Billy Joels Pianoman - EDITED? WHY?

[TheRedMax]

Twice now, once in a pub on the pub soundsystem, and just now on Radio2, I have heard Billy Joels Pianoman cut down. It jumps from the barman who's "quick with a joke and ot ligt up your smoke" straight to "and the waitress is practicing politics" ... missing out the whole chunk about the barman hating his job, paul and his wife, and davy from the navy"

Why ?

[kempie]

When originally issued as a single, the song was deemed too long by record executives (5 minutes and 38 seconds), so two verses were cut in half and spliced together for the release as a 45. Later, Billy Joel's song "The Entertainer" mentions this event by commenting, "It was a beautiful song, but it ran too long. If you're gonna have a hit, you gotta make it fit. So they cut it down to 3:05."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_Man_(song)

[4candles]

No idea, but FWIW it was played unedited on Radio Scotland last night.