Tag: 1984

May 5, 2026

Marilyn – You Don’t Love Me (UK 12″) (1984)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

NEW 2026 Transfer
NEW Meticulous Audio Restoration

Original post date: June 21, 2012

By 1984, Marilyn was still navigating the momentum that followed his breakthrough success, but the pop landscape was shifting quickly. Released as the third single from his debut album Despite Straight Lines, “You Don’t Love Me” showed a more reflective side of the singer, trading some of the earlier flash for a deeper emotional pull.

Musically, the track leans into a polished synth-pop sound with a soft, melancholic tone. The production is clean and uncluttered, allowing Marilyn’s soulful and expressive vocal to take center stage. There’s a sense of restraint here that works in the song’s favor, giving it a late-night, almost intimate feel.

Unlike the more immediate, club-oriented energy of his earlier hits, “You Don’t Love Me” feels more introspective. It captures the emotional fallout of a relationship with a quiet intensity, rather than going for obvious drama. That subtle approach is part of what makes the track stand out today.

On the charts, the single had a respectable showing. It reached No. 40 on the UK Singles Chart, while performing even better internationally, breaking into the Top 20 in both the Netherlands and New Zealand. Those placements suggest the song connected strongly outside the UK, even if it did not reach the same heights as his debut releases.

From a vinyl standpoint, the 12-inch format is where this track really opens up. The extended versions give the arrangement more room, emphasizing the groove and allowing the atmospheric elements to fully develop. It is one of those records where the longer mix feels essential, especially for listeners who appreciate the nuances of mid-80s production.

Looking back, “You Don’t Love Me” captures a transitional moment in Marilyn’s career. It reflects an artist trying to expand beyond a carefully crafted image, leaning more into mood and emotion. While it may not be his most celebrated single, it adds an important layer to the Despite Straight Lines era.

As always, this transfer has been given a NEW 2026 Meticulous Audio Restoration and Transfer, preserving the warmth and dynamics of the original vinyl pressing.

SIDE A:
You Don’t Love Me (Dance Mix) 6:08
Producer – Clive Langer And Alan Winstanley*

SIDE B:
Raining Again 5:06
Producer – Roger Jackson

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

Chart Performance — Marilyn: *You Don’t Love Me* (1984)
Chart	Peak Position	Date
UK Singles Chart	#40	1984
Australia (Kent Music Report)	#57	1984
Belgium (Ultratop)	#26	1984
Netherlands (Top Singles 100)	#18	1984
New Zealand	#16	1984

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Love (6) – MAZ 312, Love (6) – 818 808-1
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single
Country: UK
Released: Apr 1984
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Downtempo, Synth-pop

CREDITS:

Arranged By, Coordinator – Roger Jackson
Backing Vocals – Claudia Fontaine, Naomi*
Design – Da Gama
Lacquer Cut By – BilBo (3) (tracks: A)
Photography By – Johnny Rozsa
Written-By – Marilyn

NOTES:
from the LP Despite Straight Lines

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-Jec Tube Box DS2
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
Artwork Scans: 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

**24bit FLAC Only Available For Seven Days!

Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by donating using PayPal. I appreciate your help.

May 1, 2026

Jermaine Jackson & Pia Zadora – When The Rain Begins To Fall (US 12″) (1985)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

There are songs that define a moment, and then there are songs that feel like an entire movie packed into four minutes. “When The Rain Begins To Fall” lands firmly in the second category. Big, dramatic, and completely committed to its sound, it’s one of those tracks that instantly transports you back to the mid-80s.

Released in October 1984, this duet between Jermaine Jackson and Pia Zadora was recorded for the soundtrack to the cult sci-fi musical Voyage of the Rock Aliens. Zadora starred in the film, and the song is featured right at the beginning, doubling as the official music video. It sets the tone immediately, glossy, theatrical, and just a little bit surreal.

The song was written by Peggy March, Michael Bradley, and Steve Wittmack. Musically, it leans into that polished mid-80s pop sound, driven by synths, a strong rhythmic pulse, and a soaring chorus. The contrast between Jermaine’s smooth delivery and Zadora’s more dramatic vocal style gives the track its unique character. It shouldn’t work as well as it does, but that tension is exactly what makes it memorable.

Chart-wise, the single had a split story. In the United States it reached No. 54, and in the UK it peaked at No. 68. But across mainland Europe, it was a major hit. The song went to No. 1 in Belgium, the Netherlands, and France, and reached the Top 10 in Austria, Switzerland, and Italy. It also earned Gold certification in Germany and Platinum in France, making it one of the biggest international successes for both artists.

