Category: ABBA

ABBA – The Visitors (US 12″ Promo)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1981

“The Visitors” (working title “Den första”, meaning “The First”), also known as “The Visitors (Crackin’ Up)”, is a 1981 song by the Swedish pop group ABBA. It is the title track from the band’s studio album of the same name, and was released as the fourth and final single in April 1982. The lead vocal was performed by Anni-Frid Lyngstad.

The official stated theme is a protest against the persecution of political dissidents in the Soviet Union at the time, as ABBA seemed to put political issues into their lyrics in the final days of the group. Björn Ulvaeus has stated that at the time of release he preferred that the song should have a sense of mystery so did not explain the exact meaning.

In 1982, the album The Visitors was banned in the Soviet Union, possibly due to the band allowing a video of “When All Is Said and Done” to be shown in the United States Information Agency television special, Let Poland Be Poland, along with a spoken message from Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, broadcast via satellite around the world on 31 January 1982. The show, which also featured Frank Sinatra, Paul McCartney, Orson Welles, Henry Fonda, UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and US President Ronald Reagan, was a public protest against the then-recent imposition of martial law in Poland.

However, ABBA’s segment was not included in the broadcast. The official reason given was time constraints. However, in a Rapport interview, Björn Ulvaeus mentioned that their message referenced human rights issues in several countries, including El Salvador and Chile. This has led to speculation that political considerations might have influenced the decision to exclude the segment, although this remains unconfirmed.

“The Visitors” was released as the album’s second (and final) single in the US instead of “Head over Heels,” which remained as the B-side.

The single peaked just outside the Top 60 at No. 63 on the singles chart in the U.S., and a double A-sided “The Visitors/When All Is Said and Done” 12″ single reached No. 8 on the Billboard dance chart. AllMusic reviewer Bruce Eder retrospectively described the song as “a topical song about Soviet dissidents that also manages to be very catchy.” Even though the song did not have any success in some countries, “The Visitors” was No. 1 in Costa Rica.

++ The “Short Version” included on this U.S. 12″ Promo is a vinyl-only exclusive, and has not appeared on CD. The edit that appeared on “More ABBA Gold” was modeled after the original “Short Version” taking the “Long Version” and editing it down therefore not the original edit that appears here.

SIDE A:
The Visitors (Long Version) 5:45

SIDE B:
The Visitors (Short Version) 4:22 ++

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year Single Chart Position
1982 The Visitors U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #63
1982 The Visitors U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play #8

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Atlantic – DMD 329
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Promo
Country: US
Released: 1981
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Synth-pop, Disco

CREDITS:

NOTES:
From the Atlantic LP “THE VISITORS”

Promotional Copy Not For sale

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

THE GEAR:
Turntable: Technics SL-1200MK7
Cartridge/Stylus:  Ortofon 2M Black PnP MkII
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro Spin Acrylic Mat
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp:
Pro-Jec Tube Box DS2
Tubes: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7 ECC83/B759 Gold Pins Vacuum Tube – Matched Pair
DAC:
Alpha Design Labs GT40a USB DAC
Record Cleaning
: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans
: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner

SOFTWARE:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling/Dither: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

**24bit FLAC Only Available For Seven Days!


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Agnetha Fältskog – The Heat Is On (Special Maxi Version) (Netherlands 12″)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1983

“The Heat Is On” is a song written by Florrie Palmer and Tony Ashton, and recorded by Swedish singer Agnetha Fältskog in 1983 as part of her first English-language solo album, Wrap Your Arms Around Me.

The song had previously been recorded in 1979 by Noosha Fox, which failed to chart when Fox released it as a single. It had also been rewritten by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band as “On the Run” for their 1980 album Chance. Fältskog’s version reached No.1 in Sweden and Norway and peaked at No.2 in Belgium and the Netherlands. In the UK, “The Heat Is On” peaked at No.35, making it Faltskog’s highest-charting solo single in Britain until the release of her 2004 comeback single, “If I Thought You’d Ever Change Your Mind”, which reached No.11.

The B-side of “The Heat Is On” was the song “Man”, written by Fältskog herself. Compared to her pre-ABBA albums where most of the songs were self-penned, this was the only song on the Wrap Your Arms Around Me album that she wrote herself.

In some countries, the record companies also released a 12″-single featuring an extended version of “The Heat Is On” instead of the album version.

