I think it could be a good song :)

I noticed yesterday that Undiscovered Soul on Apple Music has been replaced by the ‘Expanded edition’. At first I just thought it was a few extra tracks but then I noticed that Steven Tyler’s harmonica track has been removed from If God Was a Woman - anyone know the story behind this?

Yeah that sounds like it was replaced by the early version released in Japan that had some lyrical and production differences. Does All That Really Matters start with a different line as well?

Matt you’re a goddamn encyclopaedia. Yes, it does have a slightly different opening line. In It For Love seems to have a little bit more guitar in the outro but overall production isn’t as good. The loss of the harmonic on If God Was a Woman is a big one

Hahahaha I can't express how much disposable information is in my head.

I don't know much more about this version but reading up a little it came out in 1997 with the final worldwide version in 1998. Anyone know anything more?

I seem to remember that the Japanese label wanted the album early. I think Richie was doing some sort of promo over there regarding a duet he did with a Japanese artist (the song was called Forever, but the name of the artist escapes me) and they wanted to capitalise on the exposure of that.

The album wasn't finished so Richie gave them an early, unfinished mix to release. I always thought it was a strange thing to do - maybe release a few songs but not the whole album. Anyways, I guess it was before the days of internet piracy, but imports were widely available a long time before the final version was released in the rest of the world.

Edit: Artist was Takashi Sorimach

https://youtu.be/theZxX3pEWs

I heard that the album had leaked in Japan so they rush released it in the unfinished state.

I was aware of the earlier Japan release, but not that it was simply unfinished, and this is the first time I am hearing this track! Man I love Richie's clean playing. That intro alone is superb. Overall this sounds quite a bit like Undiscovered Soul, the track, no? Do we know who wrote and produced it, and where? Was the base track just from the Undiscovered Soul sessions?

Thanks for the link and the backstory!

Spotify says it was written by Takashi Sorimachi; but it doesn't give the producer or location.

Could have been, not sure. Don't remember any leaks of it back then, but I guess pre-internet they didn't spead as instantly as they do now