Category: Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen – Dancing In The Dark (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1984

NEW 2020 Transfer!
Meticulously Remastered!

Recorded using a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Turntable with Ortofon 2M Bronze stylus, Pro-Ject Tube Box DS2 phono pre-amp, and ADL GT40a USB DAC.

Originally posted December 5, 2012

“Dancing in the Dark” is a 1984 song, written and performed by American rock singer Bruce Springsteen. Adding up-tempo synthesizer riffs and some syncopation to his sound for the first time, it became his biggest hit and, as the first single released from the LP Born in the U.S.A., propelled it to become the best-selling album of Springsteen’s career.

In a first-for-Springsteen effort to gain dance and club play for his music, Arthur Baker created the 12-inch “Blaster Mix” of “Dancing in the Dark”, wherein he reworked the album version. The remix was released on July 2, 1984. The result generated a lot of media buzz for Springsteen, as well as actual club play; the remix went to #7 on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, and had the most sales of any 12-inch single in the United States in 1984.

Released as a single prior to the album’s release, the song spent four weeks at #2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart (his highest charting song to date) in June–July 1984 (it was kept off the #1 spot by Duran Duran’s “The Reflex” and that year’s song of the summer, Prince’s “When Doves Cry”). It did reach #1 on the Cash Box Top 100 Singles chart. It was also the first of a record-tying seven top 10 hit singles to be released from Born in the U.S.A. “Dancing in the Dark” also held the #1 spot for six weeks on Billboard’s Top Rock Tracks chart.

Although the song only peaked at #5 in Australia, it remained on the charts for most of 1984 and was that country’s highest selling single of the year. It spent a total of 64 weeks in the Top 100.

In the UK, “Dancing in the Dark” originally reached number 28 in the UK Singles Chart when released in May 1984. However, the song was re-released in January 1985 and subsequently reached number 4 in the charts, becoming the 27th best-selling single of the year.

The recording also won Springsteen his first Grammy Award, picking up the prize for Best Rock Vocal Performance in 1985. It also won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Stage Performance. In the 1985 Rolling Stone readers poll, “Dancing in the Dark” was voted “Song of the Year”. The track has since gone on to earn further recognition and is as such listed one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.

SIDE A:
Dancing In The Dark (Blaster Mix) 6:08

SIDE B:
Dancing In The Dark (Radio Remix) 4:40
Dancing In The Dark (Dub) 5:25

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year Single Chart Position
1984 Dancing In The Dark U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #2
1984 Dancing In The Dark U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks #1
1984 Dancing In The Dark U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play #7

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Columbia – 44 05028
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Single, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1984
Genre: Pop, Rock
Style: Pop Rock

CREDITS:
Design – Andrea Klein
Engineer [Remix] – Chris Lord-Alge
Mixed By – Bob Clearmountain
Photography By – Annie Leibovitz
Producer [Based On Original Production By] – Bruce Springsteen, Chuck Plotkin, Jon Landau, Steve Van Zandt
Recorded By – Toby Scott
Remix, Producer [Additional] – Arthur Baker

NOTES:
Special versions from the Columbia Lp: “BORN IN THE U.S.A.”
Printed in U.S.A.

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

THE GEAR:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon 2M Bronze
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp: Pro-Jec Tube Box DS2
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 3.0 (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


Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by making a donation using PayPal. Thank you for your help.

Artists United Against Apartheid – Sun City (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1985

A. Front

“Sun City” is a 1985 protest song written by Steven Van Zandt, produced by Van Zandt and Arthur Baker and recorded by Artists United Against Apartheid to convey opposition to the South African policy of apartheid. The primary means of that opposition is to declare that all the artists involved would refuse any and all offers to perform at Sun City, a resort which was located within the bantustan of Bophuthatswana, one of a number of internationally unrecognized states created by the South African government to forcibly relocate its black population.

“Sun City” only reached #38 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in December 1985. Only about half of American radio stations played “Sun City”, with some objecting to the lyrics’ explicit criticism of President Ronald Reagan’s policy of “constructive engagement.” (Joey Ramone’s line in the song criticizes Reagan. Ramone also expressed open discontent and criticism towards him with the Ramones song “Bonzo Goes to Bitburg”.) The song was banned in South Africa itself.

The song did somewhat better overseas, reaching #21 on the UK Singles Chart, #4 in Australia and achieving chart action in a number of other European countries, becoming a substantial hit in The Netherlands. It was also a top ten single in Canada in December 1985 and January 1986.

