Tag: 1984

Pointer Sisters – Neutron Dance / I’m So Excited (Japan 12″ Promo) (1984)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

BTG fans have spoken.

Ladies Of The 80s: Soundtrack Edition is officially returning for a fourth week!

To begin, we have the Pointer Sisters, one of the most successful and versatile female groups of the 1980s, with “Neutron Dance” from the blockbuster soundtrack to Beverly Hills Cop.

And because one Pointer Sisters classic is never enough, the flip side contains “I’m So Excited.”

Today’s record is a rare Japanese promotional 12-inch that pairs special extended versions of both hits. It is an unusual coupling that appears to have been created exclusively for the Japanese market.

What a way to begin week four.

“Neutron Dance” first appeared on the Pointer Sisters’ 1983 album Break Out. The album became the biggest commercial success of their career and produced an incredible run of singles, including “Automatic,” “Jump (For My Love),” “I’m So Excited,” and “Neutron Dance.”

Written by Allee Willis and Danny Sembello and produced by Richard Perry, “Neutron Dance” featured Ruth Pointer on lead vocals, with Anita and June supporting her.

Ruth was not immediately convinced by the song.

The word “neutron” made her think about bombs, violence, and the threat of nuclear war. Allee Willis encouraged her to stop worrying about the title and sing it with the same gospel spirit Ruth had developed in church.

That advice changed everything.

Ruth’s performance gives the track its soul. She does not simply sing over the electronic production. She attacks it with the force of a gospel performance, turning a strange title into a celebration of survival, determination, and joy.

The verses describe frustration and hardship, but the chorus refuses to surrender. Ruth sounds as though she is determined to keep moving no matter what happens around her.

Sometimes the best answer to trouble is to dance through it.

The song’s path to Beverly Hills Cop also involved a strange twist.

“Neutron Dance” had already appeared on Break Out when Allee Willis received a package from the movie’s producers. Inside was a copy of her own song, along with a request for new music that sounded like it.

Willis and Danny Sembello wrote Patti LaBelle’s “Stir It Up” for the film, but the producers also decided to use “Neutron Dance” itself.

Apparently, no one could write a better “Neutron Dance” than the original writers.

The song plays during the wild opening chase in Beverly Hills Cop. Eddie Murphy’s Axel Foley is caught in the back of a speeding truck as it smashes through traffic and leaves destruction across Detroit.

The scene moves fast.

The song moves faster.

Released in December 1984, Beverly Hills Cop became one of the defining comedies of the decade. Its soundtrack was equally successful, featuring Glenn Frey’s “The Heat Is On,” Patti LaBelle’s “New Attitude” and “Stir It Up,” Harold Faltermeyer’s “Axel F,” and the Pointer Sisters’ “Neutron Dance.” The album later won the Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media.

The movie gave “Neutron Dance” the push it needed to become a major single.

It reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1985, becoming the fourth Top 10 hit released from Break Out and the final Top 10 pop hit of the Pointer Sisters’ career.

The music video continued the Beverly Hills Cop connection. Ruth, Anita, and June appear as unhappy movie-theater employees while scenes from the film play around them. Bronson Pinchot, who appeared in the movie as Serge, also joined the fun.

The record captures the Pointer Sisters at their commercial peak.

Ruth’s gospel-powered lead vocal is surrounded by synthesizers, electronic drums, handclaps, and a rhythm that never stops pushing forward. It sounds mechanical and human at the same time.

Then we turn the record over.

“I’m So Excited” had already lived more than one life before appearing on this Japanese promo.

Written by Anita, June, and Ruth Pointer with Trevor Lawrence, the song was originally released in 1982. That first release reached number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100.

A remixed version returned in 1984, was added to later pressings of Break Out, and climbed to number nine. It became one of the group’s signature recordings and remains nearly impossible to hear without singing along.

While “Neutron Dance” features Ruth out front, “I’m So Excited” belongs to Anita.

She begins with a controlled sense of anticipation, but that control does not last long. By the chorus, the sisters are practically exploding out of the speakers.

The Japanese promotional 12-inch gives both songs extra room.

“Neutron Dance” was mixed by Bill Schnee and edited by Michael Brooks. The extended arrangement stretches the introduction, emphasizes the electronic rhythm, and allows Ruth’s vocal ad-libs to build toward the chorus.

“I’m So Excited” was remixed by Gabe Veltri and Jim Tract, with Trevor Lawrence credited as associate producer. Their version expands the percussion, vocals, and instrumental passages without weakening the song’s immediate pop appeal.