Because of that momentum, “When The Rain Begins To Fall” was added to later pressings of Jermaine’s 1984 album Jermaine Jackson. In the United States, the album carried that self-titled name, while in the UK and Europe it was released as Dynamite. Including the single helped strengthen the album’s appeal in markets where the song was already a proven hit.

What really makes this track endure is its sense of scale. Everything about it feels larger than life. The arrangement builds with purpose, the chorus hits hard, and the whole production has that cinematic quality that was so popular at the time. It doesn’t hold back, and that’s exactly why it works.

For anyone who remembers it from the charts, the film, or a well-worn 12-inch, “When The Rain Begins To Fall” is a perfect snapshot of 1984. A little bit pop, a little bit movie magic, and completely unforgettable.

SIDE A:
Jermaine Jackson & Pia Zadora – When The Rain Begins To Fall (Vocal Version With Breakdown) 5:24
Producer – Jack White
Remix – Lonnie Simons*
Written-By – Michael Bradley, Peggy March, Steve Wittmack

SIDE B:
Jermaine Jackson – Come To Me (One Way Or Another) 5:15
Executive-Producer – Clive Davis
Written-By – Jermaine Jackson

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

Chart Performance – Jermaine Jackson & Pia Zadora: When The Rain Begins To Fall (1985)	Peak Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)	63
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)	2
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)	1
Canada Top Singles (RPM)	42
France (SNEP)	1
Netherlands (Single Top 100)	1
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)	15
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)	1
UK Singles (OCC)	68
US Billboard Hot 100	54
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)	61
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)	22
West Germany (GfK)	1

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Arista – AD1-9317
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: US
Released: 1985
Genre: Electronic
Style: Hi NRG, Synth-pop

NOTES:
Side B: Taken from the album Jermaine Jackson
Pia Zadora appears courtesy of MCA/Curb Records

Printed in USA

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for BURNING THE GROUND

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

**24bit FLAC Only Available For Seven Days!

Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by donating using PayPal. I appreciate your help.

April 16, 2026

Digette – Fred From Jupiter (UK 12″) (1984)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

Every so often, a record comes along that feels like it beamed in from another planet—quirky, charming, slightly off-center, and completely irresistible. “Fred From Jupiter” by Digette is one of those hidden gems that perfectly embodies the playful, anything-goes spirit of the early ‘80s underground.

Released in 1984 on Sire Records, Digette was a short-lived but fascinating project featuring Lisa Michaelis (vocals, keyboards), Min Thometz (vocals), and Ivan Ivan (vocals, keyboards, percussion). If Ivan Ivan’s name rings a bell, it should—he was already making waves behind the scenes producing and working within the downtown New York scene, and this project carries that same artsy, left-of-center energy.

“Fred From Jupiter” is a delicious slice of minimalist synth-pop with a wink. Built around a simple, hypnotic keyboard line and deadpan, almost detached vocals, the track tells the oddball tale of an alien visitor—Fred—who seems both mysterious and oddly mundane. It’s that contrast that gives the song its charm. There’s no dramatic build, no big chorus—just a cool, repetitive groove that pulls you into its strange little universe.

What makes this even more interesting is that Digette’s version is actually a cover. The song was originally recorded in 1981 by the German group Die Doraus Und Die Marinas as “Fred Vom Jupiter.” That original version leans even further into the naïve, lo-fi aesthetic of the Neue Deutsche Welle movement, with a kind of childlike innocence that feels almost like a surreal art project.

Digette’s take smooths things out slightly for a wider audience while still retaining the offbeat personality that made the original so special. It’s a perfect example of how ideas traveled across borders in the early ‘80s—mutating and evolving as they went, but always keeping that experimental edge intact.

This is exactly the kind of track that fits right at home in the Closet 80s series—slightly obscure, endlessly interesting, and guaranteed to make you ask, “How did I miss this the first time around?”

💿 This transfer is a NEW 2026 Meticulous Audio Restoration and Transfer, bringing this quirky cult favorite back to life with the clarity and care it deserves. I originally posted this track on December 12, 2013, and I’m excited to revisit it with a fresh upgrade.

And in true offbeat ‘80s fashion, the record itself comes with one of the most delightfully eccentric special thanks lists you’ll ever read. Shout-outs go to Seymour Stein, Shirley Divers, Richard and Jean Wilson, Elliot Spears, Danny Heaps, Mark Josephson, Mark Fotiadis, Mark Kamins, all other Marks in this galaxy, Justin Strauss, Annette von Spreckelsen, Keith Haring, Ron Pameri, WLIR, NASA, ESA, and even The Russian Rocket Force—a perfectly surreal roll call that mirrors the song’s interstellar whimsy.

