h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

When Mike Oldfield recorded Tubular Bells. I wonder if the individual sections would have been arranged differently? It's intended to be one piece of music on one LP, but, of course, LPs have two sides. I almost never play side two.

Firstly, I never liked the end of that side, the Sailors Hornpipe, which is theoretically the end of the whole piece. It's such a musical non-sequitur. Secondly, I always thought the end of side one should be the climax of the whole piece, but it effectively comes halfway through. It's such a powerful conclusion that, to me, it makes everything on side two redundant.

So, and I hope Mr Oldfield won't mind me doing this (like he's going to find out), I've taken the whole of side two, minus the Hornpipe, and dropped it into side one about two-thirds of the way through, right about here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m60s70qX-xw#t=16m10s (that link should take you straight to 16m 10s).

It'll probably take a bit of getting used to, the original layout of side one being so familiar, but think it works rather well.

Oooh, what a lovely idea. I also agree about the Hornpipe, it never quite fitted for me either.

I don't watch videos with ads on. And I liked the bit on the exorcist, but never heard any of the rest of it. Can't believe there's two sides one track?!

My copy of Tubular Bells is on CD.

I suppose he must have a good reason for tacking it on the end, Vip, but I can't fathom it. It's rather like the refrain of 'Oh I Do Like to be Beside the Seaside' at the end of Queen's Seven Seas of Rhye. In both cases it's an anti-climax to a fine piece of music.

An odd way to end an album, that. Although I usually hear it out of context, where it doesn't sound so bad. One of the bonuses of having your entire music collection on random, although it does lead to a few odd combinations!

I can't help thinking of Last Night of the Proms whenever I hear the Hornpipe. I don't think they play the Fantasia on British Sea Songs any more