O/T: Midnight Oil - The Dead Heart

Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic

   This thread won't last long... and that's OK.   I'm asking about what's probably just a label typo on a European single that stiffed....  OK, it went to #4 in Australia, and #10 on the U.S. rock charts, but still...

In 1986, Midnight Oil released "The Dead Heart." The LP version was about 6:08. while the single version and promo version was about a minute shorter.

...except, apparently, for this one release. It's labeled as the "radio edit" and claims it runs 4:27. No other entry is listed as running this length, and Ron didn't have one that length in his library.

Discogs.com: Midnight Oil – The Dead Heart (radio edit)

The only thing I could find on YouTube was this version (apparently taken from a VERY low bitrate mp3) that's just an early fade and could have been done by the uploader. It's 4:14, so technically it doesn't even match the label, so...?

Midnight Oil - The Dead Heart (1986) (Sub en Español)

Does anybody happen to have this 7" listing the 4:27 length? If so, have you ever timed the side to see what the true length is?

I know other songs have been 5 minutes+ on the radio, but it still surprises me, and 4:27 would be more "typical" for the era. I'm also not convinced this shorter version actually exists.

Anybody able to set this suspicious label question to rest?

Edited by NightAire - 10 July 2025 at 11:35pm

Author	Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic
NightAire Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 20 February 2010 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 7	Post Options Post Reply Quote NightAire Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: O/T: Midnight Oil - The Dead Heart Posted: 10 July 2025 at 11:34pm
	This thread won't last long... and that's OK. I'm asking about what's probably just a label typo on a European single that stiffed.... OK, it went to #4 in Australia, and #10 on the U.S. rock charts, but still... In 1986, Midnight Oil released "The Dead Heart." The LP version was about 6:08. while the single version and promo version was about a minute shorter. ...except, apparently, for this one release. It's labeled as the "radio edit" and claims it runs 4:27. No other entry is listed as running this length, and Ron didn't have one that length in his library. Discogs.com: Midnight Oil – The Dead Heart (radio edit) The only thing I could find on YouTube was this version (apparently taken from a VERY low bitrate mp3) that's just an early fade and could have been done by the uploader. It's 4:14, so technically it doesn't even match the label, so...? Midnight Oil - The Dead Heart (1986) (Sub en Español) Does anybody happen to have this 7" listing the 4:27 length? If so, have you ever timed the side to see what the true length is? I know other songs have been 5 minutes+ on the radio, but it still surprises me, and 4:27 would be more "typical" for the era. I'm also not convinced this shorter version actually exists. Anybody able to set this suspicious label question to rest? Edited by NightAire - 10 July 2025 at 11:35pm
	Gene Savage http://www.BlackLightRadio.com http://www.facebook.com/TulsaSavage Tulsa, Oklahoma USA

music4life75 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 17 August 2020 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 10	Post Options Post Reply Quote music4life75 Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 11 July 2025 at 2:00am
	I actually came across this Discogs release. https://www.discogs.com/release/8994525-Midnight-Oil-The-Dead-Heart Bad news. The images presented are crap. The good news is I found a past listing on e-Bay that has clearer pics. https://www.ebay.com/itm/256679988617 Although not listed on the Discogs release, the versions are stated in the pics. I believe you are mistaken on the time of the A-Side. The album version runs 5:10 as well as on this release and the fip side is the radio edit that runs 4:27. Unfortunately, I don't have this release to verify the time of it and the one you found on YouTube you may want to see if it runs a tad faster. But the difference of 13 seconds, I'm not so sure and as you said, it could've been done by the uploader.

crapfromthepast Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 14 September 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 60	Post Options Post Reply Quote crapfromthepast Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 11 July 2025 at 9:05am
	The US promo 12 inch single includes an "LP version" (printed 5:10) and a "Long Version" (printed 6:07). The US promo CD single includes a "Short Version" (printed 5:10), a "Long Version" (printed 6:05), and a "Short Version With Original Intro" (printed 5:24). The US promo 45 has a printed 5:10 version on both sides. Not sure what's actually on the European promo 45 that includes the "Radio Edit" (printed 4:27). Edited by crapfromthepast - 18 hours 43 minutes ago at 8:25pm
	There's a lot of crap on the radio, but there's only one Crap From The Past.

NightAire Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 20 February 2010 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 7	Post Options Post Reply Quote NightAire Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 11 July 2025 at 9:59am
	FWIW, I did go back through the releases of Diesel and Dust, the parent album of The Dead Heart, and all of them seem to list 5:10 as the length, suggesting that both the single AND album versions are the same. This would make the long version exclusive to the 12". The single that was mentioned above did call itself the "Radio Edit," but didn't list a time. Without physically owning a copy it's so hard to tell as labels lied constantly. I forget the single but an 80s hit was released with an "AOR" mix... and it was beat for beat identical to the LP version. Incredible the tricks they used to get radio to give a song another listen! Perception is reality, I suppose... but if you tried to dub that "4:27" single to a 4.5 minute cart and it was 5:10, you'd find out the hard way it was wrong. I guess the hope was by that point the decision was made, and you'd just grab a longer cart, lol (For those not familiar with radio lingo: a "cart"was a short, continuous loop tape used by radio stations to hold recordings of singles. The idea was to play the tapes so the records didn't wear out. The transition to digital eliminated the need for carts, and now of course everything is typically on computer hard drives.)
	Gene Savage http://www.BlackLightRadio.com http://www.facebook.com/TulsaSavage Tulsa, Oklahoma USA

aaronk Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: 16 January 2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 177	Post Options Post Reply Quote aaronk Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 11 July 2025 at 10:55am
	ESK 1219 1. Short Version (actual 5:10) 2. Long Version (acutal 6:07) 3. Short Version With Original Intro (actual 5:24)
	Aaron Kannowski Uptown Sound 91.9 The Peak - Classic Hip Hop

AndrewChouffi Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 24 September 2005 Status: Offline Points: 25	Post Options Post Reply Quote AndrewChouffi Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Yesterday at 7:53am
	US labels credit veteran engineer Nick Launay with "Final Mix". Does anyone know if the USA received a different mix than Australia or other countries? Andy