Burning The Ground Exclusive

As Pride Month continues, I wanted to shine a light on a song filled with hope, reflection, and the kind of emotional release that feels right at home on the dance floor. Released in 1990, “Jubilation (This Thing Called Life)” by Anything Box captures the feeling of moving through pain, rising above judgment, and choosing joy anyway.

Anything Box is an electronic/synth-pop group originally from Paterson, New Jersey, and now based in Long Beach, California. Led by Claude S., the group arrived at the start of the 1990s with a sound that carried the spirit of synth-pop into a new decade. Their music paired bright electronic melodies with lyrics that often reached for something more personal.

“Jubilation (This Thing Called Life)” was released as the second single from the band’s debut album Peace. The single became a club favorite, reaching #16 on the U.S. Dance chart.

While the song was not written as an explicitly LGBTQ+ anthem, its message fits beautifully within the spirit of Pride. The lyrics speak to memory, regret, survival, and the difficult process of moving forward. In the opening lines, the narrator closes their eyes and hides behind “blackened lies” that follow them through history. It is a striking image of someone carrying the weight of the past, yet still trying to find a way toward happiness.

That feeling is something many LGBTQ+ listeners can understand. Coming out and living openly often means facing old fears, old wounds, and the judgment of others. It can mean leaving behind parts of life that once felt safe, even when they no longer allowed you to be fully yourself.

One of the most powerful moments in the song comes with the repeated reminder, “When you feel stranded, don’t take for granted this thing called life.” It is simple, but it lands with force. The line feels like a call to hold on, even when the world feels cold or uncertain. For Pride Month, that message feels especially meaningful. Pride is not only about celebration. It is also about survival, self-acceptance, and finding the courage to keep going.

The lyric “Moving on was hard to do, to leave the things that I once knew” also carries a deep emotional pull. It speaks to the loss that can come with growth. Childhood, innocence, and familiar places do not always come back to us. For many, finding your true self means stepping into the unknown and trusting that there is joy waiting on the other side.

Then comes one of the song’s most personal lines: “My name is all I have for an offering.” That lyric feels especially tied to identity. A name can be history, selfhood, and declaration all at once. In the context of Pride, it becomes a reminder that living truthfully is an offering in itself. To stand in your name, your truth, and your life is a beautiful act of defiance.

Musically, “Jubilation (This Thing Called Life)” is pure early 1990s synth-pop bliss. Its bright keyboards, pulsing rhythm, and soaring melody create the kind of uplifting energy that has filled LGBTQ+ clubs for decades. It is danceable, but never empty. Beneath the beat is a song about pain, release, and choosing happiness even after the hard parts.

Over the years, “Jubilation (This Thing Called Life)” has remained a favorite in underground LGBTQ+ clubs, retro dance nights, and synth-pop sets. It brings people together through positivity and shared emotion, reminding us that the dance floor has long been a place of release, connection, and chosen family.

For many fans, Anything Box represents one of those treasured acts whose music found a devoted audience through club play, word of mouth, and emotional connection. “Jubilation” continues to stand as one of their most beloved songs because it speaks to something simple but powerful: life can be hard, but joy is still worth fighting for.

More than three decades later, “Jubilation (This Thing Called Life)” still feels like a celebration of self, community, and the courage to live out loud. That makes it a perfect addition to The Soundtrack Of Pride.

Update: Claude S. of Anything Box kindly shared some additional background about the song’s music video history. Although no official video was ultimately filmed for “Jubilation (This Thing Called Life),” plans had been made to create one. Sadly, the director who had worked with the band on their first video for “Living In Oblivion” passed away from AIDS-related complications around 1990-1991. At the time, the band felt there was no one else they wanted to work with, so the video was never made.

SIDE A:
Jubilation (This Thing Called Life) (K.C.’s Camp Pendleton Mix) 6:33
Remix – Keith “K.C.” Cohen*

Jubilation (This Thing Called Life) (The F Neosubtomic Mix) 5:59
Remix – Keith “K.C.” Cohen*

SIDE B:
Jubilation (This Thing Called Life) (Upstairs At Claudes) 4:38
Producer [Additional] – Michael Eckart
Remix – Jon St. James

Jubilation (This Thing Called Life) (The Face Mix) 5:00
Producer [Additional] – Michael Eckart
Remix – Jon St. James

Jubilation (This Thing Called Life) (Petite Filet Of Percapella) 4:21
Remix – Keith “K.C.” Cohen*

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Epic – 49 73357
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Maxi-Single, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1990
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:

• Edited By [Special] – Steve Beltran (tracks: A1, A2, B3)
• Engineer [Assistant] – Andy Batwinas (tracks: A1, A2, B3)
• Executive Producer – Chris Lawmaster
• Keyboards [Additional] – David Frank (tracks: A1, A2, B3)
• Mastered By – Brian Gardner
• Other [Management] – Formula 1 Music Group
• Other [Personality] – Dania Morales
• Other [Vision] – Paul Rjinders
• Performer [Machinery], Written-By – Claude S., Dania Morales, Paul Rijnders*
• Producer – Jon St. James
• Producer [Additional] – Keith “K.C.” Cohen* (tracks: A1, A2, B3)
• Vocals, Artwork By [Illustration] – Claude S.

NOTES:
Produced for Formula 1 Music Group.
Recorded at Formula 1 Studios, La Habra, California.
Mastered at Bernie Grundman Mastering, Hollywood, California.
Tracks A1, A2 & B3 remixed at Larrabee Sound Studios, West Hollywood, California.
Tracks B1 & B2 remixed for Formula 1 Music Group.

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for BURNING THE GROUND

THE GEAR:
Turntable: Technics SL-1200MK7
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon Concorde Music Black
Phono Pre-amp: Pro-Ject Tube Box DS2
Phono Tubes: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7 ECC83/B759 Gold Pins Vacuum Tube – Matched Pair
Audio Interface: MOTU M4
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro Spin Acrylic Mat
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Cleaning Solution: Turgikleen Record Cleaning Solution
Scanner: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner

SOFTWARE:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 25 (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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