Burning The Ground Exclusive
Released in late 1988, “I Wanna Be The One” marked a major turning point for Miami freestyle sensation Stevie B. Issued as the lead single from his second album In My Eyes, the song introduced Stevie B to a much broader audience and became his first U.S. Top 40 hit, climbing to No. 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1989. While he had already built a loyal following on dance floors and urban radio, “I Wanna Be The One” helped push freestyle music further into the mainstream during the late 1980s.
Built around shimmering synths, crisp drum programming, and Stevie B’s instantly recognizable emotional vocal delivery, “I Wanna Be The One” perfectly captured the romantic heartbreak that defined much of the freestyle genre. The song’s lyrics tell the story of longing and devotion, themes that resonated strongly with fans and helped establish Stevie B as one of freestyle’s most successful crossover artists.
The single performed especially well on dance and crossover radio stations, where freestyle was thriving alongside dance-pop and contemporary R&B. Its polished production and catchy chorus made it accessible to pop audiences while still maintaining the Latin-influenced electronic sound that freestyle fans loved. The success of “I Wanna Be The One” paved the way for an impressive string of hits that would follow throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, including “In My Eyes,” “Love Me For Life,” and eventually the No. 1 ballad “Because I Love You (The Postman Song).”
Several versions of “I Wanna Be The One” were released across 7-inch, 12-inch, and cassette single formats. The extended 12-inch mixes became especially popular in clubs, offering longer instrumental passages and dancefloor-friendly arrangements that highlighted the song’s layered synth textures and freestyle rhythms.
At a time when freestyle music was exploding in cities like Miami, New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, Stevie B emerged as one of the genre’s defining voices. “I Wanna Be The One” remains one of his signature recordings and a favorite among fans of classic late-80s dance music. More than three decades later, the song still stands as a timeless example of freestyle’s emotional energy and melodic charm.
SIDE A:
I Wanna Be The One (Radio Mix) 5:05
I Wanna Be The One (Extended Mix) 6:58
SIDE B:
I Wanna Be The One (Blissapella) 5:22
I Wanna Be The One (Percapella) 5:33
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Mint
Sleeve: Mint
| Chart | Peak Position | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (RPM Dance / Urban) | #3 | 1988 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | #32 | 1988 |
| US Billboard Hot Dance Music / Club Play | #39 | 1988 |
| US Billboard Hot Dance Music / Maxi-Singles Sales | #12 | 1988 |
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: LMR (Lefrak-Moelis Records) – LMR 4003
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1988
Genre: Electronic
Style: Freestyle
CREDITS:
- Arranged By – Dadgel Atabay, Stevie B
- Executive-Producer – Herb Moelis
- Lacquer Cut By – Gladys*
- Mastered By – Gladys Hopkowitz
- Producer, Written-By – Stevie B
- Remix – Glenn Gutierrez, Jimmy Starr
NOTES:
Runouts are etched except for the SRC logo which is stamped.
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
PLEASE READ
There are two 24-Bit links; if one does not work, try the other
**24-bit FLAC Only Available For SIX Days!
Password: burningtheground
You can help show your support for this blog by donating using PayPal.
I appreciate your help.
Many Thanks Paul.!!
Cmon. This is blueprint late 80s bubble gum pop freestyle aimed at crashing the playlist at all the urban top stations in the US. This is not a club record. You can not do better than a striking mullet, MC Hammer pants, booming 808 beats, phat moog bass and crooning about yearning for love for 13-year old girls. Quintessential radio sounds from an era when freestyle had already faded into obscurity and the kids where onto the next hyped music style (take your pick – gangsta rap/house/acid/detroit techno/rare groove/new kids on the block/samantha fox).
