Special Promo 45s - Description

Whether you call them DJ edits, radio edits, promo edits, or special radio versions, these are versions of your favorite hit songs that you may have heard on the radio, but not what you got when you went to buy the 45. In most cases what you bought was simply the LP version with the edited version being played on the radio. In other cases you may have heard alternate lyrics or a different mix on the radio. In all cases these different versions were sent to radio stations on special promotional records(DJ copies) that were not sold to the general public. In recent years many of these versions have become available on various CD packages.

Here we've divided them into 3 groups, special short versions, special longer edits or LP versions, and LP cuts released only to radio stations on special promo singles. A few of the short versions have since been released to the public on CD packages. The timings listed are, for the most part, taken directly from the label. In a few cases, timing errors have been corrected.

These lists are by no means complete.

Except where noted, all versions listed are available to be heard on The 60s70s Show if within the timeframe. Any comments? Questions? Additions? Click here to send us an email.

Special Promo 45s - Short Versions

The following hits all had LP versions or longer edits on the singles sold to the public but short versions on promotional singles sent to radio stations:

"The Name Of The Game" (3:52),
"Take A Chance On Me" (3:25), (3:30) - Abba
"Dream On"(1976) (3:25) - Aerosmith (This edit was sold to the public in its 1973 single release.)
"Feelings" (2:58) - Morris Albert
"Midnight Rider" (fades to 3:22) - Greg Allman
"Ramblin' Man" (fades to 3:36) - The Allman Brothers
"Biggest Part Of Me" (3:59),
"You're The Only Woman" (4:05) - Ambrosia
"Hold Your Head Up" (2:52) - Argent
"Spooky" (3:48) - Atlanta Rhythm Section
"Takin' Care Of Business" (3:13) - Bachman Turner Overdrive
"Feel Like Making Love" (3:30) - Bad Company
"Nights On Broadway" (2:52),
"You Should Be Dancing" (3:31),
"Too Much Heaven" (3:50),
"Tragedy" (4:10) - The Bee Gees
"Natural High" (3:06) - Bloodstone
"Sideshow" (3:24) - Blue Magic
"Don't Look Back" (4:10) - Boston
"Space Oddity" (3:53) - David Bowie
"Gloria" (3:41) - Laura Branigan
"Dazz" (3:23) - Brick
"Susan" (2:17) - Buckinghams
"Timothy" (edited lyrics on some promo 45s, beeped lyrics on others) - The Buoys
"Spill The Wine" (3:59) - Eric Burden & War
"Union Man" (3:20) - The Cate Brothers
"Jungle Fever" (fades to 3:00) - Chakachas
"WOLD" (4:01) - Harry Chapin
"Questions 67 & 68"(3:07)(original 1969 promo single),
"Does Anybody Know What Time It Is?" (2:53),
"Wishing You Were Here" (2:54) - Chicago
"Rhapsody In The Rain" - (re-recorded lyrics) Lou Christie
"What The World Needs Now" (5:19) - Tom Clay
"You Are My Starship" (3:20) - Norman Connors
"Double Barrel" (2:34) - Dave & Ansil Collins
"Crossroads"(fades to 2:49) - Cream
"Uneasy Rider" (3:53) - Charlie Daniels
"I've Got The Music In Me" (3:40) - The Kiki Dee Band
"Stay In My Corner" - The Dells (3:05)
"Come On Eileen" (3:28) - Dexys Midnight Runners
