Tag: 1984

April 23, 2019

Madonna – Like A Virgin (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1984

Originally posted October 27, 2011

“Like a Virgin” is a song recorded by American singer Madonna for her second studio album Like a Virgin (1984). It was released on October 31, 1984, by Sire Records as the album’s lead single. The song was written by Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg, and produced by Nile Rodgers; Steinberg said that the song was inspired by his personal experiences of romance. “Like a Virgin” was chosen for Madonna by Michael Ostin of Warner Bros. Records after listening to a demo sung by Kelly. Rodgers initially felt that the song did not have a sufficient hook, but subsequently changed his opinion after the song was stuck in his head.

Musically, “Like a Virgin” is a dance-oriented song, composed of two hooks. Madonna’s voice is heard in a high register while a continuous arrangement of synths is heard along with the bassline. The lyrics of the song are ambiguous and consist of hidden innuendo, interpreted in different ways. “Like a Virgin” received positive reviews from music critics, who frequently called it as one of the defining songs for Madonna. It became her first number-one single on the record charts in Australia, Canada, Japan, and the United States, while reaching the top ten elsewhere.

The song’s music video portrayed Madonna sailing down the canals of Venice in a gondola, as well as roaming around a palace wearing a white wedding dress. With the video, scholars noted Madonna’s portrayal of a sexually independent woman, the similarity of a man wearing lion’s mask to that of Saint Mark, and the link between the eroticism in the video and the vitality of Venice. Madonna has performed the song in seven of her concert tours. Most of the time, her performances of “Like a Virgin” were associated with strong reaction and uproar from the media.

“Like a Virgin” has been covered by a number of artists and has appeared in or been referenced in feature films such as Reservoir Dogs, Moulin Rouge! and Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason. Family groups sought to ban it as they believed the song promoted sex without marriage. On the other hand, Madonna’s public persona of an indomitable, sexually unashamed, supremely confident woman was widely accepted by the younger generation who emulated her style and fashion. Scholars have credited “Like a Virgin” as the song which cemented her position as a pop culture icon.

SIDE A:
Like A Virgin (Extended Dance Remix) 6:07
Engineer [Additional] – Melanie West
Remix – John “Jellybean” Benitez
Engineer [Remix] – Michael Hutchinson
Written-By – Billy Steinberg/Tom Kelly*

SIDE B:
Stay 4:04
Written-By – Madonna, Steve Bray*

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1985	Like A Virgin	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#1
1985	Like A Virgin	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	#1
1985	Like A Virgin	U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles	#9

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Sire ‎– 0-20239, Sire ‎– 9 20239-0 A
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Maxi-Single
Country: US
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Photography By – Larry Williams (9)
Producer – Nile Rodgers

NOTES:
Original version of “Like A Virgin” and “Stay” from the Sire album “Like A Virgin”

Made in U.S.A.

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: Schiit Mani
Soundcard: ESI Juli@ XTe Audio Interface
Monitiring: 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

April 22, 2019

Culture Club – The War Song (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1984

“The War Song” is a 1984 song by the British band Culture Club which features background vocals by Clare Torry. It was the lead single from the band’s third album Waking Up with the House on Fire. The song became the group’s seventh top-five hit on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number two. In the U.S. the single peaked at #17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and hit the top ten in many countries including Canada (#7), Ireland (#1), Italy (#3) and Australia (#2). While very popular at the time, it was not appreciated by some music critics for some weakness in the lyrics and less original arrangements.

The song was assisted by a popular music video, directed by Russell Mulcahy, which features hundreds of children dressed as skeletons. Lead singer Boy George is shown with his new flame-red hair, and also employs four wigs in black, white, yellow and blue.

In many countries, the single was released with a B-Side consisting of a native-language version (Spanish, French, Japanese or German) of the song. It was available in two different extended versions, a first in Culture Club discography. Its 7″ picture disc was shelved, and the only remaining copies are very rare.

It was Culture Club’s last UK top 5 hit before 1998’s “I Just Wanna Be Loved”.

The record labels list the album title as “Waking Up In A Burning House”.

SIDE A:
The War Song (Ultimate Dance Mix) 6:50

SIDE B:
The War Song (Shriek Mix) 6:17
La Cancion De Guerra 4:05

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1984	The War Song	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#17
1984	The War Song	U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles	#87
1984	The War Song	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	#7

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Epic ‎– 49-05107
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Artwork [Sleeve Produced By] – Assorted iMaGES
Backing Vocals – Alanda Marchant, Alice Kemp (2), Andriana Loizou, Imogen Exton, Tara Thomas
Mixed By – Jon Moss
Mixed By, Producer – Steve Levine
Other [Styling] – Kim Bowen
Photography By, Other [Make Up] – Stevie Hughes
Voice [Primal Scream] – Clare Torry
Written-By – Culture Club

NOTES:
Special Version from the Virgin / Epic LP “Waking Up In A Burning House”

Produced for Do Not Erase Productions.
Mastered at Sterling.

