Burning The Ground Exclusive

Released in 1989, “Back To Life (However Do You Want Me)” became one of the defining records of the closing months of the 1980s. Built around Caron Wheeler’s unforgettable vocal, the record combined soul, R&B, hip-hop rhythms, strings, and the laid-back club sound that made Soul II Soul stand apart from almost everything else on the radio at the time.

Led by Jazzie B, Soul II Soul had already scored a major hit earlier in the year with “Keep On Movin’,” also featuring Wheeler. “Back To Life,” however, took the group to another level.

One of the most interesting things about the song is that the version everyone knows was not originally included on the group’s debut LP, Club Classics Vol. One, in that familiar form. The album contained a mostly a cappella version of “Back To Life,” with the rhythm entering near the end as the track moved into “Jazzie’s Groove.” Jazzie B and producer Nellee Hooper later returned to the song and rebuilt it for single release, adding the shuffling beat, piano, strings, and other elements that turned it into the classic we know today.

The result was massive.

“Back To Life” reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart in June 1989 and remained there for four weeks. In the United States, the single reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the R&B chart.

The song also earned Soul II Soul featuring Caron Wheeler the 1990 Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance By A Duo or Group with Vocal. Soul II Soul also picked up a second Grammy that year for the instrumental “African Dance.”

For today’s post, I am featuring the US 12″ single released by Virgin Records, catalog number 0-96537.

This pressing is particularly nice because Virgin packed five different versions onto the record.

The centerpiece is the 7:37 “12″ Mix.” This full-length club treatment gives that familiar rhythm and bass groove plenty of room to breathe. Instead of simply stretching the radio version, the mix lets the arrangement unfold slowly, making Caron Wheeler’s vocal sound even more powerful when it enters.

The 3:29 “A Cappella Intro Version” is also included, an interesting link between the song’s a cappella beginnings and the finished single.

The 3:50 “LP Version” takes us back toward the original album presentation, making the contrast between the original concept and the hit single especially interesting when all of the versions are heard together.

Flip the record over and things get even more DJ-friendly.

“Jam & The Groove,” running 5:08, takes the familiar elements of the record and rearranges them into a more groove-centered workout, while the 4:38 “Bonus Beats” puts the rhythm section front and center. In 1989, mixes like these were made with DJs in mind, giving them extra material for mixing and extending a track on the dance floor.

SIDE A:
A1. Back To Life (12″ Mix) 7:37
A2. Back To Life (A Cappella Intro Version) 3:29
A3. Back To Life (LP Version) 3:50

SIDE B:
B1. Back To Life (Jam & The Groove) 5:08
B2. Back To Life (Bonus Beats) 4:38

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

The five-track configuration and running times are specific to this 1989 US Virgin 12″ pressing.

More than three decades later, “Back To Life” still sounds remarkably fresh. That deep rolling beat, the sweeping strings, the sparse arrangement, and Wheeler’s voice gave the record a sound that was unmistakably Soul II Soul.

And then there is that opening.

The moment you hear “Back to life, back to reality,” you know exactly what record is coming.

For those of us who love the 12″ format, Virgin 0-96537 is also a great example of why these singles are worth preserving. You are not getting one extended mix with a throwaway B-side. You get several different ways of hearing one of 1989’s most important records, including mixes that show how the track developed from its unusual a cappella beginnings into an international hit.

Enjoy!

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Virgin – 0-96537, Virgin – 96537-0
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Stereo
Country: US
Released: 1989
Genre: Funk / Soul
Style: Contemporary R&B, Downtempo

CREDITS:

• Design – Ranch Associates Limited
• Photography By [Dancer] – Jamie Morgan*
• Photography By [Jazzie B And Caron Wheeler] – Enrique Badulescu
• Producer, Mixed By – Jazzie B, Nellee Hooper
• Vocals – Caron Wheeler
• Written-By – Romeo*

NOTES:
From the album ‘Keep On Movin” available on Virgin Records, Cassettes, and CD’s

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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