This is not simply a soundtrack single with an unrelated B-side.

It is a snapshot of the Pointer Sisters at the height of their powers.

One side gives us the gospel-charged electronic rush of “Neutron Dance.”

The other gives us the unstoppable celebration of “I’m So Excited.”

The Pointer Sisters had already traveled through gospel, jazz, country, funk, soul, rock, and disco before conquering 1980s pop. Few groups could move between so many styles while keeping their identity intact.

That range makes them perfect for Ladies Of The 80s.

Week four is here.

The readers are excited.

The Pointer Sisters are excited.

And somewhere in Detroit, Axel Foley is hanging from the back of a runaway truck.

Let’s do the Neutron Dance.

SIDE A:
Neutron Dance (Special Extended Version) 5:36
Edited By – Michael Brooks
Producer – Richard Perry
Remix – Bill Schnee

SIDE B:
I’m So Excited (Special Extended Version) 5:41
Producer – Trevor Lawrence
Remix – Gabe Veltri, Jim Tract

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

Single Chart Peak Position
Neutron Dance Australia (Kent Music Report) 4
Neutron Dance Canada Top Singles (RPM) 1
Neutron Dance Germany Singles Chart 18
Neutron Dance Ireland Singles Chart 14
Neutron Dance UK Singles Chart 31
Neutron Dance US Billboard Hot 100 6
Neutron Dance US Billboard Hot Black Singles 13
Neutron Dance US Billboard Adult Contemporary 23
Neutron Dance US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play 4
I’m So Excited Canada Top Singles (RPM) 21
I’m So Excited Ireland Singles Chart 6
I’m So Excited UK Singles Chart 11
I’m So Excited US Billboard Hot 100 9
I’m So Excited US Billboard Adult Contemporary 25

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Planet (15) – PLR-12002
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single
Country: Japan
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic, Funk / Soul
Style: Synth-pop, Soul

NOTES:
Track A: From the Paramount motion picture “Beverly Hills Cop.”

Special Extended Version 45 RPM

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

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Olivia Newton-John – Livin’ In Desperate Times / Twist Of Fate (US 12″) (1984)

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NEW 2026 Transfer
NEW Meticulous Audio Restoration

For today’s Ladies Of The 80s: Soundtrack Edition, we have a Twofer.

This double A-side 12-inch brings together two of Olivia Newton-John’s strongest recordings from the soundtrack to the 1983 film Two Of A Kind. Both tracks appear in extended versions, and collectors also get an interesting variation that remained hidden among different international pressings for years.

Two Of A Kind reunited Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta five years after Grease. Directed by John Herzfeld, the fantasy comedy opened in December 1983. Travolta plays Zack, a struggling inventor who attempts to rob a bank. Olivia plays Debbie, the teller who secretly keeps the money for herself.

Meanwhile, a group of angels is trying to prove to God that humanity is still worth saving. Their plan depends on Zack and Debbie falling in love and being willing to sacrifice everything for each other.

It is a strange movie.

Grease it is not.

The film received poor reviews, but its music developed a much stronger life of its own. The soundtrack included four Olivia Newton-John performances, along with recordings by Patti Austin, Chicago, Journey, Boz Scaggs, Steve Kipner, and David Foster. Olivia also reunited with John Travolta for the duet “Take A Chance.”

The biggest song from the soundtrack was “Twist Of Fate.”

Written by Peter Beckett and Steve Kipner and produced by David Foster, “Twist Of Fate” gave Olivia a sharp, modern pop-rock sound. The record is driven by synthesizers, electronic drums, guitars, and a chorus that seems to grow larger with each repetition.

Olivia had already moved far beyond the gentle country-pop sound of her early career. Grease revealed a tougher and more playful side, while Totally Hot, Xanadu, Physical, and Two Of A Kind continued moving her toward rock, dance music, and sleek electronic pop.

Olivia was a true icon of reinvention. Long before it became expected for major female pop stars to change their music, image, and style with each new era, she had already shown how it could be done. Her ability to move between country, pop, rock, dance, movies, and fitness culture helped pave the way for artists such as Madonna, who would make constant reinvention a central part of her career.

“Twist Of Fate” sounds like another step in Olivia’s evolution.

Her vocal is clear and controlled, but there is an edge underneath it. She sings about a damaged relationship that has been given another chance. Instead of treating the reunion as a gentle romantic moment, she turns it into something urgent and almost desperate.

