Difference's between album versions vs single versions
 

I'm intrigued by the differences between an album version of a song vs the single versions of the same song. Perhaps its more of a generational thing growing up in the 90's, but I don't get why you change up/remix the song for the single release. What's the reasoning in changing the song up for the release of a single?

Take "Say You Love Me" - 2 versions album version and the single 45 version. Though I do prefer the single version of SYLM to the album version.

I suppose other artist do/have done this, but it just seems strange to me.

Are there FM songs where you prefer the single version over the album version or vice versa?

I usually hate the single mixes because they're often shorter edits of the album versions so they would get more airplay. The shorter the songs the more ad space they can sell. I would guess alternate mixes are done to sell more records. If you already have the album you're not going to buy the single, but if the song is remixed or reworked and put out as a single you'd be more open to buying that too. I think of Cyndi Lauper's She Bop. The 45 mix was way superior to the version on the album and that came after the album was a huge seller. I'm sure the idea was to get people to buy the single when they already had the album.

I really like the single mix of Rhiannon. Can't say more than the album or why I like it so much, but there's just something about it.

I miss 12" edits. :(

Different mixes for 45 versions of songs was pretty common back in those days. Having a strong radio hit was very important and a big driver of album sales. The reason for remixing songs for single release was usually to provide a punchier sound that would increase the song's chances at Top 40 radio. Sometimes 45 mixes were just a different balance of instrumentation with a bit more compression in the mix to make it sound more like a "hit", while in other cases (such as SYLM), new instrumentation was added to the 45 version.

I can only surmise that for the SYLM 45 version, they were trying to "rock it up" a bit for rock radio airplay, hence the prominent electric guitar. This is one of these cases where I actually prefer the album version, as I felt the additional guitar sounded tacked on and never really gelled in the mix.

Of course, the other 2 singles from the White album are pretty heavily remixed as well. For those, I like both the album and 45 versions equally as well.

"Sisters Of The Moon" and "Think About Me" aren't as dramatically different, although the cold ending on the 45 of SOTM is interesting.

45 edits are a different story. Those were done just to make the songs shorter and tighter, to be more in line with the length of most top 40 songs. FM didn't have too many 45s that were straight edits. "Sara" is the only prominent example I can think of. "Gypsy" was sort of an edit in its 45 version, but there is actually a brief section toward the coda that is not present on the album version...this version has never been released on CD.

I love the totally different studio take of the lead piano track on the "Say You Love Me" remix. It was recorded two weeks later in a Ventura theater.

Here's the "Reader's Digest" answer:

The album is meant to be played at home on an expensive sound system. The 45 is mixed so that it still sounds good being played on the crappy radio in your car. That's it. That's all there is to the reason why 45 mixes are different than the album.

Like :thumbsup: and in 1975 most cars still only had crappy AM radios in them!

Is this available anywhere? I don't think I've ever heard it.

Yes, but the extended version on The Chain box set has that extra part towards the end, so it's a lot like the 45 only longer. It's the part where she sings "your bright eyes... I can't find you" just before the guitar solo. It's in the video version too. I always loved that part.

I never liked the radio remixes of "Say You Love Me," "Over My Head," or "Rhiannon." But I really do enjoy the "singles" version of "Think About Me." It's a little more "up."

The Chain boxset has a number of "alternative" versions of songs--none of which differ tremendously from the originals, but there's enough of a difference in some of them to take note: the extended "Gypsy" is interesting (though I think the bad made the right choice in cutting it down for the record and single") and the alternate version of "Love in Store" features a more prominent bass line, especially toward the end.

The Chain version is the audio to the MTV video that was released.


"in A Ventura theater" or "in THE Ventura Theatre"???

The Chain boxset or the deluxe remastered Fleetwood Mac album as a bonus track.


Egg-ZAKT-lee.

Yeah the single version of SYLM definitely has an extra kick to it, more of a harder beat and more guitar.

I'm kinda curious if a single version of the song was available if radio always played it rather than the album version.

AM radio played the single, FM radio played the album version.

I didn't know that! This definitely seems more of a 70'/80's kinda thing. It makes since though. I wonder how many people would buy the album and then the singles from that album. Though I would imagine that since Fleetwood Mac had, what 4 #1 albums and only 1 #1 single that more people bought the albums as a whole than the individual singles. :shrug:

Yes, the extended version does contain the "your bright eyes" portion that is missing on the Mirage version, but there's still an ever-so-slight difference from the 45. On the 45, at the 3:15 mark (just before "your bright eyes..") she sings a faint "oooh". It's very low in the mix, but it's there on the 45 and not on The Chain extended version.

Very anal I know, but hunting down or recreating exact 45 versions is a hobby of mine. I tried all kinds of ways to recreate the "Gypsy" 45 from the extended version only to run across the faint vocal "oooh" noted above. Ultimately I did a needledrop from a near-mint 45 and cleaned it up with audio software and it sounds quite nice.

Another unique 45 mix is "Fireflies". That one has never been issued on CD, unfortunately.

I haven't heard the single mix in ages. I'd love to get a copy. Would you mind posting it here?

It would be nice if we could get like a Fleetwood Mac: Greatest Hits - The Single Edits. All the single versions on a one/two CD set.

Here's the "Gypsy" 45 version, taken from a clean vinyl 45.

http://www.mediafire.com/?yvhc6a66slecamg

:mad:Late night, I listen to 650 AM, WSM, home of the Grand Old Opry.

It doesn't really get acknowledged, but I SWEAR, that the cassette version of Mirage, that came out the day it was released, had a different version of Straight Back, on it. It was missing all the lead guitar work, at the end.

You're definitely right -- it was a different mix than what they used on the CD. I used Inport Deluxe to snag it from my cassette, I just need to upload it somewhere. I'll share the link here.


ETA: "Straight Back" [LP Mix]

Thank you so much. This is special. I miss the guitar, but still...I never knew this.

Thanks for posting Gypsy and Straight Back, vinyl versions. Really awesome!

I listened the the Gypsy 45 version. Its shorter yet I can't tell what was taked out or different besides the extra vocals at the end! :shrug:

Yes, the 45 sounds like an edited version of the same mix as the LP version, albeit with that brief section of different vocals towards the end.

I seriously doubt they would have created an entire new mix for the 45 with just that one section being different. I suspect what may be the case is that the LP, 45 and box set extended versions of "Gypsy" are all different edits of the same long 2 track mixdown.