BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1987
“Don’t You Want Me” is the third single from singer Jody Watley’s eponymous debut album. The song was produced by Bernard Edwards of Chic-fame and written by Jody Watley, Franne Golde and David Paul Bryant.
Watley’s previous single, “Still a Thrill,” fared well in dance and R&B markets, but less-so in the mainstream. This prompted her label, MCA, to go in a more pop-friendly direction. “Don’t You Want Me” was one of the biggest crossover singles for the year 1987, reaching top ten on the Billboard pop and R&B charts and becoming a number-one dance club hit.
“Don’t You Want Me” landed in the Top 40 of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 singles chart the week of October 24, 1987, advancing from #56 to #40. The song reached #6 on December 19, 1987 and remained there for three consecutive weeks.
Internationally the single reched #55 U.K., #46 New Zealand and #24 Canada.
SIDE A:
Don’t You Want Me (Extended Mix) 6:48
Don’t You Want Me (A Cappella) 4:12
SIDE B:
Don’t You Want Me (Radio Edit) 4:17
Don’t You Want Me (Dub Version) 7:54
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
U.S. CHART HISTORY:
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Don’t You Want Me | U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | #6 |
| 1987 | Don’t You Want Me | U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles | #3 |
| 1987 | Don’t You Want Me | U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play | #1 |
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: MCA Records – MCA-23785, MCA Records – MCA 23785
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1987
Genre: Electronic, Funk / Soul
Style: Synth-pop
CREDITS:
Design – Lynn Robb
Management [Direction] – Bennett Freed Management
Mastered By – Herb Powers, Jr.*
Photography – Victoria Pearson
Producer – Bernard Edwards
Remix, Producer [Additional Production Assistant] – Dennis Mitchell
Remix, Producer [Additional Production] – Francois Kevorkian*, Michael Hutchinson
Written-By – D.P. Bryant*, F. Gold*, J. Watley*
NOTES:
Original version appears on the MCA LP, “JODY WATLEY”
Find the 12″ on DISCOGS
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
Hi Paul! I hope you could repost Still a Thrill. I knew I saw it here before. Hope all is well with you.
This is a different version than the one I have but as always a great rip. Thanks.
One of her best! Thanks, man. [:
Hooray! You are taking me back!
I love how you group records together Paul. I mean, they all would make a great mix if taken together. And what memories they do bring back to me and my ears. Ms. Watley I was always a fan of, even back when she was with Shalamar. Such memories, and this is a fantastic 12-inch single.
Many Thanks!!
Jeff
This song was also extensively sampled by Italo house act 49’ers on their track “Don’t You Love Me” in 1990.
Obviously a fantastic song and mixes! What I remember so fondly, however, is how this classic was used in the C&C Dub Mix of Seduction’s Two To Make It Right: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=covOkchxW4s
0:42 – 1:42 is the sample. 🙂 The sample is from 1:33 of the Acappella mix.
Trust me, check it out.
-Fred
Thanks Fred I have that 12″ and it is a very cool mix 🙂
Ooooh! Maybe, just maybe, we’ll see that Seduction (and other Seduction rips) on BTG in the very near future. 🙂
Thanks again for the fantastic work and your time!!! -Fred
Once again, your manual declicking blows away other rips ruined by automatic, blindly applied “ClickRepair”. From the very beginning of the Extended Mix, it’s apparent that you know what you’re doing and want it to sound right.
Thanks for all the work you put into these, Paul! I know it takes a lot of time, but it’s so worth it.
Thank you Mjb. I appreciate your comment manual click removal does take a while but the finished product is well worth it 🙂
Oh for sure it is appreciated, Paul. I did it myself with old vinyls, too. Milliseconds, a lot of people do not even know they excist, but the cleaningwork you do on those is perfect. I do not mind those clicks and such on my own old copies, as I am sometimes the one who put them there, or they got in my system and belong there. New music just gets distracted by some, and with music, every second counts 🙂
Again, thank you!
You are very welcome Dirk. Thank you 🙂
Thank you, Paul.
Great song, great remixes, great sound quality.
Next stop “Looking for a new love”, pleeeeeze. 🙂
Oh, and I wouldn´t mind some Shalamar….
Cheers,
Kay
I have pretty much all of Jody Watley’s singles so I will post it eventually 🙂
I have been a fan of Jody Watley since her Shalamar days. I remember hearing the Francois K mix of this single back then and a re-visit is in order.
Thanks indeed Paul 🙂
You’re welcome Junior 🙂
Many many thanks Paul!!!
This is one of my favourite song and remix of the 80s.
Incredible synth-groove.
Great production by Bernard Edwards (RIP)…
and what about your quality rip?
You’re a genius.
Thank you BE.D12” it’s one of my favorites too 🙂