Single versions

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Tentenlad
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Single versions

#1 Post by Tentenlad »

What does everyone think are the best edits or remix versions of the singles?

For me, ‘Memory of the future’ single remix is a massive improvement on the rather weedy album version.

Most disappointing is the single version of ‘Integral’, which seemed an almost impossible song to ruin, but they managed it!

Brownie points for the single mix of ‘I wouldnt normally...’ too.

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Dog
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Re: Single versions

#2 Post by Dog »

Tentenlad wrote:What does everyone think are the best edits or remix versions of the singles?

For me, ‘Memory of the future’ single remix is a massive improvement on the rather weedy album version.

Most disappointing is the single version of ‘Integral’, which seemed an almost impossible song to ruin, but they managed it!

Brownie points for the single mix of ‘I wouldnt normally...’ too.
Suburbia, Heart and It’s alright were all much improved for me. Special mention also for A red letter day.

It’s a shame they don’t seem to rework their post-album singles in the same way anymore. An edit of the David Jackson remix would have done the trick for I don’t wanna.
Woof.

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retrofuturist
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Re: Single versions

#3 Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings,

I recommend checking out Geowayne's poll on the topic: viewtopic.php?f=19&t=27421&view=next

My view, generally, is that in the 80's and 90's every edit was either better or necessary (in the event that the original was too long).

From Release onwards that pattern falls apart, and as many are worse as they are better.

Retro. :)
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tottenhammattspurs
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Re: Single versions

#4 Post by tottenhammattspurs »

How can you expect to be taken seriously?? Hand down.
is is and isnt isnt

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tottenhammattspurs
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Re: Single versions

#5 Post by tottenhammattspurs »

tottenhammattspurs wrote: Mon 14 Sep 2020, 9:33 am How can you expect to be taken seriously? Hands down.
is is and isnt isnt

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Greendrake
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Re: Single versions

#6 Post by Greendrake »


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Gabby
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Re: Single versions

#7 Post by Gabby »

Greendrake wrote: Mon 14 Sep 2020, 9:43 am Among those single/radio edits that are merely shorter versions of the album tracks (as opposed to having additional production), there is a subset of very disappointing ones. These sound not just edited to be shorter, but mutilated without adding any value whatsoever. Hate them. Some examples:

Thursday — the line "Come on, don't fight it The time's still right for it" is cut out so that the intro has only 3 stanzas, not 4.
Twenty-something — barbarically curtailed intro melody.

An opposite example, where shortening did not mutilate the song at all is New York City boy.

A neutral example is Burning the heather: a whole verse was cut out, but that sounds not as bad as cutting out part of a verse.
Don't get me started on "Thursday". The just about superior album version had terrible vocal issues on the verses where you could barely hear Neil. So hurray they fixed it on the single and then butchered it as you pointed out. Fix the album version vocals and itd be spot on.

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Spittingcat
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Re: Single versions

#8 Post by Spittingcat »

The quieter vocals on the album version are perfect, much as the vocals on Inside a dream are. They had to be brought up in the mix for ‘radio’ friendly edits, for sure… but they are not ‘issues’ in the album version, the are not mistakes, they are just not how you want them.

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Re: Single versions

#9 Post by Gabby »

Spittingcat wrote: Mon 14 Sep 2020, 11:57 pm The quieter vocals on the album version are perfect, much as the vocals on Inside a dream are. They had to be brought up in the mix for ‘radio’ friendly edits, for sure… but they are not ‘issues’ in the album version, the are not mistakes, they are just not how you want them.
I think not being able to hear the verse of a song because of over-echo and being buried so deep in the mix is an issue. It wouldn't have lost any impact being brought up in the mix a bit for the album.

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Re: Single versions

#10 Post by TallThinMan »

Dog wrote: Mon 14 Sep 2020, 6:44 am Suburbia, Heart and It’s alright were all much improved for me. Special mention also for A red letter day.

It’s a shame they don’t seem to rework their post-album singles in the same way anymore. An edit of the David Jackson remix would have done the trick for I don’t wanna.
What always blows my mind is that the single version of Heart came first. The album version is “actually” the reworked one.
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Greendrake
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Re: Single versions

#11 Post by Greendrake »


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Re: Single versions

#12 Post by Dog »

Greendrake wrote:
TallThinMan wrote: Tue 15 Sep 2020, 7:53 am What always blows my mind is that the single version of Heart came first. The album version is “actually” the reworked one.
????
Actually released 7 Sep 1987
Heart released 17 Mar 1988
TTM is right. They recorded the single version first, and then remixed it for the album.
Woof.

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Greendrake
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Re: Single versions

#13 Post by Greendrake »


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Kris
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Re: Single versions

#14 Post by Kris »

Gabby wrote: Mon 14 Sep 2020, 11:46 pm
Greendrake wrote: Mon 14 Sep 2020, 9:43 am Among those single/radio edits that are merely shorter versions of the album tracks (as opposed to having additional production), there is a subset of very disappointing ones. These sound not just edited to be shorter, but mutilated without adding any value whatsoever. Hate them. Some examples:

Thursday — the line "Come on, don't fight it The time's still right for it" is cut out so that the intro has only 3 stanzas, not 4.
Twenty-something — barbarically curtailed intro melody.

An opposite example, where shortening did not mutilate the song at all is New York City boy.

A neutral example is Burning the heather: a whole verse was cut out, but that sounds not as bad as cutting out part of a verse.
Don't get me started on "Thursday". The just about superior album version had terrible vocal issues on the verses where you could barely hear Neil. So hurray they fixed it on the single and then butchered it as you pointed out. Fix the album version vocals and itd be spot on.
I don’t like Thursday much but the radio edit works far better IMO because it chops and changes the bridge and chorus sections and makes it more interesting. The album version follows the same pattern throughout the song.
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Re: Single versions

#15 Post by Pod »

I wouldn’t normally do this kind of thing
Just for the sake of it, make sure you're always frowning. :|
It shows the world that you've got substance and depth.

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