Thank you Paul. Unfortunately, the song lacks that certain “something.” It’s worth a listen, but it doesn’t exactly knock your socks off. In my opinion, his best tracks are “Dreamin’ Of Love” and “Spring Love.” By the way, Paul – it just occurred to me that someone here on the forum (unfortunately, I can’t remember who it was) was asking about “Seduction – Two To Make It Right”. I digitized the European pressing over the weekend. How can I get that version to you so you can compare it with your US pressing? It would be really interesting to see… Read more »
Hi, Toxicaudi
I agree about this record, it does lack that certain “something.” I understand why it only reached 32 on the US charts. Still worth checking out as it is a big part of 80s music history.
You can send me a link. I would love to compare your European version to my US pressing.
Hi Paul, I’ve sent the link via email. If you have any trouble with the download, just drop me a quick email.
Hi Toxicaudio! I reached out to you here a few weeks ago but I guess you did not see my message. Could you email me sometime? old_remixit at yahoo Thanks!
Hi Fred,sorry, I sent you an email back then, but unfortunately, you didn’t reply. I just sent you the download link. Please let me know if it works.
It’s always a pleasure having you chime in with your reactions, Toxicaudio! I admire and love the fact that you are a serious audiophile when it comes to records and technology. I appreciated what you had to say about this track! I’m also thrilled about you sharing your rip with Paul of the Seduction song. Paul is a perfectionist and I remember him stating that his copy wasn’t very good in some places. I’d love this record to happen one day on his site. Seduction had some awesome cuts and would love to hear them properly digitized! Thank you, Toxicaudio,… Read more »
Jeff, thanks for your kind words. You are the heart and soul of this community, and I look forward to your posts every time. You are absolutely right-Paul is a total perfectionist. His rips are absolutely flawless. It’s going to be very hard to top him. I’ve been ripping vinyl for years myself, so I know exactly how much work goes into it. If you’d like, send me an email at: toxicaudio at freenet.de and I’ll send you the download link, and then we wait for Paul’s rip and compare the two 😉
Gee, thanks so much, Toxicaudio! I am touched!
Jeff
I agree that this song lacks something. Especially when you compare it to his other hits as well as their accompanying mixes. Although I do like IWBTO, I felt the 1 Extended Mix was just that…the song kinda drones on. It was very strange to see a Blissapella and Percappella on the same 12″ AND no other mixes. I believe this is the only 12″ in my collection that has this oddity. But, I am a remix junkie so I love to collect them all. 🙂
My fingers are crossed for “In My Eyes”, an even better track off this album.
MusicHive, I will see if I can locate that one. Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate your comment.
We finally hit a freestyle post 😀 As much as I love freestyle I have never been the biggest Stevie B. fan. I don’t dislike any of his stuff, in fact I quite like a lot of it, I just don’t think there is anything of his I absolutely love (ok, Spring Love is pretty amazing, probably my favorite from him). I was totally struck by your comment below Paul where you talked about this record. I think you hit the nail on the head… it’s good but there is not a lot of risk taking or adventure. I would… Read more »
JP, this is a thoughtful breakdown, and honestly, I agree with a lot of what you are saying here. I think Stevie B’s appeal was always more about mood and accessibility than innovation. He had a knack for making freestyle palatable to mainstream pop audiences, which helped him become hugely successful, but it also meant that some of the edge and experimentation found in other freestyle artists was toned down a bit. “Spring Love” is absolutely one of his best. That one has atmosphere, emotion, and a real sense of personality. It feels alive in a way that “I Wanna… Read more »
Hey JP, I so enjoyed reading your review of this record. As a passionate Freestyle fan myself, the record did disappoint me. My favorite Stevie B records have to be, “Party Your Body” and his excellent production for Jaya’s, “If You Leave Me Now.” I especially loved when Tolga Katas did those powerful edits on some of Stevie’s dub versions! Wicked good! Hey, great mention of George Lamond too! He has the voice skills and the incredible production values of Chris Barbosa which made his work indelible to me. I do love this genre of music, but so much of… Read more »
Greetings, back again, thank God. PC problems (hard drive). Stevie B – I Wanna Be The One (1988) “I Wanna Be The One” is the third single from Stevie B’s debut album, In My Eyes (originally released in late 1988 and a huge hit in 1989). After the success of “Party Your Body” and “Dreamin’,” this track cemented the Miami artist’s status as the “King of Freestyle.” Lyrical Content The lyrics are direct, romantic, and catchy: the classic plea of someone who wants to win the heart of their loved one and prove they are “the one” (The One). This… Read more »
Hey Paul Stevie B Is the Shtt. I met Stevie B In Cali. He Came From The Group Friday Friday . Only A Promo Copy Came Out In 1985 A song Called Boy Toy. So I knew Stevie B Before He Hit The Big Time. So 3 Years Later In 88 Stevie Sent Me A Promo Copy Of Party Your Body. I Love All Stevie B Jamms. Thanks For This One!!!
