Author: DjPaulT

September 24, 2025

Evelyn King – Love Come Down (US 12″) (1982)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

Few songs capture the shimmering essence of early-80s dance music quite like Evelyn King’s Love Come Down. Released in JUly, 1982 as the lead single from her album Get Loose, the track showcases King at the height of her Hi-NRG and post-disco powers, blending irresistible grooves with a voice that radiates both strength and sensuality.

Produced by the legendary Kashif, Love Come Down is a masterclass in 1980s pop-funk. The song opens with a pulsing synth bassline and tight drum programming, immediately setting the dancefloor-ready pace. Kashif’s production elevates King’s vocals, framing them with sparkling synth lines, rhythmic guitar stabs, and a subtly funky horn section. It’s a song that feels simultaneously modern and timeless, with a hook that’s impossible not to sing along to.

Lyrically, Love Come Down is deceptively simple, centering on the exhilaration and anticipation of love. Evelyn King’s delivery turns a basic theme into an unforgettable expression of desire and euphoria, making the track resonate as both a romantic anthem and a dance classic.

Commercially, the song was a massive success. It topped the Billboard R&B chart and cracked the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, cementing Evelyn King’s reputation as one of the most versatile voices of her era. Over the years, Love Come Down has endured not just as a nostalgic relic but as a staple in club rotations, sampled tracks, and countless dance compilations.

For anyone exploring the intersection of post-disco, funk, and early 80s synth-pop, Love Come Down is an essential listen. It’s a perfect snapshot of a moment when dance music was evolving, and Evelyn King was right at the forefront, delivering a song that still moves bodies and lifts hearts more than 40 years later.

SIDE A:
Love Come Down 6:14

SIDE B:
Love Come Down (Instrumental) 5:53

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

Chart Performance – Evelyn King: *Love Come Down* (1982)
Chart	Peak Position	Date
US Billboard Dance Club Songs	#1	1982
US Billboard Hot 100	#17	1982
US Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs	#1	1982
UK Singles (OCC)	#7	1982
Canada Top Singles (RPM)	#44	1982

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: RCA Victor – PD-13274
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Stereo
Country: US
Released: 1982
Genre: Electronic, Funk / Soul
Style: Soul, Contemporary R&B

CREDITS:

Producer – Morrie Brown
Producer [Assistant] – Kashif, Paul Lawrence Jones, III*
Written-By – Kashif

NOTES:
From the “Get Loose” album, AFL1-4337

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.

September 23, 2025

Madonna – Everybody (US 12″) (1982)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

When people think of Madonna’s career, the mind often jumps straight to the blockbuster singles of the mid-’80s—“Like a Virgin,” “Into the Groove,” “Papa Don’t Preach.” But before she was the Queen of Pop, she was a hungry, ambitious New York club artist trying to break through. Her debut single “Everybody,” released on October 6, 1982, was the track that started it all.

The First Step Into Pop History

“Everybody” was recorded in New York with producer Mark Kamins, a local DJ who gave Madonna her first real shot at the studio. Released on Sire Records, the track is a lean, no-frills dance cut, powered by a throbbing bassline, synth stabs, and an irresistible groove that perfectly captured the energy of downtown clubs at the time. Unlike her later material, “Everybody” doesn’t lean on big choruses or flashy hooks—it’s about the beat, the rhythm, and the invitation to dance.

Interestingly, the single’s original 12″ release didn’t feature Madonna’s face on the sleeve. Sire instead went with a graphic design that led some early listeners to assume she was a Black artist. This anonymity, paired with the song’s strong club appeal, helped “Everybody” find its first home in dance clubs before radio ever picked it up.

Chart Performance

“Everybody” wasn’t an immediate mainstream smash. The single didn’t chart on the Billboard Hot 100, but it made a big impression on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart, reaching #3 in early 1983. This club success laid the groundwork for Madonna’s next singles, “Burning Up” and especially “Holiday,” which finally brought her into the pop spotlight.

A Club Classic That Still Holds Up

What’s striking about “Everybody” today is how raw and unpolished it feels compared to the polished pop Madonna would soon deliver. The song’s hypnotic repetition and stripped-down production reflect the early ’80s New York dance scene, where disco was evolving into something sharper and more electronic. It’s a time capsule of a city and a movement—and the moment Madonna began her ascent.

