1

defining song variations

(Since her latest version isn't reviewed yet, I'm revisiting the last version.)  The song entity "All Too Well" has two variations: a live acoustic version (9:31) and a 10-minute alternative take (10:13).  That alternative take is listed under the "appears on" tab too. That tab has the original song (2013) alongside the re-recording (2021), both clocking in with the same duration.

That tab includes a short film version (11:26), a studio live [Sad Girl Autumn] version (9:58), and a karaoke version (5:18).  So the "appears on" tab lists several versions, while the variations tab lists only two.  Thus, I'm confused how variations are defined.

1 reply

Much of it has to do with the flags in the metadata assigned to a specific track.

Information comes to us with the following "flags" attached to the track information:

Alternate Take
Demo
Remix
Mix
Take
Version
Edit
Composer Version
Alternate Version
Unplugged
Dub
Overdub
Outtake
Re-recording
Live

If we see any of these individual flags associated with a track, we apply them to the appropriate bucket to display them on the website.

When we look at the track flags associated with Track ID MT0060905444, there are no flags associated with "All Too Well [10 Minute Version] [The Short Film]" and therefore (despite the fact that you and I can visibly see that it should be considered a variation) there is nothing in the metadata that tells us this.

Zac, comparing track lengths (to the original recording) can help identify variations when track metadata is unavailable.  I'm particularly interested in the "unplugged" metadata.  If an album is comprised mostly of unplugged tracks, then that album can likely be characterized as unplugged (For example, I'd like to be able to filter for Bob Dylan's unplugged albums besides MTV Unplugged.).

When I click on Track ID MT0060905444, I'd like its "appears on" tab to list albums where it appears on.  That tab shouldn't include variations.