Cassette singles different from the 45

Since cassette singles began to take over as the predominant singles format around 1989 or so, I thought it would be useful to start a list, for us all to contribute to, of any differences there were between the version of a hit on the cassette and the vinyl 45, or CD single. I've got more than I'm listing here, but this is just to get started.

Janet Jackson - The Pleasure Principle The vinyl 45 used the full LP Version; cassette single used the 7" Vocal, similar to the video remix, but with a very different intro, mixing in the final line from the previous single, "Come Back to Me," repeated over and over: "I promise, I'll be worth the wait." The extended remixes are on CD, but the 7" Vocal of Pleasure Principle has never been issued on CD, and it's not possible to edit down the long mix to match.

Coolio - 1,2,3,4 (Sumpin' New) This was a two-track CD single in the US, which used the "dirty" Timber Mix (3:20) b/w the song "Smilin'" (4:09)

The two-track cassette single used the Timber Mix Clean Version (3:20), with all the swearing bleeped out, b/w the Clean Album Version. I did manage to get Timber Mix Clean on an import CD Single (Tommy Boy 0630-14514-2, UPC 7 0630145142 7), but i don't know that I ever found the Clean Album Version. They were probably both on the promo CD, but I don't have it.

There are others that I know of or own that I'll post later. Any additions are welcome.

Thanks, Aaron.

Another puzzler is MC Lyte's "Keep On Keepin' On." The cassette single used the cleaned-up "Radio Version" -- however, it was not quite as clean as the "Radio Version" on the commercial maxi-single (which was called "Lyte of a Decade," UPC 07559660442 0). They're identical except for the two instances of the word "ass," at 00:14 and 2:03 -- it's bleeped on all CD issues, but left intact on the cassette single.

I knocked my head against the wall looking for this on CD, to no avail. All CD issues -- promo CD, imports, everything -- used the extra-clean Radio Version. Fortunately, it's easy enough to recreate the cassette single version with editing software if you have the "Lyte of a Decade" CD single. Just paste in the word "ass" from the "Soundtrack Version - Dirty."

Another one is Luniz "I Got 5 On It." The cassette single was the "Clean Version," running 4:14, but the CD maxi single used the Clean Short Version, which cut about ten seconds of instrumental at the very end, running 4:04, and the "Clean Weedless" version, with all references to marijuana blanked out. The Clean Short Version is what's on "Billboard Top Hits 1995."

I have never found the full length Clean Version on CD. It's not on any of the imports or the promo single. But again, you can just tack on the end from the Clean Weedless Mix at around the 4:00 mark, and there you have your single version.

Very easy to edit these with the maxi-singles, since the different versions are at the same volume level and EQ'd the same.

attn all.......luniz song "i got 5 on it" that was issued in 1995 on the cassingle no trybe 38474 has the 1st track as the clean version (4:13).........the cd single issued under the same label #38474 DOES NOT have the same versions as the cassingle........the official single version should be the cassingle version and NOT the cd single version.........the cd single has the "clean bay ballas vocal remix" (4:12) as the first track which IS NOT the same version as the cassingle.......the cassingle version ie: the clean version IS available on cd......it is available on a various rap compilation titled "the bomb:hip hop vol 1" issued in 1996 by backstage records........i've compared the cassingle version versus this cd version and they are IDENTICAL.......

now you guys can help me out on one.........the song "i
wish" by skee-lo that was issued in 1995 on the cassingle
sunshine 78032 has the "single mix" (4:08) as the first
track which has a different intro than the first track on
cd single 78032 that has the "radio edit"
(4:08).........the cassingle version ie the true single
version has a spoken intro of a radio announcer saying
"hey, this is radio station 'wskee', we're taking calls
on the wish line, making your wacky wishes come
true".......then skee-lo starts singing......."hello, i
wish is was a little bit taller........"........does
anyone know where i could find this true single version
of his hit song?

Edited by edtop40

edtop40, the Skee-Lo "I Wish" version with the spoken intro is on a CD called "The Hit List" on Intersound Records. I bought the edited version of the CD, and I know it's on that one for sure (59275), but it may be the same version on the explicit CD, too.