By The Landlord
This week: something a little different. Not a lyrical theme, or focusing on one particular sound, musical genre or instrument, but all about your very personal, subjective listening experience – and all about different versions of the same song.
Whether via the radio, record shop, through friend recommendations, random searches or indeed through somewhere like this very Bar, the way we discover music is wonderfully random, a network of connections, people, associations, chance happenings, fuelled by curiosity, time, budget and mood.
Since the advent of the single, from the early 20th century’s 10-inch shellac 78, to the 7-inch 45, and later CD, cassette, other formats and digital versions, it may be one of those we first hear – a lead single heralding the release of an LP, or a standalone that might later end up on an album.
But not necessarily, sometimes we may discover, and become familiar with an album first, then subsequently hear a later, different version designed to boost that LP’s sales to others, and if there’s something different, then we perhaps have a reaction, perhaps one of simple curiosity, one that stimulates a measured, intellectual or analytic response, but sometimes it’s more emotional. Perhaps there’s surprise, disappointment, or even, dare I say it, outrage.
Whichever way round this may happen, whether it’s due to commercial requirement, marketing interference, or an artist’s own preference, or all kinds of internal artistic, hidden conflicts, this week it’s all about the differences. A purism might be at play as well as a cacophony of compromise.
Previously there have been parallel and specific topics focusing solely on singles, including 12-inch singles and remixes up to 1979, and favourite 1980s 12-singles, but his time, we’re looking for album versions, with your reasons why they are the superior cut to a single. In some ways this is the reverse telescope view of a topic we also did earlier this year focusing on 7-inch singles.
But how might they contrast? Length is likely be the first that come to mind. Some songs seem like the perfect length when you hear them on an LP, but when released as a single, they seem butchered to the bone, becoming just a mere, insubstantial, artificial, commercial snack to tempt new listeners in. What might be missing? The intro, the gradual build, body of the song, the best solos, verses, even a middle eight, where suddenly there’s no arc or narrative, just a snippet of what should be there? Sometimes though, the album version can seem flabby and overblown. What do you think? But feel free to explain and point out differences and for this topic, why the LP version is superior.
Perhaps also album track might even the meaning or expands the song into something greater, bigger, more satisfying.
Some songs you suggest may have been previously chosen for other topics, but which version? It’s worth checking, but if in doubt, suggest anyway. This is why we usually have A- and B-lists.
Different eras have been produced more contrasts between album and singles versions than others. 1950s and 60s jazz records naturally have huge differences in length due the nature of the genre. And in the classical genre, a single version is almost always likely to be shorter.
While standalone singles were often 3-minute formats for singles, the revolution of the big-selling rock and pop albums of the 1960s and 70s created many contrasting versions between single and LP versions. This wasn’t just about indulgent, or arguably brilliant prog noodling, but that could certainly come up. There must be many contrasts, in many versions of songs from the Beatles to the Who, Lynyrd Skynyrd, not to mention Mike Oldfield or Yes. But this is merely scratching the surface.
But while prog or other rock may be an obvious focus point, punk can also apply, and sometimes in a different order of creation. Saints, Dead Kennedys and Adverts singles, for example, were all generally re-recorded for album versions. But which were better? It’s all worth investigating, or rediscovering and saying why.
But in any era, before or since, other reasons for contrasts might also come up. Radio-friendly editing is often a cause, not merely to fit the 3 or 4 minutes which that medium prefers, but also for lyrical content that might not be deemed fit for universal consumption. So, for example, prefer the more sweary, dirty or controversial, cut? Which is the purer version of the artist’s intentions?
Other forms of good or bad edits could include overdubs, the addition of beats to add wider appeal (or other fashionable musical elements of the time) rather than acoustic, or noisier or different dynamic sounds on the album version. Perhaps instead there may be subtler, deeper contrasts under the producing bonnet to point out. The more you dig, the greater the differences, and the more revealing the creative world of song becomes.
Might also a song have been used for a film as part or wholly a soundtrack? Or perhaps for a commercial? Or one with added orchestra, or perhaps even live versions? These and many other reasons could throw up contrasts between single and album version for a lively comparison.
Over to you then, learned Song Bar punters, and also to the sharp mind, eagle-eyed and fox-eared perceptions of this week’s returning guest guru, DiscoMonster! Place your suggestions below, ideally with both versions, explanations, and even sharing how you discovered and perceived both (perhaps you even changed your mind at some point on you preference), all in comments below for deadline at 11pm UK time on Monday, for playlists published next week. In more ways than usual then this week – help make a difference.
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