Bananarama – The Wild Life (Canada 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1984

A. Front

“The Wild Life” is a song written and performed by English girl group Bananarama. Written in two days, the track was composed for and included in the 1984 American film of the same name The Wild Life, (starring Christopher Penn) and on its soundtrack. Bananarama’s second, self-titled album had already been in stores for several months when this single was issued, and for a time the album was re-released with “The Wild Life” included. The song was released as a single in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and Japan. The UK was instead given the song “Hot Line to Heaven” as the album’s final single.

“The Wild Life” peaked at number seventy on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and did not chart in any other countries. The Bananarama track listing was reverted to its original sequence shortly thereafter and “The Wild Life” did not appear on CD until the 2002 hits package The Essentials.

The music video features the girls performing the song in a studio filled with colourful fabrics that they play around with. Their footage is intercut with excerpts from the film.

This video marked a break with their earlier work as it lacked any attempt at a storyline, and focused on their performance of the song with random images.

SIDE A:
The Wild Life 3:51

SIDE B:
State I’m In (Extended Version) 4:38
The Wild Life (Dub Mix) 7:10

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

CHARTS:

Year Single Chart Position
1984 The Wild Life U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #70

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: London Records ‎– LDSX 218
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Single, 45 RPM
Country: Canada
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop
Credits: Producer – Steve Jolley & Tony Swain
Written-By – Woodward*, Dallin*, Fahey*, Steve Jolley & Tony Swain
Artwork By [Art & Design] – Laurence Stevens

NOTES:
From the Universal Picture “The Wild Life”
From the Bananarama cassette and album “Bananarama”

Find The 12″ On DISCOGS

B. Back

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut III
Cartridge: Ortofon Super
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 30
Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Soundcard: ESI Juli@
VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Brother MFC-6490CW Professional Series Scanner

SOFTWARE USED:
Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Adobe Photoshop CS5
ClickRepair
dBpoweramp
Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
Downsampled to 24bit/96kHz and16bit /44kHz using iZotope RX Advanced 2
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

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wolfie
wolfie
February 21, 2013 5:43 am

Another fab post from another fab UK group. I had no idea this was a single! Great stuff!

ric
ric
February 20, 2013 7:44 pm

I was surprised by this “new” US single back in 1984, as Hot Line To Heaven was making its round in the UK…and realized it was from a movie of the same name.
Thanks for the 12″ Dub, Paul! And the Extended for State I’m In.

Manuel Andaluz Lozano
February 19, 2013 10:08 pm

THANKS…EL DISCO QUE ME FALTABA PARA COMPLETAR LA COLLECTION OF BANANARAMA.

MUCHAS GRACIAS PAULT.

Manuel Andaluz Lozano
Guayaquil=Ecuador

Dean
Dean
February 19, 2013 9:29 pm

Thank you, thank you! I so loved Bananarama during this period, and it’s great to hear the Dub mix again after all these years.

Tom
Tom
February 19, 2013 5:43 pm

Always one of my favorite Bananarama tracks! Glad to be able to hear the dub. Too bad nothing else was done with the song, but glad to see it on here. Thank you!

omar
omar
February 19, 2013 5:36 pm

Thats great. Hopefully you have Do Not Disturb & Trick Of The Night ?

Paul
Paul
Reply to  DjPaulT
February 20, 2013 12:20 pm

I’d also love Do Not Disturb. The extended mix I have is a terrible version 🙂

Paul
Paul
February 19, 2013 4:38 pm

Thanks so much, I have been waiting patiently for more Bananarama. My favorite song thanks XX

Djamora
Djamora
February 19, 2013 3:57 pm

Great post DJ.

Hey Paul, you have Paradise Is Here 12” with Tina Turner?

Steve
Steve
February 19, 2013 3:25 pm

Love, Love, LOVE this! State I’m In is still one of my all time favourite Bananarama tunes. Thanks Paul. 🙂

Jon A. Leslie
Jon A. Leslie
February 19, 2013 3:14 pm

Thanx for posting my favorite Na-Na song on my birthday!

Drake
Drake
February 19, 2013 3:09 pm

Thanks!
great comeback post!

Patrick
Patrick
February 19, 2013 1:47 pm

Another great post Paul, thank you (The Wild Life Soundtrack rocks by the way :-).

feanor noldorin
feanor noldorin
February 19, 2013 1:03 pm

thanks for posting this, been looking for a 12″ single for years! such a fun song….

woz
woz
February 19, 2013 1:01 pm

Thanks!

Jermajesty
Jermajesty
February 19, 2013 1:00 pm

Ahhh, who doesn’t love a Nana!

Remember that marathon week of Nana 12″s you gave us just over a year ago. 😀 It was ace.

Patrick
Patrick
February 19, 2013 12:06 pm

Thank You, I’m a Bananarama from the 80’s

Patrick

alex
alex
February 19, 2013 11:07 am

Thank You, DJ!

alex
alex
Reply to  DjPaulT
February 19, 2013 11:32 am

THX! I glad to listening to music of my teenage!