BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1986
“Higher Love” is a 1986 song by English singer Steve Winwood. It was the first single released from his fourth solo LP, Back in the High Life. It was written by Winwood and Will Jennings, and produced by Russ Titelman and Winwood. The female vocals on the song were performed by Chaka Khan, who also appeared in the promotional music video.
“Higher Love” was Winwood’s first Billboard Hot 100 number-one hit, topping the chart for one week. It was preceded by Madonna’s “Papa Don’t Preach” and followed by “Venus” by Bananarama. The song also spent four weeks atop the US Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart. It peaked at number 13 in the United Kingdom, his highest charting solo hit there. It also earned two Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.
SIDE A:
Higher Love (Remix) 7:40
SIDE B:
Higher Love (Instrumental) 6:04
And I Go 4:10
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
U.S. CHART HISTORY:
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Higher Love | U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | #1 |
| 1986 | Higher Love | U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks | #7 |
| 1986 | Higher Love | U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary | #2 |
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Island Records – 12 IS 288
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1986
Genre: Rock
Style: Pop Rock
CREDITS:
Edited By – Malcolm Pollack (tracks: A)
Engineer – Jason Corsaro (tracks: A), Tom Lord Alge* (tracks: A, B1)
Producer – Russ Titelman (tracks: A, B1), Steve Winwood
Remix – Tom Lord Alge* (tracks: A, B1)
Written-By – Steve Winwood, Will Jennings
NOTES:
“HIGHER LOVE” From the LP “BACK IN THE HIGH LIFE”
Find the 12″ at DISCOGS
VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net
EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge: Ortofon 2M
Stylus: Ortofon 2M Bronze
Isolation: Auralex Acoustics ISO-Tone Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp: Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Tube: Tung-Sol 12AX7 TubeGold Pins
Soundcard: Novation Audiohub 2×4 Audio Interface
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner
SOFTWARE USED:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling: iZotope RX Advanced 2, ocenaudio
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)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi
Hi Paul,
The JPG cover, only, appears to have a nasty ‘jpg moire pattern’ effect in it. Probably due to the ‘unsharpen mask’ or other sharpening tool in the scanner software.
I recommend, if I may, not applying ANY sharpening in the scanning process of the covers, only a tad bit, a slight ‘unsharpened mask’ in Photoshop and thats if needed at all.
Perhaps you can update the cover artwork. Thank you very much!
Have you ever heard the Whitney studio version of this song?? I love the Whitney version as much as this version by Steve Winwood but not sure which version came first the Whitney version or Steve’s version lol but both are great. 🙂 It was on the Japan issue cd of Whitney’s “Im Your Baby Tonight”
Thanks for this Paul! Do you also have his Holding On?
A Big Thank You Paul for posting this 80’s classic.
When Steve Winwood was recording Higher Love, I read somewhere that Chaka Khan was in the next recording room and really loved the track, and got to be on backing vocals.
Nile Rodgers is on rhythm guitar.
The video Higher Love was directed by Peter Kagan and Paula Greif in June 1986, they also directed Duran Duran’s Notorious video (also featuring Nile Rodgers) in November 1986.
Sorry…..The video for “Notorious” was shot on 23 September 1986.
You keep delivering the goods.
The instrumentation on this track is phenomenal.
Thanks again Paul.
You’re welcome Teo 🙂
Paul!!! Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Steve Winwood’s “Higher Love” is one of my top ten favorite songs of all time – it just makes me feel alive. Each time I hear it, it takes me back to where I was when it came out. It has this timeless quality about it. The Chaka Khan breakdown makes me so happy! I will admit, I did laugh when Sweet Dee and Dennis brought “Higher Love” on CD to their workout class on “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia” 😉
You’re welcome Blair Warner thanks for sharing your memory of the song with us 🙂
Thank you very much for this great instrumental version.
You’re welcome Marceloide 🙂
Excellent Paul, Steve Winwood’s 12″ versions are very good, i’m looking for a rare version: Steve Winwood – Holding On (Dance Mix), a Tom Lord-Alge Remix,.
Pretty sure I have that one but will have to check 🙂
That would be spectacular, thanks Paul
Excellent post! Thank you! Hopefully, more Steve Winwood 12″ posts to come?
You’re welcome 🙂
Hi all
Thanks to DJ Paul for tha post…
And happy birthday to all 23rd February peeps… Me included!