SIDE A:
The Heat Is On (Special Maxi Version) 7:57
Written-By – Florrie PalmerTony Ashton

SIDE B:
Man 3:30
Written-By – Agnetha Fältskog

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Polydor – 813 192-1
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, EP, Maxi-Single
Country: Netherlands
Released: 1983
Genre: Rock, Pop
Style: Pop Rock, Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Engineer – Michael B. Tretow
Producer – Mike Chapman

NOTES:
Recorded and mixed at Polar Music Studios, Stockholm
A Polar Music International Production
From the album “Wrap Your Arms Around Me”.

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

THE GEAR:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon 2M Black
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp:
Pro-Jec Tube Box DS2
DAC:
Alpha Design Labs GT40a USB DAC
Record Cleaning
: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans
: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner

SOFTWARE:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling/Dither: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi


Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by making a donation using PayPal. Thank you for your help.

Frida – Shine (Extended Version) (UK 12″)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1984

“Shine” was the first single, and the title track lifted from the fourth studio album by Swedish singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad and her second international solo album as Frida. She is best known as one of the founding members and lead singers of the Swedish pop band ABBA.

The song was produced by Steve Lillywhite, who at only 29 years of age, was already known for his work with Peter Gabriel, the Rolling Stones, and U2 amongst others.

SIDE A:
Shine (Extended Version) 6:31
Written-By – Guy FletcherJeremy BirdKevin Jarus*

SIDE B:
That’s Tough 5:02
Written-By – Anni-Frid LyngstadHans FredrikssonKirsty MacColl

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Epic – TA 4717
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Stereo
Country: UK
Released: 1984
Genre: Pop
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Backing Vocals – Kirsty MacCollSimon Climie
Bass – Rutger Gunnarsson (tracks: A), Tony Levin (tracks: B)
Design – Göran Dessen
Drums – Mark Brzezicki
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar – Pete Glenister
Engineer – Howard Gray
Executive Producer –  Stig Anderson
Keyboards, Synthesizer, Harpsichord – Simon Climie
Percussion – Marc Chantereau
Photography By – Heinz Angermayr
Producer – Steve Lillywhite

NOTES:
Digitally recorded and mixed at Studio De La Grande Armée, Paris 1984.

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

THE GEAR:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon 2M Black
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp:
Pro-Jec Tube Box DS2
DAC:
Alpha Design Labs GT40a USB DAC
Record Cleaning
: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans
: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner

SOFTWARE:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling/Dither: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

ABBA – Voulez-Vous (US 12″ Promo)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1979

“Voulez-Vous” (pronounced [vule vu] voo-lay-voo; French for “Do you want?”) is a 1979 song by the Swedish group ABBA, written and composed by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad shared the lead vocals.

“Voulez-Vous” is the only ABBA song to have been officially released as an extended dance remix – albeit only as a promo. The 6:07 version of the track, released as a double A-side 12-inch single by Atlantic Records in the United States in 1979.

A songwriting trip to the Bahamas saw the birth of this melody, and the proximity to Miami made it convenient to record the backing track at Criteria Studios with members of the disco group Foxy. Criteria Studios is where The Bee Gees made their disco-era records. “Voulez-Vous” is the only ABBA song (other than live recordings) to be recorded outside of Sweden.

Billboard described Voulez-Vous as one of ABBA’s “most dynamic tracks”, stating that it contains “almost Russian sounding musical accents”.

Compared to ABBA’s hits both before and after, “Voulez-Vous” was not a major hit for the group. It did top the charts in Belgium while reaching the Top 3 in Great Britain, Ireland, and The Netherlands. It also peaked at No. 9 in France, Spain, and Switzerland. In the United States, the song only reached No. 80 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

SIDE A:
Voulez-Vous (Disco Mix) 6:07

SIDE AA:
Voulez-Vous (Disco Mix) 6:07

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year Single Chart Position
1979 Voulez-Vous U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #80
1979 Voulez-Vous U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary #37

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Atlantic – DSKO 202
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Promo
Country: US
Released: 1979
Genre: Rock, Pop
Style: Disco

CREDITS:
Engineer – Michael B. Tretow
Mastered By – D.K.*
Written-By, Producer, Arranged By – Björn Ulvaeus & Benny Andersson

NOTES:
Disco Tonight Presenting
A Polar International Music Production
From Atlantic LP 16000 – “Voulez-Vous”
Vocal
℗ 1979
Not For Sale

Same track on both sides – both sides have the same face label and say “side 1”.

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

THE GEAR:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon 2M Black
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp:
Pro-Jec Tube Box DS2
DAC:
Alpha Design Labs GT40a USB DAC
Record Cleaning
: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans
: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner

SOFTWARE:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling/Dither: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi


Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by making a donation using PayPal. Thank you for your help.