Flaming Ember - "Westbound #9"

It looks like we have another case of a "DJ edit" also showing up on some commercial 45 pressings. I have three copies of the "Westbound #9" 45, and all three are different.

First, there's the double A-sided promo 45 pictured below. The labels on both sides are identical, with "Westbound #9" stated as (2:53). Actual time is (2:52) although the volume suddenly drops at 2:48, with the final four seconds at mostly the same, barely-audible level. Deadwax differs on the last digit: Z0204A2-1 on one side, Z0204A2-2 on the other.



Pictured below is a commercial copy, which - like the promo above - appears to have been pressed at Columbia's Pitman plant. Although the label states (3:29), the recording itself is identical to the (2:52) DJ edit above. Deadwax is stamped Z0204A2-2, and does not match the Z0204A1 on the label. B-side is labeled as and plays "Why Don't You Stay."



And below is a Columbia Terre Haute commercial pressing. This one, also labeled as (3:29), plays the unedited version, with an actual time of (3:31). Like the fadeout on the DJ edit, the final four seconds are barely audible. Deadwax is stamped Z0204A1-3.

The logo on this pressing is larger; in fact, it's too large to fit on the label, even if the printing had been properly centered. There is also no 1969 copyright designation on this copy. B-side plays "Why Don't You Stay."

I did a stereo recreation of this track sometime back and my file runs just about 2:51. So close... ;)

Tom, when you say that your copy has the label style identical to the first copy above, does that mean it's a promo copy, too?

If not, then we should swap labels from our two odd copies. Maybe they were separated at birth. :)