Burning The Ground Exclusive
By the fall of 1988, Taylor Dayne was on a roll. Her powerhouse debut album Tell It to My Heart had already produced three U.S. Top 10 singles, including the title track, and she was quickly becoming one of the defining vocalists of the late ‘80s. Riding that momentum, Arista Records issued “Don’t Rush Me” as the fourth single from the album, and it turned out to be one of Dayne’s biggest hits.
Written by Alexandra Forbes and Jeff Franzel and produced by Ric Wake, the song stands out for its lyrical theme. Unlike the bold passion of “Tell It to My Heart” or the dance-floor fire of “Prove Your Love,” “Don’t Rush Me” carries a message about taking things slow—essentially, a plea for abstinence. Delivered with Dayne’s unmistakable vocal strength, it struck a balance between vulnerability and determination.
Chart Success
“Don’t Rush Me” first saw release in the UK in September 1988 before arriving in the U.S. on October 24. The single quickly climbed the charts, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1989, only held back from the top by Phil Collins’ “Two Hearts.” It became Dayne’s highest-charting single in the States at the time and spent an impressive 20 weeks on the Hot 100.
On other U.S. charts, it reached No. 3 on Adult Contemporary, No. 6 on the Dance Club Songs chart, and even topped Cashbox for a week in late January. Internationally, however, “Don’t Rush Me” didn’t achieve the same level of success, charting modestly in Europe, with Germany being one of the few countries where it cracked the Top 40.
The Music Video
The single’s visuals have a curious backstory. The first video, directed by Alek Keshishian (who would later work with Madonna), was shot in Los Angeles and featured Dayne alongside a “real sexy guy” in various scenes. For reasons never fully explained, that version was scrapped and replaced with a second video directed by David Hogan. The final cut, filmed in New York at the Capitol Theatre, was more of a straightforward performance piece showcasing Dayne’s presence on stage. This version debuted on VH-1 on December 10, 1988, before rolling out to MTV, BET, and Night Tracks later that month.
Legacy
“Don’t Rush Me” proved that Taylor Dayne was more than just a one-hit wonder riding the wave of late-’80s dance-pop. It showed her versatility as both a pop and adult contemporary artist, paving the way for her ballads like “Love Will Lead You Back,” which would eventually take her all the way to No. 1.
Even though its chart performance outside the U.S. was limited, the single remains one of Taylor Dayne’s signature hits—a track that captured her vocal power while delivering a message that was somewhat unusual for its time.
SIDE A:
Don’t Rush Me (Extended Version) 7:16
Remix – Richie Jones
Don’t Rush Me (Bonus Beats) 3:39
Remix – Richie Jones
SIDE B:
Don’t Rush Me (Single Version) 3:48
Don’t Rush Me (Dub Version) 6:08
Remix – Richie Jones
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
| Chart | Peak Position | Date |
|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Dance Club Songs | #6 | 1988 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | #2 | 1988 |
| US Billboard RAdult Contemporary | #3 | 1988 |
| U.K. Singles | #76 | 1988 |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM) | #4 | 1988 |
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Arista – AD1-9723
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1988
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Synth-pop
CREDITS:
- Design – Susan Mendola
- Keyboards – Steve Skinner
- Management – Champion Entertainment Organization, Inc.
- Mixed By, Recorded By, Guitar – Bob Cadway
- Photography By – Jennifer Baumann
- Producer – Ric Wake
- Written-By – Alexandra Forbes, Jeff Franzel
- Recorded At – Cove City Sound Studios
- Mixed At – Cove City Sound Studios
- Mixed At – Blue Jay Studios
NOTES:
From the album “Tell It To My Heart”
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
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro Spin Acrylic Mat
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp: Pro-Jec Tube Box DS2
Tubes: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7 ECC83/B759 Gold Pins Vacuum Tube – Matched Pair
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 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
**24bit FLAC Only Available For Seven Days!
Password: burningtheground
You can help show your support for this blog by donating using PayPal. I appreciate your help.
This post kicks off our Mirrorball Memories series, where we’ll be spotlighting Disco and Hi-NRG singles that made dance floors light up. Think of it as the spiritual successor to Disco Friday, bringing vintage grooves and 12″ classics to the spotlight, one post at a time.
