7 Times A Song’s Album Version Wasn’t The Best One

Superior version: Wayne’s World version.

One could argue that the inclusion of this song on the list is improper as it could be considered an “alternate” version of the track.

However, considering the band spent roughly a year recording Dehumanizer, wherein several tracks went through multiple changes and the fact that the Wayne’s World soundtrack was released in February 1992 with Dehumanizer following four months later, I’m allowing it.

Most of the instrumentation is consistent between the two tracks; what sets them apart are the minor lyrical changes and the performance of the late Ronnie James Dio.

Let’s be honest: there has never been a bad studio performance from RJD, but considering the well-known tumultuousness of a wealth of his working relationships, especially with Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler, RJD’s performance on the album version exudes exhaustion and frustration when compared to its predecessor.

Furthermore, the vocals on the album version sound muddy and pushed to the back of the mix, which is not surprising considering that mixing was reportedly a point of contention among the ranks during Dio’s first two stints with the band.

I would suppose, though, that the band did not share my sentiment as when they reconvened as Heaven and Hell nearly two decades later, they performed the Dehumanizer version live.

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Are there any others we missed? Which archived tracks easily outdo their otherwise 'finished' versions? Let us know in the comments!