7 Times A Song’s Album Version Wasn’t The Best One
If it ain't broke... get it released before you ruin it.
Whether you’re a musician or not, one can assume the amount of time and effort it takes to craft a song for the ages.
From the initial inspiration, be it a lyric, melody or other, to the mixing down those final notes, songwriting is a continuous process, albeit an arduous one. It is understood that the first incarnation of a song often differs drastically from the final product as various tweaks and changes are made not just by the songwriter, but also by accompanying musicians, the producer and so on.
That being said, what if they had it right the first time? What if these songs, as heard on their respective albums, felt lacking by comparison to earlier renditions?
On the flip side, what if, after toiling away creating this masterwork, you’re encouraged to cut the runtime to make it more suitable for radio (and other commercial outlets) for fear you’ll lose the attention of your audience. You know, to shiny objects, squirrels or cute cat pictures...
What am I talking about? Well...
7. Black Sabbath- War Pigs
Superior Version: 1970 Basement Tape.
Starting off Black Sabbath’s sophomore release, Paranoid, War Pigs is an anti-war song inspired by the ubiquity of the Vietnam War. On the album version, all-too-common sentiments are expressed, demonizing generals and painting politicians as warmongering cowards.
However, the version of War Pigs found on the The Ozzman Cometh compilation is more in line with the original intentions of the song.
Originally titled Walpurgis, the lyrics find loose association with that of the annual witches' congregation and are far cries from the rally shouts that replaced them. Furthermore, the contrast in Ozzy Osbourne’s singing style is stark.
In the transition from the eponymous debut to Paranoid, Ozzy’s style shifted from being a lower register, less nasal and more withdrawn to what we know him for today, which admittedly worked well for what they accomplished from Paranoid to Sabotage.
The icing on the cake is the production value, as a more raw production value often gives a song greater weight and charm. Being a track subtitled “1970 Basement Tape,” this version of War Pigs is exactly what it needs to be: crisp enough to allow each member their rightful place in the mix and yet, muddy enough to harness their signature sound.