Radio Version Songs

[JayDavis]

I was listening to my Ipod last night and had this question for the forum. I was listening to a song by the group, Chicago. The song is "Hard to Say I'm Sorry". At the end of the song, it totally changes tempo and becomes very upbeat, yet when this song is played on "Lite FM" aka KVIL, the dj's always turn down the sound of this song as it moves from very slow/soft to a "rock song" and they prematurely "end" the song in my opinion. Why do they do that? It is a cool ending to a song and I'm sure a lot of people don't even realize that there is more to the song.

Same way with a song by The New Radicals called, "You Get What you Give". The version I have on my Ipod last a lot longer than the song played on Mix 102.9 for example and it has another "sub-verse". Why are there two versions of that song also?

 

[wbap247news]

3rd Eye Blind's Semicharmed Life also has an extra verse on the album version. And the Beatles' Strawberry Fields has a drum solo that lasts several minutes at the end of where KLUV normally cuts it off. Sometimes it's "questionable lyrics" and sometimes they just want to cram another spot in by clipping what they deem "unimportant" parts of songs -which usually is long instrumental conclusions.

 

[gettinbyagain]

Most if not ALL of the time, the record label deems what edit is the actual "radio edit." In fact, that usually the only version sent to the stations. If a song is edited for anything besides lyrics, it is most certainly for time...theory behind that was shorter song keeps people's attention!

 

[KPLEXCOMPLEX]

It's actually an old idea dating back to the 60's. Record companies then had album versions and ones made exclusively for radio play,which were usually shorter. Some stations speeded up the pitch to go along with their "hyper" pace. Others slow down the pitch to give a more "ballsy" sound. The edited ones were made so more songs could heard in an hour,now its more spots.

 

[Steve Eberhart]

Years ago, "Promo 45's" of current releases were regularly edited to keep timing down. At the time, radio stations wanted to play as many songs per hour as possible, thus the need for "short versions". It was quite common for a song to have a short radio edit that was not even available to the public. Sometimes, you'd have a radio edit, retail edit, and a long version on the LP.
Also, during the 60's, stations began denying airplay of songs deemed with unacceptable lyrics (spearheaded by McLendon)...record companies promptly had radio edits made either clipping the offending lyrics or having the artists re-cut the lyrics with alternative lyrics. Good example of that is Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl" which originally had a line to the effect of "..making love in the green grass.." changed to "..laughin' and a runnin'..."
In the case of "American Pie", the LP version was 8 minutes...the retail 45 had part one on one side and part two on the other...but the radio edit was an edited version of the full version (I have a copy) only done in MONO and never available to the public (it starts with "bye bye Miss American Pie...")

Bob Dylan's "Like A Rolling Stone" was 6 minutes. After complaints from radio, Columbia shortened it but it seemed a sacriledge to not play it...That is a very rare promo 45, usually gets a good price when available on ebay!

Today, you have a Lite AC mix, Country mix, short version, long version...you name it...

 

[VERITAS DE VOCE]

Um... INA GODA DA VIDA ring a bell? Anything from Peter Frampton before the rise "Classic Rock" stations? Hey Jude would work for this example too. Yeah, it's been done in every genre, every format possible.

Pity.

 

[Grapevine]

As for the Chicago song, what you are actually hearing is a medley of "Hard To Say I'm Sorry" and "Getaway." Most Chicago CD compilations present the two songs together, but the correct single version fades before "Getaway."

 

[JayDavis]

Thanks for all the explanations.

Wow, Grapevine, I never knew that about the Chicago song being actuall two songs.
Well the second song sure is a short one !!

 

[MikeShannon914]

We haven't discussed this phenomenon on here in a long time. KVIL, and I think Steve can verify this, would cut songs not only for time, but, would also cut out loud or rockin' instrumental parts. They explained this once in a newspaper article that the listener might find some of these parts "objectionable," especially in an office environment, so they cut them. Example used then: "Easy Lover" by Phil Collins and Philip Bailey. The whole instrumental section in the middle was cut out. I always looked at such an explanation as an excuse for the station to cram in more spots...which, considering the staggering amount they billed then (#3 in billing in the entire nation throughout most of the 80s!), something had to give. Remember when they would even play spoken-word spots over the intros of songs.