If you were digging through the bins in 1984, this might have been one of those records you passed over in favor of something more familiar. But give it a spin now, and you’ll find a quirky little treasure that captures a very specific moment in time—when pop music wasn’t afraid to be weird.

And honestly… we could use a little more of that.

SIDE A:
Fred From Jupiter (Long Version) 4:13
Written-By – Dorau, Maurischat

SIDE B:
Fred From Jupiter (Short Version) 2:35
Written-By – Dorau, Maurischat

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Sire – W9166T, Sire – W 9166 (T), Sire – 920279-0
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:

Art Direction, Design – Zoë Brotman
Artwork – Kenny Scharf
Costume Designer [Clothes By] – Parachute (13), Pat Fields*
Engineer – Matthias Härtl
Make-Up [Make Up] – Diane Matthews
Musician [Additional Musicians], Guitar – Tony Love
Musician [Additional Musicians], Sequenced By [Sequencer] – Peter Baumann
Performer [Digette Is] – Ivan Ivan, Lisa Michaelis, Min Thometz
Photography By [Photo] – Tseng Kwong Chi
Producer – Ivan Ivan, Peter Baumann
Stylist [Styling] – Ellen Silverstein (2)
Vocals – Min Thometz
Vocals, Keyboards – Lisa Michaelis
Vocals, Keyboards, Percussion – Ivan Ivan

NOTES:
Art Direction and Design for Studio Zed
Final Mix
Recorded at Cronex
Mixed at “Recordland” Berlin

This record is dedicated to the memory of Michael Stewart

Special thanks to Seymour Stein, Shirley Divers, Richard and Jean Wilson, Elliot Spears, Danny Heaps, Mark Josephson, Mark Fotiadis, Mark Kamins, all other Marks in this galaxy, Justin Strauss, Annette von Spreckelsen, Keith Haring, Ron Pameri, WLIR, NASA, ESA, The Russian Rocket Force.

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for BURNING THE GROUND

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

**24bit FLAC Only Available For Seven Days!

Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by donating using PayPal. I appreciate your help.

April 2, 2026

King – Soul On My Boots (Rub-A-Dub Mix) (UK 12″) (1984)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

Hot on the heels of their breakthrough hit “Love & Pride,” King returned with “Soul On My Boots,” released in 1984 as the follow-up single from their debut album Steps In Time.

By the time “Soul On My Boots” arrived, the band had already made a bold statement with “Love & Pride,” a track that perfectly captured their blend of pop, soul, and new wave. Expectations were high, and while the follow-up didn’t achieve the same commercial success—peaking at #158 on the UK Singles Chart—it offers a fascinating glimpse into the band’s developing identity.

Frontman Paul King is, as always, the focal point. His distinctive vocal style—equal parts smooth and urgent—rides effortlessly over the track’s tight rhythm section. There’s a confidence here that suggests a band riding the momentum of a hit, even if the song itself takes a slightly different path.

“Soul On My Boots” leans more into groove and attitude than outright pop immediacy. The horns add a punchy, soulful edge, while the bass and percussion lock into a rhythm that feels both danceable and grounded. It’s less glossy than “Love & Pride,” but perhaps more indicative of the band’s roots and influences.

What makes this single particularly interesting is how it contrasts with its predecessor. Where “Love & Pride” was bright, infectious, and instantly accessible, “Soul On My Boots” feels a bit more nuanced—less concerned with chart dominance and more focused on musical texture and vibe.

Although it didn’t replicate the success of their debut hit, the single still plays an important role in the King catalog. It shows a band willing to explore different shades of their sound rather than simply repeat a winning formula.

Looking back, “Soul On My Boots” stands as a reminder that not every follow-up single needs to be a blockbuster to be worthwhile. Sometimes, it’s these slightly overlooked tracks that give us the clearest picture of an artist’s depth and direction.

For fans of King and collectors of early-to-mid 80s new wave, this track is an essential listen—full of style, groove, and that unmistakable Paul King charisma.

SIDE A:
Soul On My Boots (Rub-A-Dub Mix) 6:29
Engineer – Phill Brown

SIDE B:
Ain’t No Doubt 2:39
Engineer – Andy Todd (2)

Fools 2:53
Engineer – Andy Todd (2)

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label:CBS – TA 4573
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Single, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop, New Wave

CREDITS:

Lacquer Cut By – Jonz*
Photography By – Sheila Rock
Producer – Richard James Burgess

NOTES:
From the LP Steps In Time

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for BURNING THE GROUND

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

**24bit FLAC Only Available For Seven Days!

Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by donating using PayPal. I appreciate your help.