Olivia Newton-John – Toughen Up (US 12″)
Posted by DjPaulT on August 29th, 2012
BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1986
Re-Rip Remastered
Originally I posted this one back in September of 2011. But for those who may have missed it or if you are a new reader just discovering BTG. I decided to give this one a new rip with my newer equipment. This 12″ is also being posted in 24 bit flac for the very first time!
Written by Graham Lyle and Terry Britten “Toughen Up” was the second single released from Olivia’s 1985 album Soul Kiss. The reggae influenced track was originally intended for Tina turner but rejected by her as inferior. “Toughen Up” failed to make a dent on the Billboard charts but was quite popular in dance clubs due in part to a 12″ dance remix by John “Jellybean” Benitez. “Toughen Up” did chart in Australia peaking at #69.
The music video opens showing a topless Olivia wearing riding pants and holding a horse whip. Olivia plays the part of a head mistress for a girls school where she teaches her female students to “Toughen Up” against the men that have done them wrong.
SIDE A:
Toughen Up (Dance Remix) 8:04
SIDE B:
Toughen Up (Instrumental Remix) 5:15
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: MCA Records – MCA-23606
Format: Vinyl, 12″
Country: US
Released: 1986
Genre: Electronic, Pop, Rock
Style: Synth-pop
Credits: Artwork By [Designed By] – Norman Moore
Engineer [Remix] – Michael Hutchinson
Photography – Sam Emerson
Producer – John Farrar
Remix – John “Jellybean” Benitez
Written-By –G. Lyle*, T. Britten*
NOTES:
From The Olivia Newton-John LP “SOUL KISS” MCA-6151
Management By Roger Davies Management Inc
Find The 12″ On DISCOGS
EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut III
Cartridge: Ortofon Super
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 30
Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Soundcard: ESI Juli@
VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Brother MFC-6490CW Professional Series Scanner
SOFTWARE USED:
Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Adobe Photoshop CS5
ClickRepair
dBpoweramp
Playlist Creator
RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
Downsampled to 24bit/96kHz and16bit /44kHz using iZotope RX Advanced 2
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi
PW: burningtheground
You can help show your support for this blog by making a donation using PayPal. Thank you for your help.
August 29th, 2012 at 2:21 pm
Great re-post. I feel a marathon of ONJ coming up…
Thank you Paul, very very very appreciated!
[Reply]
DjPaulT Reply:
August 29th, 2012 at 2:29 pm
You’re welcome stefano. i hope everyone else is as happy with it as you are
[Reply]
August 29th, 2012 at 5:08 pm
Paul, as always, thanks for all the effort you put into your blog and looking after your followers. You never disappoint! It’s really astonishing how great these tracks sound after all these years, in fact, you almost have me convinced that it’s time to invest in a turntable again.
Best Wishes
Bob
[Reply]
DjPaulT Reply:
August 29th, 2012 at 6:23 pm
Thank you Bob for the very kind comment. I love my records and am so happy with my turntable. A lot of people only think of vinyl as being bulky and noisy but to me that is part of it’s charm. I love looking at the over sized artwork there is nothing like it. Vinyl does sound better than CD if properly cared for. It has more dynamics and depth. I think you would really enjoy having a turntable you can get a pretty nice one like mine without spending a ton of money
[Reply]
August 29th, 2012 at 5:13 pm
I have always loved the vibe of this record!!! It’s one of those songs that plays so well at night. I remember getting the 12″ and being so glad the song had been extended to 8 minutes, and without a lot of mixing. As was usually the case, Jellybean was wise to let the song take its own course. Toughen Up, and the entire SOUL KISS album, should have been bigger, but oh well, the entire project was simply too sophisticated for Top 40 ears. It’s view point was of what was happening in popular music at the time, but through more adult perspectives. Madonna’s Like A Virgin and Material Girl has lowered the expectations of what girls/young women (and men!) were supposed to have for themselves–and trust me, I’m not making a prudish judgement call! The tide of public opinion had just turned. Even Tina Turner’s Show Some Respect was her least successful single from PRIVATE DANCER. Anyway, thanks for keeping the still-fresh SOUL KISS ablum alive and well. I pull my disc out for a few listens every time I see Olivia mentioned on your site.
[Reply]
DjPaulT Reply:
August 29th, 2012 at 6:27 pm
Danadotcom “Soul Kiss” was and is one of my favorite ONJ albums. I always wanted “Moth To A Flame” to be a single but it never happened. The production and writing for this album was top notch. I totally agree with you about this remix it’s just right and not too overworked.
[Reply]
August 29th, 2012 at 6:24 pm
i was too young experience the greatness of ONJ, so This mini-series of posts is a real treat. Thanks, as always, paul.
[Reply]
DjPaulT Reply:
August 29th, 2012 at 6:35 pm
You’re welcome Ray
[Reply]
August 29th, 2012 at 6:29 pm
I Loooooooooooooooove this song & I didn’t have the 12″
Thanks Paul!!
[Reply]
DjPaulT Reply:
August 29th, 2012 at 6:36 pm
You’re welcome Cdmaniac
[Reply]
August 29th, 2012 at 7:26 pm
Thank you for another wonderful share. The ONJ is always most welcome! I love this underrated album.
[Reply]
DjPaulT Reply:
August 29th, 2012 at 9:01 pm
You’re welcome Matt
[Reply]
August 29th, 2012 at 9:01 pm
Was ecstatic when you first posted this, and still as joyful with this re-rip and re-post.
I truly admire your conviction to your music, Paul.
I don’t or know how to rip vinyls but I can imagine the effort. And to do the same project twice? I don’t think I’ll even have that patience!
Kudos to you, my friend!
[Reply]
DjPaulT Reply:
August 29th, 2012 at 9:06 pm
Thank you Ric. I spend many hours doing what I do. It’s worth the effort to get the great feedback that you and others give
[Reply]
August 29th, 2012 at 10:12 pm
LOVE the ONJ posts. They sound fantastic. Thank you!
[Reply]
DjPaulT Reply:
August 30th, 2012 at 8:08 am
Thank you John
[Reply]
August 30th, 2012 at 6:38 am
Thank you so much for this single in 24 bit flac for the first time ever!
I love you Paul!!!!
[Reply]
DjPaulT Reply:
August 30th, 2012 at 8:09 am
Awww thank you Spring
[Reply]
August 30th, 2012 at 12:57 pm
Hi Paul. All this Olivia is most welcome! Has prompted a query though…the dead download links on More Than Physical, any plans to re-up? Many are CDSingles and 7″ vinyls and so I’m guessing will never make it onto this blog?
Ian
[Reply]
DjPaulT Reply:
August 30th, 2012 at 1:58 pm
Hi Ian,
That blog is hosted on Blogger and everytime I post something to download they remove it or threaten to close the blog. So more than likely I will not re-upload those files on my ONJ blog. The 7″ singles may appear here at some point but not the CD’s.
[Reply]