BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1985
Re-Rip Newly Remastered!
Originally I posted this one on February 17, 2011. But for those who may have missed it or if you are a new reader just discovering BTG. I decided to give this one a new rip with my newer Ortofon Super 30 stylus. This 12? is also being posted in 24 bit flac for the very first time!
“Smooth Operator” is a song by the English group Sade, released as the fourth and final single from their debut album Diamond Life (1984).
This was Sade’s first Top Ten hit in the U.S., peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for two weeks in May 1985. The song spent thirteen weeks in the Top Forty, and also topped the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart for two weeks. Although “Your Love Is King” remains Sade’s biggest hit in the UK to date, “Smooth Operator” is the band’s breakthrough hit on the U.S. charts, and their most successful single internationally.
Ray St. John, who co-wrote “Smooth Operator” with Sade Adu, was previously a member of Adu’s former band Pride, although he was not a member of the band Sade. The pair co-wrote the song in 1982 while still members of Pride, yet did not get around to recording it because St. John left Pride shortly after Sade joined. St. John later went on to play guitar with the band Halo James, which scored a UK Top Ten hit with “Could Have Told You So” in February 1990.
“Smooth Operator” is about a fashionable man who lives a jet-set lifestyle. He is popular with women and breaks many hearts. The lyrics “Coast to Coast, LA to Chicago, Western Male, Across the north and south, to Key Largo, love for sale” imply that he uses women to sustain himself. It is also clear that he does not return the affections of these women, as Adu sings near the end, “His heart is cold.”
This song is noted for Sade’s spoken recitation in the song’s introduction. Some radio edits have omitted the spoken Introduction, and proceeded with the opening sung line of the title of the album, “Diamond Life”. Some radio edits have shortened the instrumental saxophone solo, as well as the first repeat of the lines that come after the Chorus portions.
The US 12″ promo contains an exclusive nearly nine minute version.
SIDE A:
Smooth Operator (Long Version) 4:56
Smooth Operator (Short Version) 3:52
SIDE B:
Smooth Operator 8:53
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Cover: Mint (generic)
U.S. CHART HISTORY:
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Smooth Operator | U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | #5 |
| 1985 | Smooth Operator | U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles | #5 |
| 1985 | Smooth Operator | U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary | #1 |
| 1985 | Smooth Operator | U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play | #11 |
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Portrait – AS 2013
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Promo, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1985
Genre: Electronic, Funk / Soul, Jazz
Style: Soul-Jazz, Downtempo
CREDITS:
Producer – Robin Millar
Written-By – St. John* , Adu*
NOTES:
Taken From The Portrait LP: “DIAMOND LIFE”
Demonstration. Not for sale.
Find the 12″ on DISCOGS
EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut III
Cartridge: Ortofon Super
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 30
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Speed Control: Pro-Ject Speed Box S
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 Removeal: ClickRepair (DeClick Level 3)
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