One lyric fits both the relationship and the supernatural plot of the film perfectly: “The gift of life extension by divine intervention.”

In the movie, divine intervention is quite literal. Angels are attempting to save Zack, Debbie, and possibly all of humanity. In the song, it describes a romance unexpectedly brought back to life. It is one of those rare soundtrack lyrics that connects directly to the film without making the song feel trapped inside its story.

“Twist Of Fate” was originally intended only to play during the film’s closing credits. However, the song received such a strong response from radio before the movie was finalized that its role was expanded.

Composer Patrick Williams reworked parts of the film’s score to incorporate musical elements from “Twist Of Fate.” What began as an end-credit song became part of the movie’s musical identity before its final release.

The hit single did more than help promote Two Of A Kind. Its early popularity helped change the sound of the finished film.

The movie’s advertising slogan, “It took a twist of fate to make them two of a kind,” also reflected the song’s importance to the production. It is difficult to imagine the movie without it now.

The song became a major North American hit. It reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1984 and became Olivia’s fifteenth and final Top 10 hit on that chart. It also reached the Top 5 in Australia and Canada. Its UK performance was surprisingly modest, peaking at number 57.

The film may have brought Olivia and John Travolta back together, but “Twist Of Fate” proved that she did not need to depend on memories of Grease. The song stood on its own.

The second selection, “Livin’ In Desperate Times,” is even more frantic.

Written by Tom Snow and Barry Alfonso and also produced by David Foster, the song takes the polished sound of “Twist Of Fate” and pushes it closer to new wave. The rhythm races forward while Olivia sings about fear, pressure, anger, and the struggle to survive in an unforgiving world.

It is one of her most forceful vocal performances.

A familiar voice can also be heard behind Olivia. Richard Marx performs backing vocals on “Livin’ In Desperate Times,” adding another interesting name to the track’s credits. His voice blends into the production, but once you know he is there, it becomes another detail to listen for in the extended mix.

There is very little of the calm, reassuring Olivia heard on her earlier hits. She sounds cornered, frustrated, and ready to fight back. The song’s fast pace and restless production match its title perfectly.

“Livin’ In Desperate Times” was released as the follow-up single in early 1984. It reached number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Olivia another respectable hit from the soundtrack.

The accompanying music video was equally intense. Olivia performs among enormous words and shapes representing the song’s themes, surrounded by dancers and constant movement. The visual style is loud, theatrical, and unmistakably 1980s.

For this post, I am featuring the US double A-side 12-inch single.

Side one contains the Extended Version of “Livin’ In Desperate Times,” running more than six and a half minutes. Side two contains the extended mix of “Twist Of Fate.” Both tracks were produced by David Foster and remixed by recording engineer Humberto Gatica.

Gatica was one of the most respected engineers and mixers working in popular music during this period. His work with David Foster helped create a polished sound that was powerful without becoming harsh. On these extended versions, he gives the drums, synthesizers, backing vocals, and guitars more space while keeping Olivia at the center of each track.

The Extended Version of “Livin’ In Desperate Times” takes the song’s nervous energy and lets it run wild. The additional instrumental sections make the track feel even more frantic. It does not simply repeat the album arrangement. It gives the rhythm more room and turns the record into a true dance-floor mix.

“Twist Of Fate” is where things become especially interesting.

The extended mix found on the US, Canadian, and Swedish 12-inch singles runs about ten seconds shorter than the version issued in several other countries. This version fades out at the end.

The alternate international 12-inch version continues to a cold ending.

For many years, the difference was easy to miss. The mixes are otherwise very similar, and unless the two pressings are compared directly, a listener might assume they are identical.

They are not.

The later expanded edition of Physical officially identified the two variations as “Extended Version – Fade” and “Extended Version – Cold Ending,” confirming that both were prepared and released.

For this new post, I have included the international cold-ending version as a bonus track. This allows collectors to hear both variations together and decide which ending they prefer.

The fade gives the record the feeling that the groove is continuing somewhere beyond the vinyl.

The cold ending gives it a more definite finish.

It is a small difference, but those small differences are exactly what make collecting 12-inch singles so much fun.

I originally shared this record in April 2020. Six years later, I returned to the vinyl and created an entirely new 2026 transfer.

This is not a remaster of the files from the earlier post. I recorded the vinyl again from the beginning using my current equipment. The audio then received a completely new restoration.

The goal was to preserve the punch of the drums, the depth of the bass, the bright synthesizers, and the detail in Olivia’s vocals. These mixes contain a lot of activity, so keeping the sound open and clear was especially important.

