I have a friend who skips "Imagine" when listening to John Lennon's "Imagine" album. As far as he is concerned that album begins with the second track, "Crippled Inside."
Back when I was a Facebook member, I had a contentious discussion with a somewhat famous musician and singer, a real arrogant jerk we'll call Mike, about the Rolling Stones' "Their Satanic Majesties Request," which he thought was a hot mess, but which I thought and still think, is a fine record that just needed some tweaking. Imagine how much better it would be if we removed "Sing This All Together," "In Another Land" and "Gomper" and replaced them with "Dandelion," "Child Of The Moon" and "We Love You."
I make edits all the time. It makes for a better listening experience. I recently made a personal edit of Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours." This is an album I thought I'd never need to hear again. I love it, but enough is enough. But then, I got rid of "Don't Stop," "Oh Daddy" and "Gold Dust Woman" and added the brilliant b-side "Silver Springs." "Rumours" sounded fresh again.
Do you know how much more manageable Springsteen's "The River" is without ""You Can Look," "Cadillac Ranch," I'm A Rocker" and "Ramrod," which are essentially the same song anyway?
I think my "Quadrophenia" edit makes a better record.
The Real Me
Cut My Hair
The Punk & the Godfather
I'm One
The Dirty Jobs
Helpless Dancer
Is It In My Head
5:15
Sea & Sand
Drowned
Bell Boy
Love Reign O'er Me
"Blood On The Tracks" is my favorite Dylan record, but I never want to hear "Lily, Rosemary & The Jack Of Hearts." We are all going to die soon. I need that 8:50.
I listened to Elvis Costello's "Trust" yesterday and was having a blast until it was time for "Shot With His Own Gun" and "Big Sister's Clothes." I don't mind "Fish 'N' Chip Paper," but I sacrifice it not to hear the other two. My "Trust" edit closes out Side Two with "Clean Money" and "Hoover Factory."
Our friend Michael Giltz offered up replacing "Fixing A Hole" and "Good Morning, Good Morning" with "Penny Lane" and "Strawberry Fields Forever." Yes, the latter two songs are better than the former. But I love "Fixing A Hole" and "Good Morning, Good Morning," so that wouldn't work for me. Maybe I'd remove "Within You, Without You" and "Lovely Rita" instead.
How about "Paperback Writer" and "Rain" on "Revolver" instead of "Yellow Submarine" and "Got To Get You Into My Life?"
Is it blasphemy?
I may have done a similar post years ago, but I couldn't find it after a solid 14 second search.
So...what are your edits, if you have any?
9 comments:
Hey, now. No downplaying Imagine in this house. My late father-in-law was a violinist on that track. My wife used to get royalty checks for it. But, you can delete No. 9 from the White Album and you will not hear a peep from me.
Most of the times I listen to The River I just listen to side two. It's a fine album side. When a record has a perfect side, that's always enough for me. With vinyl songs you don't like are more problematic than with CDs where you can always just fast forward over the ones you don't like. In fact, maybe I'll do a blog entry on "perfect album sides" It's not the most original idea, but it sounds more fun to me than reconstructing flawed records.
"but it sounds more fun to me than reconstructing flawed records."
Gee. I thought this was kinda fun.
Sal, my friends and I have had this discussion about multiple albums. You actually nailed The River, and "your" album there is even better than The Ties That Bind. Not sure about removing those songs from Revolver but it sure is interesting that arguably the two best songs from those sessions are only a 45 single. As per Rumours, the single of Silver Springs doesn't hold a candle to that 1997 reunion concert!
They had so much in the can for "More Of The Monkees", that why they chose "The Day We Fall In Love" and "Laugh" over the first versions of "Valleri" or "I Don't Think You Know Me", I don't know. But, hey, it sold millions so who am I to second guess?
Disagree on Trust and Quad -- those are start to finish for me. But I often start Beggars Banquet at No Expectations and skip Stairway just because of how many times I've heard those songs. (Kinda the same way on Can't Buy Me Love.)
I spent a lot of time in the car this past weekend and listened to The River all the way through as well as the single disc version, The Ties That Bind. (Side note: at this point, I realized I strongly prefer the full double album). In no way would I eliminate the 4 rockers you mentioned. Three of them come from sides 3 & 4 and if you remove them, the entire second half of the album is ballads. Good/great ballads for sure, but ballads nonetheless. Yeah, they're all the same song, but so what? They're fun. Anyway, that's just my opinion.
Your Rumors edit is interesting and Silver Springs is easily my favorite from the whole set of songs.
+1 on your edit of my favorite EC album. I would also listen to your Quadrophenia edit.
Not changing Revolver.
Probably not changing Sgt Peppers, especially not removing Fixing or Good Morning. Great potential substitutions, but I'm fine to leave them where they are.
I guess I've never really thought about editing any of my favorite albums like this, other than to drop a dud song or two. The only one I can think of is how to merge Human Touch and Lucky Town into a single, really good album. Good topic today, fun to think about.
Your personal edit of Blue Moves a few years ago was a gateway into learning to love that album. But, that is an example of editing ‘flawed records’ - trimming the fat. The confidence to attempt an improvement to one of the greatest albums ever well, sir, now you have my attention. LOL! But, I found your edit of Rumours to be an enjoyable listening experience. I think it benefits from the leanness.
https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/fleetwood-mac-rumours-bw-edit/pl.u-qxylrmxspxXEo
In I hope a similar spirit of brazen audacity(foolishness?), I’ve edited Abbey Road by removing ‘Maxwell’s Silver Hammer’, ‘Octopus’ Garden’, ‘Sun King’, ‘Mean Mr. Mustard’, and ‘Polythene Pam’.
https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/the-beatles-abbey-road-personal-edit/pl.u-06oxRbaua5XKk
And less audaciously, Thriller, removing ‘Baby Be Mine’ and ‘The Girl Is Mine’.
https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/michael-jackson-thriller-personal-edit/pl.u-XkD02JJFGL45M
Finally, for those at home: The suggested edit of Their Satanic Majesties Request, sequenced in order of release:
https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/the-rolling-stones-their-satanic-majesties-request-bw-edit/pl.u-zPyLkv5Il2M3V
And, I find this great fun! :)
Wow, I like "Sing This All Together" (The first one) and "Big Sister's Clothes"
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