Beastie Boys - No Sleep Till Brooklyn

John, I checked my books, to see how high the song actually did chart.
Not at all. Not on the Hot 100. It didn't even bubble under. (Perhaps it did
make "specialty format" charts.) As I recall, Def Jam 06675 was the follow-
up 45 to their lone Top 10 hit, "Fight For Your Right". But my faint
recollection was that the label was working the other side to us, "She's
Crafty", not the "No Sleep...." side. And since it didn't chart at all, if I did
ever own a promo copy, it would now be in one of my many "stiff 45
boxes", stored back at my Mom's.

I just browsed on-line for you. Although it was rare to have both sides of
a stock 45 on a promo 45 in 1987, this song was a very rare example of
one that did. The listed time for "No Sleep...." is (4:07). I do currently see
two promo copies on eBay; one is $40; the other runs $75.

I quickly got hold of Aaron, who's actually an 80's hip-hop specialist. And
John, although Aaron doesn't own the P45, he is confident that the lyric
you mentioned wouldn't have been altered/censored for 45 release.
Further evidence of Aaron's gut feeling is that there are promo-stamped
stock 45 copies also for sale now on eBay. Based on my radio experience,
Columbia/Def Jam would only send radio promo-stamped stock copies if
its contents mimicked what was on the actual P45. But since "She's Crafty"
was the intended A-side, we can't be 100% positive that the "No Sleep...."
side's stock and promo 45 contents were exactly the same. I am over 90%
sure, however.

John, I feel the only way you're gonna get a 100% answer to your question
is for you to buy that promo 45 yourself. The song isn't really in the
T4MOC's "wheelhouse". To me, Aaron was gonna be your best shot. Yes,
you can wait to see if others respond. But the danger is that your promo
copy might end up costing you nearly twice as much. Good luck, my
friend!

Edited by jimct

Every time I hear of this song, I think of the amusing British parody, "Stutter Rap (No Sleep 'til Bedtime)" by Morris Major and the Minors. The original hit #14 in the UK, but this parody hit #4. ;)

If you haven't heard it, here's the link to the video on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAIOzM7SsMo

Edited by musicmanatl

Andy, "It's Tricky" by Run-DMC is another song that works well at wedding receptions, despite it not being a top 40 hit.

Yes, being one that prefers radio edits over lp versions,
it was a question based out of curiosity. *If* there was
an edit available for "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" I would
prefer it.

Like Aaron and Andy, I perform at many wedding receptions
per year. There are many low charting or non-charting
songs that pack the dance floor. Besides the two they
mentioned, you'd have to add "Electric Boogie" (The
Electric Slide) from Marcia Griffiths, "Apache" from the
Sugarhill Gang. I'm sure there are many others.

Thanks to Jim, Aaron, Andy and those with lyrical
knowledge that I sometimes lack, lol.