BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1989
“Ain’t Nobody” is a 1983 hit single by Rufus & Chaka Khan. It was released as a studio bonus track on the band’s live album Stompin’ at the Savoy. It reached number one on the U.S. R&B chart and twenty-two on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. It has become one of Khan’s signature songs.
Rufus keyboardist David “Hawk” Wolinski wrote the song around a repeating synthesizer loop backed by a LinnDrum drum machine. Legendary producer Quincy Jones (who had previously worked with Rufus) wanted Wolinski to give “Ain’t Nobody” to Michael Jackson for the album that would become the blockbuster, Thriller, but Wolinski had already promised it to producer Russ Titelman, who ultimately had the band record it as a vocal showcase for Khan.
The song was also included in the soundtrack of the movie Breakin’.
House music pioneer Frankie Knuckles remixed the record for Chaka Khan’s Life Is a Dance – The Remix Project (the first-ever double album of outside remixes of a single artist’s catalogue) in 1988. This remix is regarded as the first example of what would become Knuckles’ (and business partner David Morales’) “Def Classic Mix” style.
SIDE A:
Ain’t Nobody (LP Remix Version) 4:24
Engineer [Remix] – John Poppo
Engineer [Assistant] – Abdu Malahi
Producer – Russ Titelman
Percussion [Additional], Programmed By [Keyboards] – David Morales, Peter Swartz*
Written By – Hawk Wolinski
Remix, Producer [Additional] – Frankie Knuckles
Performed By: Rufus & Chaka Khan
SIDE B:
Ain’t Nobody (Hallucinogenic Version) 6:55
Engineer [Remix] – John Poppo
Engineer [Assistant] – Abdu Malahi
Producer – Russ Titelman
Percussion [Additional], Programmed By [Keyboards] – David Morales, Peter Swartz*
Written By – Hawk Wolinski
Remix, Producer [Additional] – Frankie Knuckles
Performed By: Rufus & Chaka Khan
I’m Every Woman (Dub Version) 4:58
Remix, Producer [Additional] – Dancin’ Danny D
Engineer [Remix] – Jerry Allom*
Written By – Ashford & Simpson
Producer – Arif Mardin
Edited By – Dancin’ Danny D, Steve Murrell
Performed By: Chaka Khan
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Cover: Near Mint
CHARTS:
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Ain’t Nobody (Remix) | U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | #22 |
| 1989 | Ain’t Nobody (Remix) | U.S. Billboard Hot R&B Hip-Hop Songs | #1 |
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Warner Bros. Records
Catalog#: 921 269-0, W 2880 T
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1989
Genre: Electronic
Style: House, Disco
NOTES:
Remixed at Quantum, Jersey City & Shakedown, N.Y. (A, B1).
Taken from / Original version from the LP * Cassette * CD ‘Life Is A Dance – The Remix Project’.
Made In U.K.
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
I appreciate the incredible work you put into this production (your website). I am no expert on the technical aspects of what you do but I recognize your expertise and skill by your output. A quality website and incredibly good musical taste and consistently good output. Thank you for gifting us with your skill and generosity.
Hi Paul! 😉 I cannot thank you enough for the good work you’ve been doing over the years…and I would like to ask you if you could post here also Chaka Khan’s 1988 CK album lead single “It’s My Party”…it wasn’t quite a hit, but it’s definitely one of the most forgotten songs in Chaka’s repertoire and as it never deserved CD treatment (as far as I know), I would like to enjoy the single cut plus the mixes!…Thank you!…
I always thought this was a sexy song. Love it!
Already a classic, but these versions are cool.
Thank you Paul 🙂
Hello!! thanks for the post too much.It can let me open the archive beacause its badd password can you help me?? thans!!
Thanks Paul. I have been looking for this for a long time.
Very nice version but don’t you have the “Bassapella” ? I remember that the cd-single had three versions on it.
This is not the CD version.
OVERJOYED to find this, Paul – thanks so much for re-loading.
dd
Thank you, thank you. Wow, I am having flashbacks of the 1980s, I really appreciate what you are sharing. I was only 14 years old when this song came out, and 1983+beyond of my teen years were probably the most challenging, tragic, and exciting times of my then young life. I love how an old tune will trigger sense memories of pleasant moments I thought I had forgotten.
I am so intrigued to know what Michael Jackson would have done with this song. It’s such a classic Chaka song, but I can hear Michael doing it, too! Thanks Paul!
Thanks paul, Love it
It’s so cool to see this nice Chaka’s song here on your site, Paul. Thank you so much!
Ain’t Nobody else can give us such a priceless gem than you Dj Paul. Thank you for this fantastic post.