“Sun City” was picked as record of the year by many of the most influential music critics, topping the prestigious international Pazz & Jop Critics Poll for best single of the year.

The album and single raised more than a million U.S. dollars for anti-apartheid projects. It premiered at the United Nations, thanks to the Special Committee Against Apartheid and UN officers such as Aracelly Santana.

Featuring – Afrika Bambaataa, Anthony Williams, Big Youth, Bob Dylan, Bob Geldof, Bobby Womack, Bonnie Raitt, Bono, Bruce Springsteen, Clarence Clemons, Darlene Love, Daryl Hall, David Ruffin Jr, Duke Bootee, Eddie Kendricks, Fat Boys, George Clinton, Gil Scott-Heron, Grandmaster Melle Mel, Herbie Hancock, Jackson Browne, Jimmy Cliff, Joey Ramone, John Oates, Kashif, Kurtis Blow, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Little Steven, Lou Reed, Malopoets, Michael Monroe, Miles Davis, Nona Hendryx, Pat Benatar, Pete Townshend, Peter Gabriel, Peter Garrett, Peter Wolf, Ray Barretto, Ringo Starr, Ron Carter, Ruben Blades, Run-DMC, Scorpio (3), Shankar, Sonny Okosun, Stanley Jordan, Stiv Bators, Tina B, Via Afrika, Will Downing, Zak Starkey
Producer – Arthur Baker, Little Steven

SIDE A:
Sun City (Last Remix) 9:36

SIDE B:
Not So Far Away (Dub Version) 12:32
Tracking By [Emulator Overdubs] – Keith Le Blanc*

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year Single Chart Position
1985 Sun City U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #38

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Manhattan Records ‎– V-56013
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Single, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: October 25, 1985
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Edited By – Albert Cobrera*, Aldo Miran
Engineer [Mix] – Frank Filipetti
Engineer [Mix], Remix – Jay Burnett
Producer – Little Steven
Producer, Remix – Arthur Baker

NOTES:
The artist royalties from this record are going to The Africa Fund, a charitable trust based in New York City and registered with the United Nations. The income will benefit political prisoners and their families in South Africa, educational and cultural needs of South African exiles, and educational work of anti-apartheid groups in the United States.

Mixed at Electric Lady, NYC.

Find the 12″ On DISCOGS

B. Back

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge: Ortofon 2M
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 30
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck 
Phono Pre-amp: Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Tube: Tung-Sol 12AX7ECC803-S Gold Electron Tube
Soundcard: ESI Juli@
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans: Brother MFC-6490CW Professional Series Scanner

SOFTWARE USED:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling: 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)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

USA For Africa – We Are The World (US 12″ Promo)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1985
A. Front

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a holiday that we celebrate on Thursday November 27 here in the US. It’s a time to reflect and give thanks for all of the abundant blessings and freedom that we have. We gather around the table with family and friends to share a festive meal. We also spare a thought for those not so lucky. It is a season of bountifulness and a reason to share the same ….true Thanksgiving is in actually doing that – Giving !!!”

I will be spending some time with family and friends over the next few days and will return on Tuesday December 2.

001“We Are the World” is a song and charity single originally recorded by the supergroup USA for Africa in 1985. It was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, and produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian for the album We Are the World. With sales in excess of 20 million copies, it is one of the fewer than 30 all-time singles to have sold at least 10 million copies worldwide.

Following Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” project in the UK, an idea for the creation of an American benefit single for African famine relief came from activist Harry Belafonte, who, along with fundraiser Ken Kragen, was instrumental in bringing the vision to reality. Several musicians were contacted by the pair, before Jackson and Richie were assigned the task of writing the song. The duo completed the writing of “We Are the World” seven weeks after the release of “Do They Know Its Christmas”, and one night before the song’s first recording session, on January 21, 1985. (The last recording session for the song was held on January 28, 1985.) The historic event brought together some of the most famous artists in the music industry at the time.

The song was released on March 7, 1985, as the only single from the album. A worldwide commercial success, it topped music charts throughout the world and became the fastest-selling American pop single in history. The first ever single to be certified multi-platinum, “We Are the World” received a Quadruple Platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America. However, the song garnered mixed reviews from journalists, music critics, and the public. Fans enjoyed hearing racially and musically diverse recording artists singing together on one track, and felt satisfied in buying “We Are the World”, knowing that the money was going to charity. Other individuals, including many commentators in the rock press, were disappointed that the song did not challenge listeners as to why famines occur in the first place, and felt that the lyrics were self-aggrandizing.

