I was out for a walk tonight with my relatively new MP3 player and Sweet's "Love Is Like Oxygen" popped on, which got me thinking about songs with excellent instrumental breaks in the middle which typically get cut from radio or single versions of the songs. A few immediately came to mind like:

"Love Is Like Oxygen" - Sweet (Obviously)

"Blinded By The Light" - Manfred Mann's Earth Band

"(Don't Fear) The Reaper" - Blue Oyster Cult

"Black Betty" - Ram Jam

What songs in this category come to mind for you???

As soon as I read the thread title I thought of the first two you listed! I also remember hearing an edited version of Edgar Winter's "Frankenstein" that sliced off some great drums. Also Queen's "Fat Bottomed Girls".

And speaking of edits...I think the edited (single?) version of Tears For Fears' "Sowing The Seed of Love" is one of the worst hack-jobs ever!!

Did Radar Love have an extended version that didn't get airplay until decades after the original hit?

...and Chuck Mangione's "Feels So Good" and ELO's "Roll Over Beethoven"

Did the "single" version of "Won't Get Fooled Again" ever get any airplay upon its initial 1971 release? When I discovered the 3:40 edit (as opposed to the 8:30 album version) on a cassette version of "Who's Greatest Hits" back in the mid-1980's, my jaw dropped. To this day I have never heard it on the radio.

(I can hear Renny's rant already: "who else would cut five minutes out of an eight minute album track but mr. pete townshend?")

I thought of "My Sharona" by The Knack. That cool guitar break in the middle is either dramatically shortened (or, in some versions) removed entirely.

Crimson & Clover - Tommy James & the Shondells

Roller - April Wine - not my favorite of theirs but the edit is brutal

"All Right Now" – Free

"(Make Me Do) Anything You Want" – A Foot in Coldwater

"Do You Feel Like We Do" – Peter Frampton

"Fooled Around and Fell in Love" – Elvin Bishop

"Green-Eyed Lady" – Sugarloaf

"Hold Your Head Up" – Argent

"I'm Not in Love" – 10cc

"Lonely Boy" – Andrew Gold

I'm pretty sure "25 or 6 to 4" had the guitar solo shortened or editied out altogether.

The one that jumps to mind is the disasterous cut made to "Light My Fire" by the Doors. I cringe every time I hear that version.

"Spinning Wheel" by Blood, Sweat & Tears.

"Lady" by The Little River Band. First time I heard the song on the radio, they played the brerak, and it was my favorite part of the song! I went out and bought the single and - SONNUVABITCH! - the break was edited out on the single! Never heard the break again on the radio, and in fact, I didn't hear it again until I bought their Greatest Hits LP.

For awhile there the intro to Rikki Don't Lose That Number wasn't showing up on the Pretzel Logic CD. That one really stung.

Joe Walsh -- Life's Been Good

The desecration of Thin LIzzy's "The Boys Are Back In Town" is frightening-they cut it to about 2 1/2 minutes!
The Yes edit of "Roundabout" (which made it a Top 15 hit) is also offensive. I've also always found the butchering of Marillion's "Kayleigh" quite bad-all they did was cut the guitar solo by a bout 20 seconds-you mean that made it easier for someone to listen to???
Also, the single edits for Asia's "Sole Survivor", "Here Comes The Feeling" and "Heat Of The Moment" (did they really need to shorten that???) are appaling. I always used to laugh when "Sole Survivor" got chopped right before that kick-ass mid-section.

nah, no rant.

but......i bet this shows up as a bonus track on a future re-re-re-re-re-re-re-release of "who's next".

by the way, we are getting a bit overdue on a reissued who product, aren't we?

renny

Edgar Winter - Frankenstein

Anytime I hear that, I get irritated. Yes songs are not meant to be edited.

When Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe came out, the ten minute "Brother Of Mine" was edited down to a four minute single edit. Hacked and mutilated was more like it.

For the video, they had a six minute edit which was better and the edits weren't nearly as noticeable.

"Owner Of A Lonely Heart" aside, Yes does not make singles.

Here's one very obscure one

The Illusion - Did You See Her Eyes - LP cut was 3 times as long

I also think that both White Room and Sunshine of Your Love were also foreshortened.

Also Don't Eat the Yello Snow was cut to fit on a single to eveyone's surprise - including Frank's.

I'll go with losing the guitar solo out of the middle of Sweet Child O'Mine, by GnR.

Damn, that ticked me off.

Jason

Hey, I've just listened to the 16+ minutes of "Love to Love You Baby" by Donna Summer. How often have you heard that one on the radio?