Falco – Der Kommissar (The Commissioner) (US 12″ Promo)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1983

R E Q U E S T

“Der Kommissar” is a song first recorded by Falco in Austria in 1981.

Originally written by producer Robert Ponger for Reinhold Bilgeri, Bilgeri turned it down as he felt the song was too soft, so Falco reworked the song for himself instead.

Falco wanted to release “Helden von heute” as the main side (A-side), but the record company wanted “Der Kommissar” (“the commissioner” or police captain) to be released, because they felt it had more potential. The record company decided upon a double A-side release and was vindicated when “Der Kommissar” reached No. 1 in German-speaking countries in January 1982. After this big success, Falco’s management decided to release “Der Kommissar” (as an A-side) in other countries as well.

In the United States and the United Kingdom, Falco’s hit didn’t fare as well, despite topping charts throughout Europe and Scandinavia during spring and summer 1982. In the summer of 1982 the British rock band After the Fire recorded an English version of the song, also called “Der Kommissar”, and released it as a single, but the record floundered. Coming off a tour opening for Van Halen, After the Fire was working on material for a new album when in December 1982 the group announced onstage during a concert that they were breaking up. Both the After the Fire and Falco versions were rising on the Canadian charts at the time, but neither had cracked the U.S. pop charts.

One of the songs recorded for the b-side side of the record, the pop-rock “Helden von heute” (meaning “heroes of today”), is a tribute to David Bowie’s “Heroes”. Recorded in Berlin, Germany, Falco claimed in an interview that he went to Berlin to follow the “tracks” left there by David Bowie, with his albums Heroes and Low.

“Der Kommissar (The Commissioner)” only reached No. 74 in the US Cash Box Charts in 1983. and did not even chart in the UK, but Falco would break through with major hits in those countries two albums later, with “Rock Me Amadeus” and “Vienna Calling” in 1986.

SIDE A:
Der Kommissar (The Commissioner) 3:50
Written-By – R. Ponger*

SIDE B:
Auf Der Flucht (On The Run) 4:04
Written-By – R. Ponger*

Helden Von Heute (Today’s Heroes) 4:06

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Very Good Plus

CHARTS:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1983	Blue Jean	U.S. Cash Box Singles	#74
1983	Blue Jean	U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks	#22
1983	Blue Jean	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play	#10

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: A&M Records ‎– SP-12053
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 RPM, Promo
Country: US
Released: 1983
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop
Credits: Producer – R. Ponger*
Producer, Written-By – Falco

NOTES:
Promotional Copy Not for Sale

Find The 12″ On DISCOGS

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut III
Cartridge: Ortofon Super
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 30
Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Soundcard: ESI Juli@
VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Brother MFC-6490CW Professional Series Scanner

SOFTWARE USED:
Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Adobe Photoshop CS5
ClickRepair
dBpoweramp
Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
Downsampled to 24bit/96kHz and16bit /44kHz using iZotope RX Advanced 2
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

March 18, 2013

Sheena Easton – Eternity (Shep Pettibone Mix) (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1987

Re-Rip Remaster

Originally I posted this one on November 17, 2010. 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 30 stylus. This 12″ is also being posted in 24 bit flac for the very first time!

“Eternity” was the first and only single released from Sheena Easton’s eighth studio album “No Sound But Heart”, the album’s original U.S. release was canceled, but the album was issued in Canada and Mexico. The album was eventually reissued in 1999 by the One Way Records label, marking the first time it has been officially available in the United States.

‘Eternity” was written and produced by Prince and remixed by Shep Pettibone. Prince also plays guitar on the track under the alias Freddie “The Phantom”. The single failed to chart and was Easton’s final release on the EMI label, where she had started her career. She subsequently moved to MCA Records the following year in 1988.

The b-side “Shockwave” is a non-lp track written by Narada Michael Walden and guitarist Jesse Johnson.

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Cover: Near Mint

SIDE A:
Eternity (Shep Pettibone Mix) 6:24
Coordinator [Production] – Lorraine Rebidas
Engineer [Assistant] – David Knight
Engineer [Mixing] – Michael Hutchinson
Producer – David Leonard
Producer [Additional Production], Mixed By [Additional Mixing] – Shep Pettibone
Written-By – Prince

Eternity (Single Version) 3:50
Arranged By [Vocal] – Randy Petersen
Coordinator [Production] – Lorraine Rebidas
Engineer – David Leonard
Engineer [Assistant] – David Knight
Producer – David Leonard
Written-By – Prince

SIDE B:
Eternity (Dub) 6:16
Coordinator [Production] – Lorraine Rebidas
Engineer [Assistant] – David Knight
Engineer [Mixing] – Michael Hutchinson
Producer – David Leonard
Producer [Additional Production], Mixed By [Additional Mixing] – Shep Pettibone
Written-By – Prince

Shockwave 5:43
Engineer [Assistant] – Dana Jon Chappelle
Mixed By – David Frazer
Producer – Narada Michael Walden
Written-By – J. Johnson* , N. M. Walden* , Sheena Easton