(And that somewhat explains the "Hard to Say I'm Sorry/Getaway" phenomenon...KVIL, KMGC, KKWM/KLRX and other lite rock stations over the years would purposely delete the "Getaway" part because it was too 'loud' for the format. But, as the other post-er said, the 45 version only included "Sorry." You had to buy the album to get "Getaway.")

But as time goes on and stations turn exclusively to TM-Century to stock their music libraries, the line between the 45 versions and LP versions of songs gets completely muddled and lost. TM's "stock" version of "Lyin' Eyes" by The Eagles is the short, 45 edit, which the woman "hangs her head to cry," then it jumps to "My oh my, you sure know how to arrange things..." Peter Frampton's "Baby I Love Your Way"s stock version is also the 45 edit, with internal chop-ups and just a fadedown at the end instead of an audience cheering this LIVE song (Robert Bass, this is one of my few complaints about KEOM...playing this butchered version!!) For about 20 years, the stock version of "YMCA" featured replacement lead singer Ray Simpson (and it showed...a poor re-sing) then suddenly everyone has the ORIGINAL version at their station, with the old lead singer in place. The Bone is playing some chopped versions of songs now as well: Yes' "Owner of a Lonely Heart" is the short, 45 edit, for one. I could go on and on, but you get the idea.

But wait until George Gimarc's new music protocol, "Radio SASS," takes root. The LP versions, 45 versions, etc are ALL out the window, in favor of severe editing of songs down to no more than 2 minutes or so. Yes, this includes ALL types of music, including our cherished oldies and classic rock. Check out the www.radiosass.com site and try the samples.

 

[bhayes1016]

Also, during the 60's, stations began denying airplay of songs deemed with unacceptable lyrics (spearheaded by McLendon)...record companies promptly had radio edits made either clipping the offending lyrics or having the artists re-cut the lyrics with alternative lyrics. Good example of that is Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl" which originally had a line to the effect of "..making love in the green grass.." changed to "..laughin' and a runnin'..."

Steve Miller's Jet Airliner had the line "funky sh*t goin' down in the city" which was changed to "funky kicks goin' down in the city".

 

[Robert Bass]

I never particularly cared for the Get Away portion of that song, yet a friend of mine likes it. I also never cared for album versions, in most cases, such as the album version containing unnecessary repetition of the chorus as well as extended instrumental material. Save that for the dance clubs!

At any rate, we use short versions wherever possible. This is not so much to squeeze in more songs an hour; rather it’s to assure our stop-sets occur as close as possible to the scheduled time. And there’s our network news feed at the top of the hour. It’s hard to cram in the 8 ½ minute version of American Pie.

R

 

[Steve Eberhart]

KVIL didn't edit songs on the subject of length primarily, but mostly to take out a loud piercing guitar solo or screaming vocal or somesuch more often than not. We actually played the long version of "American Pie" from the actual album all those years (we weren't on cart until LONG after most other stations...well into the 80's!).
I do recall taking the guitar solo out of "Whatcha Gonna Do" by Pablo Cruise...as an example.
Also I remember a Huey Lewis song that had a guitar solo that we tried and tried to edit out and it just didn't sound right so we asked the label to have them lay a sax solo in the place of the guitar. When asked if we'd then add the song we said yes. We had the sax solo version on our desk within days...they hired a sax player to do the same sound and layed right in where the guitar was. They truly would do most anything in those days to get a KVIL add.
People would ask "don't the artists object to you butchering their song?", and we'd say "yes, but they object a great deal more if we won't play their song at all" which is the only alternative.

 

[Robert Bass]

But as time goes on and stations turn exclusively to TM-Century to stock their music libraries, the line between the 45 versions and LP versions of songs gets completely muddled and lost. TM's "stock" version of "Lyin' Eyes" by The Eagles is the short, 45 edit, which the woman "hangs her head to cry," then it jumps to "My oh my, you sure know how to arrange things..." Peter Frampton's "Baby I Love Your Way"s stock version is also the 45 edit, with internal chop-ups and just a fadedown at the end instead of an audience cheering this LIVE song (Robert Bass, this is one of my few complaints about KEOM...playing this butchered version!!)

Mike,

Somehow I completely overlooked this portion of your post, so my apologies.

TM Stocks both versions of Lyin’ Eyes. We actually have a 45 RPM copy of the song and it’s the long version.

Regarding the Peter Frampton song, we have duplicate copies of the song in the library, from both TM as well as compilation CD’s sold to the public. They are all identical copies and each copy ends the way you described. I'll try to see if we can aquire the longer version and review it.

R