BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1981
Released on this day 1981.
“Planet Earth” is the debut single by the English pop rock band Duran Duran, released on 2 February 1981.
It was an immediate hit in the band’s native UK, reaching #12 on the UK Singles Chart on 21 February, and did even better in Australia, hitting #8 to become Duran Duran’s first Top 10 hit anywhere in the world.
The song later appeared on the band’s eponymous debut album Duran Duran, released in June, 1981.
For most countries, the B-side track for the “Planet Earth” is a concert favorite called “Late Bar” which was one of the earliest songs Duran Duran had written together after their classic Le Bon/Rhodes/Taylor/Taylor/Taylor lineup had solidified. However, the B-side track for the North American release of “Planet Earth” is “To The Shore”.
Beginning with “Planet Earth”, Duran Duran began creating what they called “night versions” for each of their songs: extended versions that were featured on their 12-inch singles. Back in 1981, the technology to do extended remixes was still quite rudimentary, so the band chose instead to create a new arrangement of the song, loosely based on the version they were playing live at the time. This formed the basis for the “night version”.
The “Night Version” of “Planet Earth” appeared in place of the original on some early US releases of the Duran Duran album.
In addition to the 12″, the night version of “Planet Earth” was included on the EPs Nite Romantics and Carnival.
SIDE A:
Planet Earth (Night Version) 6:17
SIDE B:
Planet Earth 4:02
Late Bar 2:57
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: EMI – 12 EMI 5137
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: Feb 2, 1981
Genre: Rock, Pop
Style: New Wave, Synth-pop
CREDITS:
Producer – Colin Thurston
Sleeve – Assorted Images
Written-By – Duran Duran
NOTES:
Mastered at Utopia.
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
More DD, plz. Love it!
Duran Duran are one of those bands that still release new material every four + years. Their last album Paper Gods was fantastic, I’ve enjoyed every album and their side projects. What I love about this site is the quality of your uploads, when EMI remastered their earlier albums, the sound was brickwalled too much and It’s a shame the band couldn’t get the legal rights to own the rights to the Duran Duran (Taylot/Taylor/Taylor/Rhodes/Le Bon) recordings. They should employ someone like you Paul to master the original sources, unlike the battalion of idiots who ruined it for us music… Read more »
Posted on the net today:
Duran Duran are to renew their legal battle over US rights to some of their most famous songs, including Hungry Like the Wolf and Girls on Film.
In December, they failed to fight off a bid by publishers Gloucester Place Music, ultimately owned by US business Sony/ATV, to prevent them terminating copyright agreements related to their first three albums.
Good Luck Duran Duran.
You’re very welcome John it is a shame that bands don’t get to be involved in their re-issued albums. Hopefully if they do release them again they will be better. 🙂
Thanks for this one, Paul. In my college DJ days this was a much requested song, and I still have my well worn original copy. For my money Duran Duran never topped their first album for pure night club fun. Those Nite Romantics and Carnival EPs you mentioned are pure gold. Please Please Please consider posting them!
I have all of their EP’s and will post them eventually. I abree that their debut album was the best always loved “Sound Of Thunder” and “Friends Of Mine”. 🙂
Their first album was good, but it can’t match Rio.
Rio was a much better album.
In some interviews, the band has said that the reason they recorded the “Night Versions” as new, longer, recordings was that they truly had no idea how remixes were done.
The idea of simply mixing the existing multi-tracks down again, in an altered form, and editing the resulting passes into a new arrangement simply hadn’t occurred to them. Folks like the dub reggae producers and disco pioneers like Tom Moulton had been doing it for a decade, but the Duran guys just didn’t know.
Will, this might be the funniest thing I’ve heard all week… just shows they really did work for the success 🙂
Thanks as always Paul
Very interesting thanks for sharing 🙂
Thats only true for a couple of songs. All the rest were done just like everyone else, it wasn’t that amazing. As All Music Guide explained, “According to Nick Rhodes’ liner notes, they recorded extended versions of their singles to be used in night clubs. Rather than have the master tapes cut and taped into remixes, Duran Duran went back into the studio and recorded longer versions of the songs with more instrumental breaks.” This was the case for the night versions of both “Planet Earth” and Girls on Film”. For My Own Way” the master rhythm track of the… Read more »
awesome track & awesome post…. thnx xxxxxx
You’re welcome risildowgtn 🙂
Thanks!! Love Late Bar.
Me too Mike.C one of my all-time favorite DD tracks 🙂
This is the kind of stuff they need to play in order for me to buy a ticket at this point. I just don’t want to see the same boring hits show anymore, sadly. They remain my favorite.
Thanks!
You’re welcome CL 🙂
Omg! What a pleasant surprise! Thank you Paul! Made my day! 🙂
You’re welcome memoryboy 🙂
Classic! Many thanks and long may these classics keep making it to your wnderful site!!
They will for sure Neil 🙂
Thanks Paul. One of my favorite DD singles. There was also the Night Mix ,which was a little bit longer, right?
Yes and it had an extra verse. The “Night Mix” was not ever available on vinyl. The mix first appeared on the 2 CD remix compilation “Strange Behaviour” and later on the remastered edition of the debut album which was mastered horribly.
I never noticed that the nicht version from the 12inch is much faster than that one from
“Strange Behaviour”. It runs along with almost 140bpm whereas the longer version shows 130bpm. Funny to notice that after years and years….
Weird that they would slow it down for the CD.
Excellent and as you put it Paul, brickwalled on the CD..
Thanks 🙂
You’re welcome Ex15 BTG is a Brickwall free zone lol 🙂
Awesome of you to post this one on the day it was released all those years ago Paul. Makes it that “extra” special. Looking forward to your vinyl rip as I have this “Night Version” on compact disc. I’m finally really appreciating the warmer sound from the vinyl record. Thank you Paul for this wonderful education.
You’re the tops!!!
Jeff
I have it on CD also but was very disappointed in the mastering very brick walled :0