Regionalized Tunes

[madopal]

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?

[2Nu]

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

[fritzb]

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

[BigBri]

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.

[2Nu]

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

[rewind]

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)."

[Ollie Stench]

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.

[hexicon]

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.