Tag: 1978

December 21, 2021

Diana Ross / Michael Jackson – Ease On Down The Road (UK 12″)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1978

NEW 2021 Transfer!
NEW Meticulous Restoration!

Originally posted November 9, 2012

“Ease on Down the Road” is a song from the 1975 Broadway musical The Wiz, performed in the original production by Stephanie Mills and Hinton Battle. It was also released in 1978 as a duet between Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.

The 1978 duet was released as the theme song of the film adaptation of The Wiz (itself an adaptation of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz), and produced by Quincy Jones. The Charlie Smalls–composed tune was an R&B re-interpretation of both “Follow the Yellow Brick Road” and “We’re Off to See the Wizard” from the 1939 version of The Wizard of Oz. In the song, Dorothy (portrayed in the film by Ross) and the Scarecrow (played by Jackson) dance their way down the Yellow Brick Road and give each other words of encouragement.

“Ease on Down the Road” is performed four times in The Wiz film: once by Dorothy and the Scarecrow, once by the two of them and the Tin Man (played in the movie by Nipsey Russell), by the three of them and the Cowardly Lion (played by Ted Ross), and finally during the end credits. In the album version, Jackson and Ross sing by themselves. The recording was one of Jackson’s first collaborations with Quincy Jones, who became his main producer during the late 1970s and 1980s.

In 1980, Jackson was a guest on Kraft Salutes Disneyland’s 25th Anniversary and, along with Disney characters (Mickey Mouse, The Seven Dwarves, Donald Duck, Pinocchio, Minnie Mouse, Chip ‘n’ Dale, Pluto, Winnie the Pooh, The Three Little Pigs and Goofy), performed the song in a medley with the Disney signature song, “When You Wish Upon a Star”.

It also earned Jackson his first Grammy Award nomination with Ross (previous two with his family group, The Jacksons) in the category of Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 1979.

Released as a single by MCA Records in late summer 1978, the song missed the U.S. Top 40 by one position, peaking at #41 on the Billboard Hot 100. It reached #17 on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart the same year.

SIDE A:
Ease On Down The Road (Full Length US Version) 6:04
Performed By – Diana Ross, Michael Jackson
Written-By – Charlie Smalls

SIDE B:
Poppy Girls 3:26
Performed By – The Wiz*
Written-By – Anthony Jackson, Quincy Jones

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1978	Blue Jean	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#41
1978	Blue Jean	U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles	#17

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: MCA Records – 12 MCA 396
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Limited Edition
Country: UK
Released: 1978
Genre: Funk / Soul
Style: Disco

CREDITS:
Producer – Quincy Jones, Tom Bahler

NPTES:
Full length US version from the soundtrack album and the film “The Wiz” over 6 minutes long.

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.

February 16, 2019

Olivia Newton-John – A Little More Love (US 7″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1978

Disco Love Week Encore

“A Little More Love” is the lead single by Australian singer Olivia Newton-John from her 1978 album Totally Hot. It was a worldwide Top 10 hit single, peaking at #4 in the UK and #3 in the US. In Canada, it spent three weeks at #2 during February and March 1979 and was the seventh biggest Canadian hit of that year.

In the US, Billboard magazine ranked “A Little More Love” as the 17th most popular song of 1979, and Cash Box ranked it as 23rd for the year, where it had peaked at #4.

The single demonstrated a more aggressive and uptempo sound for Newton-John moving her away from her country singles and further into the pop stratosphere. The b-side “Borrowed Time” was one of two tracks from the “Totally Hot” LP written by Newton-John.

SIDE A:
A Little More Love 3:29
Written-By – John Farrar

SIDE B:
Borrowed Time 3:36
Written-By – Olivia Newton-John

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1979	A Little More Love	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#3
1979	A Little More Love	U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary	#4
1979	A Little More Love	U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs	#94

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: MCA Records ‎– MCA-40975
Format: Vinyl, 7″, 45 RPM, Single, Stereo
Country: US
Released: 1978
Genre: Rock
Style: Pop Rock, Synth-pop, Disco

CREDITS:
Producer – John Farrar

NOTES:
Both tracks are from MCA LP, MCA-3067, “Totally Hot”
Printed in U.S.A.

Find the 7″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge: Ortofon 2M
Stylus: Ortofon 2M Bronze
Isolation: Auralex Acoustics ISO-Tone Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp: Schiit Mani
Soundcard: Novation Audiohub 2×4 Audio Interface
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner

SOFTWARE USED:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling: iZotope RX Advanced 2, ocenaudio
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)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

Username: btg
Password: burningtheground

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

November 9, 2018

David Naughton – Makin’ It (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1978

“Makin’ It” is a 1978 pop song performed by David Naughton, his first and, to date, only musical release. It was the theme song for the television show of the same name, in which Naughton starred. It was written by Freddie Perren and Dino Fekaris, the team also responsible for Gloria Gaynor’s #1 hit “I Will Survive” and Peaches and Herb’s #5 hit “Shake Your Groove Thing” and #1 hit “Reunited”.