Legacy

Even though “Everybody” isn’t always the first song people mention when talking about Madonna, it’s impossible to overlook its importance. Without it, there’s no debut album, no MTV icon, no pop domination. It was Madonna’s calling card, a song that declared her mission: to make everybody dance.

The track has since become a fan favorite and often finds its way into live performances, especially during tours that pay tribute to her roots. For collectors, the original U.S. 12″ single is a gem, featuring the extended 12″ version running over 5 minutes, which remains the definitive way to hear the track.

✨ “Everybody, come on dance and sing. Everybody, get up and do your thing.”

From this simple refrain, a pop revolution was born.

SIDE A:
Everybody 5:59

SIDE B:
Everybody (Dub Version) 8:59

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

Chart Performance — Madonna: *Everybody* (1982)
Chart	Peak Position	Date
US Billboard Dance Club Songs	#3	1983
US Billboard Hot 100	—	—
US Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs	#107 (Bubbling Under)	1983

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Sire – 0-29899, Sire – 9 29899-0 A
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Specialty Records Corporation Pressing
Country: US
Released: Oct 6, 1982
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:

Art Direction, Design – Christine Sauers
Artwork [Illustrations] – Lou Beach
Engineer – Butch Jones
Producer – Mark Kamins
Written-By – Madonna

NOTES:
A is longer than the later album version that has the same title.
B side plays 8:59 but is mentioned 9:23 on the cover

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

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

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.

September 19, 2025

Various – Disco Fever ’79 (Music Factory Megamix) (UK 12″) (1993)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

Back in the mid-80s, when DJ-only remix services were just beginning to carve out their space, one UK collective quickly became a favorite among club jocks—Music Factory Mastermix. Founded in 1985, the Sheffield-based promotional service specialized in delivering creative edits, themed mixes, and exclusive reworks of chart hits and dance classics. Their productions weren’t intended for commercial release but for the hands of DJs who wanted something unique to spin on the dancefloor.

Among their many themed mixes came a special retrospective celebration: “Disco ’79 Megamix.” Crafted by Darren Ash, one of Music Factory’s standout editors (and partly responsible for the infamous Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers phenomenon), this mix took club audiences on a flashback to the glittering year of 1979—when disco truly dominated the charts and dancefloors worldwide.

The Mix

Ash stitched together a powerhouse lineup of late-’70s disco anthems, giving DJs an instant floor-filler that connected the dots between the biggest disco names. The megamix included:

Village People – The kings of camp and dance anthems, unstoppable in ’79 with Y.M.C.A. and In the Navy.
Donna Summer – The Queen of Disco herself, bringing that Giorgio Moroder-powered pulse to the mix.
Sister Sledge – Riding high with the Chic-produced We Are Family and He’s the Greatest Dancer.
Edwin Starr – Known for his soul roots, he slid into the disco world with irresistible grooves.
The Real Thing – UK soul-disco pioneers who were enjoying chart success well into the disco boom.
Gibson Brothers – Injecting Caribbean flavor into disco with tracks like Cuba and Que Sera Mi Vida.

Why 1979?

By 1979, disco had reached its peak cultural saturation—chart dominance, glittering outfits, and mainstream acceptance that was about to trigger the infamous “disco backlash” in the early ’80s. Still, for those who lived it, this was the golden year when nearly every club, roller rink, and radio station pulsed with four-on-the-floor grooves.

The Disco ’79 Megamix served as both a tribute and a tool—paying homage to an unforgettable year while giving DJs in the mid-’80s an easy way to reignite the sparkle of disco on contemporary dancefloors.

Darren Ash’s Touch

Ash’s editing style was clean, fast-paced, and always built for impact. Much like the Jive Bunny medleys that would soon take over UK charts, this mix leaned on clever segues, instantly recognizable hooks, and a relentless dancefloor drive. Unlike novelty medleys, though, “Disco ’79” had real weight because the source material was the very essence of disco at its height.

Legacy

Though intended for promotional use only, mixes like “Disco ’79” showcase just how influential remix services like Music Factory were. They preserved and reshaped the past while keeping DJs equipped with fresh, inventive tools. For disco lovers, this megamix remains a nostalgic time capsule of one of music’s most glamorous years.