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

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.

March 11, 2019

Shalamar – Dancing In The Sheets (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1984

“Dancing in the Sheets” is a song written by Bill Wolfer and Dean Pitchford and recorded by American R&B group Shalamar. It was featured on the chart-topping soundtrack album of the 1984 motion picture Footloose and was also the first single from their album Heartbreak, featuring the new line-up of Howard Hewett, Delisa Davis, and Micki Free. The synth melody on the song is similar in structure to Prince’s “1999”. A music video was made featuring the new line-up and did not feature any footage from the film.

“Dancing in the Sheets” was a top 20 hit on the Billboard charts, peaking at No. 17 on the Hot 100 and reaching No. 18 on the Hot Black singles chart. The song was also a top ten dance track reaching No. 9 on the Billboard dance chart. On the UK Singles Chart, the song climbed to No. 41.

Additional Recording Info:
For this post, I used my ESI Juli@ XTe Audio Interface (Sound Card) for recording in 32 bit float/96kHz. I used to use this sound card on all posts before 2018 then I switched to a Novation Audiohub 2×4 Audio Interface. I have to say that to my ears the combination of the ESI Juli@, Shiite Mani pre-amp along with the Ortofon 2M Bronze cartridge/stylus is a winning combination. I have always loved the ESi Juli@ and I am not sure why I switched. I am going to test this out for a while and see how it goes.

Connections:
Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC) to Shiite Mani Pre-amp inputs > Schiit Mani outputs to ESI Juli@ inputs for recording > ESI Jili@ outputs to Novation Audiohub 2×4 inputs for monitoring/playback > Novation Audiohub 2×4 outputs to KRK Rokit 5 monitor speakers and Mackie MR mk3 Series MR10Smk3 subwoofer.

SIDE A:
Dancing In The Sheets (Extended Dance Remix) 6:18

SIDE B:
Dancing In The Sheets (Instrumental) 5:02

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1984	Dancing In The Sheets	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#17
1984	Dancing In The Sheets	U.S. Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs	#18
1984	Dancing In The Sheets	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	#9

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Columbia ‎– 44-04949
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1984
Genre:
Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Art Direction – Lane/Donald
Engineer – Michael Hutchinson
Mixed By – John “Jellybean” Benitez
Producer – Bill Wolfer
Written-By – Wolfer*, Pitchford*

NOTES:
Photograph and Artwork Title: ©1983 Paramount Pictures Corporation
Also available: “Footloose” Original Soundtrack of the Paramount Motion Picture on Columbia Records & Cassette.

Shalamar courtesy of Solar Records

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

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.

March 8, 2019

Sheena Easton – Strut (US 12″ Promo)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1984

Originally posted March 5, 2013

“Strut” is a song written by Charlie Dore and Julian Littman which was a Top Ten hit single for Sheena Easton in 1984.

Easton had been sent the demo for the song by Christopher Neil who had been Easton’s first producer. Released in August 1984 as the advance single for the album A Private Heaven, “Strut” reached the Top Ten of the Billboard Hot 100 that November to peak at #7. Like its parent album overall, the “Strut” single and accompanying video signaled Easton’s shift towards a more sexually suggestive image.

The song appears to be about being upset with a man for wanting the narrator to be like a previous lover, and about the sexism of the man wanting or expecting women to behave in a certain fashion (“Strut, pout/Put it out/That’s what you want from women”).

“Strut” was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female at the 27th Grammy Awards.

In the UK – where “Strut” was released in November 1984 – the track became the first US Top 40 single by Easton to completely miss the Top 100 of the UK charts.

*The “Dub Mix” is exclusive to this US 12″ promo.

SIDE A:
Strut (Dance Mix) 5:52

SIDE B:
Strut (Dub Mix))* 4:20

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1984	Strut	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#7
1984	Strut	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	#6

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: EMI America ‎– SPRO-9230 / SPRO-9231
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Promo
Country: US
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Engineer [Remix] – David Leonard
Producer, Arranged By, Remix – Greg Mathieson
Remix – Rusty Garner

NOTES:
Original version appears on the LP “A PRIVATE HEAVEN”

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: 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

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.