New Wave Outpost Forum

So, this probably started in the 70's, but it continued into the 80's. Bands used to records station-specific versions of songs (Reunion's "Life is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me)" is one such tune, as is the tune "Fire" by The Pointer Sisters).

I'm trying to re-create the WLS/WABC New Year's Time Sweep, and I'm looking for a few regionalized recordings. I don't even know if they ever pressed them into records.

Anyone have any of these, keyed to a specific radio station?

Are you referring to Station name checking or airchecking samples overdubbed/spliced into the song?

I don't really remember studio songs like that, but live recordings were definitely used in that manner. WMMR, a local classic rock station in Philly, had a whole bunch of local live concert recordings of big name artist that were exclusive to the statio

I think Too Much Joy did something like that with their version of "That's a Lie", throwing a radio-station specific line into the song... but I don't have any recordings to prove it.

I Remember that gawdawful Starship 'We Built This City' was given regionalized station specific treatment. I believe NYC'c Z100 & WPLJ were name checked on their respective station copies.

On a more pleasant note: Nik Kershaw's Title track 'Radio Music

Tim Scott did station specific versions of "Swear." WLIR used to play that version.

Slightly off topic, but Fishbone namechecked just about every major rock/alternative station in "? (Modern Industry)."

Billy Idol's "Hot In The City" had (I think) 4 different versions with different cities yelled out in the bridge. One said 'New York', another said 'Detroit', etc.

Could this have been true with the Inmates' "Dirty Water"? I swear I remember one that said "Seattle, you're my home" even though it has too many syllables.