The Best Version of Child in Time Is NOT on Made in Japan

[00:00:00]The best version of Child and Time is not made in Japan. I know, I know. I reviewed 13 versions of this song, including every official release I own, and one video only across five categories.

[00:00:16]And when the maths was done, the greatest live album of all time came third. Stick around because the version that won might not even be on your shelf.

[00:00:27]Purple were and are a band of five equal talents. Every song needs all of them firing, but when one man has an off night, the others can pick up the slack.

[00:00:40]Child and Time is the exception.

[00:00:43]It's maybe the only song in the catalog that lived or died on one member being at the absolute top of his game, Ian Gillan. 10 minutes of quiet menace, those haunting ooze, and then a climb to screams that no other rock singer of the era could touch.

[00:01:03]There's no hiding place in this song.

[00:01:05]You're really tracking Gillan across the peak of his powers with the band evolving underneath it. Quick ground rules. I considered every version on vocals, guitar, organ, rhythm section, and just pure enjoyment. Today you get my top four and the winner's defense which means some heavy names didn't make the cut including uh the original from in rock the fantastic performance at the concerto for group and orchestra the BBC performance long Beach 1971.

[00:01:56]The Montro 1971 version.

[00:02:04]Japan. August 15, 1972.

[00:02:13]August 17th, 1972.

[00:02:20]Nobody's perfect and come hell or high water. I have the CD somewhere, but I'm not going to dig it out. So, needless to say, there were a lot of versions that just didn't make the cut. Some of them are absolutely brilliant, especially the BBC one hurt me the most. I really like that version and the one for the Royal Albert Hall performance when they performed the conerto for group and orchestra. Just two amazing performances.

[00:02:48]But in this case, no, they didn't quite make it.

[00:02:55]Let me set these aside. So, at number four, Doing their Thing, 1970, and it's the performance most of you have seen.

[00:03:03]It's the one all over the YouTubes.

[00:03:06]Probably the most watched Child and Time footage in existence.

[00:03:11]This is one where nearly everything comes together. Gillan is stunning. This is some of his finest early singing on the song. Richie lays down great riffing under John's soloing before stepping into a fine solo of his own. So why only fourth? Well, at 9 and a half minutes, it's too short. John and Richie never get the chance to stretch out. It's a brilliant performance of the song, but it hadn't yet become the vehicle it was about to become.

[00:03:43]It was also on TV, so that might have had something to do with it. Think of this as the perfect postcard. The versions above it are the whole trip.

[00:03:53]So, number three, the version of Made in Japan, August 16th, 1972.

[00:04:01]Let me be clear. I mean, this is a monster. Richie solo is fire from the first note. What a difference a couple years make, as well as a new guitar. And listen to what Jon is doing underneath him. His comping behind Richie is perfect. That jazzy feel of Lord's organ was always the glue binding Richie straight ahead rock to the swing of the rhythm section. And this night it's on full display. Pace and Glover are more restrained than the night before and pitch perfect. So why isn't the most celebrated live version in rock history taking the crown? Honestly, there's no failure here. The next two versions reached even greater heights, which tells you something about how good this band was in the early 70s.

[00:04:51]Number two, Copenhagen 1972.

[00:04:56]The intense one. There's no gradual build here. Richie goes straight to intensity from the opening. Gillan puts emotion, power, and control on full display. And there's a moment where Jon holds his sustained distorted organ chord right as Gillan hits the top note that is absolutely spine chilling. By 72, the middle section had grown into an entirely separate jam. The direction the song took as it became a nightly staple.

[00:05:25]And this one really takes off with a lovely trade-off between Richie and John. Super tight, ferociously played.

[00:05:33]17 and 12 minutes at Fly By. On another channel, this wins, but there's one version it can't beat.

[00:05:45]So, in my opinion, the best version of Child and Time ever recorded, Stockholm 1970. It's like 19 minutes. This is one of my favorite Gillan performances. Full stop. It's more, I guess, refined than the contemplative 69 readings, but it hadn't yet reached that full pure adrenaline of 1972.

[00:06:10]He's right in the sweet spot. Richie is ferocious.

[00:06:14]The solo hooks me every single time, and the band builds behind him to a crescendo that's just overwhelming. John finally gets room to stretch out, and as always, when he does, it's fantastic.

[00:06:27]And underneath it all, Pace and Glover lock into this great swing. Ian's fills, the distortion on Roger's bass. It's just absolutely perfect. Here's the thing I love most. The slower tempo. The song breathes. And at 19 minutes, they settle into a kind of a lengthy jam that for me is Deep Purple at their absolute best. At this point, the jam still feels like part of the song and not like a separate piece that's bolted into the middle, you know. And if long jams aren't your bag, fair enough. But if you want to hear this band at the height of their powers on a song that demanded everything from all five of them, in particular Ian Gillan, it's Stockholm.

[00:07:10]And I don't think any other version comes close.

[00:07:14]So that's my verdict. And I know exactly what half of you are typing right now.

[00:07:20]Made in Japan, third. I mean, come on.

[00:07:22]Good. Tell me where I went wrong. Defend your version in the comments and tell me which song I should put through this next. If you enjoyed this, subscribe.

[00:07:34]Have a great day.