BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1985
“Angel” is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her second studio album Like a Virgin. It was released on April 10, 1985 by Sire Records as the third single from the album.
After its release, “Angel” debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 48 on the issue dated April 27, 1985, while her previous single “Crazy for You” was at number-two on the chart. After ten weeks, “Angel” reached a peak position of five on the chart. The song tied Madonna with Olivia Newton-John, as the female artist with the most consecutive top-five hits on the Hot 100 at that time. “Angel” debuted on the Adult Contemporary chart for the issue dated May 11, 1985, and reached a peak of five. The song debuted at number 40 on the Hot Dance Club Songs chart on June 1, 1985, and reached the top after three weeks. It also charted on a number of Billboard charts, such as reaching the top of the Hot Dance Singles Sales and the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at position 71.
In the United States, due to similar problems with “Crazy for You” and “Material Girl” being released at the same time and competing with each other, it was decided against releasing “Into the Groove” as a 7″ single so it would not compete with “Angel”, the third single from the Like a Virgin. “Into the Groove” was eventually released as the B-side to the maxi-single of “Angel”, therefore it was ineligible to enter the Billboard Hot 100 or Hot Singles Sales charts. The song debuted at number 40 on Hot Dance Club Songs chart, as a double A-side with “Angel”, on the issue dated June 1, 1985. After four weeks, it reached the top of the chart and also reached number 19 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. “Into the Groove” is Madonna’s most played song on Billboard’s Recurrent Airplay Chart. On July 30, 1985, “Angel/Into the Groove” was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipment of one million copies across the US—the requirement for a gold single prior to 1989. It was the first 12-inch single to be certified gold since Frankie Smith’s “Double Dutch Bus” (1981). The song placed at number 12 on the Dance year-end charts and sold approximately 600,000 copies of the 12″; it also reached number-one on the Hot Dance Singles Sales chart.
SIDE A:
Angel (Extended Dance Mix) 6:11
Mixed By – James Farber
Producer, Mixed By – Nile Rodgers
SIDE B:
Into The Groove 4:42
Producer – Madonna, Steve Bray*
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
U.S. CHART HISTORY:
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Angel | U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | #5 |
| 1985 | Angel | U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary Tracks | #5 |
| 1985 | Angel | U.S. Billboard Hot R&B Hip-Hop Singles | #71 |
| 1985 | Angel/Into The Groove | U.S. Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play | #1 |
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Sire – 0-20335, Sire – 9 20335-0 A
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Maxi-Single, 45 RPM
Country: US
Released: 1985
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop
CREDITS:
Mastered By – Bill Kipper
Written-By – Madonna, Steve Bray*
NOTES:
A-side produced for Nile Rodgers Productions, Inc. Original version available on the Sire album Madonna – Like A Virgin.
B-side song from the Orion Motion Picture “Desperately Seeking Susan.”
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
Do you have the True Blue Maxi Single with the Dub/Instrumental version on it ?
I’ve downloaded this last week and just want to Thank You for this post. I always appreciate any Madonna post you share with us. 🙂
Thank you Paul, most humbly, for realizing Madonna’s phenomenal back catalog on your site. So much care and execution that you put forth is more than note worthy. I think Madonna would approve of your mastery on her discography!! It is, beyond doubt, really exquisite. Like the record says, “you must be an Angel!!”
My halo off to you, Sir!!
Jeff
Best sounding Into the Groove since a 1989 soundsystem for 250 people in a small club, on max volume.
Those were the days!
Great post!
Thank you so much Paul!!!
Thanks Paul for this Madonna treat. Angel was a great single, the addition of Into The Groove was the icing on the cake 🙂
Ha, you slipped in an Olivia in a Madonna-post. Can I drop a Grace Jones 🙂
Such an awesome tune! I always tell people to remember when Madonna ruled the world and was awesome. How easy it is to forget. She really does need to get back to creating great pop tunes like these.
This single is really all about the b-side. While I Angel is a good song, Into the Groove is right up there with Vogue. I think this version is oddly a bit difficult to find. If memory serves me right this song was actually originally written for Cheyne but Madonna ended up using it. The connection continued when the Shep Pettibone mix of Into the Grove came out, the piano solo in the remix is very much like the piano solo on Call me Mr. Telephone. Likewise, it has often been speculated that Madonna does unaccredited vocals on the Cheyne… Read more »
Strange one this as i note on my harddrive you have previously posted the US 7″ and the UK 12″ which of course features this 12″ version of Angel. Many thanks though can’t get enough Madonna please add some more as the woman cares not for her back catalogue and someone needs too!
The UK 12″ that I posted contains an alternate mix of “Burning Up” 🙂
Yes i checked all the durations and track listings before i commented. I was just surprised you added this one as it only gives what i guess is a standard mix of ‘Into the grove’ additionally!
I think the mix is different than what appears on some compilations like “The Immaculate Collection”.
Thanks DjPaul,
“Into the groove” is always amazing!
This first version without an outro for the mixing in the clubs
was a puzzle, but then Shep Pettibone realized one of his best remix ever
on this song.
Hope you’ll re-rip soon your promo version.
Many regards.
You’re welcome BE.D12” I have plans to re-rip the “You Can Dance” promo singles when I get the time 🙂
Bringing back memories Paul. Haven’t heard either one for a few years now. BTW was there ever an extended version of Into The Groove or a radio edit?
Only the extended version on You Can Dance and the edit that was available on a promo release.
Correct Ken “Into The Groove” was not even released as a single on it’s own in the US just as a b-side which radio picked up. It’s pretty much explained in the write up above.