Yep, alao my birthday today 🙂
Wow! So many February Birthdays. HAPPY BIRTHDAY Phil 🙂
Thank you Paul 🙂
Phil N,
Happy belated birthday wishes. Hope you enjoyed your special day.
Sincerely,
Jeff
Thanks Jeff 🙂
Very astute comments BTGers! Impeccable rip as always Paul. The original remix has a ‘dub’ treatment of the lines following “Things look so fine everywhere” at 1:28 (some delay effect and partial omission), plus a few other small changes. The extended version that was released years later is a slight re-working of the original remix that keeps the full lyrics intact and later in the mix keeps the msuic a bit more straightforward. I own both and I believe the reason for the later re-working was simply to present the full song and all lyrics as one would have heard… Read more »
It would be interesting if you could post the exact 12″ singles and/or discogs weblinks to compare which mix is which. Until a few years ago, I had only heard the mix with the tons of echo/reverb. That mix (that I own) is on the Freedom Overspill 12″ (which include AWESOME remixes too!). The mix with the less/no echo/reverb also has a different ending which had to have been done in the studio (so it’s not simple editing). It’s too bad Steve never released a 12″ cd compilation or a double-cd re-release with bonus mixes. I’ve been drooling for those… Read more »
🙂
🙂
Thank you.
There is a different mix on the ’80s Dance – Gold compilation titled UK Extended Mix which appears to be fake, i.e. not on any original release.
I think they just named it wrong. That mix is legit. I have that mix as well as the original 12″s. The label(s) just did a poor job naming the mix. Many labels did this back in the 80s when there were only 1-2 mixes of a song…and they were often named/renamed all the time as “Remix” or “Extended Remix” or “Extended Mix” or “Special Mix”. It drove me nuts! They often (purposely) would not put the track times on the 12″ sleeve so you were forced to buy it, go home, and find that it was the same mix… Read more »
On what original release does that mix appear? It is not on this UK “Higher Love” 12″ or on the US “Freedom Overspill” 12″.
This is perfect as I was compiling a Steve Winwood compilation recently and only had a mediocre CD rip on a so-called remastered effort.
Cheers Paul 🙂
Cheers Mark! 🙂
Great rip, Paul! As people may note (or compare), this remix is very close to the US Remix. I’m not sure why they made 2 remixes that are so similar.
I really love the instrumental, too!
Thanks again and have a great weekend!
-Eric
I should have given an example of the different mixes…at 1:30 one mix will have lots of echo while the other mix does not. Both mixes are almost the same total time and very very similar in edits/breaks/etc. but just stumps me why they made 2 mixes so similar.
I have the other one that appears on the “Freedom Overspill” 12″. Have a great weekend Fred 🙂
What wonderful weeks these last two were Paul. Ah, the end of “Februlove” (sigh!) Still, all your posts are about love: the music, the artists, what you do for all of us. I am so delighted. I’m excited about this release because of the instrumental. I just love your flip-sides. With you, it’s about “Buzz Love” the “Killer B-Sides” besides the wonderful A-Side tracks. Thank you Paul for your generosity everyday. I swell up in admiration!! Have a great Weekend to you Paul and everyone else too. Oh, and Happy Birthday wishes to Daniel and, I believe, Song_And_Dance too. Guys,… Read more »
Thank you Jeff. It´s very nice and considerate that you remembered. It means a lot to me.
Cheers 🙂
s´n´d
Have a great weekend Jeff 🙂
Wow Paul! You make my (birth)day! Now this is one of my favourites! Tom Lord Alge made a great work on these remixes. I’m very happy to get them in pristine quality. As far as I know the Instrumental Mix has never appeared on CD. Thank you Paul for all these beautiful “LOVE” posts. This is so much fun. Have a great weekend.
Happy Birthday Daniel!
Jeff
Thank you Jeff. You are such a nice person and your comments are so soulful and beautifully written. Have a great weekend.
That´s funny – it´s my birthday, too. Happy birthday Daniel and to everyone else born on the 23rd of February.
Have to get back to my small party so I´ll make it short: awesome song. Love it Paul. Thank you very much.
I raise my glass to you 🙂
Happy Birthday Song_and_Dance!!! Not sure if you saw my B-Day wish to you and Daniel, but I’m really excited for you guys.
Jeff
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Song_and_Dance hope it was a blast 🙂
I already told you yesterday on Facebook Daniel. Happy Birthday my dear friend 🙂