Awarded numerous honors—including three Grammy Awards, one American Music Award, and a People’s Choice Award—the song was promoted with a critically received music video, a home video, a special edition magazine, a simulcast, and several books, posters, and shirts. The promotion and merchandise aided the success of “We Are the World” and raised over $63 million for humanitarian aid in Africa and the US.

Following the devastation caused by the magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake in Haiti on January 12, 2010, a remake of the song by another all-star cast of singers was recorded on February 1, 2010. Entitled “We Are the World 25 for Haiti”, it was released as a single on February 12, 2010, and proceeds from the record aided survivors in the impoverished country.

SIDE A:
We Are The World 7:19

SIDE B:
We Are The World 7:19

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year Single Chart Position
1985 We Are The World U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles Chart #76
1985 We Are The World U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #1
1985 We Are The World U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks #1
1985 We Are The World U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales #1
1985 We Are The World U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks #27
1985 We Are The World U.S. Billboard Hot R&B Singles #1

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Columbia ‎– US2-05179
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Promo
Country: US
Released: March 7, 1985
Genre: Rock
Style: Pop Rock

CREDITS:
Conductor – Quincy Jones
Engineer – Humberto Gatica, John Guess
Producer – Quincy Jones
Producer [Associate] – Tom Bahler
Written-By – Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson

NOTES:
Promo. Same versions on both sides.

Find The 12″ On DISCOGS

B. Back

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut III
Cartridge: Ortofon Super
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 30
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Speed Control: Pro-Ject Speed Box S
Phono Pre-amp: Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Tube: Tung-Sol 12AX7ECC803-S Gold Electron Tube
Soundcard: ESI Juli@
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans: Brother MFC-6490CW Professional Series Scanner

SOFTWARE USED:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removeal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

Bruce Springsteen – Cover Me (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1984

“Cover Me” is an 1984 song, written and performed by American rock singer Bruce Springsteen. It was the second single released from his massively successful album Born in the U.S.A.

“Cover Me” was one of the first songs recorded for the lengthy set of sessions that produced the album, and in fact was recorded as a demo, as the song was to be given to disco queen Donna Summer. However, Springsteen’s manager Jon Landau heard the result and decided the combination of Springsteen’s rock impulse, fierce guitar solo, and a strong dance beat had hit potential, and so kept the song for the upcoming Springsteen album, not even bothering to re-record it. Donna Summer was given “Protection” instead. Springsteen even recorded a duet with Summer, but it was never released. Springsteen was still unsure about “Cover Me”, and Landau had to constantly argue to keep it included on the album.

The song peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles charts[1] in late summer 1984. It was the second of a record-tying seven Top 10 hit singles to be released from Born in the U.S.A.

No music video was made for the song.

Continuing the club play goal started with “Dancing in the Dark”, Arthur Baker created the 12-inch “Undercover Mix” of “Cover Me”. This was a large-scale transformation: a new bass line was cut, an unused backing vocal by industry legend Jocelyn Brown was restored, and reggae and dub elements were introduced. It was released on October 15, 1984.

As with the previous effort, the result displeased some of Springsteen’s more strait-laced fans, but did gain actual club play: the remix went to number 11 on Billboard’s Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.

SIDE A:
Cover Me (Undercover Mix) 6:11
Cover Me (Dub I) 4:10

SIDE B:
Cover Me (Radio) 3:48
Cover Me (Dub II) 4:13

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

CHARTS:

Year Single Chart Position
1984 Cover Me U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #7
1984 Cover Me U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks #2
1984 Cover Me U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play #11

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Columbia – 44 05087
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 RPM
Country: US
Released: 1984
Genre: Pop/Rock
Style: Pop/Rock
Credits: Design – Andrea Klein
Photography By – Annie Leibovitz
Engineer [12″ Remix] – Toby Scott
Mastered By – George Marino
Mixed By – Bob Clearmountain
Producer [Original] – Bruce Springsteen, Chuck Plotkin, Jon Landau, Steve Van Zandt
Recorded By – Bill Scheniman
Remix, Producer [Additional 12″ Production] – Arthur Baker

NOTES:
Special versions from the Columbia Lp: “BORN IN THE U.S.A.” QC 38653
Track times are listed incorrectly on sleeve.

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