Buggles - Video Killed The Radio Star

This is kind of nitpicky, but I noticed that the entry for Buggles' "Video Killed The Radio Star" on Pure 80s says '45 version faded :07 early.' If you listen carefully, however, the mix on Pure 80s is just a little bit different...

1 - At the part where there is a false ending and the female starts singing "you are the radio star," on other CDs listed as having the 45 version, this part is drowning in reverb. On the Pure 80s disc, there is no reverb at all.
2 - The instrumental break from 1:45 to 2:55 is mixed slightly different.
3 - The sound effect at 1:13 pans right to left on the Pure 80s, whereas it is centered in the other "45 version."
4 - Immediately following the sound effect, the "ohh-uh-ohhh" has very little reverb, whereas there is tons of reverb/echo on other versions.

Is that how the song is mixed on the full-length LP, or do we have a totally different mix here? Perhaps this is the 45 mix and other listings are incorrect?

I just discovered the same thing that Aaron noticed over three years ago!

There is indeed a mix difference, as noted above.

I used the sound effect at 1:13 as my guide, since it's very obvious if it's right-to-left or centered.

The following CDs run about 3:19 and have the effect at 1:13 running right-to-left:

• The Island Story (Island 7 90684-2, 1987)
• Sounds Of The Seventies - Late '70s (Time-Life, not quite a digital clone but sound very close to Island disc above)

The following CDs run about 3:27 except where noted and have the effect at 1:13 centered:

• Just Can't Get Enough - New Wave Hits Of The '80s Vol. 1 (Rhino, 1994; sound to my ears sounds the best of the bunch)
• Like Omigod (Rhino, sound not quite digital clone but very close to Just Can't Get Enough)
• Modern Rock - The '70s (Time-Life R828-06, 1999; continues with organ reprise to about 4:11, sound a little muffled - higher generation tape?)
• Rock Of The 80's - Vol. 2 (Priority, 1992; also continued with organ reprise to 4:11; mastered way too loud and levels are maximized - avoid)
• Pop & Wave Vol. 3 (Columbia Germany 473862 2, 1993, ends where 3:27 versions end but begin with piano chord right before the first word "I"; i.e., omits the intro so it only runs 3:13; sound is a little thin - higher generation tape?)

So I dug out my 45 (Island IS 49114, 1979, printed 3:20, actual 3:26, matrix XAA 9212 S SR1), and it matches the effect-is-centered/lots-of-reverb-on-the-female-vocal-in-the -break version found on most of the above CDs. The 45 says "From the Forthcoming Island Album ILPS 9585 THE AGE OF PLASTIC", and there's no mention of any remix on the label.

I would assume, based on my previous experience with the Time-Life Modern Rock CDs, that the 4:11 version is the US album version, but I don't have The Age Of Plastic to check. That would mean that the US album and US 45 have the same mix, but different lengths.

We're left to ponder where the right-to-left/no-reverb-female-vocal mix that's first found on The Island Story and later found on Sounds Of The Seventies - Late '70s and Pure '80s came from.

This is another example of an odd mix or odd edit on The Island Story, like the "Addicted To Love" edited intro and the short, non-hit mix of "Relax". (Not really a bad thing - it's cool that these mixes exist at all on CD.)

Edited by crapfromthepast

I would argue that the 45 version that fades early with less reverb is the 1979 UK 45 that hit number one in England. Good chance that mix/version is what has appeared several times on CD in the last four decades.

Here is the UK 45 edit playing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJBkCKO47Zo

Here is a recent UK various artists CD compilation that includes this shorter mix/version. They have labeled it single version.

https://www.discogs.com/release/24523415-Various-Now-Yearboo k-79

Thanks to Mike he determined the remixed version appearing on The Island Story and Pure 80s discs is the same as the one on that UK Now 1979 various artists 4CD compilation.