[chiefy2]

1

Just wondering if anyone else finds that this happens quite a lot. How often do you find that single or demo versions of a track sound superior to the version on a bands album? Here's sone examples I can think of from the NWOBHM.

Demon - Liar (Much prefer single version to album version)
Wolf - Head Contact (Prefer Single version to album version)
Gaskin - I'm No Fool, Despiser, Sweet Dream Maker and End Of The World (The demo versions of these songs are much better than the album versions, hell, even the production sounds better)
Blitzkrieg - Blitzkrieg (Single version better than both demo and album version)

I'm sure there are more but they will come to me later :). Not sure why album versions often are not as good. Its as though something gets lost in the re-recording.

[insane surgeon]

This is true, sometimes, although in my country it's all the time.Because when it comes to singles, the companies want to sell it in a jiffy so most of the times they come with a better quality.When the same single track is included in an album,it has to be different so the companies can still sell their singles and make money out of that.This is the trick in our area so i am not sure if they do that worldwide or not.AND as a collector i am used to those extra noises and hisses so i always like those tape singles and demos more than crystal clear album versions.

[chiefy2]

You may be onto something there Insane Surgeon. Sometimes the same thing happens with compilations. I have often found Venom's tracks contributed to various artist compilations better than their album versions. I sought out particular reissues of the Demon and Blitzkrieg albums purely because they included their single versions as bonus tracks.
I do find the odd exception however. I much prefer Tygers Of Pan Tang's album version of "Don't Touch Me There".

[Bloopy]

Often bands record a great, raw version of a song for a demo or single, and for whatever reason sometimes they struggle to recapture the greatness when it's time to make an album. Sometimes they get it right though.

Budgie - Crash Course In Brain Surgery (both versions are great!)
Hell - Save Us From Those Who Would Save Us (as cool as the new version is, can't go past the original single)
Holocaust - The Small Hours (prefer the studio version, which funnily enough they only recorded well after Metallica had covered the song)
MD.45 - all songs (much prefer the original versions with Lee on vocals and harmonica)
Preyer - Riffarama (prefer the album version)
Sweet Savage - Killing Time (prefer the single version, though the album version came out much later)

Agree about Blitzkrieg too.

[StrongerThanEvil]

Hails,

This topic maybe of interest mostly for NWOBHM enthusiasts, but not exclusively.
I wonder if there exists a comprehensive list of songs which were released in different versions on singles, albums, compilations etc.
With different versions I mean everything from minor rearrangements to the recording of nearly completely different songs. (like Bitches Sin - Strangers on the Shore)
If such a list doesn't exist, let's start one. Concerning compilations, there is a great list at the corroseum, with exclusive versions especially marked. (http://thecorroseum.org/comps/index.html)