asia--only time will tell

So, Ian (I can call him that :) ), are you saying that the DJ 45 does not have the edit at roughly eight seconds in on the commercial 45?

My first choice for the LP version is Then And Now (1990), which I find to be a little cleaner-sounding than the Asia CD.

Promo 45 edit

The promo 45 edit is quite unfortunate, in that it edits out the dramatic drum fill/guitar break sequences before the choruses. That completely ruins the song for me. Opinions aside, I reverse-engineered Aaron's recreation of the promo 45 edit. Using the LP version on Then And Now as my source, here are the editing instructions:

Segment 1:
Extends from 0:00 to 1:32.5 of both the promo 45 edit and the LP version
This segment ends on a downbeat at the end of a two-beat snare drum fill.

Remove the 24 beats of the LP version from 1:32.5 to 1:44.3. This edited-out segment includes one of the great pre-chorus transitions I mentioned above. The transition between segments 1 and 2 sounds really goofy, but that's what was on the record.

Segment 2:
Extends from 1:32.5 to 2:28.4 of the promo 45 edit
Extends from 1:44.3 to 2:40.2 of the LP version
This segment starts on a downbeat at the beginning of the word "only", amd also ends on a downbeat at the end of a two-beat snare drum fill.

Remove the 32 beats of the LP version from 2:40.2 to 2:56.1.

Segment 3:
Extends from 2:28.4 to 2:54.2 of the promo 45 edit
Extends from 2:56.1 to 3:21.9 of the LP version
This segment starts on a downbeat/crash cymbal, and ends on a snare hit right before the words "I see".

Remove the ? beats (sorry - my counter died) of the LP version from 3:21.9 to 4:15.2. This edited-out segment includes the other great pre-chorus transition I mentioned above.

Segment 4:
Extends from 2:54.2 to 3:26.5 (end) of the promo 45 edit
Extends from 4:15.2 to 4:47.6 (end) of the LP version
This segment starts on a snare hit on the words "you're on", and fades with the same fade that's on the LP version.

Your mixdown will run 3:24 without the outro silence, 3:26.5 with the outro silence, with edits at 1:32.5, 2:28.4, and 2:54.2.

Commercial 45 edit

A more clever and more elaborate edit than the promo 45, with a neat trick to shorten the intro, and an out-of-sequence edit near the end that keeps one of the dramatic pre-chorus transitions. This must have taken a while to assemble with splice tape, back in '82.

Segment 1:
Extends from 0:00 to 0:07.8 of both the commercial 45 edit and the LP version
This segment ends after three quick tom-tom hits, on a upbeat.

Remove the 16 beats of the LP version from 0:07.8 to 0:15.9. If you get the timing right, the transitions between segments 1 and 2 sound quite natural, which is very surprising to me.

Segment 2:
Extends from 0:07.8 to 0:18.5 of the commercial 45 edit
Extends from 0:15.8 to 0:26.6 of the LP version
This segment starts with two big tom-tom hits and shorten the long synth note; there's no beat to guide your edit.

Remove what would be 4 beats (if there was a beat behind this portion) of the LP version from 0:26.6 to 0:28.5.

Segment 3:
Extends from 0:18.5 to 1:26.3 of the commercial 45 edit
Extends from 0:28.5 to 1:36.4 of the LP version
This segment starts with a downbeat, and ends with 8 on-beat bass drum hits. If there were a 9th on-beat bass drum hit, it would go right at the end of this segment.

Remove the 16 beats of the LP version from 1:36.4 to 1:44.3. This removed portion is the first dramatic pre-chorus transition.

Segment 4:
Extends from 1:26.3 to 2:53.0 of the commercial 45 version
Extends from 1:44.3 to 3:11.0 of the LP version
This segment starts with a downbeat on the word "only", and ends with a snare hit right after the word "it".

Remove the 48 beats of the LP version from 3:11.0 to 3:33.7. This removed portion starts with the word "really" and ends with the word "and". Lyrically, this poses a problem, which I'll note below.

Segment 5:
Extends from 2:53.0 to 3:24.4 of the commercial 45 version
Extends from 3:33.7 to 4:05.1 of the LP version
This segment starts with a downbeat on the word "me", making the lyric line that extends between segments 4 and 5: "It me all starry-eyed." I doubt that many have noticed this in the 31 years since the 45 was released. This segment ends with, and includes, the extremely short drum fill that goes into what would be the second dramatic pre-chorus transition.

Now, there's an out-of-sequence edit to remove the second dramatic pre-chorus, and replace it with the first dramatic pre-chorus. The first one has a cool guitar line over it; I think it was a good choice.

Segment 6:
Extends from 3:24.4 to 3:32.3 of the commercial 45 version
Extends from 1:36.4 to 1:44.3 of the LP version (this is the portion that was cut out between segments 3 and 4)
This segment replaces the 8 beats from 4:05.1 to 4:12.8 of the LP version.

Segment 7:
Extends from 3:32.3 to 4:07.1 (end) of the commercial 45 version
Extends from 4:12.8 to 4:47.6 (end) of the LP version
This segment starts with a downbeat on the word "only".

If you survived all this, your mixdown will run 4:04 without the outro silence, 4:07.1 with the outro silence, with edits at 0:07.8, 0:18.5, 1:26.3, 2:53.0, 3:24.4 and 3:32.3.

Edited by crapfromthepast

Glad the instructions were helpful, nearly 8 years later!

I like to think that most of the info on this site will be helpful long after we've posted it.