SIDE A:
Various – Disco Fever ’79 (Music Factory Mastermix) 13:03
Village People– Y.M.C.A.
Village People– In The Navy
Edwin Starr– Contact
The Real Thing– Can You Feel The Force
Gibson Brothers– Que Sera Mi Vida
Donna Summer– Hot Stuff
Donna Summer– Bad Girls
Sister Sledge– We Are Family

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Music Factory – MFMM79
Series: Music Factory Mastermix Issue – 79
Format: 2 x Vinyl, 45 RPM, 12″
Country: UK
Released: 1993
Genre: Electronic, Funk / Soul
Style: Funk, Disco

CREDITS:
Mixed By – Darren Ash
Artwork [Custom] – DjPaulT

NOTES:
Taken from Music Factory Mastermix – Issue 79

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

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

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.

September 18, 2025

Wang Chung – Dance Hall days & Don’t Let Go (US 12″) (1984)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

By 1984, Wang Chung had evolved from their early days as Huang Chung into one of the most distinctive new wave acts of the decade. With their second album Points on the Curve (1983), Jack Hues and Nick Feldman sharpened their blend of sleek synth-pop and angular guitar riffs into something both stylish and radio-friendly. Two standout tracks from this era—“Dance Hall Days” and “Don’t Let Go”—were paired on the U.S. 12″ single, giving fans extended remixes that perfectly captured the duo’s unique sound.

Dance Hall Days

Originally released as a single in 1982 in the UK, “Dance Hall Days” was re-recorded for Points on the Curve and became Wang Chung’s first big U.S. hit in 1984, climbing to #16 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song’s nostalgic, dreamlike lyrics—“Take your baby by the hand…”—float over a lush synth-pop arrangement that’s equal parts danceable and bittersweet. The 12″ version stretches the track into a more atmospheric experience, emphasizing its hypnotic groove and instrumental textures, making it a staple of mid-80s dance floors.

Don’t Let Go

On the flip side, “Don’t Let Go” provides a harder-hitting contrast. Released as the lead single from Points on the Curve, it reached #38 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a club favorite. Built around sharp guitar lines, punchy percussion, and urgent vocals, it showcases the edgier side of Wang Chung’s sound. The extended 12″ mix adds more space for the song’s rhythm section to shine, giving it a driving energy that worked perfectly in DJ sets.

The 12″ Release

The U.S. 12″ release (Geffen Records, 1984) paired these two tracks in their extended forms, providing fans with the definitive dancefloor experience. The mixes highlight the balance between Wang Chung’s reflective pop sensibilities and their club-ready energy. For collectors, this 12″ stands as an essential piece of the band’s catalog, bridging their underground beginnings with the mainstream success that would soon peak with hits like “Everybody Have Fun Tonight” and “Let’s Go!”

SIDE A:
Dance Hall Days (Remix) 7:22
Edited By – Victor Flores

SIDE B:
Don’t Let Go (Remix) 7:14
Remix – John Luongo
Written-By – Feldman*

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

CHART PERFORMANCE
Song	Chart	Peak Position	Year
Dance Hall Days	US Billboard Hot 100	#16	1984
	US Billboard Mainstream Rock	#25	1984
	US Billboard Dance Club Songs	#1 (with remix)	1984
	UK Singles Chart	#21	1984
	Canada RPM Top Singles	#14	1984
	Australia Kent Music Report	#36	1984
Don’t Let Go	US Billboard Hot 100	#38	1984
	US Billboard Mainstream Rock	#24	1984
	US Billboard Dance Club Songs	#27	1984

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Geffen Records – 0-20194, Geffen Records – 9 20194-0 A
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Maxi-Single
Country: US
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic
Style: New Wave, Synth-pop

CREDITS:

Cover [Art] – Torchlight, London*
Producer, Recorded By – Chris Hughes, Ross Cullum
Written-By – Hues*

NOTES:
“Specially-Priced 2-Cut Maxi Single”

Original version available on the Geffen album
“Points On The Curve”

Made in U.S.A.
Printed in USA

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

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

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.