Burning The Ground Exclusive
Remembering the late Peabo Bryson today with a bit of an overlooked soundtrack cut from 1983.
“D.C. Cab” was the title track from the Motion Picture Soundtrack D.C. Cab, the cult comedy directed by Joel Schumacher and starring Mr. T, Adam Baldwin, Gary Busey, and Marsha Warfield. The soundtrack was a very 1983 affair, packed with R&B, pop, and dance names including Irene Cara, Shalamar, DeBarge, Stephanie Mills, Karen Kamon, and Giorgio Moroder.
Peabo Bryson’s contribution sits in a fun little corner of his catalog. Most listeners know him for those smooth, romantic ballads and his later Disney classics, but “D.C. Cab” gives us a different side of Peabo. This one has more street-level sparkle, more movie-theme energy, and a bright early ’80s R&B bounce that fits the film’s scrappy, oddball charm.
As the title track, “D.C. Cab” had the job of selling the attitude of the movie. It is not trying to be a grand ballad. It is not trying to pull tears from the balcony. Instead, it rolls along with that soundtrack polish, a little bit of grit, and Peabo’s unmistakable voice giving the whole thing more class than a film about a wild taxi company probably deserved.
Released as the fourth and final single from the soundtrack, “D.C. Cab” spent nine weeks on the Billboard Black Singles chart. In the February 11, 1984 issue of Billboard, the single reached its peak at #53.
It may not be one of Peabo Bryson’s best-known singles, but that is part of the fun. Soundtracks from this era often tucked away these little surprises, songs that lived between radio formats, movie marketing, and the clubs. “D.C. Cab” is one of those records. It captures a moment when movie soundtracks could be wonderfully strange, tossing together big voices, rising acts, disco veterans, and studio pros to create something that could only have happened in the early ’80s.
A music video was not released for this single.
Peabo Bryson left behind a huge legacy, from quiet storm favorites to pop duets that became part of music history. “D.C. Cab” may be a smaller stop on that ride, but it is still worth pulling over for.
SIDE A:
D. C. Cab (Remixed Version) 5:38
SIDE B:
D. C. Cab (Dub Version) 5:04
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: MCA Records – MCA-13988
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic, Funk / Soul, Pop, Rock
Style: Hi NRG, Synth-pop
CREDITS:
- Executive Producer – Ronny Vance
- Producer, Written-By – Larry John McNally, Richard Feldman, Rick Kelly
NOTES:
From the original Motion Picture Soundtrack “D.C. Cab”
An RKO-Universal Picture
“Peabo Bryson appears courtesy of Elektra / Asylum Records
Buy the 12” at DISCOGS
VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for BURNING THE GROUND
THE GEAR:
Turntable: Technics SL-1200MK7
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon Concorde Music Black
Phono Pre-amp: Pro-Ject Tube Box DS2
Phono Tubes: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7 ECC83/B759 Gold Pins Vacuum Tube – Matched Pair
Audio Interface: MOTU M4
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro Spin Acrylic Mat
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Cleaning Solution: Turgikleen Record Cleaning Solution
Scanner: 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
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I’m just going back here as I am presently listening to this song. I forgot that Peabo Bryson sang this song. Wow, just wow. What a 80s gem of a song so thank you Paul for sharing this with us.
Thank you, Paul.Wow, that’s the second song this week that I don’t recognize. I don’t know the movie either, by the way (I actually had to Google what the German title was).The song sounds like a typical ’80s movie song, though.It’s definitely going into my archive.
I honestly don’t remember the movie well, mostly just Mr. T and this song! Now this is a movie soundtrack song! I’m going to be a ‘broken record’ and also lament how movies have lost a bit of magic without amazing original soundtracks. There were just so many memorable, incredible soundtracks from the 80’s. This is one of those hidden gems that is a lot of fun that has really slipped into the shadows. Amazing this is the same Peabo Bryson known for beautiful ballads, it was a long time before I realized it was him. Great remix on this… Read more »
So stoked for this remix and dub! I have the soundtrack but didn’t realize a remixed version was out there!
Thanks a million!
& yes 80’s soundtracks are a world of their own, often with exclusive tracks & often hard to find once the movie promo period had ended!
Thanks, ING!
That’s exactly what makes these ’80s soundtrack singles so much fun. You think you know the album, then suddenly a remix or dub turns up that was hiding out on a promo or 12″ somewhere.
The remix and dub give the track a little more room to move, and it’s always nice when a soundtrack cut gets treated like a proper single. Those exclusive versions can be a real hunt once the film’s moment has passed.
Glad this one was a surprise for you!
Looking forward to sinking my ears into this record! I only know Mr. Bryson as the “Ballad Guy” with that smooth irresistible voice. It’s great that his switched-up gears for an upbeat production. I love the soundtracks from the 1980’s. It’s great remembering these compilations for their diversity and star-power.
Thank you, Paul!
Jeff
Thank you, Jeff!
I agree, Peabo is so often remembered for those gorgeous ballads, so hearing him step into something more upbeat is a nice surprise. The ’80s soundtracks really were something special, weren’t they? You could get pop, R&B, dance, rock, and a few oddball tracks all sitting together on one LP.
This one is a fun little detour in his catalog, and I think you’ll enjoy hearing him in a slightly different lane.
Paul
Bonus Beat:
I miss when movies had soundtracks packed with hit theme songs and singles. They just don’t seem to do that these days.
I so agree with you here, Paul. The soundtracks from the 1980s stood out because the tracks they cultivated were so varied. I was sad when the sequel to “Top Gun” came out because the original soundtrack was so excellent. Things just aren’t the same anymore. Change is always imminent but not always well-received.