Tag: 1984

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Side A: Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ (Unpublished Long version)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

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: Brother MFC-6490CW Professional Series 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

March 13, 2017

Sister Sledge – We Are Family (1984 Remix) (Germany 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1984

R.I.P. Joni Sledge (September 13, 1956 – March 10, 2017)

“We Are Family” is a 1979 dance hit song by Sister Sledge, composed by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers. Rodgers and Edwards offered the song to Atlantic Records; although the record label initially declined, the track was released as a single from the album of the same name and quickly began to gain club and radio play. It eventually went Gold, becoming the number one R&B and number two pop song on the US charts in 1979. Along with the tracks, “He’s the Greatest Dancer” and “Lost in Music”, “We Are Family” reached number one on the disco charts. It was also the theme song for the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates.

In 1984 the song was remixed by Bernard Edwards and re-released where it chated again in the UK at #33.

SIDE A:
We Are Family (Long Version) (1984 Remix) 7:12
Remix – Bernard Edwards
Producer – Bernard Edwards & Nile Rodgers

SIDE B:
My Guy / Canadian Sunset 3:43
Producer – Sister Sledge

All American Girls 4:43
Producer – Narada Michael Walden
Co-producer – Sister Sledge

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Cotillion – 796 910-0
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: Germany
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic
Style: Disco

NOTES:
Original version appears on the LP “WE ARE FAMILY”

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

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

March 3, 2017

Kim Fields – He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1984

Originally posted April 19th, 2011

“He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not” is a 1984 single by American actress and television director Kim Fields. She is known for her roles as Tootie Ramsey on the NBC sitcom The Facts of Life, and as Regine Hunter on the Fox sitcom Living Single.

During the run of Facts of Life, 14 year old Fields released a one off single on the Critique Records label: the disco/Hi-NRG “He Loves Me He Loves Me Not” which became a minor club hit peaking at #30 on the US Billboard Dance Chart.

The b-side “Dear Michael” is a tribute to pop icon Michael Jackson which also peaked at #55 on the U.S. R&B chart.

SIDE A:
He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (Club Mix) 7:13
Written-By – Elliot Willensky

SIDE B:
He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (Instrumental Version) 5:57
Written-By – Elliot Willensky

Dear Michael 3:23
Written-By – Elliot Willensky, Hal Davis

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Cover: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1984	He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	#30
1984	Dear Michael	U.S. Billboard Hot R&B Singles	#55

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Critique ‎– CRI 1208
Format: Vinyl, 12″ 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic
Style: Hi-NRG

CREDITS:
Artwork By [Cover Concept] – The Garrett Company*
Mixed By – Bill Bottrell
Photography – Susan Rothschild
Producer – Elliot Willensky, Hal Davis

NOTES:
Produced for Music Center Productions.

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

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

February 3, 2017

Tears For Fears – Mothers Talk (Extended Version) (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1984

“Mothers Talk” is a 1984 song by the British band Tears for Fears. Written by Roland Orzabal and Ian Stanley and sung by Orzabal, it was the band’s seventh single release (the first to be taken from their second album Songs from the Big Chair (1985) and fifth UK Top 40 chart hit. The song was released six months in advance of the album and showcased the band’s edgier sound, as compared to their debut LP The Hurting (1983). It was also a moderate success internationally.

“Mothers Talk” was written in 1983 and was first publicly performed during the band’s late 1983 tour. In early 1984, the band went into the studio to record the song as their next single, though the recording sessions with their new producer Jeremy Green did not work out as planned and the recording was scrapped. The band’s previous producer, Chris Hughes, was then brought back into the fold and the song was re-recorded and finally released as a single in August 1984. Hughes stayed on with the band to record their second album, Songs from the Big Chair.

Along with its B-side, “Empire Building”, “Mothers Talk” was one of the first Tears for Fears songs to demonstrate a creative use of sampling. The strings at the beginning of the song were culled from a Barry Manilow record, while the drum sample around which “Empire Building” is built was lifted from the Simple Minds song “Today I Died Again”. This was the second Tears for Fears single for which Phonogram Records would use the picture disc and coloured vinyl gimmicks as a promotional tool, as well as the first one to feature multiple 12″ releases offering different remixes of the track. Limited quantities of the 7″ single also came with a free Tears For Fears window sticker of the band’s new logo.

SIDE A:
Mothers Talk (Extended Version) 6:17
Producer – Chris Hughes
Written-By – Stanley*, Orzabal*

SIDE B:
Empire Building 2:50
Written-By – Smith*, Stanley*, Orzabal*

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Mercury ‎– IDEA 712, Mercury ‎– 818 388-1
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single
Country: UK
Released: 13 Aug 1984
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: New Wave, Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Backing Vocals – Stevie Lange
Design – J.B.*, Peter Jones (15)
Mastered By – Timtom*
Photography By – Mike Prior (2)

NOTES:
Track B was not produced

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

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