Sorry if this is an obvious question or has an obvious answer but I'm trying to confirm if the mono edit of Space Oddity available on Re:Call 1 is the genuine article. The details of the Song A-Z section on this site seems to say so, and on page 260 of The Complete David Bowie by Nicholas Pegg doesn't contradict this.

But in this same book on his Singles Discography pages 779 and 790 contradict each other in that the UK 7" is given a playing time of 4' 33" and the version issued on the 40th Anniversary Digital EP is given a playing time of 4' 42" (Re:Call is 4' 43" when I pop it into my iTunes library). Is Nicholas Pegg's discography at fault?

Sorry if this has been pointed out before - I have looked in several threads to see if it was discussed and can't see anything.

Mic

You are correct on mismatch of timings. These modern edits tend to be re engineered in studios so fade or something may be out. In all honesty they are never the same anyway due to remastering but the timings shown on this site don't currently show a difference as showing both at 4'33".

I generally assume that the new releases are erroneous but great you spotted it.

May play original later to double check time.

Thanks for the reply - if you could check the playing time of the 7" that would be really helpful.

Or better still explain the error in the digital versions.

I've recently returned to an abandoned project of compiling all the stuff that has not been gathered up on Re:Call volumes or the box sets (the remixed albums and Dance for instance) to produce a set of comps. I was going to not include the UK mono edit of Space Oddity but perhaps I should actually do so? I don't actually have a copy of this so on confirmation that it is different to the digital releases I'm going to have find a copy!

Mic

Just double checked as mistakes can happen.
It is a glorious 4'33" and sound wise there is nothing like it including Re:Call.

Only way to see difference would be to digitise and listen while watching the waves and at the moment as don't have that set up will just assume fade is different as that is most likely.

Listening back on the original record it fades and then comes back for a few beats before silence.

Really nice to hear it how I remember in mono up until 75 when I finally got the album and the vastness of stereo.

Thanks for taking the trouble to check - most appreciated.

Annoyingly I once had access to a copy of this (in rough shape) so l'll look to get a fresh copy to work from.

Mic

my copy too is quite noisy so i don't have a clean rip i can share. i did this comparison clip at the time of the box release and the difference is quite marked. the recall version sounds really quite bad. e.g. listen to the way the cymbals sound... (single first, recall second).

https://www.dropbox.com/s ... e.wav?dl=0

Thanks Shooky - I see what you mean.... I've placed an order for a copy in decent shape (according to the seller) so hopefully this will be salvageable and that gap is filled......

I've just checked my UK Philips 7", and that times at 4.40 playing on a Technics SL1210, so about as precise as you can get for constant speed.

Have you tested it against a strobe as its either running slow or your clock is running fast!

4.40 is correct for the UK single from fade up to fade out.

4.30 is the running time printed on some editions, 4.33 is given on several discogs entries.
some variation is inevitable.

CD entries will show a little longer as they'll include the silence before the following track.

Have played mine again and it fades out at 4.33 but then a low reprise up to 4.36.
This is after further checking running speed of deck.
So cant understand 4.40 unless there are different edits on other UK matrix numbers.
Had volume on full at start and end to make sure nothing missed.



I honestly didn't know this. Which UK labels have this as I would love to see a picture (need to get).

working from a rip makes it easier. i trust mine for speed, but obviously there will be differences. also there's an element of rounding up going on. i've just checked again and i've got 4.38.9, so 4.39. i did this with a 10dB volume raise on the intro and outro as it's hard to distinguish an exact starting point when music is fading in through vinyl surface noise.

no uk labels AFAIK. other countries got the same edit (right?) and the Japanese single has 4.30 as the running time. it's a shame chas' site is down as that would have probably revealed a few more variations.

to the original question, the 40th anniversary running time of 4:42 is the length of the file. the track itself is 4.39. i think 4.33 is the "official" time of the track and has been noted as such elsewhere, not least here on the IdbD. but, at least based on my copy and system i'm confident 4.39 or 4.40 are more accurate than 4.33.

Makes sense as long as the speed of your rip is correct.
Was the first fade at 4.33?


I only have the UK so the belief that the other mono edits (bar USA) are the same comes from others input (hoping people actually timed or compared).



http://web.archive.org/web/20170223025720/http://bowie-singles.com/Early/Space_Oddity.html



Yes think its actually longer than 4.33 which is initial obvious end of fade. (Maybe why for nearly 50 years everyone has accepted this length). The quiet reprise is only a few seconds long (guessing a mistake at the end of tape used for pressing).

I am bidding at 4.36 and you are at 4.40. Shake on 4.38 and you have a deal!

yes, i'd say around then. looking at chas' info (thanks for the link), Japan and Australia list it at 4.30. i can't see a 4.33 but it might have been in marshall's book? once a reference gets repeated enough it becomes accepted.

Actually cant find time on any images of Japanese single.

Is it an edit? If so the same? and is it actually playing Mono?

I ask these questions because we know the German is Stereo when marked mono and that Phillips/Mercury were as unreliable in other territories in Europe and maybe elsewhere.

People could help by playing the records making sure about both time of edit and whether Mono or Stereo. (Sorry I am limited to UK, US variations and Netherlands on this 7")

When we collectively did the same for Memory of a free Festival it turned out they were all stereo except US with a unique Dutch longer edit.

A-Z states "The 1969 Space Oddity album version (5'14"), also released as a single (Philips BF 1801), is probably best known. In most countries the single was in mono, but the Dutch and Italian singles (both Philips 704 201 BW) are stereo". I believe this is not the full story for Europe and I don't trust the Australians not to fade out early (although timing on the label is anything but gospel).