are used?
Click to expand...

Sure they are......when only "Hotel California", "Take It Easy" and "Already Gone" are being played to the max!
 
rnigma said:
I remember hearing a version of Dire Straits' "Sultans of Swing" that was different from the hit version. Mark Knopfler's vocal was more guttural. Also, there were a couple of lyric variations:
Hit version: "Drunk and dressed in their best firm baggies and their platform soles"
Alt version: "Drunk and dressed in their baggies and their platform soles"
Hit: "Good night, now it's time to go home"
Alt: "Good night, thank you, now it's time to go home"
Click to expand...
Have you got a youtube link for that one? I would love to check that one out. Thanks.
 
I just noticed this myself - first time ever, yesterday, I heard KOLA (99.9 San Bernardino) playing the live version of Hotel California. Could it be that even they got tired of hearing the studio version for the 10,000th time? Has there been a change of minds or hearts at KOLA? Now, if they can just find an alternate version of More Than A Feeling, we'd be all set... ;D
 
If burn is bad with listeners, then it's got to be so much worse with station staff. My local DJs have personally told me as much. Too bad the suits have them under such restraints. They think we'll stay tuned for commercials but tune out if they play Blondie's "Dreaming" instead of "One Way or Another" for the umpteenth time this week. But either way, "live" versions are NOT the way to go, guys! Talk about tuneout factor...
 
SolidGold16 said:
I just noticed this myself - first time ever, yesterday, I heard KOLA (99.9 San Bernardino) playing the live version of Hotel California. Could it be that even they got tired of hearing the studio version for the 10,000th time? Has there been a change of minds or hearts at KOLA? Now, if they can just find an alternate version of More Than A Feeling, we'd be all set... ;D
Click to expand...

How about an alternate version of "Brown Eyed Girl" :D
 
RIN3GUY said:
But either way, "live" versions are NOT the way to go, guys! Talk about tuneout factor...
Click to expand...

Agreed, those are not the original hit versions and should not air. I suppose the only exception are those Peter Frampton "live" songs, but heck those are overplayed too!
 
oldies76 said:
SolidGold16 said:
I just noticed this myself - first time ever, yesterday, I heard KOLA (99.9 San Bernardino) playing the live version of Hotel California. Could it be that even they got tired of hearing the studio version for the 10,000th time? Has there been a change of minds or hearts at KOLA? Now, if they can just find an alternate version of More Than A Feeling, we'd be all set... ;D
Click to expand...

How about an alternate version of "Brown Eyed Girl" :D
Click to expand...

I remember reading that Van doesn't even do that song in concerts anymore, as he never really thought much of it.
 
SolidGold16 said:
I just noticed this myself - first time ever, yesterday, I heard KOLA (99.9 San Bernardino) playing the live version of Hotel California. Could it be that even they got tired of hearing the studio version for the 10,000th time? Has there been a change of minds or hearts at KOLA? Now, if they can just find an alternate version of More Than A Feeling, we'd be all set... ;D
Click to expand...
Does anyone know if the live version of "Hotel California" is the one from the "hell freezes over" tour? If so, that might be why they are playing it these days.

Our former classic hits station here in Nashville used to play an "unplugged" live version of "Rock and Roll All Night" By KISS, which I think was recorded sometime in the '90s. They switch out lead singers on that one, and each one takes turns singing lead on a verse.
 
oldies76 said:
RIN3GUY said:
But either way, "live" versions are NOT the way to go, guys! Talk about tuneout factor...
Click to expand...
Agreed, those are not the original hit versions and should not air. I suppose the only exception are those Peter Frampton "live" songs, but heck those are overplayed too!
Click to expand...
The AAA station here in Nashville (Lightning 100) used to occasionally play the studio version of "Show Me the Way." Maybe they still do.

I have the Cheap Trick CDs In Color and Heaven Tonight which contain the studio versions of most of the songs that they later performed live in Budokan. Seems like In Color contained most of them, But "Surrender" was on Heaven Tonight.
 
CTListener said:
oldies76 said:
SolidGold16 said:
I just noticed this myself - first time ever, yesterday, I heard KOLA (99.9 San Bernardino) playing the live version of Hotel California. Could it be that even they got tired of hearing the studio version for the 10,000th time? Has there been a change of minds or hearts at KOLA? Now, if they can just find an alternate version of More Than A Feeling, we'd be all set... ;D
Click to expand...
How about an alternate version of "Brown Eyed Girl" :D
Click to expand...
I remember reading that Van doesn't even do that song in concerts anymore, as he never really thought much of it.
Click to expand...
Ditto Bob Seger with "Like A Rock." Thank you, Chevy truck commercials! ::)
Now, if they can just find an alternate version of More Than A Feeling, we'd be all set... ;D
Click to expand...
An unplugged "More Than A Feeling" would be cool! 8)
 
CTListener said:
oldies76 said:
SolidGold16 said:
I just noticed this myself - first time ever, yesterday, I heard KOLA (99.9 San Bernardino) playing the live version of Hotel California. Could it be that even they got tired of hearing the studio version for the 10,000th time? Has there been a change of minds or hearts at KOLA? Now, if they can just find an alternate version of More Than A Feeling, we'd be all set... ;D
Click to expand...

How about an alternate version of "Brown Eyed Girl" :D
Click to expand...

I remember reading that Van doesn't even do that song in concerts anymore, as he never really thought much of it.
Click to expand...

An understatement. Van has indicated that he hates that song more than anyone on this board does.
 
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