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: EMI America – V-19223
Format: Vinyl, 12″
Country: US
Released: 1987
Genre: Electronic, Funk / Soul
Style: Synth-pop, Funk, Soul
Credits: Producer – David Leonard (tracks: A1, A2, B1)
Written By – Prince (tracks: A1, A2, B1)
Credits: Arranged By [Vocal Arrangements] – Randy Petersen (tracks: A1 to B1)
Art Direction – Henry Marquez
Cello – Todd Hemmenway (tracks: A1 to B1)
Design – Tommy Steele (2)
Guitar – Freddie “The Phantom” (tracks: A1 to B1)
Keyboards – Rocker Happyfeller (tracks: A1 to B1)
Keyboards, Synthesizer – Jeffrey Kim Bullard* (tracks: A1 to B1), Randy Waldman (tracks: A1 to B1)
Management [Personal Management] – Harriet Wasserman
Photography – Herb Ritz

NOTES:
Original version of “Eternity” can be heard on the LP “NO SOUND BUT HEART”

Find The 12″ On DISCOGS

SOFTWARE USED:
Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Adobe Photoshop CS5
ClickRepair
dBpoweramp
Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
Downsampled to 24bit/96kHz and16bit /44kHz using iZotope RX Advanced 2
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

March 15, 2013

Sylvester – I (Who Have Nothing) (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1979

DISCO FRIDAY!

“I (Who Have Nothing)” (sometimes billed as “I Who Have Nothing”) is a song originally released in English by Ben E. King in 1963.

“I (Who Have Nothing)” is based on the Italian song “Uno Dei Tanti” (English: “One of Many”). The English lyrics for “I (Who Have Nothing)” were written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stolle.

In 1979 American disco and soul singer-songwriter Sylvester covered the song for his third studio album “Stars”. Produced by Harvey Fuqua “I Who Have Nothing” was released as the first single from the album. On May 5, 1979 “I Who Have Nothing” debuted on the Billboard Top 40 the song remained on the chart for two weeks peaking at #40. In the UK the single peaked at #46.

The song also features backing vocals by Martha Wash who was best known as one half of Two Tons O’ Fun, who would later be renamed The Weather Girls. Wash was also the voice behind hits from C&C Music Factory and Black Box.

This 12″ lists both sidea as Side A.

SIDE A:
I (Who Have Nothing) (Long Version) 10:40

SIDE AA:
I (Who Have Nothing) (Short Version) 6:31

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

CHARTS:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1979	I (Who Have Nothing)	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#40
1979	I (Who Have Nothing)	U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles	#27
1979	I (Who Have Nothing)	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance/Disco	#4

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Fantasy ‎– D-129
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 RPM, Single
Country: US
Released: 1979
Genre: Electronic, Funk / Soul
Style: Disco
Credits: Producer – Harvey Fuqua, Sylvester
Backing Vocals – Martha Wash
Written-By – Leiber – Stoller*

NOTES:
Special 12 Inch Disco Mix
Produced by Harvey Fuqua – Sylvester for Honey Records Productions
Note: both sides listed as Side A

Find The 12″ On DISCOGS

SOFTWARE USED:
Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Adobe Photoshop CS5
ClickRepair
dBpoweramp
Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
Downsampled to 24bit/96kHz and16bit /44kHz using iZotope RX Advanced 2
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

March 14, 2013

Sheena Easton – Jimmy Mack (German 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1986

Re-Rip Remaster

Originally I posted this one back in 2010. 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 30 stylus. This 12″ is also being posted in 24 bit flac for the very first time!

“Jimmy Mack” is a 1967 pop/soul single originally recorded by Martha and the Vandellas for Motown’s Gordy imprint. Written and produced by Motown’s main creative team, Holland–Dozier–Holland.

In 1986 Sheena Easton covered “Jimmy Mack” and released it as the second single from the her seventh studio album “Do You”. The song was produced by Nile Rodgers and peaked at #65 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. In the UK and Europe, the single did not chart.

SIDE A:
Jimmy Mack (Extended Version) 6:29

SIDE B:
Jimmy Mack (Edited Version) 3:45
Jimmy Mack (Instrumental Mix) 5:31

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

CHARTS:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1986	Jimmy Mack	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#65
1986	Jimmy Mack	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play	#30

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: EMI – 1C K 060-20 1045 6
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: Germany
Released: 1986
Genre: Electronic, Funk / Soul, Pop
Style:Synth-pop
Credits: Art Direction – Henry Marquez
Design – Carol Chen
Mastered By – Stephen Marcussen
Photography – Moshe Brakha
Producer – Nile Rodgers
Remix – Rusty Garner
Written-By – Holland, Dozier, Holland*

NOTES:
Logo: Tony Steele
Taken from the album “DO YOU”
“An Endless Music Mix”
Mastered at Precision

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

SOFTWARE USED:
Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Adobe Photoshop CS5
ClickRepair
dBpoweramp
Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
Downsampled to 24bit/96kHz and16bit /44kHz using iZotope RX Advanced 2
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi