Jody Watley-"Friends"

Jim's promo CD single info for Jody Watley with Eric B. & Rakim's "Friends" is now noted in the database. I thought I'd also add that commercial copies of this 45 run 4:10. (Timing info compliments of abagon. The printed record label time is 4:09.)

Here are editing instructions to recreate the 7" version
from the 4:29 LP version:

My timings are from the The Best Of Jody Watley 20th
Century Masters The Millennium Collection (MCA 088
112 395-2, released 2000):

Keep 0:00.0 to 2:55.3 of the LP version.
Edit on a downbeat.
Remove the 32 beats from 2:55.3 to 3:14.5 of the LP
version. The edit will cut out the 32 beats before the
rapped word "Used" on the downbeat.
Keep 3:14.5 to 4:32.2 (end) of the LP version.

Your mixdown will run 4:10 with one edit at 2:55.3.

Well, I may have just answered my own question. TM Century issued a "w/o rap" version on HitDisc. I have an mp3 of this version, and I just gave it a listen. In place of the first Rakim verse is an additional verse by Jody Watley:

They say they'll be with you through all times of thick and thin
Assure that you rely upon the days that life gets rough
There to wipe your tears away from that new heartbreak
(spoken) But when it happens, you can't find 'em / Where are your friends?

Then there is another chorus, followed by an instrumental segment with a bunch of DJ scratching, after which it cuts out Rakim's second rap verse and goes the final choruses.

I scoured the Internet in hopes of finding out where this version originates from, but I came up with nothing. Anyone know?

Edited by aaronk

I'll have to pull out my HitDisc to confirm, but the TM database says
"w/o rap" and only credits Jody Watley as the artist.