5 Inexcusable Radio Edits

We all know the message that flashes on the screen before watching a movie on TV: The following film has been modified from its original version. It has been formatted to fit this screen, to run in the time allotted and edited for content. Viewer discretion advised. Basically, that message lets the audience know that the movie they will be watching has been altered and edited to run within a two hour time frame. Why has this message never happened with music?

You’d never hear a deejay say “coming up we have the new Coldplay single that’s been edited from its 5 minute album version to a 3 1/2 minute radio version, so we can play 2 more minutes of commercials…” Wouldn’t that really change our perspective about music and peak our interest about what we might be missing?

Don’t get me wrong, I understand why radio stations and cable TV channels chop up our music and movies. They have schedules to keep and want to fit as much as they can into those schedules. But that doesn’t mean we have to like it!! There are probably thousands of songs that have been hacked up for airplay, but here are a few I’ve identified from the 80s/90s that rarely get played to their fullest and always leave me screaming at the radio…JUST PLAY IT!!

Don Henley – “Heart of the Matter” (1990)

Edited For Radio – Chorus Lyrics

“I’m learning to live without you now, but I miss you sometimes…”

It wasn’t until 1995 when I bought Henley’s Greatest Hits album that I discovered the extra 1 1/2 minutes that are omitted in the radio version. I was really taken back with how much is left out, having never owned the End of the Innocence album. Usually radio edits will take out a verse or shorten the bridge solo, but this edit takes out half of the chorus! Someone had some serious editing skills, but it baffles me that Henley would let them take out what I now hear as an integral part of this top 5 adult contemporary hit. JUST PLAY IT!!

INXS – “Need You Tonight/Mediate” (1987)

Edited For Radio – “Mediate” portion of the song

INXS is one of my favorite bands from the late 80s/early 90s era. Kick and Welcome to Wherever You Are were two albums that I listened to regularly. I vividly remember watching the music video of “Need You Tonight/Mediate” on MTV, mainly the “Mediate” portion with the band flinging the cue cards to the words of the song (a tribute to Bob Dylan) and the ending sax solo. The segue from “Need You Tonight” to “Mediate” is pretty natural, but rarely played on the radio. Pretty surprising, considering the connection that the music video provided, but with “Need You Tonight” becoming a #1 hit, I guess an extra 2 1/2 minutes was too much to ask from radio stations. JUST PLAY IT!!

Chicago – “Hard for Me to Say I’m Sorry/Getaway” (1982)

Edited For Radio – “Getaway” portion of the song

“Hard for Me to Say I’m Sorry” lifted Chicago out of a time of devastation, transition, and a five year music slump into tremendous success that lasted throughout the 80s. This power ballad combined with the signature Chicago horn section produced their second #1 hit. But it seems the adult contemporary stations love to play the version that fades out right before “Getaway”, which always irks the hell outta me! Is it against the law for AC stations to rock out at least once a day? JUST PLAY IT!!

Soft Cell – “Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go?” (1981)

Edited For Radio – “Where Did Our Love Go” portion of the song

This one makes no sense to me. Soft Cell turned the Gloria Jones cover “Tainted Love” into their biggest hit. With the album version at only 2 and 1/2 minutes, why wouldn’t you want to extend it? They did release a 12″ single that did just that, including the Supremes cover “Where Did Our Love Go?” using the same synthpop beat. The track is pretty much seamless, extending the song to over 4 minutes total, and I still hear radio stations fade out after “Tainted Love”. Talk about tainted! JUST PLAY IT!!

Genesis – Abacab (1981)

Edited For Radio – Instrumental Outro

Another one of my personal favorites is Genesis (and Phil Collins). From around 1980 when they became a trio, some pure-sounding rock and roll was produced including great instrumentals. Many songs also feature stretches with no vocals, which are equally great (check out the outro from “Living Forever” on We Can’t Dance). When I went back and discovered the late 70s/early 80s albums like Duke and Abacab, I was really pulled in as a fan. In my book, it’s a sin to fade out Abacab at 4 minutes and not hear the 3 extra minutes of instrumental awesomeness on the album version. JUST PLAY IT!!

Hit the comments and tell us what radio edits make you say JUST PLAY IT!!

Jason Gross is a child of the 80s and loves to subject his two sons to cartoons, TV, movies, and music from the decade. Currently promoting a M.A.S.K. live-action movie script (co-writer), he also enjoys freelance writing about 80s music & pop culture. Background includes radio broadcasting and B2B direct marketing. Follow Jason on Twitter@SockOfFleagulls and check out Rediscover the 80s!