Category: Taco

Taco – Puttin’ On The Ritz (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1982

NEW 2021 Transfer!
Meticulously Remastered!

Originally posted April 15, 2013

“Puttin’ On the Ritz” is a song written by Irving Berlin. He wrote it in May 1927 and first published it on December 2, 1929.

In 1982, singer Taco released a synth-pop cover version of “Puttin’ On the Ritz” as a single from his album After Eight. The single was accompanied by a music video, the original version of which contains characters in blackface and has since been banned from many networks. An alternative version eliminates many shots of the blackface characters, though some remain.

The cover also musically references other Irving Berlin songs, such as “There’s No Business Like Show Business”, “Alexander’s Ragtime Band”, and “White Christmas”.

The single was a global hit, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making Irving Berlin, then 95, the oldest ever living songwriter to have one of his compositions enter the top ten. It was certified Gold by the RIAA for selling over one million copies. It was Taco’s only hit in the United States. This version of the song was ranked No. 53 in VH1’s 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80s special.

The song topped the charts in Sweden and New Zealand, and it entered the Top 5 in numerous countries including Australia, Norway, Austria, and Canada.

SIDE A:
Puttin’ On The Ritz (Extended Version) 6:02
Written-By – Irving Berlin

SIDE B:
Livin’ In My Dream World 3:09
Written-By –John David Parker-Tanja*, Taco Okerse*, Werner Lang

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year Single Chart Position
1983 Puttin’ On The Ritz U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #4
1983 Puttin’ On The Ritz U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks #12
1983 Puttin’ On The Ritz U.S. Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play #37

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: RCA Victor ‎– PD-13575
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Single, Stereo
Country: US
Released: 1982
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Producer – David Parker

NOTES:
From the album “AFTER EIGHT”

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

THE GEAR:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon 2M Bronze
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


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