Burning The Ground Exclusive
NEW 2025 Transfer
NEW Meticulous Audio Restoration
Original post date: May 4, 2018
Before Jody Watley became a chart-topping solo sensation in the late 1980s, she was already redefining herself beyond her Shalamar roots. In 1985, she took her first bold steps into solo artistry with a sleek, dance-forward single “Girls Night Out”—a track that quietly laid the groundwork for what was to come.
Only released in Europe on Mercury Records, “Girls Night Out” marked Jody’s second solo single after her departure from Shalamar, following 1984’s “Where the Boys Are.” While it didn’t make a commercial splash at the time, the record showcases a confident, club-ready Watley stepping into the spotlight with style and poise.
The single was co-produced by Gary Langan, a founding member of the Art of Noise, bringing a distinctly British edge and studio sophistication to the production. Langan’s signature blend of synth-heavy textures and abstract funk grooves pairs perfectly with Jody’s smooth vocal delivery, creating a track that’s both polished and underground. You can hear echoes of Art of Noise’s experimental rhythms layered beneath a crisp pop sheen—blurring the lines between electro, post-disco, and early house.
Released as Mercury MERX 196, the 12″ features an Extended Dance Version that gives the song plenty of room to breathe on the floor. Thumping basslines, stabbing synths, and a no-nonsense vocal performance make this a criminally underrated gem from her pre-solo-album years. It’s pure mid-’80s club magic.
This rare vinyl release is a true collector’s piece and a fascinating glimpse at an artist on the verge of superstardom. Just two years later, Watley would explode onto the U.S. charts with her debut album and the hit single “Looking for a New Love.” But with “Girls Night Out,” she was already signaling that the future of pop and dance belonged to her.
So grab your heels, call your crew, and turn it up—tonight’s for the girls.
🎶💃
BTG EXCLUSIVE BONUS
As a special treat, I’ve also included the rare 7″ Version of “Girls Night Out,” which does not appear on the 12″ single and is being featured here on Burning the Ground for the very first time. This shorter edit brings a tighter, radio-friendly structure to the track without losing any of its bold attitude or groove.
This is a must-hear for completists and a great introduction for anyone unfamiliar with this early, essential chapter in Jody’s solo career.
SIDE A:
Girls Night Out (Dance Mix) 5:53
ngineer – Gary Langan
Producer – Bruce Woolley , Gary Langan
Written-By – B. Woolley* , J. Watley*
SIDE B:
My House (4-free) 4:52
Engineer – Simon Sullivan
Producer – Bruce Woolley
Written-By – B. Woolley* , J. Watley*
BONUS TRACK:
Girls Night Out (7″ Version) 3:36
ngineer – Gary Langan
Producer – Bruce Woolley , Gary Langan
Written-By – B. Woolley* , J. Watley*
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Mercury – Merx 196
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1985
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop
CREDITS:
- Design – Laurence Stevens
- Photography By – Brian Aris
Buy The 12″ at DISCOGS
VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for burningtheground.net
THE GEAR:
Turntable: Technics SL-1200MK7
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon Concorde Music Black
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!
Password: burningtheground
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Oh, I totally forgot this release from JW. Thank you.
Hey Paul, my comment was marked as “under review” and then deleted. Are you sick and tired of me commenting? 😉
No, not at all. I love your comments. I’m not sure why that happened. I will check into it.
There you go again, Paul: completely new to me and I love it. Great pointy bass at the beginning of the 12inch. Awesome find for me, this track. Although I must admit, whenever I read “Where the boys are”, my mind rushes to my beloved Conny Francis who sadly passed away recently. Quite a different song, though. 😉
Glad you enjoyed it! That bassline really does grab you right from the start. And yes, Connie Francis instantly came to my mind too when I first saw the title — definitely a very different vibe here! She’ll always be a classic.
