Machine - There But For The Grace Of God

While it did not make the Top 40, "There But For The
Grace Of God Go I" by Machine is a huge disco classic
that did peak at #77 on the Hot 100 and #8 on the Dance
Club Chart (and was played on 92 KTU in NY)

For those who are interested, I just discovered that
there is a 5th version of the song (after only knowing of
4).

Version 1: 5:18
This was only found on Side B of the Promo 12" and is
called "Long Version" This has a short piano intro
before it get's into the actual song. While this only
appeared on the Promo 12", to my knowledge, this is only
version available on CD.

Version 2: 5:01
This was the version on the commercial 12" and on Side A
("Short Version) on the promo 12". I think this can
easily be created by removing the piano intro from the
5:18 version.

Version 3: 4:43
This is the LP version. I personally don't know much
about it (there is a dub on youtube) and to my knowledge,
has never been released on CD.

Version 4: 2:43
This is the version on both the Promo and commercial
45's. This is a more "radio friendly" version with
alternate lyrics.

Version 5: 5:01
I just discovered there was a 2nd Promo 12" of the song
that has the alternate lyrics on the 5:01 version. I'm
not sure if there are any other mix differences (I am
awaiting a dub) but can follow up when I do.

https://www.discogs.com/release/780763-Machine-There-But-
For-The-Grace-Of-God-Go-I   

-Jeff

I too, thought that the the 4:43 LP version was a misprint
but I found this on youtube. It's clearly an import but it
is from the Album.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxpXjvejbag

I should also mention that I have a 3:50 version on "The
Best Disco Album In The Universe" Volume 6 but I am
assuming it is just an early fade.

"Where only upper class people stay"

I seem to remember there was a lyric correction that came out on a 12" (maybe Fetta's Version 5) that made it
sound like the original lyric was even more racially or ethnically incorrect. We'll see if Jeff's upcoming dub
is the one I remember. -Bill.

Wikipedia says that the original, original lyrics had this as the third verse:

"Baby, she turns out to be a natural freak
Popping pills and smoking weed
And when she's sweet sixteen she packs her things and leaves..."

But the only versions I've ever heard, including the LP, the 45, and all the 12" singles that are on YouTube, have this as the third verse:

"Baby, she turns out to be a natural freak
Gaining weight and losing sleep
And when she's sweet sixteen she packs her things and leaves..."

There's even a video on YouTube of Jay Stovall Of Machine, Disco Fever at the St. George Theater 2017, singing the "gaining weight and losing sleep" lyrics in the third verse (and the un-PC lyrics in the first verse).

Does anyone know if the "popping pills and smoking weed" lyrics were ever in a released version of the song? There are plenty of references to these lyrics on the web, but I can't find any actual evidence that these lyrics were in a released version of the song.

Edited by crapfromthepast