"September Morn" (2:58) - Neil Diamond
"Sultans Of Swing" (4:44) - Dire Straits
"Get Dancin'" (edit from parts 1 & 2) - Disco Tex & the Sex-O-Lettes
"In The Rain" (3:15) - The Dramatics
"Like A Rolling Stone" (part 1 fades to 3:02),
"Tangled Up In Blue" (3:27) - Bob Dylan
"Let's Groove" (3:30) - Earth, Wind, & Fire
"Roll Over Beethoven" (3:43) - Electric Light Orchestra
"Lucky Man" (fades to 3:33) - Emerson, Lake, & Palmer
"Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In" (2:59), (3:50) - The 5th Dimension
"Beach Baby" (fades to 3:08) - First Class
"The Closer I Get To You" (3:28) - Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway
"All Right Now" (2:70) (Original 1970 release.)
"All Right Now" (3:40) - Free (The 1972 re-release.)
"You Belong To The City" (4:22) - Glenn Frey
"Going In Circles" (3:40) - The Friends Of Distinction
"Give It To Me" (3:07) - The J. Geils Band (Originally promo only, but released on commercial 45s during the chart run.)
"Shadow Dancing" (fades to 3:56) - Andy Gibb
"Lonely Boy" (3:54, different mix) - Andrew Gold
"Radar Love" (2:53) - Golden Earring
"Summer(The First Time)" (3:51) - Bobby Goldsboro
"Drift Away" (fades to 3:30) - Dobie Gray
"Maneater" (3:28) - Hall & Oates
"Here Comes The Sun" (2:36) - Richie Havens
"Crazy On You" (3:09),
"Magic Man" (fades to 2:54),
"Barracuda" (fades to 3:23),
"Heartless" (3:54),
"Straight On" (4:09),
"Even It Up"(3:45),
"Tell It Like It Is"(3:47) - Heart
"Boogie Nights"(3:06) - Heatwave (intro edited off)
"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" (fades to 3:37 with extra echo) - The Hollies
"The Minotaur" () - Dick Hyman
"Fight The Power" (3:17, beeped) - The Isley Brothers
"Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" (3:55),
"Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" (with rap) (3:55) - Michael Jackson
"Locomotive Breath" (3:03) - Jethro Tull ("balls" beeped on 1^st release, replaced with "fun" on 1975 release)
"Piano Man" (3:16),
"Sometimes A Fantasy" (4:19/3:39) - Billy Joel (One of a very few examples where the LP had the short version and the commercial single had the long version! Promo copies were long/short.)
"Tiny Dancer" (fades to 3:45),
"Empty Garden" (3:59),
"Nikita" - Elton John
"Whole Lotta Love" (3:12),
"D'yer Mak'er" (fades to 3:15),
"Black Dog" (3:50),
"Trampled Under Foot" (3:48),
"Fool In The Rain" (3:20) - Led Zeppelin
"#9 Dream" (2:54) - John Lennon
"Carefree Highway" (3:06),
"Wreck Of The Edmond Fitzgerald" (5:25) - Gordon Lightfoot
"Help Is On Its Way" (3:25) - Little River Band
"Walking In The Rain With The One I Love" (3:36)(late fade in, early fade out) - Love Unlimited
"Got To Be Real" (3:42) - Cheryl LynnThis version was originally released to the public, but by the time it charted, Columbia had switched to the full 5:10 version.
"Sweet Home Alabama" (3:20) - Lynyrd Skynyrd
"Kiss And Say Goodbye" (2:32) - The Manhattans
"Hijack" (3:00) - Herbie Mann
"Into The Night" (3:43)- Benny Mardones
"Reflections Of My Life" (3:12) - Marmalade
"Woodstock" (3:18) - Matthews Southern Comfort
"Jet" (2:49),
"Band On The Run" (3:50),
"Junior's Farm" (3:03),