Olivia Newton-John recorded many memorable soundtrack songs during her career. Grease and Xanadu will always receive most of the attention, but the music from Two Of A Kind deserves its place beside them.

“Twist Of Fate” is bold, urgent, and instantly recognizable.

“Livin’ In Desperate Times” is tense, restless, and slightly unhinged.

Together, they make a terrific double A-side and a perfect Twofer for Ladies Of The 80s: Soundtrack Edition.

The movie may not have repeated the magic of Grease.

The music received the gift of life extension.

SIDE A:
Livin’ In Desperate Times (Extended Version) 6:38
Backing Vocals – Richard Marx
Engineer – Humberto Gatica
Mixed By – Humberto Gatica
Written-By – Barry Alfonso, Tom Snow

SIDE B:
Twist Of Fate (Extended Version – Fade) 5:23
Engineer – Humberto Gatica
Mixed By – Humberto Gatica
Written-By – Peter Beckett, Steve Kipner

LIFE EXTENSION BONUS TRACK:
Twist Of Fate (Extended Version – Cold Ending) 5:33
Engineer – Humberto Gatica
Mixed By – Humberto Gatica
Written-By – Peter Beckett, Steve Kipner

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

Single Chart (1983–1984) Peak Position
Twist Of Fate Australia (Kent Music Report) 4
Twist Of Fate Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) 33
Twist Of Fate Canada Top Singles (RPM) 5
Twist Of Fate Japan (Oricon) 73
Twist Of Fate Netherlands (Single Top 100) 42
Twist Of Fate New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) 22
Twist Of Fate Quebec (ADISQ) 2
Twist Of Fate South Africa (Springbok Radio) 5
Twist Of Fate Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) 20
Twist Of Fate UK Singles Chart 57
Twist Of Fate US Billboard Hot 100 5
Twist Of Fate US Billboard Dance Club Songs 51
Twist Of Fate US Cash Box Top 100 5
Livin’ In Desperate Times Australia (Kent Music Report) 81
Livin’ In Desperate Times Canada Top Singles (RPM) 43
Livin’ In Desperate Times Quebec (ADISQ) 33
Livin’ In Desperate Times US Billboard Hot 100 31
Livin’ In Desperate Times US Cash Box Top 100 29

RELEASE INFORMATION:
MCA Records – MCA-13987
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:

NOTES:
From the MCA LP, MCA-6127 Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack “Two Of A Kind”

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.

 

Eurythmics – Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty·Four) (1984)

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NEW 2026 Transfer
NEW Meticulous Audio Restoration

For the next entry in Ladies Of The 80s: Soundtrack Edition, we are leaving behind the bright pop of “Whole Wide World” and entering a much colder, darker, and more unsettling world.

“Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty-Four)” was released in 1984 as the first single from Eurythmics’ soundtrack album 1984 (For The Love Of Big Brother), created for Michael Radford’s film adaptation of George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four. The movie starred John Hurt as Winston Smith, Suzanna Hamilton as Julia, and Richard Burton in his final film role as O’Brien.

Although Eurythmics was a duo, there was no leaving Annie Lennox out of this series. Her voice, image, and commanding presence helped make Eurythmics one of the most recognizable acts of the decade. On “Sexcrime,” she sounds fierce, nervous, controlled, and ready to explode, often within the same few seconds.

The song was written by Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart and produced by Stewart. Its title comes directly from Orwell’s fictional language of Newspeak. In the world of Nineteen Eighty-Four, even private desire can become an offense against the state. Romance, sex, and personal loyalty are dangerous because they create bonds that exist outside the control of Big Brother.

Eurythmics turned that idea into one of their hardest and most mechanical singles.

“Sexcrime” is built around pounding electronic percussion, stabbing synthesizers, sampled fragments of Annie’s voice, and Dave Stewart’s processed repetition of “nineteen eighty-four.” Annie’s vocals are cut into small pieces and fired through the track like another rhythm instrument. The effect is tense, hypnotic, and slightly disturbing.

It sounds like a pop song created inside the Ministry of Truth.

There is also a physical urgency to the record. Beneath all the cold machinery, Annie sings like someone trying to protect the final pieces of her private life. When she reaches the line about pulling down the bricks one by one and leaving a hole in the wall, the song briefly turns from fear toward resistance.

That was one of Eurythmics’ greatest strengths during this period. They could make electronic music sound cold and deeply human at the same time.

