Category: Diana Ross

USA For Africa – We Are The World (US 12″ Promo)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1985
A. Front

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a holiday that we celebrate on Thursday November 27 here in the US. It’s a time to reflect and give thanks for all of the abundant blessings and freedom that we have. We gather around the table with family and friends to share a festive meal. We also spare a thought for those not so lucky. It is a season of bountifulness and a reason to share the same ….true Thanksgiving is in actually doing that – Giving !!!”

I will be spending some time with family and friends over the next few days and will return on Tuesday December 2.

001“We Are the World” is a song and charity single originally recorded by the supergroup USA for Africa in 1985. It was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, and produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian for the album We Are the World. With sales in excess of 20 million copies, it is one of the fewer than 30 all-time singles to have sold at least 10 million copies worldwide.

Following Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” project in the UK, an idea for the creation of an American benefit single for African famine relief came from activist Harry Belafonte, who, along with fundraiser Ken Kragen, was instrumental in bringing the vision to reality. Several musicians were contacted by the pair, before Jackson and Richie were assigned the task of writing the song. The duo completed the writing of “We Are the World” seven weeks after the release of “Do They Know Its Christmas”, and one night before the song’s first recording session, on January 21, 1985. (The last recording session for the song was held on January 28, 1985.) The historic event brought together some of the most famous artists in the music industry at the time.

The song was released on March 7, 1985, as the only single from the album. A worldwide commercial success, it topped music charts throughout the world and became the fastest-selling American pop single in history. The first ever single to be certified multi-platinum, “We Are the World” received a Quadruple Platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America. However, the song garnered mixed reviews from journalists, music critics, and the public. Fans enjoyed hearing racially and musically diverse recording artists singing together on one track, and felt satisfied in buying “We Are the World”, knowing that the money was going to charity. Other individuals, including many commentators in the rock press, were disappointed that the song did not challenge listeners as to why famines occur in the first place, and felt that the lyrics were self-aggrandizing.

Awarded numerous honors—including three Grammy Awards, one American Music Award, and a People’s Choice Award—the song was promoted with a critically received music video, a home video, a special edition magazine, a simulcast, and several books, posters, and shirts. The promotion and merchandise aided the success of “We Are the World” and raised over $63 million for humanitarian aid in Africa and the US.

Following the devastation caused by the magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake in Haiti on January 12, 2010, a remake of the song by another all-star cast of singers was recorded on February 1, 2010. Entitled “We Are the World 25 for Haiti”, it was released as a single on February 12, 2010, and proceeds from the record aided survivors in the impoverished country.

SIDE A:
We Are The World 7:19

SIDE B:
We Are The World 7:19

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year Single Chart Position
1985 We Are The World U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles Chart #76
1985 We Are The World U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #1
1985 We Are The World U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks #1
1985 We Are The World U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales #1
1985 We Are The World U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks #27
1985 We Are The World U.S. Billboard Hot R&B Singles #1

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Columbia ‎– US2-05179
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Promo
Country: US
Released: March 7, 1985
Genre: Rock
Style: Pop Rock

CREDITS:
Conductor – Quincy Jones
Engineer – Humberto Gatica, John Guess
Producer – Quincy Jones
Producer [Associate] – Tom Bahler
Written-By – Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson

NOTES:
Promo. Same versions on both sides.

Find The 12″ On DISCOGS

B. Back

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut III
Cartridge: Ortofon Super
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 30
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Speed Control: Pro-Ject Speed Box S
Phono Pre-amp: Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Tube: Tung-Sol 12AX7ECC803-S Gold Electron Tube
Soundcard: ESI Juli@
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans: Brother MFC-6490CW Professional Series Scanner

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

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

Diana Ross – Pieces Of Ice (US 12″)

 BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1983

A. Front

“Pieces of Ice” is a song written by Marc Jordan and John Capek and recorded by Diana Ross on the RCA label. It was released as a single in 1983.

The first release off the singer’s self-titled Ross album, it was the only simultaneous top forty single the singer scored on this album, which was one of her rare misses on the RCA label in the early-1980s.

The song reached number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (#15 R&B) and #46 in the UK. It charted best in Norway, where it reached #8.