"Silly Love Songs" (3:29),
"Let 'Em In" (3:48),
"Maybe I'm Amazed"(live) (3:50),
"Girls' School" (3:19) / "Mull Of Kintyre" (3:31), (The only known example of where both A & B sides have promo edits.)
"With A Little Luck" (3:13) - Paul McCartney & Wings
"American Pie" (4:21) - Don McLean
"Paradise By The Dashboard Light" (5:25) - Meat Loaf
"Wake Up Everybody" (3:09) - Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes
"Nights In White Satin" (3:13),
"Isn't Life Strange" (4:30) - The Moody Blues
"In The Summertime" (2:53) - Mungo Jerry
"Get That Gasoline Blues" (2:08) - NRBQ (A Hartford hit)
"Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues" (2:38) - Danny O'Keefe
"Don't Want To Live Without It" (3:39) - Pablo Cruise
"Are You Ready" (2:40) - Pacific Gas & Electric
"Me And Mrs. Jones" (3:41) - Billy Paul
"I Love You" (2:43) - People
"Money" (3:59) - Pink Floyd (Expletive removed)
"Yes We Can Can" (2:40) - The Pointer Sisters
"Baker Street" (3:45) - Gerry Rafferty (on some promo singles)
"Overnight Sensation" (3:38) - The Raspberries
"Jack And Jill" (3:29) - Raydio
"Theme From S.W.A.T." (2:47) - Rhythm Heritage (commercial single-4:07, LP version-3:??)
"Rockin' Pneumonia And The Boogie Woogie Flu" (2:55) - Johnny Rivers
"El Paso" (2:58) - Marty Robbins (the earliest known promo edit)
"She's A Rainbow" (2:50),
"Jumpin' Jack Flash" (2:53),
"Wild Horses" (3:25)
"It's Only Rock And Roll" (4:47),
"Fool To Cry" (3:59),
"Beast Of Burden" (3:21),
"Shattered" (2:43),
"Emotional Rescue" (4:17),
"She's So Cold" ("god damn" removed),
"Waiting On A Friend" (3:33),
"Undercover Of The Night" (3:59) - The Rolling Stones
"Love Is The Drug" (not available) - Roxy Music
"Smooth Operator" (3:57) - Sade
"Hummingbird" (3:30),
"We May Never Pass This Way Again" (3:50) - Seals & Crofts
"Breaking Up Is Hard To Do"(1976) - Neil Sedaka (Sample of 1963 version removed from intro.)
"Wildflower" (3:11) - Skylark
"True" (4:58) - Spandau Ballet
"One Of A Kind" (3:20) - The Spinners (Released to radio 2 weeks after the 3:31 version's release.)
"Oh My My" (3:17),
"A Dose Of Rock And Roll" (3:17) - Ringo Starr (intro removed)
"Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" (3:00) - Steam
"Gold" (3:35) - John Stewart
"Do Ya Think I'm Sexy" (4:15),
"Passion" (4:45) - Rod Stewart
"The Main Event" - Barbra Streisand
"Green-Eyed Lady" (2:58) - Sugarloaf
"Love To Love You Baby" (3:22)(alternate cut from long LP version),
"I Feel Love" (3:42) - Donna Summer
"Give A Little Bit" (3:32),
"Goodbye Stranger" (4:25),
"Take The Long Way Home" (4:03) - Supertramp
"Ballroom Blitz" (3:20),
"Love Is Like Oxygen" (3:20) - The Sweet
"Double Shot" - Swingin' Medallions (edited lyrics)
"Rock And Roll Lullaby" (4:13) - B.J. Thomas
"Something In The Air" (2:45) - Thunderclap Newman
"Slippin' Into Darkness" (3:49),
"The Cisco Kid" (3:47),
"Gypsy Man" (fades to 3:50) - War
"Play That Funky Music" ("White Boy" removed) - Wild Cherry
"Free" (2:54) - Deniece Williams
"Your Move" - (2:54),
"And You And I" (3:24) - Yes (Part 1 was the "A" side on commercial 45s)
"Love Is In The Air" (2:57) - John Paul Young
"Get Together" (3:24) - The Youngbloods

