Question For The Experts: Set The Controls For the Heart Of The Sun

I recently watched a 60's music video for Pink Floyd's song "Set The Controls For the Heart Of The Sun" and I loved the song. So I saw the song is on the Echoes "best of" CD package and I purchased it. But I was sad to discover the ending of the songs are quite different between the video and the CD. The video has a very dramatic ending, similar to the psychedelic ending of the Beatles song "A Day In The Life". The CD version never builds to that same dramatic ending. The length of the CD track is over 5 minutes, but could this be an edited version of the song? If it is, why in the world would they edit the best part of the song out?

Though no expert, I have found Live versions to be sometimes slightly, sometimes significantly different but regularly longer than the album version of the same song. Perhaps during a Live performance the players are more relaxed or more into the "groove" of the piece and are able to just jam away if the feeling hits them. Or if the audience is sympathetic to their ad hoc noodlings, they'll be inspired to further excesses.

Also, unless a piece is to be an album-side suite like Echoes or Atom Heart Mother, they have to exist on an LP with other tracks vying for track time. Depending on the music company's criteria or that of the players themselves, who can guess what might have been included or omitted?

Byron is right. Like he usually is

Well, I might buy your first explanation if it weren't for the fact that the music video is a lip sync video to the original recording (albiet an edited version). So there is no "live" element involved to come to that conclusion.

Secondly, my point stands that if they were going to edit a song down to 5 minutes (don't know the length of the original song), they would keep the dramatic conclusion of the song. Not doing so would be like watching a porno video and having the climax edited out of it (excuse this particular analogy, but it seemed to fit perfectly here).

Any experts out there who know this song and the video I'm referring to very well?

One of the newest live version of Set the Controls is on the Roger waters live concert DVD "In the Flesh , Live". Again it is significantly different tha the original album track. The Snowy White guitar solo on the DVD is exemplary. Set the Controls is a true "Jam Track" written to be performed live, and never the same way twice really. If you like the song itself, one can make a hobby just out of collecting all the differeing live versions.

Unfortunately, this latest post referencing the "live" element came in as I was writing my response to the other person who incorrectly brought the "live" subject into this discussion. Note again, the promo video is a lip sync version to the original recording, but an edited version. There are no live or other takes in consideration here. What LP does this song come from since it appears I may have to listen to it to get the answer as to whether someone did a poor edit for the Echoes CD?

Oh, by the way...

Welcome Sarah.. glad you dropped in.. Have fun here.. Let me do a little research and I'll see if I can find your answer.

OK.. Set the Controls first appears on A Saucerful of Scerets. A studio cut. I do notknow the length of the cut. It may be the one you heard originally. It appears again on Ummagumma, but a live version this time I believe.

I am not aware nor was I able to locate any other rare issues of Set the Controls (unless there is one on Relics or a Collection of Great Dance Tunes).

If there are others out there, someone will post something soon I'm sure.

I think the Saucerful of Secrets(studio), Ummagumma (live) and Live at Pompeii versions are the only official releases. There are obviously many bootlegs of other live performances.

I don't remember any with a 'dynamic' ending. I think it just fades out.

I'm no expert on it, however.

I don't believe it was a "lip sync" since the track appearing on Echoes and on Meddle are identical (to the best of my knowledge) rather she could have been watching Pompeii.

I really don't like the tone in which she "corrected" Byron, especially since he was 100% right.

I also think she saw the Pompeii version. It's about 10 minutes long. It has the most "dramatic" ending, if you could call it that.

The Ummagumma version is 9:22 long FYI, sarababe.

And yes, show some respect to Byron, or we'll slap you around.

I kind of liked the porno reference though....

yes, that was good.

What are you two going on about?

This thingy.