SIDE A:
Pieces Of Ice (Remixed Version) 7:16

SIDE B:
Pieces Of Ice (Instrumental Version) 7:16

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year Single Chart Position
1983 Pieces Of Ice U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #31
1983 Pieces Of Ice U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles #15
1983 Pieces Of Ice U.S. Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play #17

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: RCA ‎– PD 13568
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1983
Genre: Funk / Soul
Style: Rhythm & Blues
Credits: Producer – Gary Katz

NOTES:
From the RCA LP: “ROSS”

Find The 12″ On DISCOGS

B. Back

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut III
Cartridge: Ortofon Super
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 30
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Speed Control: Pro-Ject Speed Box S
Phono Pre-amp: Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Tube: Tung-Sol 12AX7ECC803-S Gold Electron Tube
Soundcard: ESI Juli@
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans: Brother MFC-6490CW Professional Series Scanner

SOFTWARE USED:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removeal: ClickRepair (DeClick Level 3)
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

Diana Ross – The Boss (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1979

A. Front

DISCO FRIDAY!

“The Boss” is a 1979 soul/disco song written and produced by Ashford & Simpson and recorded by singer Diana Ross, who released it as a single on the Motown label. It was the first release from the album of the same title.The single peaked at #19 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, reached #12 on the Hot Soul Singles chart, and went to #1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart.

The b-side “Lovin’ Livin’ & Givin'” was included on the soundtrack to the 1978 Disco film “Thank God It’s Friday” and the Diana Ross album “Ross”.

SIDE A:
The Boss (Special 12″ Version) 7:21
Mixed By – James Simpson*, Mike Hutchinson*
Producer – Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson*
Written-By – N. Ashford-V. Simpson*

SIDE B:
Lovin’ Livin’ & Givin’ 5:09
Producer – Hal Davis
Written-By – K. Stover*, P. Davis*

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

CHART HISTORY:

Year Single Chart Position
1979 The Boss U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #19
1979 The Boss U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles #12
1979 The Boss U.S. Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play #1

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Motown ‎– M 00026D1
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Single
Country: US
Released: 1979
Genre: Funk / Soul
Style: Funk, Disco

NOTES:
Special 12″ Version
In Album
“THE BOSS”

Find The 12″ On DISCOGS

B. Back

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut III
Cartridge: Ortofon Super
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 30
Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Pro-Ject Speed Box S
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

Diana Ross – Swept Away (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1984

A. Front

Re-Rip Remaster

Originally I posted this one back in April 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 Ortofon 30 stylus. This 12″ is also being posted in 24 bit flac for the very first time!

“Swept Away” is a rock-flavored dance song written by Daryl Hall (of Hall & Oates) with Sara Allen, produced by Hall with Arthur Baker, and recorded by singer Diana Ross for her album of the same name. Ross released the song as a single on the RCA label in 1984.

The song talked about how the narrator thought she was in love with a special person only to find out that she had just been “swept away” after catching her lover cheating on her sending her into a rage and panic.

In the music video, directed by Dominic Orlando in Manhattan and on location in Long Island, Ross is seduced by a Frenchman and falls in love with him only to find out, after arriving unannounced in a bar, that he’s cheating on her with another French girl in a stylized Apache Dance. She then confronts the man hitting him repeatedly, and later fights with the French girl who ends up being knocked out unconscious by the singer. Later in the video, the Frenchman tries to fight his way back into her life only to have Ross accidentally push him from a lighthouse tower into the water. It was one of Ross’ most popular videos, and her first to air on MTV.

The music video was blown up to 35mm for projection during Diana Ross’ live performances at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. There’s also an extended version of the video edited for the 12″ dance club remix.

Arthur Baker had been a club DJ turned remixer who was just breaking into production, and the twelve-inch version became one of Ross’ most successful, reaching number one on the Dance/Disco chart. The single also reached nineteen on the US pop singles chart and number three on the R&B singles chart.

SIDE A:
Swept Away (Long Version) 7:37
Backing Vocals – Daryl Hall

SIDE B:
Swept Away (Instrumental Version) 7:14

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Cover: Near Mint

CHARTS:

Year Single Chart Position
1984 Swept Away U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #19
1984 Swept Away U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles #3
1984 Swept Away U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play #1

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: RCA Victor – PD-13865
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 RPM
Country: US
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic, Funk / Soul, Pop
Style: Synth-pop, Soul
Credits: Edited By – Latin Rascals, The
Producer – Arthur Baker, Daryl Hall
Written-By – Daryl Hall, Sara Allen

NOTES:
From the album “DIANA ROSS SWEPT AWAY” AFLI 5009

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

B. Back

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