Single/radio edits of side-long compositions

I found myself listening to the single version of Kraftwerk's 'Autobahn' a few days ago... it's not a version that I listen to often, of course naturally preferring the 20+ minute side-long epic version as featured on the album of the same name. However, this time around I found it impressive how they managed to condense it down into three-and-a-half minutes. Sure, it's not an edit down of the full composition, rather just the first section of the track from the intro to the fog section (which is still quite lengthy in itself) pruned down to a radio-friendly format.

I understand that Yes and Jethro Tull often used to make single/radio edits of some of their more lengthier songs, either for single release or for radio play, but are there really that many examples of bands/artists having 18-20+ minute side-long epics edited down into a 3-5 minute format and having the results still stand up well or preserve what is great amount the track without it sounding as if it has been royally butchered?

On the other hand, feel free to discuss some awful examples of this, where a side-long epic has been edited down and manages to sound like complete hackwork, destroying all that is great about the track, or bizarre edits that feature very little that's essential about the track that's been edited down.

gonna post 'The Reduced Prog Company' to 'your terrible ideas' brb

Of course, I'm generally in favour of leaving a composition alone: if it's 20 minutes, then let it be 20 minutes! However, I am fascinated by edits like this, in the way they're approached and executed. There's definitely an art/skill to editing a track down without trying to fuck up what makes the track great.

Kraftwerk's 'Autobahn'..is this is a group?

In a Gadda Da Vida was edited down to just under 3 minutes from 17.

Kraftwerk's 'Autobahn'..is this is a group?

Oh do fuck off.

Didn't Yes try to release 'Soon' as a single? It works well on its own tbh

xxpost:

Holy shit, under 3 minutes? I'm going to have to hear that (I've only ever heard the full-length version)

Yeah, Yes took a smart approach to editing down 'The Gates of Delirium' and just used the 'Soon' section, which does work quite well on its own (although much better "in context", obviously), I'd stay away from the edit of 'Sound Chaser', though.

(I know 'Sound Chaser' wasn't a side-long composition, but they still managed to fuck it up!)

IIRC, the 45 Mix of Rare Earth's "Get Ready" cover is like the last three minutes of 20+ minute live version

Oh here's a good one - Thighpaulsandra's Michel Publicity Window. The original is a mind-expanding 27-minute voyage through erotic synth insanity. This is the edit (the midsection of the original):

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

xp weird, just earlier i was going through some old records i've inherited and was looking at that rare earth one and wondering if it was good.

Oh here's a good one - Thighpaulsandra's Michel Publicity Window. The original is a mind-expanding 27-minute voyage through erotic synth insanity. This is the edit (the midsection of the original)

This has now got me listening to the full version to hear what it sounds like "in context", so result!

I reckon you made it as far as the screaming ;)

I listened to all 27 minutes of it!

formative stuff, hope you're not too scarred lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPXizlnS7go

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5AztWseIdU

really just the first section. I'm sure there are a lot of other disco examples.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0daUcPvACjg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGaQEkGqlU4

doesn't include the minute+ bass solo??!?

there was a 7" edit of magma's 30 minute "kohntarkosz" on the b-side of their 1974 single "mekanik machine". haven't heard it, though. and of course there's this classic:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gP9bCkmykAs

i like the idea of editing down giant prog epics to the point of absurdity. i have a one minute unofficial edit of "thick as a brick" (there's another prog epic with a 7" version) which makes zero sense whatsoever. i listen to it constantly.

Check out the one minute "The complete works of Henry Cow"

The single edit of the Boo Radleys' 'Ride The Tiger' because it cut out the whole psychedelic middle section (which isn't that long really), which is kind of the best bit and the whole point of the song, once again presenting the Boos as a pedestrian Britpop band with terrible 'Don't wanna be the way I are' lyrics intact.

It's not side-long, but Steppenwolf's "Monster" is a nearly 10-minute, multi-part mini-epic which was totally hacked to bits by the label in order to make a single out of it. The butchery was so severe that Steppenwolf frontman John Kay refused to allow it to be reissued on the compilation The ABC-Dunhill Singles Collection, which came out this month; the full album version is on there instead.

Not exactly what you're looking for, but in 1977/78 Van der Graaf Generator were playing an edited-down version of the side-long "A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers" in a medley with another song "The Sleepwalkers". It's on the live album Vital.

Stereolab's Jenny Ondioline is a full side of vinyl on the album and also a 4 minute single

Tangerine Dream did a few of these. There are single versions of "Phaedra", "Stratosfear", "Rubycon" and "Ricochet".