Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street

Although the database nicely summarizes the running times for the various versions of "Baker Street," I'm wondering if anyone can help identify which versions are on each 45. What I'm gathering from the database and info from Jim is:

1) stock copies are all the 4:08 version (medium speed)
2) some promo copies exist with the mono/stereo of the 4:08 version (medium speed)

So, are there two other promos or just one? Pat notes that some dj copies have 3:47 (fastest speed) and 5:56 (slowest speed) versions. Aside from the speed, does the 3:47 version just have one edit on the intro when compared to the 4:08 version?

I have two separate promos. Both state UA-X1192-Y.

The first promo contains the 4:08 version on one side as UAST 19462-E and the 5:56 version as UAST 19462. Both sides stereo.

The second promo is mono/stereo 3:47 and is UA-X1192-Y. UA 19462-E-RE1 and UAST 19462-E-RE1.

My understanding is that more edits were sent to radio stations but these were the only ones that made it to vinyl. Here's why there were so many versions. (As told to me by Mark Lindsay of the Raiders, who at the time of Baker street was A&R for United Artist Records)

Lindsay was convinced there were three hits from the LP and that Baker Street would be the biggest. (Right Down the Line and Home and Dry were the other two) So he listened in as Director of Promotion, the legendary Charlie Minor, called radio stations about Baker Street. He heard all kinds of excuses as to why stations wouldn't play it. The song was too slow, too long, the intro was too long, the break was too long, etc. Mark wrote down all of the objections and sent out various edits to remove the objections, I believe on reel to reel tape. So some edited the intro, the middle break, or sped up the song.

Mark said there were something like ten edits made, but it appears that only three versions made it to vinyl, as listed in Pat's book.

Bill Cahill wrote: He heard all kinds of excuses as to why stations wouldn't play it (Baker Street). The song was too slow, too long, the intro was too long, the break was too long, etc. Mark wrote down all of the objections and sent out various edits to remove the objections, I believe on reel to reel tape. So some edited the intro, the middle break, or sped up the song.

I find it odd that they would have made as many as 10 edits of a song by an essentially unknown artist (yeah, we all know he was a member of Stealer's Wheel, but Gerry Rafferty was hardly a well-known act). You've got to admit that the sax solo is what "made" the song. While his follow-ups (the aforementioned ones, plus "Days Gone Down") were chart hits in their day, "Baker Street" is the only one that's stood the test of time.

Bill, does the 3:47 promo really run that length? A friend of mine sent me a dub, but his copy runs 3:51, and it's actually slightly slower than the stock 45 version. I'm wondering if the pitch control on his Technics turntable was accidentally not set to zero.

aaronk wrote: Bill, does the 3:47 promo really run that length? A friend of mine sent me a dub, but his copy runs 3:51, and it's actually slightly slower than the stock 45 version. I'm wondering if the pitch control on his Technics turntable was accidentally not set to zero.

My 3:47 promo 45 also runs 3:51. Our station (Z-97 in Dallas/Fort Worth) played that version and I remember the tip sheets we followed saying that was the favored edit for Top 40s. Seems to me the issues included both the mix and at least one very obvious edit in the earlier promos.

GM