The song’s video carried the Orwellian mood even further. Filmed at London’s Battersea Power Station, it placed Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart inside a bleak industrial setting filled with harsh lighting, smoke, rain, surveillance imagery, and scenes from the movie. The location could hardly have been more appropriate for the song’s oppressive atmosphere.

The story behind the soundtrack was nearly as tense as the music.

Virgin Films commissioned Eurythmics to create music for the movie, while director Michael Radford had already been working with composer Dominic Muldowney on a traditional orchestral score. Radford objected when much of Muldowney’s work was replaced with Eurythmics’ electronic music. The Eurythmics later stated that they had accepted the assignment in good faith and were unaware of the disagreement between the director and the film company. Different releases of the movie have since appeared with different combinations of the two scores.

The controversy may have complicated the movie’s release, but 1984 (For The Love Of Big Brother) remains a fascinating Eurythmics album. Much of it is instrumental, experimental, and far removed from the direct pop sound of hits such as “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)” and “Here Comes The Rain Again.”

“Sexcrime” was the album’s most obvious single, although there was nothing particularly safe about it.

In the UK, the record became Eurythmics’ sixth consecutive Top 10 single, reaching number four and spending fifteen weeks on the chart. The album reached number 23 on the UK Albums Chart.

The reception in the United States was very different. Many American radio programmers and video outlets reacted to the title without understanding its meaning within Orwell’s novel. The single stalled at number 81 on the Billboard Hot 100, but club audiences were far more welcoming. It reached number two on Billboard’s dance chart.

Once again, the clubs were ahead of the radio.

For this post, I am returning to the US 12-inch promotional release. The record opens with the nearly eight-minute Extended Mix, followed on the B-side by the Single Version and “I Did It Just The Same.”

The Extended Mix gives the mechanical rhythm more room to build. Annie’s sampled vocals move in and out of the arrangement while the percussion, synthesizers, and processed voices create a sense that the listener is being watched from every direction. It is not a traditional extended mix filled with new melodies or a warm dance-floor groove. Instead, it takes the song’s nervous tension and stretches it into something even more severe.

The B-side, “I Did It Just The Same,” also draws its title and subject matter from Orwell’s novel. It is another dark electronic piece that fits naturally beside “Sexcrime” and helps make the 12-inch feel like a small extension of the soundtrack album rather than a standard pop single. The US promotional pressing contains the Extended Mix, Single Version, and “I Did It Just The Same.”

I previously posted this record in January 2018. That transfer was itself an update of an even earlier Burning The Ground post, but eight years have passed, and my equipment and restoration work have changed considerably since then.

For the new 2026 edition, I returned to the vinyl and created an entirely new transfer from the beginning. This is not a remaster of the 2018 files. It is a fresh recording followed by meticulous audio restoration, with special attention given to preserving the sharp electronic attack, deep percussion, vocal samples, and cold atmosphere of the original production.

“Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty-Four)” is not the easiest or most comforting Eurythmics single. It is harsh, strange, repetitive, and confrontational.

That is exactly why it remains so exciting.

More than four decades later, the song still sounds like a warning being transmitted from somewhere just beyond the telescreen.

Big Brother is watching.

Annie Lennox is fighting back.

SIDE A:
Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty•Four) (Extended Version) 7:59

SIDE B:
Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty•Four) (Single Version) 3:58
I Did It Just The Same 3:27

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

Chart Performance – Eurythmics: Sexcrime  (Nineteen Eighty Four) (1984–1985) Peak Position
Australia (Kent Music Report) 5
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) 3
Canada Top Singles (RPM) 18
Europe (European Top 100 Singles) 7
France (SNEP) 7
Ireland (IRMA) 4
Italy (Musica e dischi) 19
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 10
Netherlands (Single Top 100) 12
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) 8
Norway (VG-lista) 9
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) 3
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) 6
UK Singles Chart 4
US Billboard Hot 100 81
US Billboard Dance Club Songs 2
West Germany (GfK) 3

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: RCA – JW-13957, RCA – PW-13957
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Promo, Stereo
Country: US
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:

NOTES:
Mix names on the sleeve are “Extended Mix” and “Single Mix” and on the labels are “Extended Version” and “Single Version”.

Taken from the motion picture soundtrack album: 1984

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.

 

Bonnie Tyler – Holding Out For A Hero (UK 12″) (1984)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

NEW 2026 Transfer
NEW Meticulous Audio Restoration

I had already planned to begin this new series with Bonnie Tyler before hearing the sad news of her passing. Now, this post carries a meaning I never expected it to have.

