BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1986
“Venus” is a 1969 song written by Dutch musician Robbie van Leeuwen. In 1970, the Dutch rock band Shocking Blue took the song to number one in nine countries.
In 1986, the British female pop group Bananarama returned the song to number one in seven countries.
“Venus” had been a part of Bananarama’s repertoire for several years before they actually recorded it. The group’s three members, Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, and Keren Woodward, had the idea of turning the song into a dance music tune, but they were met with resistance from their producers at the time, Steve Jolley, and Tony Swain. Bananarama brought the idea to the production trio of Stock Aitken Waterman, and it became Bananarama’s first collaboration with them.
Dallin, Fahey, and Woodward had nearly completed recording their third album, titled True Confessions, with Jolley and Swain. Stock, Aitken, and Waterman also resisted the idea because they believed that “Venus” would not make a good dance record. After persistence by the women, SAW relented. Bananarama’s “Venus” went to number one in the US, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Mexico, and South Africa. It hit number two in Germany and Hong Kong and was a top ten success in Italy, Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Portugal, Spain, and their native UK (number 8 on UK Singles Chart). It also went to number one for two weeks on the US Dance chart.
The collaboration on “Venus” led Bananarama and SAW to work together on the group’s follow-up album Wow! the following year.
The music video, directed by Peter Care, with choreography by Bruno Tonioli, received extensive play on MTV and video channels across the world, and presented Bananarama in various costumes, including a she-devil, a French temptress, a vampiress, and several Greek goddesses. In one sequence of the video, The Birth of Venus, the painting by Sandro Botticelli is adapted as a tableau vivant. The video marked a pivotal shift towards a more glamorous and sexual image for the girls that contrasted with the tomboyish style of their earlier work.
SIDE A:
Venus (The Hellfire Mix) 9:20
Remix – Ian Levine
Venus (Fire & Brimstone Mix) 6:44
SIDE B:
Venus (Extended Version) 7:26
Venus (Dub Version) 8:17
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
U.S. CHART HISTORY:
| Year |
Single |
Chart |
Position |
| 1986 |
Venus |
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 |
#1 |
| 1986 |
Venus |
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play |
#1 |
RELEASE IONFORMATION:
Label: London Records – 886 088-1, Polygram – 886 088-1
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Single, Special Edition, 70 – Indianapolis Press
Country: US
Released: 1986
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Synth-pop
CREDITS:
Design [Sleeve Design] – Peter Barrett (3), Simon Withers (2)
Producer – Stock/Aitken/Waterman*
Written-By – R. Leeuwen*
NOTES:
Produced for P.W.L. Productions
Original Version From The London LP- “True Confessions”
RCA Records Pressing Plant, Indianapolis pressing indicated by pressing code “70” printed on labels and “RCA” etched in run-outs.
Find the 12″ at DISCOGS
VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net
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 12AX7 TubeGold Pins
Soundcard: Novation Audiohub 2×4 Audio Interface
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, ocenaudio
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