It appeared in the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 16 weeks, and in the top 10 for five weeks. It debuted at #89 on March 31, peaking at #5 for two weeks, July 21 and July 28. On Billboard’s Disco Action Top 40 Chart, the song peaked at number 11 in its March 10, 1979 issue during its 17-week run.

The song also appeared on the soundtrack of the 1979 film Meatballs. It was also featured in the 1999 film Detroit Rock City as well as episodes of the television series Cold Case and Fame. It appears in a 2017 TV commercial for Subway, promoting an Autumn Carved Turkey sandwich. Early pressings of this record stated that it was from the TV series of the same name. Later pressings stated it was from the film Meatballs starring Bill Murray.

SIDE A:
Makin’ It (Special Disco Version) 7:29

SIDE B:
Makin’ It (Special Disco Version) 7:29

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1979	Makin’ It	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#5
1979	Makin’ It	U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary	#48
1979	Makin’ It	U.S. Billboard Hot Disco action Top 40	#11

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: RSO ‎– RSS 300, RSO ‎– 2141 076
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1978
Genre: Electronic, Funk / Soul
Style: Disco

CREDITS:
Producer, Arranged By, Written-By – Freddie Perren
Written-By – Dino Fekaris

NOTES:
Same track plays on both sides.
Produced and arranged for Grand Slam Productions Inc.
From the Hit ABC TV Series “Makin’ It” a Miller-Milikis/Henderson/Stigwood Group, Ltd. Production in Association with Paramount Television.

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge: Ortofon 2M
Stylus: Ortofon 2M Bronze
Isolation: Auralex Acoustics ISO-Tone Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp: Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Tube: Mullard 12AX7 Preamp Vacuum Tube Pins
Soundcard: Novation Audiohub 2×4 Audio Interface
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner

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

Username: btg
Password: burningtheground

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

June 12, 2018

Village People – I Am What I Am (Germany 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1978

“I Am What I Am” is a song written by Victor Willis, Henri Belolo, Peter Whitehead and Jacques Morali that was first released by the Village People on their 1978 album Macho Man. It was also released as a single with “Key West,” also from Macho man, as the b-side in some countries including Germany and the UK. It did not chart in those countries, but it reached #4 on the Billboard Dance Chart in a medley with “Key West” and “Macho Man.” It has since been released on several Village People greatest hits compilation albums. It was also included on the soundtrack for the 1978 film Thank God It’s Friday.

Rolling Stone critic Mitchell Schneider described “I Am What I Am” as a “human-rights anthem.” Village People singer Randy Jones describes the song as “a gay liberation statement, aimed directly at gays and lesbians who were standing up without apology for their lifestyle” and as the group’s “first gay liberation song.” He says that the theme of the song is the virtue of being yourself, and not just if you’re gay or transgender but even just if you want to dress in an unusual manner, as long as you don’t hurt anyone else. Author Michael DeAngelis describes the theme as being “pride and faithfulness to the individual and authentic self.” DeAngelis notes that this theme had particular resonance at the time, when the gay community was in the process of “coming out” and a general cultural obsession was finding healthy ways to feel good about oneself. Author Frédéric Martel identifies “I Am What I Am” as one of five Village People songs that were touchstones to the gay movement in France when they came out (“San Francisco (You’ve Got Me),” “Macho Man,” “Y.M.C.A.” and “In the Navy” being the others).

Author Judith A. Peraino described “I Am What I Am” as a “hit single” while Boze Hadleigh described it as a “pre-hit.” Author Sharon Davis claimed that lyrics are “so camp they have to held down with tent pegs.” But Billboard described it as “provocative,” describing it as a “gay pride anthem with its activist lyrics and basic theme.” Billboard also praised the rhythm and percussion and horn arrangements. Allmusic critic Amy Hanson described it as “a well-constructed slab of groove,” despite lacking subtlety. Rolling Stone critic Mitchell Schneider regarded “I Am What I Am” as the best song on Macho Man stating that Willis’ voice is “full of anger and delight” on the song and concluding that “because the song seems so committed, it makes the rest of the material sound downright pointless.”

The song’s title was later reused by Jerry Herman for a 1983 hit song performed by Gloria Gaynor, which also had gay pride as a theme. Reebok later used the title phrase for a successful sneaker advertising campaign.

SIDE A:
I Am What I Am 5:28

SIDE B:
Macho Man 5:00

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Telefunken ‎– 6.20 011, Telefunken ‎– 6.20011
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: Germany
Released: 1978
Genre: Funk / Soul
Style: Disco

CREDITS:
Composed By, Producer – Jacques Morali
Written-By – Whitehead*, Belolo*, Morali*, Willis*

NOTES:
Made in Germany

Special Edits from the LP “MACHO MAN”

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge: Ortofon 2M
Stylus: Ortofon 2M Bronze
Isolation: Auralex Acoustics ISO-Tone Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp: Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Tube: Tung-Sol 12AX7 TubeGold Pins
Soundcard: Novation Audiohub 2×4 Audio Interface
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner

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