Conny Francis is still well-known over here and her passing was mentioned in the news shows. She had massive hits with the German-sung versions of her singles. “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool”, as an example, was really big over here. German title “Die Liebe ist ein seltsames Spiel” which translates as “Love is a strange game”. I have a double-cd with her hits in English and German. 🙂 Another great one gone…
You are going to hate me for pointing this out Paul, but you posted the DJ Promo 12″ of this on 31 May 2010 and you included the 7″ version then as a bonus track so there is a previous DJPaulT rip of it out there. But it’s great to have the updated rip of both the ‘Jody’ (sans Watley) singles…including that 7″! Can’t believe they couldn’t get a different B side together for the 2nd single…
I thought I might have posted this one way back in the early days. I usually check my archives, and I did for this track — but I guess I didn’t go back far enough. Thanks for catching that! I agree, another B-side would have been a great addition.
Another catchy, dance-infused single from Jody Watley that, again, is baffling as to why it didn’t make much chart impact. All the ingredients are there… She was still two years away from owning the charts. My guess is that rock still ruled the charts in 1985. 1987 was the time when the effervescent, dance-inflected pop took the charts by storm. Think Belinda Carlisle, Gladys Knight, Patti LaBelle, Miami Sound Machine, Nona Hendryx all reinvented themselves in this style to massive acclaim. Thank you Paul for another deserving gem, and also for the bonus 7″ version!!
You summed it up perfectly — all the right ingredients, but just a bit too early for the charts to catch on. By ’87, that polished, dance-infused pop sound really did take over, and Jody fit right in. Glad you enjoyed the bonus 7″ version too!
Thanks for this new rip! It hurts my brain that there could be other unreleased tracks or a whole album from this time period languishing somewhere!!!!!
You’re welcome! 🙂 I know exactly what you mean—it’s wild (and a little maddening) to think about what might still be sitting in a vault from this era. The thought of a whole unreleased album from this time period makes my collector’s heart race! Fingers crossed that someday those tapes see the light of day.
Yes that would be so cool! I just love unreleased gems and lost albums!
Thanks for ripping and sharing this early Jody Watley tune, Paul.
A song that packs a lot of punch in its 12 inch incarnation,
and you’re making it even more interesting for folks
by adding the lil’ extra, the 7 inch!
I am grateful for your generosity in sharing such ‘lost’ gems
in your meticulous high quality (or ‘Paulity’ as some would call it ;)),
and that for over 15 years now, it’s appreciated!
peace,
dj
Thank you so much, DJ! Your words truly mean a lot. I’m glad you enjoyed both versions—this one’s definitely got some punch in the 12″ and a little extra charm in the 7″. I love being able to share these “lost” gems, and hearing that you’ve been along for the ride for over 15 years makes it all the more rewarding. Here’s to many more treasures unearthed!
Peace,
Paul
Woo Hoo! Thank you so much Paul. I am so happy to now have both of these singles for Miss Jody. You are amazing and do amazing work. Thank you so much!
Woo hoo indeed! 🙂 I’m so glad you’re excited to have both versions in your collection now. Jody always delivers, and it’s a joy to share these gems with fellow fans who appreciate them as much as I do. Thank you for the kind words, David!
Wow! That’s too bad! Love me some Jody from Shalamar to this year! Check her out more!
Wow, Paul! A twofer!! I love when you do some consecutive days of a single artist! And, Paul, again I just want to say how great you are with what you do! You’re so incredibly kind with what you share. There’s so much out there that hasn’t seen the light of day for whatever reason. You help those of us to become more aware of items we might have missed and/or just can’t find via compact discs/vinyls/downloads/streaming or what have you. PLUS, one only needs to read your FAQ to find out that if someone wants something removed, you will… Read more »
Thanks so much, Jeff!
I always have fun doing back-to-back posts from the same artist—it’s a great way to give a little deeper dive into their catalog. I know how frustrating it can be when certain tracks never make it to CD, vinyl reissue, or streaming, so it’s really rewarding to help shine a light on those hidden or hard-to-find gems. I’m glad you’re enjoying the ride!