BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1988
R E Q U E S T
Book of Love was, from 1984 to 1993, a popular synthpop and dance music band, alongside Sire Records labelmates Depeche Mode and Erasure. Led by vocalist Susan Ottaviano, the band also included Ted Ottaviano (no relation to Susan), Lauren Roselli and Jade Lee.
The band was formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and later based out of New York City. The band gained its first exposure as the opening act on Depeche Mode’s Black Celebration tour.
Their biggest success came on the US dance charts, placing seven singles in the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart between 1985 and 1993. The group’s largest exposure on pop radio was with the song “Pretty Boys and Pretty Girls.” The song, from its album Lullaby, was originally the second half of a medley with the group’s house-music version of Mike Oldfield’s “Tubular Bells,” a 1973 instrumental that served as the eerie theme music of the classic horror film The Exorcist. Edited down to single length, “Pretty Boys and Pretty Girls” became Book of Love’s only Hot 100 entry, peaking at number 90 in 1988.
SIDE A:
Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls (Extended Mix) 7:19
Engineer [Remix Engineer] – Bob Brockmann*
Keyboards, Producer [Additional Production], Remix – Bob Brockmann*, Scott Blackwell
Written-By – Theodore Ottaviano*
Tubular Bells (7″ Mix) 4:23
Mixed By – Alan Meyerson
Written-By – Mike Oldfield
Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls (7″ Mix)
Mixed By – Alan Meyerson
Written-By – Theodore Ottaviano*
SIDE B:
Tubular Bells / Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls (Regan’s House Medley) 14:24
Engineer [Remix] – Bob Brockmann*, Hugo Dwyer
Keyboards, Producer [Additional Production], Remix – Bob Brockmann*, Scott Blackwell
Written-By – Mike Oldfield, Theodore Ottaviano*
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
CHARTS:
Year | Single | Chart | Position |
---|---|---|---|
1988 | Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls | U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | #90 |
1988 | Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls | U.S. Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play | #5 |
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Sire – 0-20963, Sire – 9 20963-0, I Square Records – 0-20963, I Square Records – 9 20963-0
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Maxi-Single, 33 RPM
Country: US
Released: 1988
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: House, Synth-pop
Credits: Design – Jade Lee
Mastered By – José Rodriguez
Photography By – David La Chappelle*
Producer – Flood, Ted Ottaviano
Vocals – Susan Ottaviano
NOTES:
Cover says “Specially Priced Maxi-Single”.
Front cover photo of the group says “MCMLXXXVIII” next to it, vertically, which corresponds to the date of release, 1988.
Tracks A1 and B: Remix, additional production and keyboards for Broadbeard Productions.
Mastered at Sterling Sound
Original versions from the Sire Album “Lullaby.” Available on LP, Cassette and Compact Disc (1/4/2-25700)
Find The 12″ On DISCOGS
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
Any chance this one can be re-uploaded and possibly remastered as well? Thank you!
Hello DjPaul, I’m a big fan of 80’s music and I realized that the download of this file is no longer available, would you please upload it again. Thank you very much.
Thanks so much! 🙂
Thanks for this single, I had this exact version in the club, this one not borrowed.
If you have the Lullaby 12” would be massive!
thanks again Paul
Hi Paul,
Was it you sho previously posted Book Of Love’s 12″ single for “Witchcraft?” If so, any chance of bringing it back? It’s the one item missing from my BOL collection.
DTS
Thank you!
You’re welcome Woz!
Heh — I’m going to slip that “House Medley Mix” into a playlist sometime and see how many people I can seriously creep out with it. 😀
Have fun Doctor 🙂
Thanks! I actually didn’t know this song before today, but it’s great to find new stuff (to me) on this blog– would love to hear more of their singles!
Happy to introduce you to something new Doug. I will definately be posting more Book Of Love 🙂
my life is now complete.. thank you so very much! xoxoxox
You’re welcome Reid. Enjoy!
CLASSIC!!! Probably their best single ever! Tubular Bells still scares my younger brother whenever i play it. Thanks Paul!
You’re welcome Gilbert. I agree great song
Mike Oldfield’s original version has been known to freak people out, too. 🙂 Especially the “Piltdown Man” middle section of side 2…
Thanks!
I dont have many stuff of Book of love , but this 12″ is great!
You’re welcome Drake 🙂
GREAT SONG!
Thank you Max 🙂
Hi – thanks for this. Bit of a random one request here! You don’t by anychance have the US promo of Bon Jovi’s Wanted Dead or Alive with the short single (video) mix. Looking to complete a collection and strugglin to get this!
thanks
Sorry I don’t Joe. I don’t see that promo listed on Discogs.
actually after looking through my collection. I found that I do have the 12″ promo. I will try to post it as soon as I can.
Mega thanks! really appreciated.
Thanks for the rip Paul. Yet, try as I might, and I have many times over the years, I could never totally get into BOL. I like Boy and Alice Everyday (stronger tracks than this, in my opinion), but I always felt their producers (Flood, Ivan Ivan, etc) did more to shape their sound than they did themselves. I know some refer to them contemporaneously with the cream of European-based synthpop, but I continue to find myself preferring even other American synthpoppers of their era (ABox, InSoc, FOAB, etc.) over them. I feel bad saying it, because I like to… Read more »
You’re welcome Goodguy. I really liked Book Of Love for the longest time I thought they were European. “Boy” is probably my favorite. They are one of those bands that you either really like or hate 🙂
I disagree. I didn’t get hooked, but I don’t hate them! 🙂
Maybe hate was the wrong word I meant you either like or don’t like them because they have a very unique sound.
I feel the same way as Goodguy, I don’t hate BOL, but I never became quite the huge fan like I was of most other Synthpop bands. Always felt a distance between.
But this is the one that left the most impression on me.
Have the scary house mix on Just Say Yo, so it’s great to have your other “unbrickwalled” versions.
Thanks Paul!
Thanks for this. I’ve long had Regan’s House Medley on the Just Say Yo compilation CD, and your rip is nearly identical to the vintage mastering, as always. It’s great to finally hear these other versions. Once again, DjPaulT comes through where the record labels utterly fail. Here are these fantastic versions in their properly mastered glory, full dynamic range and lossless if we want it. What can we get from “legitimate” services? MP3 or AAC of the single version of “Pretty Boys and Pretty Girls” and the album version of “Tubular Bells”…both of them brickwall-remastered, ripped from a “Best… Read more »
Thank you for the compliments Mjb appreciate it so much. Makes me feel like i have accomplished something today 🙂
Agree with you that DJPT offers rips that are usually better than what the record companies make available. He should be knighted or sainted or something.
Thank you Woz you guys are too kind lol 🙂
I got to see them in Norman, then Tulsa, during their 1991 or 92 tour in support of the Candy Carol album. I got to meet them after the Tulsa show, since the boyfriend of one of the opening act girls recognized me from the Norman show. I’ve always been a big fan of theirs.
Very cool Charley! Nice to see you again 🙂
Well thanks! Was hoping to catch a glimpse of you at the Olivia concert, but it was surprisingly crowded! I need to get you a list of my “12 inch singles and see if there are any you might want, as they are just collecting dust here in my house.
So you were at the ONJ show too? I had a great time would have loved to say hello. Definately send me a list of your singles I am always looking to add to my collection. They’d get a great home 🙂
I was always under the impression that Susan and Ted Ottaviano were cousins (at least distantly).
According to Wikipedia they are not related.