OT: Chicago - 25 Or 6 To 4 (1986 Version)

The Album Version on the Chicago 18 CD I have runs about 4:20. The 45 label says 4:09 for the running time. Does anyone have the 45 and can confirm if the listed running time is correct and also
if it's an edit or early fade of the Album Version?

Also, Discogs lists a promo 45 (Warner Brothers 7-28628) with a version titled "Edit Without Guitar" on the B-Side, running 3:48. Does anyone know if this edit can be recreated from the Album Version?
Thanks in advance for any information.

garye wrote: The version I have from Chicago II (1970) is 4:49. So must be another edit done for the compilation set, just as there was a new edit of "Make Me Smile" on the box set. I believe the Warners Edit can be done from the original LP track, removing the guitar break and editing to the the horn section before the last verse. I don't have the time of the tracking on hand. Maybe someone else can tell you were to edit.

This is a new recording, with Jason Scheff taking over Peter Cetera's vocals. The 1986 version is not related to the 1970 version.

ETA: It appears the 45 is an early fade (Ron G.'s page has his 45 running (4:14)).

Edited by sriv94

I can confirm Ron's running time on the 45 runs 4:14 and there is an edit without guitar that runs approx 3:45 which I don't have, but Dan correctly points out exists.

I have not seen either the 45 or the edit on CD. Have you ChicagoBill? Is the LP version truly the 45?

Edited by PopArchivist

ChicagoBill wrote: No, and no. I personally have not seen the single on a CD nor CD single. My 45 RPM single of 'What Kind Of Man Would I Be' B/W '25 Or 6 To 4', Reprise/Full Moon 22741, was released more than 3 years after '25 Or 6 To 4' B/W 'One More Try', Warner/Full Moon 28628. I assume that the Warner/Reprise people just just took the LP version of '25', and slapped it on the back of 'What Kind Of Man Would I Be' instead of trying to find the '25' single edit. -Bill.

If what Doug mentioned is true about the '86 Single Version being an early fade of the Album Version, it shouldn't be too hard to recreate from the Album
Version. It sounds like we're talking about a difference of about 6 seconds or so between the 45 and Album Versions, so it would just be a matter of finding the
right fade points. The "Edit Without Guitar" promo is the one that might be more challenging.

So...I bought a turntable a few weeks ago. And then I was curious about the "Edit Without Guitar", so I bought the DJ Promo with it. It runs 3:51, and it's a different mix:

- Synth-bass is quite prominent in this version, whereas in the LP version it's mostly following along with the guitar riff. Here, the main guitar riff is in the background.
- In the choruses the background breathy synths seem a little more pronounced.
- After the third chorus, the 2-bar breakdown (at 2:59 here) doesn't feature Tom drum fills with horn accents like the LP version does (at 3:27 there) - instead it's the synth-bass with horns.

Edit differences:
- This version begins on the main guitar/horn riff of the song, cutting the 4-bar intro on the LP version (the first 9 seconds) that features drums and synth-strings rising in pitch.
- In the LP version, after the second chorus there's a guitar solo with just drums and a rhythm guitar underneath it. It's 8 bars, and leads to a repeat of the intro with synth-strings; the whole 12-bar section running from 2:30 to 2:59. This mix truncates all that into a 4-bar solo section (from 2:21 to 2:30), but there's no solo guitar - just drums and the rhythm guitar. And after 3 1/2 bars, the drums cut out and you get the acapella "Yea-eh-uh-ya-yeahhh" that leads back to the guitar/horn riff, similar to the LP version.

It's not a hugely different mix, but noticeable if you're familiar with the LP version. I've been a Chicago/David Foster fan since 1984, and I haven't heard anything "new" from this era in a couple of decades- so this was a pleasant surprise.

Edited by davidlg1971