Knockin On Heavn's Door missing

MGM 1973.The money men including James Aubrey wanted the finished product( which had its production schedule cut anyway during filming)taken away from the director and cut drastically. This essentially gave him rights to do want he wanted and a drastic amount of cutting took place, where by various scenes were cut and changed. Amongst others the prologue and ending were dropped and the death of sheriff slim picked where the above song is now heard in the background and not sung.
I heard it only on the version on vhs tape in 1982. Hope this helps. I have the laserdisc version in letterbox format. Yours for about 300 quid. If you want to.
Check out peckinpahs biography by David Weddle called "if they move...kll em!"
Nice talkin to you.