Special notes:
"Come And Get Your Love" by Redbone had a drastically different mix on the mono side of (3:30) and (2:52) promo singles.
"Penny Lane" by The Beatles had 7 extra horn notes at the end on original promo singles.
"You May Be Right" - Billy Joel, One side has glass breaking at the beginning, the other side doesn't. There is nothing on the label to indicate which is which.

The following had disco intros on the flip side of promo singles:
"Knock On Wood" - Amii Stewart
"Shake Your Groove Thing" - Peaches & Herb

"Starting All Over Again" - Mel & Tim (no talking on intro)
"Special Lady" - Ray, Goodman, & Brown (no talking on intro)
"You And Me Against The World" - Helen Reddy (no child talking on intro and outro)

The following Hall and Oates singles had alternate mixes and/or edits on the flip side of promo singles:
"I Can't Go For That" - Hall & Oates
"One On One" - Hall & Oates
"Method Of Modern Love" - Hall & Oates

Special Promo 45s - Long Versions

The following had short versions on singles sold to the public and LP versions or longer edits on promo singles:

"Imaginary Lover" (single/LP version) - Atlanta Rhythm Section
"Let It Ride" (single/4:21 LP version) - Bachman-Turner Overdrive
"The Greatest Love Of All" (4:18) - George Benson
"Ride Captain Ride" (single/3:40 LP version) - Blues Image
"A Man I'll Never Be" (single/6:40 LP version) - Boston
"Young Americans" (single/LP version),
"Fame" (single/LP version) - David Bowie
"Don't Hold Back" (single/4:23 LP) - Chanson
"Three Times A Lady" (single/4:59 radio edit) - The Commodores
"Hello Hurray" (single/4:16 LP version) - Alice Cooper
"Dueling Banjos"" (single/3:17) (from Deliverance)
"Sunshine On My Shoulders" (single/LP version) - John Denver The long version was the "B" side of an earlier, non-hit single.
"Whispering/Cherchez La Femme/Se Si Bon" (single/LP version) - Dr. Buzzards Original Savannah Band
"Lyin' Eyes" (single/LP version) - The Eagles (The LP version was also available in 1980 as the "B" side of "Looking For Love" by Johnny Lee.))
"Kiss You All Over" (single/LP version) - Exile (On a promo reissue during chart run. A few were mis-labeled.)
"Strange Way" (3:30/4:40) - Firefall (other promo singles were labeled 3:50/3:50, mono/stereo)
"Slow Ride" (LP version, faded to 5:55) - Foghat)
"Freeway Of Love" (5:49) - Aretha Franklin)
"All I Know" - Art Garfunkel (3:55) (The mono side of promo singles had a slightly longer version that was never available to the public in any form.)
"Come Back" (3:32/5:09) - The J. Geils Band
"She's Gone"(1976 release) (single/LP version) - Hall & Oates
"Sometimes When We Touch" (single/4:03 LP) - Dan Hill
"Escape(The Pina Colada Song)" (single/LP version) - Rupert Holmes
"Every 1's A Winner" (single/4:49 LP) - Hot Chocolate
"Don't Leave Me This Way" (single/5:40 LP) - Thelma Houston
"Fight The Power" (5:05) - The Isley Brothers (Long version, beeped)
"Fight The Power" (5:05) - The Isley Brothers (Long version, unbeeped)
"Runaway" (single/LP version) Jefferson Starship
"My Life" (single/LP version),
"Big Shot" (single/LP version) - Billy Joel
"Pop Musik" (3:20/4:58) - M
"Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad" (single/4:26 radio edit) - Meat Loaf (During the chart run the 5:25 LP version was released to the public on singles. Previously it was the 3:50 edit.)
"You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth" (single/5:04 LP version) - Meat Loaf
"Wake Up Everybody" (LP version, 7" single plays at 33 1/3 RPM) - Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes
"Baby Hold On" (3:31 LP version) - Eddie Money (on a promo reissue during chart run)
"Wavelength" (single/LP version) - Van Morrison
"Use Ta Be My Girl" (single/4:02 LP) - The O'Jays
"Baker Street" (single/LP version) - Gerry Rafferty (on some promo singles)
"Right Down The Line" (3:33 single/4:17 LP) - Gerry Rafferty
"Fool If You Think It's Over" (single/LP Version) - Chris Rea
"Car Wash" (single/5:06 LP version) - Rose Royce
"Ain't No Mountain High Enough" (single/LP Version) - Diana Ross
"No One To Depend On" (5:25 LP version, mono) - Santana
"Night Moves" (single/LP Version),
"Hollywood Nights" (single/LP Version) - Bob Seger
"Fly, Robin, Fly" - Silver Convention (3:45) Longer than the commercially available 3:05 single, but shorter than the LP and 12" single versions. This version *was* released to the public at first, but by the time it charted, the record company switched to the shorter version.
"Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go" - Soft Cell (a special radio edit from the 12" single)
"Let's Do It Again" (single/4:52 LP version) - The Staple Singers
"People Make The World Go Round" (single/6:27) - The Stylistics
"MacArthur Park" (single/6:24 radio edit) Donna Summer
"Our Day Will Come" (single/LP version) - Frankie Valli
"Who Are You" (single/6:11 special radio edit) - The Who
"While You See A Chance" (single/5:06 LP version) - Steve Winwood
"Do I Do" (5:18 radio edit) - Stevie Wonder

Special notes:
"Lotta Love" (4:19) - Nicolette Larson (Only released to a limited number of radio stations on 12" singles. This version was never available to the public except for a few isolated copies of the LP.)

Special Promo 45s - Unreleased

The following were released as 7" promo singles only to radio, and never available the public on 45 RPM singles:

"Pinball Wizard" (unedited) - Elton John
"Love Song" (5:32/4:40) - Elton John
"Stairway To Heaven" (unedited) - Led Zeppelin
"Time Waits For No One" (unedited) - The Rolling Stones
"Diana Ross & The Supremes" medley (a special radio edit from the 12" single. There were a few copies released to the public.)
"Dreaming Of You" - Diana Ross & Lionel Richie