Tag: 1984

May 8, 2017

Big Country – Wonderland (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1984

“Wonderland” is a single-only release from Scottish band Big Country, released in the UK on 9 January 1984 between their first and second albums. It became a Top Ten hit for them in the UK, peaking at number 8, giving the band their third Top 10 entry. The song was included on all the band’s subsequent greatest hits collections, although it was never released on any of the band’s studio albums.

In the U.S. the song peaked at #86 on the Billboard Hot 100.

SIDE A:
Wonderland (Extended Version) 7:08

SIDE B:
Wonderland 3:58
Giant 5:05

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1984	Wonderland	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#86
1984	Wonderland	U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks	#48

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Phonogram ‎– COUNT 512
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single
Country: UK
Released: 13 Jan 1984
Genre: Rock
Style: Alternative Rock, Pop Rock

CREDITS:
Bass – Tony Butler
Drums – Mark Brzezicki
Guitar – Bruce Watson
Photography By [Cover Photos] – Red Saunders (4)
Producer – Steve Lillywhite
Vocals, Guitar – Stuart Adamson
Written-By – Big Country

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

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 12AX7ECC803-S Gold Electron Tube
Soundcard: ESI Juli@
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
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

May 1, 2017

Golden Earring – When The Lady Smiles (Netherlands 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1984

“When the Lady Smiles” is a 1984 song by Dutch band Golden Earring. It was the first single from their album N.E.W.S. (NorthEastWestSouth). Following their top 10 “Twilight Zone”, “When the Lady Smiles” was a U.S. chart disappointment, only reaching #76 on The Billboard Hot 100 chart. With a total of 5 “Hot 100”-releases, Golden Earring are by far the most successful Dutch band on the international charts. Dutch actor Huub Stapel has a cameo in the music video as an elevator mechanic, referencing the movie De Lift. Also appearing in several scenes (metro car, window washer) is Hans Vandenburg, lead singer of Gruppo Sportivo.

The video for this song, shot by Dick Maas, was controversial. In one scene, a man attempts to rape a nun. This particular scene was quickly removed from the video (the full cut was only shown after midnight). The bold video may have hurt the sales of the single in the New World, although it climbed to the number 3 position in the charts in Canada. In the Netherlands “When the Lady Smiles” became Golden Earring’s fifth number one.

Hillary Clinton used this song during her campaign for the US presidency of 2008, baffling the band given the song’s lyrics and controversial video.

SIDE A:
When The Lady Smiles 6:16

SIDE B:
Orwell’s Year 4:22

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1984	When The Lady Smiles	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#76

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: 21 Records ‎– 2.120
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: Netherlands
Released: 1984
Genre: Rock
Style: New Wave, Pop Rock

CREDITS:
Engineer – John Kriek
Producer – Shell Schellekens
Written-By – B. Hay*, G. Kooymans*

NOTES:
Made In Holland
From the film of the same name
From the album “N.E.W.S.”

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

April 5, 2017

Culture Club – It’s A Miracle/Miss Me Blind (Japan 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1984

“Miss Me Blind” is a song by English new wave band Culture Club. In the U.S. it was the third single released from Colour by Numbers, peaking at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the spring of 1984. This gave the band its sixth consecutive Top 10 hit.

The single was also released in Canada (where it also reached number 5), Brazil, Australia and Japan. It was also the band’s biggest R&B hit, reaching #5 on Billboard’s ‘Soul’ chart.

The song includes a reference to the title of Culture Club’s previous album. Lead singer Boy George states in the song “But you know, I’m never really sure, If you’re just kissing to be clever”, the name of Culture Club’s debut album.

“It’s a Miracle”, was released on it’s own as the fifth and final single from Colour by Numbers. The song became the group’s sixth top-five hit on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at number four. It reached number thirteen on the Billboard Hot 100 and hit the top five in Canada. It was the band’s first US release to miss the Top 10; however, the song still received considerable airplay there during the summer of 1984.

A very popular 12″ was issued, gaining big success in American clubs and elsewhere. The popular extended 12″ version contained extracts of the other Culture Club hit of the spring, “It’s a Miracle”. In the US, the “Miss Me Blind” / “It’s a Miracle” 12″ single reached #10 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in May 1984.

Backing vocals on “Miss Me Blind” were performed by R&B singer Jermaine Stewart.

The B-side is a live rendition of “Love Twist”, a track from their first album. It was recorded in December 1983. An additional live track, “Melting Pot” (a cover of the song by the group Blue Mink), from the same show was available only on the 12-inch single.

SIDE A:
It’s A Miracle / Miss Me Blind (US Remix) 9:09
Composed By – Culture Club, O’Dowd*, Moss*, Craig*, Pickett*, Hay*
Producer, Remix – Steve Levine

SIDE B:
Love Twist (Live) 4:24
Composed By – Culture Club
Engineer – Paul Hulme, Peter Wandless*
Mixed By – Steve Levine
Producer, Mixed By – Jon Moss

Melting Pot (Live) 4:30
Composed By – Culture Club
Engineer – Paul Hulme, Peter Wandless*
Mixed By – Steve Levine
Producer, Mixed By – Jon Moss

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
OBI: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1984	It’s A Miracle/Miss Me Blind	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	#10

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Virgin ‎– VIP-5916, Virgin ‎– VIRG-5196
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Limited Edition
Country: Japan
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Engineer – Gordon Milne
Mastered By – Tim Young (tracks: TY & timtom)
Photography By – David Levine (11)
Sleeve – Assorted Images
Vocals [Female] – Helen Terry

NOTES:
Multimix
Made In Japan
Also available the LP “COLOUR BY NUMBERS”

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

April 4, 2017

Michael Jackson – Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ (Japan 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1984

“Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'” is a song by American recording artist Michael Jackson recorded for his sixth studio album Thriller (1982). It is the opening track of the album and was released as its fourth single on May 8, 1983 by Epic Records. The song was written, composed and co-produced by Jackson, and was produced by Quincy Jones.

The song’s lyrics pertain to strangers spreading rumors to start an argument for no good reason. Musically, “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'” evokes the disco sound of Jackson’s previous studio album, Off the Wall, released in 1979. The song is characterized by a complex rhythm arrangement and a distinctive horn arrangement. “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'” has been covered and sampled by multiple recording artists since its release. Aside from Thriller, the song appears on multiple compilation and greatest hits albums by Jackson.

“Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'” was generally well received by contemporary music critics. The song was also commercially successful, charting within the top 20 and top 30 in several countries. It became Jackson’s fifth consecutive top 10 single in the United States on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number five, and later re-entered charts in 2008 after the release of Thriller 25. Following Jackson’s death in June 2009, the song re-entered music charts worldwide, mainly due to digital download sales. Unlike previous singles from Thriller, “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'” did not have a music video to accompany it, but was performed by Jackson on world concert tours, as both a member of The Jacksons and as a solo artist.

SIDE A:
Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ (Long Version) 6:32

SIDE B:
Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ (Instrumental Version) 6:32
Beat It 4:18

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
OBI: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1983	Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#5
1983	Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’	U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles	#5

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Epic ‎– 12・3P-491
Series: Michael Jackson Jumbo Single Series 2
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Maxi-Single
Country: Japan
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic, Funk / Soul, Pop
Style: Funk, Rhythm & Blues, Soul, Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Co-producer – Michael Jackson
Producer – Quincy Jones
Written-By – M. Jackson*

NOTES:
OBI states:
Side A: Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ (Unpublished Long version)
Side B: Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ (Karaoke Version)
Beat It (Special Mix)

A side: Special Version from the LP “Thriller”
B side: From the LP “Thriller”

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi