Category: Howard Jones

Howard Jones – Things Can Only Get Better (US 12″)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1985

NEW 2024 Transfer!
NEW Meticulous Audio Restoration!

Original post date: January 20, 2013

“Things Can Only Get Better” by Howard Jones is an iconic track that captures the upbeat, positive energy of the mid-80s synthpop era. Released in 1985 as the lead single from his second studio album, Dream Into Action, the song was an immediate hit, reaching #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. and #6 in the UK charts. Known for its infectious optimism, “Things Can Only Get Better” became an anthem of resilience and hope, qualities that resonated with fans worldwide.

The track showcases Jones’ skillful blend of synthesizers, upbeat rhythms, and introspective lyrics. Musically, it features a prominent bassline, funky guitar riffs, and a brass section that adds an extra layer of excitement to the track. The song’s melody is uplifting, with Jones’ dynamic vocals driving home the theme of perseverance. His lyrics focus on pushing through life’s challenges and remaining hopeful, with the refrain “Things can only get better” embodying the core message of positivity.

Jones, who had already made waves with hits like “New Song” and “What Is Love?”, continued to solidify his place in the 80s music scene with this release. Not only did Dream Into Action go on to become a commercial success, but the single also helped define his image as a thoughtful pop artist. Jones’s brand of synthpop was different in that he combined the new wave, electronic feel with introspective, almost philosophical lyrics—an approach that set him apart in a decade where flashy beats often took center stage.

“Things Can Only Get Better” has been widely regarded as a classic 80s anthem, even appearing in films, TV shows, and commercials over the years. Its infectious optimism still resonates today, and its message of hope continues to be a source of inspiration for listeners across generations.

SIDE A:
Things Can Only Get Better (LP Version) 4:05
What Is Love? (New Extended Version) 6:34
Lyrics By – Howard JonesWilliam Bryant (3)
Music By – Howard Jones

SIDE B:
Things Can Only Get Better (Extended Version) 7:26
New Song (New Version) 4:53

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year Single Chart Position
1985 Things Can Only Get Better U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #5
1985 Things Can Only Get Better U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks #28
1985 Things Can Only Get Better U.S. Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play #10
1985 Things Can Only Get Better U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles #54
1985 Things Can Only Get Better U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks #21

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Elektra ‎– 0-66915
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Stereo, Yellow Sleeve
Country: US
Released: 1985
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:

NOTES:
Produced for Gestalt.
Mastered at Sterling.

Picture sleeve available in 3 other colors pink, white, and orange.

Printed in U.S.A.

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

THE GEAR:
Turntable: Technics SL-1200MK7
Cartridge/Stylus:  Ortofon 2M Black PnP MkII
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!


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Howard Jones – The Prisoner (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1989

“The Prisoner” is a Top 40 song written and performed by British singer-songwriter Howard Jones. It was included on his 1989 album Cross That Line and released as a single in 1989, reaching number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was the second single from Cross That Line, following “Everlasting Love”, a number-one Adult Contemporary hit.

“The Prisoner” also appears on several of Jones’ compilation albums, including 1993’s The Best of Howard Jones and 2004’s The Very Best of Howard Jones.

SIDE A:
The Prisoner (The Portmeirion Mix) 6:57
Mixed By – Mike Roarty
Producer, Recorded By – Chris Hughes, Ian Stanley, Ross Cullum

SIDE B:
Rubber Morals 4:19
Mixed By – Stephen Tayler*
Producer – Howard Jones
Recorded By – Mike Roarty

Have You Heard The News? 3:56
Producer – Howard Jones
Recorded By, Mixed By – Mike Roarty

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year Single Chart Position
1989 The Prisoner U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #30

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Elektra – 0-66695
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Single, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1989
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Artwork By [Sleeve] – Helen Backhouse
Mastered By – BilBo (3)
Music By, Lyrics By – Howard Jones
Photography – Christian Thompson

NOTES:
Mastered at Tape One, London.
Track A produced and recorded for the I.S.A.
The Elektra album “CROSS THAT LINE”

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge: Ortofon 2M
Stylus: Ortofon 2M Bronze
Isolation: Auralex Acoustics ISO-Tone Turntable Isolation Platform
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:
Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner

SOFTWARE USED:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling: iZotope RX Advanced 2, ocenaudio
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

Howard Jones – No One Is To Blame (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1986

“No One Is to Blame” is a song by British musician Howard Jones. The song, in its original version, can be found on his second studio album, Dream into Action, which was released in 1985. Following the success of the previous singles taken from the album, the original track for “No One Is to Blame” was re-recorded to give the song a more radio-friendly sound. Phil Collins and Hugh Padgham produced the re-recording, with Collins adding his own backing vocals and drum work. This new version of the song was included on the 1986 US EP Action Replay as well as the CD version of Jones’s 1986 studio album, One to One.

“No One Is to Blame” was released as a single in March 1986 and became Jones’s biggest hit in the United States, peaking at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song also became the first of his two #1 songs on the U.S. adult contemporary chart (“Everlasting Love” would top this chart in 1989). The song was also a top 10 hit in Australia and a #16 hit in the U.K..

The song is about unfulfilled attractions, saying that they’re normal and commonplace (“We want everyone – no one ever is to blame”). It uses a number of metaphors, such as “You can look at the menu, but you just can’t eat” and “It’s the last piece of the puzzle, but you just can’t make it fit,” to describe the frustration of experiencing attraction but being unable to act on it, for whatever reason. On a deeper level it describes the frustration and pain of unfulfilled desires and dreams inherent in the human condition.

“The Long Mix” is significantly shorter than the single; it is actually not a remix, but an entirely different piano and vocal-only version of the song recorded in session for the BBC Radio 1 Janice Long show.

SIDE A:
No One Is To Blame (Extended Mix) 5:14
Backing Vocals – Afrodiziak
Bass – Mo Foster
Drums, Vocals – Phil Collins
Engineer – Hugh Padgham
Engineer [Assistant] – Paul Gomershal*, Steve Chase*
Guitar – Phil Palmer
Keyboards, Vocals – Howard Jones
Mixed By – Steve Nye
Music By, Lyrics By – Howard Jones
Producer – Hugh Padgham, Phil Collins

SIDE B:
The Chase 2:54
Mixed By – Mike Roarty
Music By – Howard Jones
Producer – Howard Jones

No One Is To Blame (The Long Mix) 3:09
Music By, Lyrics By – Howard Jones
Producer – Barry Andrews

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year Single Chart Position
1986 No One Is To Blame U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #1
1986 No One Is To Blame U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks #20
1986 No One Is To Blame U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary #4

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: WEA Records Ltd. ‎– HOW 9T
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single
Country: UK
Released: 15 Mar 1986
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: Pop Rock, Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Artwork [Hand Colouring] – Tansy Spinks
Design [Sleeve] – Stylo Rouge*
Photography By – Trevor Rogers (2)

NOTES:
Track A: Recorded at The Farm, Surrey, England.
Track B2 produced for Radio 1 Janice Long Show. Released by arrangement with BBC Enterprises Ltd ℗ BBC Enterprises Ltd.

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge: Ortofon 2M
Stylus: Ortofon 2M Bronze
Isolation: Auralex Acoustics ISO-Tone Turntable Isolation Platform
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

Howard Jones – Pearl In The Shell (US 12″ Promo)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1984

Side A Label

RMHype

 

Originally posted April 9, 2010

“Pearl in the Shell” is the fourth and final single released by musician Howard Jones from the album Human’s Lib. Released in May 1984, the song reached number seven on the UK Singles Chart. It features a saxophone solo by Davey Payne of Ian Dury’s band The Blockheads.

Unlike Jones’ previous singles, the 12″ single edition did not feature an extended mix of the main track, though a nearly 9 minute remixed version did appear on the US 12″ promo which has never appeared on CD. A 6 minute mix did appear on the 12″ album.

SIDE A:
Pearl In The Shell (Remix Version) 8:57

SIDE B:
Pearl In The Shell (LP Version) 3:53

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint (company)

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Elektra ‎– ED 4992
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Promo
Country: US
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Producer – Rupert Hine
Written-By, Lyrics By – Howard Jones

NOTES:
This mix is unique to this release. An edited version of it is available on “The 12″ Album”

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

Side B Label

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