Version descriptions on retail singles...

Abagon and I have been working diligently to uncover pertinent commercial single information over the past several months for Top 40 hits from the 1980s. As we venture into the late '80s, I'm starting to notice instances where the 45 labels contain a specific description of the single version, such as "Edit", "Full Force Mix", "Jellybean Remix", etc. From around 1989 forward, these printed description notations became increasingly common on retail singles and Ed and Jim have always been especially good about documenting them on the message board. Does anyone know when record companies started printing version descriptions on the 45 commercial labels? I ask because I may need to go back and review commercial 45s from previous years to document some of these version descriptions for the database.   

"Say You Love Me" is a great early example on a stock copy. It was also years ahead of the curve. The first I noticed more of what Todd had in mind was on the Warner Bros. 45 labels circa 1990-'91.

Another example is Right Said Fred's "I'm Too Sexy," with '7" MIX' on the A-side, and "SPANISH VERSION" on the flip. "One" by The Bee Gees is marked "(edit)" a la the much earlier Fleetwood Mac 45.

The only problem I have with such designations is their reliability, especially since the labels seemed to have had a bit of a problem over the decades with even simpler concepts, like, oh, "stereo" or timing info. :)      

Edited by Yah Shure

Dire Straits' "Money For Nothing" has "Long Edit" on the stock 45 label; I believe it's printed near the timing info, if I recall correctly. Are you also talking about version designations listed next to the title, i.e. "Rock Me Amadeus (American Version)" or "Keeping The Faith (Special Mix)"?

abagon wrote: VAN HALEN - "Black And Blue"    Warner7-27891 (Fade)

I have several singles from Van Halen's albums 5150 (1986) and OU812 (1988), as well as David Lee Roth's solo albums Eat 'Em And Smile (1986) and Skyscraper (1988). None of the singles from the 1986 albums have version designations. All of the singles from the 1988 albums do. This supports abagon's findings that Warner began using these as a matter of standard operating procedure sometime in 1987.

For the record, here's what I have from the 1988 albums.

Van Halen:

"Black And Blue" (7-27891) -- stock copy identifes A-side as "Fade". No version designation on B-side ("A Apolitical Blues"). [*]

"When It's Love" (7-27827) -- stock copy identifes A-side and B-side ("Cabo Wabo") as "LP version"; promo copy identifies the versions of "When It's Love" as "Edit" on one side, "LP version" on the other.

"Finish What Ya Started" (7-27746) -- promo copy identifes the versions of "Finish What Ya Started" on both sides as "Remix".     

David Lee Roth:

"Just Like Paradise" (7-28119) -- stock copy identifes A-side and B-side ("The Bottom Line") as "LP version"; promo copy identifies the version of "Just Like Paradise" on both sides as "LP version".

"Stand Up" (7-28108) -- stock copy identifies A-side as "LP version". No version designation on B-side ("Knucklebones"). [**]

"Damn Good" (7-27825) -- promo copy identifes the versions of "Damn Good" on both sides as "Edit".

[*] "A Apolitical Blues" was a bonus track available on the CD version of OU812, and possibly the cassette version, but not on the vinyl LP. That may be why no designation appears. The album credits on Warner 45s from this period typically refer generically to "album" with the vinyl LP catalog number. The album credit for "A Apolitical Blues" specifically says "CD", with the CD and cassette catalog numbers.      

[**] There are album credits on the label indicating that "Knucklebones" is from Skyscraper, so it's not clear to me why no designation was used.

Hykker wrote: MCT1 wrote: David Lee Roth: "Just Like Paradise" (7-28119) -- stock copy identifes A-side and B-side ("The Bottom Line") as "LP version"; promo copy identifies the version of "Just Like Paradise" on both sides as "LP version". There may have been 2 promo copies. I'm pretty sure mine has a cold ending on one side and a fade on the other.

I double-checked, and my copy definitely does say "LP version" on both sides, with a listed time of 4:03. I didn't play it to confirm but the trail-off markings on each side are identical. The matrix number is 7-28119-A-SR1. The A-side of my stock copy is the same. Both were pressed by Specialty.