Bonnie Tyler passed away on July 8, 2026, at the age of 75. With her unmistakable voice and powerful delivery, she gave us some of the most dramatic and memorable recordings of the 1970s and 1980s. She could turn almost any song into a full-scale event, and “Holding Out For A Hero” remains one of the greatest examples.

Released in 1984 as part of the soundtrack for the motion picture Footloose, “Holding Out For A Hero” was written by Jim Steinman and Dean Pitchford and produced by Steinman. The song was later included on Bonnie’s 1986 studio album Secret Dreams And Forbidden Fire.

From its opening blast of drums, racing piano, blaring horns, and urgent backing vocals, the record never slows down. Everything about it is oversized, breathless, and wonderfully theatrical. Then Bonnie enters with that rough, commanding voice, sounding as though she is not merely waiting for a hero. She is demanding that one arrive immediately.

No one could have sung this song halfway. It required a vocalist who could rise above Jim Steinman’s enormous production without becoming lost inside it. Bonnie did more than rise above it. She owned every second.

The song was originally released in the UK in 1984, reaching only number 96. It was reissued the following year and became a major hit, climbing to number two and remaining there for three weeks. It also reached number one in Ireland and number 34 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

The Footloose soundtrack was packed with hit singles, but “Holding Out For A Hero” brought a different kind of energy to the album. It was louder, stranger, and more dramatic than almost anything surrounding it. Even without the movie, the recording creates its own frantic action sequence inside your head.

For this post, I am using the original UK 12-inch single. The A-side features the extended dance remix by John “Jellybean” Benitez. Jellybean stretches the song to more than six minutes while keeping the force and urgency of Jim Steinman’s original production. The remix gives the arrangement more room to breathe, but it never loses its momentum.

The B-side opens with the instrumental version of “Holding Out For A Hero.” Removing Bonnie’s lead vocal puts more attention on the layers buried within the production, including the dramatic piano, pounding percussion, guitars, synthesizers, and backing vocals. It is a great companion to the extended remix and shows just how much is happening underneath Bonnie’s performance.

The final track is “Faster Than The Speed Of Night,” the title song from Bonnie’s hugely successful 1983 album. Also written and produced by Jim Steinman, it makes this UK 12-inch feel more substantial than the usual soundtrack single. All three tracks capture Bonnie during one of the strongest periods of her career.

I previously posted this record in April 2019. For this new 2026 edition, I returned to the vinyl and created an entirely new transfer from the beginning. This is not a recycled or lightly updated version of the previous post. It is a brand-new transfer with meticulous audio restoration while preserving the power, movement, and excitement of the original recording.

This post also begins my new series, Ladies Of The 80s: Soundtrack Edition. Throughout the series, I will be featuring female artists who released singles connected to motion pictures during the 1980s.

It is bittersweet to begin the series this way, but I cannot think of a stronger song or a more deserving artist. Bonnie Tyler gave the decade a voice that could sound wounded, fearless, romantic, and larger than life, sometimes within the same recording.

Thank you, Bonnie, for the music, the drama, and that unforgettable voice.

SIDE A:
Holding Out For A Hero (Special Extended Remix) 6:22
Written By – J. Steinman/D. Pitchford
Written-By – D. Pitchford, J. Steinman

SIDE B:
Holding Out For A Hero (Instrumental) 5:17
Written By – J. Steinman/D. Pitchford
Written-By – D. Pitchford, J. Steinman

Faster Than The Speed Of Night 4:41
Written-By – J. Steinman*

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

Chart Performance – Bonnie Tyler: Holding Out For A Hero (1984) Peak Position
Australia (Kent Music Report) 44
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) 19
Canada (Billboard) 17
Europarade Top 40 12
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) 8
Ireland (IRMA) 1
Japan (Oricon Singles Chart) 38
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) 33
South Africa (Springbok Radio) 23
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) 19
UK Singles Chart (1984 release) 96
UK Singles Chart (1985 reissue) 2
US Billboard Hot 100 34
West Germany (Official German Charts) 19

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: CBS – TA 4251
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single, Stereo
Country: UK
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic
Style: Hi NRG, Synth-pop

CREDITS:

NOTES:
From the original soundtrack of the Paramount motion picture “Footloose”.

Side A – Mix name on front cover is “Extended Remixed Version”.
Side A – Also known as “Dance Version-Jellybean Remix”.

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

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Password: burningtheground

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