Mark, now that is a fantastic piece of freestyle history right there. Very cool that you knew about Stevie B before the mainstream success hit. A lot of people only discovered him once “Party Your Body” exploded, but those early promo releases are the kind of thing true freestyle fans and DJs remember. And getting a promo copy of “Party Your Body” directly from Stevie in 1988 is amazing. That must have been incredible at the time, especially watching him go from the underground club scene to national success just a few years later. You can definitely hear why his… Read more »
Richard, you just named off a fantastic playlist of late-80s freestyle classics. That really was such a special period for the genre. Between 1988 and 1989, freestyle had this perfect balance of club energy, pop accessibility, and emotional songwriting that made it unforgettable. Groups like Sweet Sensation and Pajama Party absolutely defined that era. Songs like “Sincerely Yours,” “Never Let You Go,” and “My Heart Skips A Beat” still sound amazing today. There was a sweetness and innocence to many of those records, but they still carried strong dancefloor energy. And “Over And Over” and “Hide & Seek” are exactly… Read more »
Thanks for the great post, Paul! I remember this well and absolutely loved the very long exit starting at 5:39…I used that exit often with incoming songs that had a great 32 or 64 beat intro. I really appreciate the posting of this!
Fred, now that is the kind of detail only a DJ would immediately lock onto. That extended exit is probably my favorite part of the mix too. It really was perfectly designed for blending into another track with a long intro. Producers and remixers in that era understood how important those transitions were for club DJs. I love hearing how you actually used that section in your sets. Those long outros and intros were such an essential part of freestyle, dance-pop, and Hi-NRG mixing during the 80s. They gave DJs room to work and helped keep the energy flowing on… Read more »
This is one of my favorite classics from Stevie B. Thanks for the share!
You’re welcome, Hector. Glad you like it.
This song was heard everywhere at the time in my neck of the woods. Whether on the radio, in the clubs, the malls or on the beach, Stevie B crossed over big time. I’m more of a fan of his earlier hits, but this one had its charms. A great melody and memorable keyboard licks, whenever it came on, I could be singing along to the song. Latin Hip Hop/Freestyle/Electro Hop made its impression on me during the 80s into the 90s, especially with talented songwriters, producers, editors, and DJ mixmasters! When quality gave way to quantity, I lamented that… Read more »
Jeff, I think a lot of that depended on where you lived at the time. Here in Oklahoma, I had never heard this one on the radio either, so I don’t have the same connection to it that many freestyle fans do. I was much more into Stevie B’s earlier material myself. Working on the record today, I found the song to be very monotonous. It is not one of my favorite records. The groove stays pretty locked in throughout the track, and compared to some of the more energetic or emotionally dramatic freestyle records of the era, this one… Read more »
In ’88 we were going to the clubs in NYC that the mob was opening and closing in record time to wash money and escape IRS attention, so I don’t really remember any names of any particular club! But my wife loved this song the first time we heard it at one of them.
Raymond, that is such a great snapshot of late-80s New York nightlife. There really was an entire underground world of clubs opening and disappearing overnight back then. The stories from that era are legendary. What I love most about your comment is that even if the club names faded with time, the music memories did not. That is the real magic of songs like this. One hearing in the right setting, with the right person beside you, and it becomes permanently attached to a moment in your life. I can absolutely picture this track playing in one of those packed… Read more »