Category: George Michael

August 5, 2014

Aretha Franklin & George Michael – I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) (UK 7″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1987

“I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)” is a Grammy Award-winning #1 song performed by Aretha Franklin and George Michael as a duet in 1987. It was written by Simon Climie and Dennis Morgan. It also stands as Aretha’s biggest hit at Adult Contemporary radio, spending several weeks at #2. Despite selling more than a million US copies, the single was never certified.

The song was not originally written as a duet. Climie and Morgan pitched the song to Tina Turner as well to Aretha Franklin and Arista Records head Clive Davis. It was Davis’ idea to get Franklin and George Michael to record the song as a duet.

Narada Michael Walden, who worked with Aretha on her Who’s Zoomin’ Who album, produced this track. He also produced the song this displaced at the top spot of the Hot 100: “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” by Starship. This made him the eighth producer in the Rock Era to score back-to-back #1 hits.

The “Instrumental” only appears as the b-side of the 7″ single releases.

SIDE A:
I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) 4:00

SIDE B:
I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) (Instrumental) 4:00

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1987	I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#1
1987	I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)	U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary	#2
1987	I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs	#12
1987	I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)	U.S. Cashbox Top 100 Singles	#1

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Epic ‎– DUET 2
Format: Vinyl, 7″, Single, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 19 Jan 1987
Genre: Electronic, Funk / Soul, Pop
Style: Synth-pop, Soul

CREDITS:
Producer, Arranged By – Narada Michael Walden
Written-By – Morgan*, Climie*

NOTES:
From the LP “ARETHA”
Produced for Perfection Light Productions.

Find The 7″ On DISCOGS

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: ClickRepair (DeClick Level 3)
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

July 9, 2014

Wham! – Club Fantastic Megamix (UK 7″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1983

“Club Fantastic Megamix” was a single released by Wham! in 1983, and was the last single release for the duo on Inner Vision Records. The single was released in both 7″ and 12″ formats. The 7″ contains a rare edit of the 12″ mix.

*A note about this transfer. The b-side “A Ray Of Sunshine (Instrumental Mix)” is taken from the UK 12″. I did this because the 7″ sounded pretty bad I usually do not do this but in this case it was necessary.

SIDE A:
Club Fantastic Megamix (Edit Version) 3:57
Mixed By, Arranged By – Megamix Club, The

(A.1) A Ray Of Sunshine
Written-By – George Michael

(A.2) Love Machine
Written-By – W Griffin*, W Moore*

(A.3) Come On
Written-By – George Michael

SIDE B:
A Ray Of Sunshine (Instrumental Mix) 5:40
Written-By, Arranged By – George Michael

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Inner Vision ‎– A 3586
Format: Vinyl, 7″, Single, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1983
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Design [Sleeve] – Shoot That Tiger!
Photography – Chris Craymer
Producer – George Michael, Steve Brown

NOTES:
The album “FANTASTIC” also available on cassette.

Find The 7″ On DISCOGS

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

July 1, 2014

Wham! – Where Did Your Heart Go? (US 7″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1986

“Where Did Your Heart Go?” is a song written by American musicians David Was and Don Was. The song was first recorded and released by the writers’ disco-dance-rock ensemble Was (Not Was).

“Where Did Your Heart Go?” was covered by the British pop duo Wham! in June 1986 as one of the three B-sides to “The Edge of Heaven” in the UK, where it reached #1. The song was also released separately as Wham!’s final single in several territories most notably in the US where it peaked at #50 on the Billboard Hot 100 in November 1986. It was produced and re-arranged by George Michael with engineering by Chris Porter. In common with most Wham! songs, Andrew Ridgeley’s contribution is notable by its absence, though he receives a co-writing credit for its b-side: “Wham Rap ’86”. “Where Did Your Heart Go?” was also included on the albums Music from the Edge of Heaven and The Final.

SIDE A:
Where Did Your Heart Go? (Edit Version) 4:59
Written-By – D. Was*, D. Was*

SIDE B:
Wham! Rap ’86 6:33
Written-By – A. Ridgeley*, G. Michael*

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1986	Where Did Your Heart Go?	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#50

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Columbia ‎– 38-06294
Format: Vinyl, 7″, 45 RPM
Country: US
Released: 1986
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Producer, Arranged By – George Michael

NOTES:
Where Did Your Heart Go? is an edit of the album version.
Taken from the Columbia LP “MUSIC FROM THE EDGE OF HEAVEN”

Find the 7″ On DISCOGS

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

May 6, 2014

David Austin – Turn To Gold (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1984

David Austin (born 14 July 1962) is a professional songwriter from the United Kingdom, who first had a hit single in 1984 called “Turn to Gold”, released on Parlophone. It entered the UK Singles Chart on 21 July 1984. It remained in the chart for three weeks, reaching #68. The single featured backing vocals from George Michael, who called Austin his best friend in the documentary film, A Different Story.

As co-writers Austin and Michael have been collaborating since 1983. Their joint work includes the download-only single “John and Elvis Are Dead”, their biggest hit “You Have Been Loved” and “Look at Your Hands” from the album Faith, which also appeared on the US CD single of Michael’s number one hit “Father Figure”. Listen Without Prejudice, is the only original material studio album of Michael’s which does not feature any collaboration with Austin.

SIDE A:
Turn To Gold (Extended Swing Mix) 5:19

SIDE B:
Turn To Gold (Swing Mix) 2:29
Turn To Gold (Instrumental) 3:42

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Parlophone ‎– 12R 6068
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Producer – George Michael
Written-By – David Austin, George Michael

Find The 12″ On DISCOGS

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