BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1985
Originally posted June 15, 2011
“Gambler” is a song by American recording artist Madonna. It was the second single released from the soundtrack album of the motion picture Vision Quest, and was released on October 3, 1985, by Geffen Records.
After the recording of “Crazy for You”, the soundtrack single for the 1985 coming of age drama Vision Quest, Madonna approached John “Jellybean” Benitez to produce another of her self-written songs called “Gambler”. Subsequently, the song was added to the soundtrack of the film, as music producer Phil Ramone felt that it would be appropriate for using in the beginning shots of the flim. As the song was recorded on the Geffen label, a commercial issue of the single, in the United States was suppressed, at the request of Madonna’s Sire Records management. They feared that commercial availability of another Madonna single would have been detrimental to the other singles from the Like a Virgin album, and the already available, Geffen-distributed, “Crazy for You”. Hence “Gambler” was never released, or sent for airplay in the United States. The UK 12″ single, contained the Extended Dance Mix, Instrumental Remix, and the song “Nature of the Beach” by Black ‘n Blue. The 7″ single had the original version, and “Nature of the Beach”. The video for “Gambler” is similar to “Crazy for You”, with Madonna singing the song along with clips culled from Vision Quest. Madonna filmed her performance on November 22, 1983, at the Big Foot Tavern in Spokane, Washington. To date, “Gambler” remains the last self-written Madonna single.
“Gambler” was released in October 1985 in the United Kingdom, and debuted at position twenty on the UK Singles Chart. After two weeks, it peaked there at four, and was present for fourteen weeks. By the end of 1985, Madonna chalked up another record with the song, becoming the first female artist to have eight UK Top 10s in one calendar year. The song was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for shipment of 200,000 copies of the single. According to The Official Charts Company, the song has sold 295,000 copies there. In Australia, the song debuted on the Kent Music Report chart at fourteen, and reached a peak of ten. In Germany, the song debuted at thirty-nine on the Media Control Charts, and reached a peak of twenty-five after five weeks, being present on the chart for twelve weeks. Across Europe, the song reached the top-ten of the charts in Belgium, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands and Norway. It peaked at twelve in Japan, twenty-three in Switzeland and forty-five in New Zealand.
SIDE A:
Gambler (Extended Dance Mix) 5:36
Arranged By – Stephen Bray
Producer, Remix – John “Jellybean” Benitez
Written-By – Madonna
Performed By – Madonna
SIDE B:
Gambler (Instrumental Remix) 3:53
Arranged By – Stephen Bray
Producer, Remix – John “Jellybean” Benitez
Written-By – Madonna
Performed By – Madonna
Nature Of The Beach 3:45
Producer – Bruce Fairbairn
Written-By – St. James*, Thayer*
Performed By – Black ‘N Blue
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Cover: Near Mint
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Geffen Records – TA 6585
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1985
Genre: Electronic
Style: Pop Rock, Synth-pop
CREDITS:
Design [Sleeve] – Tomcat (7)
Photography [Cover] – Armando Gallo © Retna Pictures Ltd
NOTES:
A & B1: Special version from the LP “Vision Quest”
A & B1: Produced and Remixed for Jellybean Productions, Inc.
Madonna appears through the courtesy of Sire Records Company
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
Please re-up!
Thank you so much!
LOVED this rip.
Thank you
Hi DjPaulT.
im fan of ur blog.
Great Jobs. Hight Quality!
Congratulations fot the site!
Hugs From Brazil.
Thank you for this! I really appreciate it!
Great song from a bad movie…thanx
Thank you dj PaulT for this wonderful re-rip. 🙂
Gambler must be one of the least exposed Madonna 80s single, even in Europe, despite it charted so high in the UK. Can’t remember seeing the video of it in the 80s, although her videos run all the time on MTV and local TV stations.
There is a slight improvement to your 1st rip, just slight, probably because the original production sound by Jellybean is amazing, so this rip sounds superb!
I agree, I don’t even remember it coming out or charting.
First I heard about it was about 10 years ago!
this is the best rip i have found
thank you very much paul
i just found your site thanks to madonna infinity site
and im speachless you got great music and rips
i can’t thank u enough for your effort!
by the way theres any chance we can get britney spears rips? cause theres some remixes that they are only available in vinyls
anyway thanks again, and now you got a new follower 😀
This site is mainly 80’s!! 🙂
Thank you very much Paul!!!
This song reminds me of Miami Vice episode “The Fixx”.
http://miamivice.wikia.com/wiki/Gambler
You’re welcome gonzalo76
Thanks Paul. Love your site. Your rips and quality are much appreciated.
You’re welcome Brian 🙂
Thank you for all your rips 🙂
Do you happen to have the two 12″ promotional red vinyl for Fever?
I’m glad you took the time to re-rip this Madonna single.
Thanks Paul 🙂
You’re welcome Junior 🙂
Paul, you are nothing short of amazing, awesome and phenomenal!! I don’t know how you do it. From your favorites to requests to re-rips, I am always gobsmacked over your output everyday, week, month and year!! I’ve said to you that you are a Deity, and I will continue to bestow this title on you. Thanks for this re-up of a great Madonna single. Hey, all of your postings of “The Material Girl” are beyond amazing. You have lavished on her back catalog your expertise. I wish she could take note. You are all about paying homage, tribute and furthering… Read more »
Thank you so much Jeff. Big hug 🙂
Love early Madonna singles, and funnily enough was watching the Crazy For You video on an old tape just last weekend and thinking, I really should watch Vision Quest someday!
Thanks Paul!
Might you do the 7″ of Gambler one day?
You’re welcome Jermajesty I will see if I can locate the 7″ 🙂
Hi Paul,
this is one of my favourite Madonna’s single of the 80s
(after “Into The groove”) and I’m very glad today
for your 2016 re-rip!
I got a copy of this 12″,
but like other maxi-singles of the 80s that I got,
they are missing of your digital audio quality!
Please, if You can, “Who found who” always by Jellybean Benitez.
Many Thanks.
You’re welcome BE.D12” 🙂
Wow another early post today. I had an idea a while back that i never put to you. When you was doing that Disco Friday thing that personally, i’m glad you scrapped (those 4 days between other posts used to kill me, lol), i was thinking you could do a re-rip / re-up Friday or midweek like Wednesday. There’s a lot of posts either down or not even on this site from the past many of which are pretty awesome. Thanks for this re-rip BTW, can’t get enuogh Madonna. I hope one day you could do all those 80’s 7″… Read more »
Well there is almost three years worth of dead links from when I was using Multiupload. I will take your suggestion into consideration. Agree Madonna’s early catalog needs work.
Three years? Wow. That’s a great shame! How did they all go? Could you not just repost all the old files you created on new links?
The Multiupload site was shut down. I have also done many equipment upgrades since those early days. I would rather re-rip the records than spend the time to reupload inferior sounding posts.
Fair point my friend just wasn’t sure the difference was worth another 8-9 hours of your time per 12″. Two years is an awful lot. What a shame!
Woooooow
Another re-rip! Thanks Paul, nice to have this one in better quality.
You’re welcome Stefano 🙂