Tag: 1989

July 9, 2025

Joyce “Fenderella” Irby – Mr. D.J. (US 12″) (1989)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

“Mr. D.J.” marked the solo breakout for Klymaxx founding member Joyce “Fenderella” Irby—bass player, songwriter, and all-around groove generator. Coming off her years of success with “I Miss You” and “Meeting in the Ladies Room,” Joyce hit the late ’80s club scene with this funk-driven jam featuring none other than the Original Human Beatbox, Doug E. Fresh.

Released in 1989 as the lead single from her debut solo LP Maximum Thrust, the track kicks off with Doug E.’s unmistakable vocal percussion before sliding into Joyce’s sweet and soulful plea for the DJ to keep her dancing. It’s an early example of R&B merging with hip-hop elements—before it became the mainstream formula.

The track was co-produced by Dallas Austin, who Joyce helped launch into the industry. He’d go on to produce hits for TLC, Boyz II Men, and Madonna—but this is where it all started.

“Mr. D.J.” hit #2 on the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart and cracked the Dance charts too. It’s infectious, smartly produced, and undeniably funky.

This 12″ mix stretches the groove for the dancefloor, extending Doug E.’s beatbox breakdowns and giving the instrumental room to breathe. If you love that New Jack swing/R&B/hip-hop crossover sound of ’88–’90, this one deserves a spot in your rotation.

SIDE A:
Mr. D.J. (Extended Version) 6:32
Featuring – Doug E. Fresh

SIDE B:
Mr. D.J. (Radio Edit) 4:07
Featuring – Doug E. Fresh

Mr. D.J. (Instrumental) 6:10

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1989	Mr. D.J.	U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles	#2
1989	Mr. D.J.	U.S. Billboard Dance Music / Club Play	#23

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Motown – MOT-4634
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Single
Country: US
Released: 1989
Genre: Hip Hop, Funk / Soul
Style: Contemporary R&B

CREDITS:

Arranged By – Dallas Austin, Fenderella*
Executive Producer – Jheryl Busby, Joyce “Fenderella” Irby
Producer – Fenderella*
Remix – Timmy Regisford

NOTES:
Produced for Diva I Productions

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for burningtheground.net

THE GEAR:
Turntable: Technics SL-1200MK7
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon Concorde Music Black
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro Spin Acrylic Mat
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp: Pro-Jec Tube Box DS2
Tubes: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7 ECC83/B759 Gold Pins Vacuum Tube – Matched Pair
DAC: Alpha Design Labs GT40a USB DAC
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.

June 10, 2025

Queen – Scandal (UK 12″) (1989)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

Released on October 9, 1989, “Scandal” was the fourth single taken from Queen’s thirteenth studio album, The Miracle. Although not one of their biggest chart hits, it peaked at number 25 in the UK. “Scandal” is a powerful track fueled by frustration, privacy, and defiance. And during Pride Month, it’s raw emotion and context that hit even deeper.

The song was written by Brian May but credited to the whole band, as was Queen’s custom during this era. It was a direct response to the press intrusion into both May’s and Freddie Mercury’s private lives. The tabloids had been circling Mercury for years, speculating about his health and sexuality. “Scandal” was Queen firing back, and the passion in Mercury’s vocal makes it unmistakably personal.

It’s no surprise that “Scandal” resonates within LGBTQ+ circles—not only for its theme of media scrutiny but also for its fierce dignity in the face of judgment. Mercury, a queer icon whether he publicly claimed the title or not, brought intensity and truth to the performance. The song becomes an anthem of endurance, a refusal to be defined by rumors or shame.

Today’s post features the rare and dramatic Extended Version from the 12″ single. Clocking in at over six minutes, this mix allows the song to breathe even more deeply—building tension with added instrumental breaks and extra emotional weight.

The B-side, “My Life Has Been Saved,” offers a more contemplative contrast and would later be reworked for Made in Heaven. But on this 12″, it stands as a poignant pairing to the storm of “Scandal.”

As we celebrate Pride, “Scandal” reminds us that the fight for truth, identity, and dignity has always been part of the queer experience. Freddie Mercury, with all his vulnerability and power, remains one of our most enduring symbols.

SIDE A:
Scandal (12″ Version) 6:34

SIDE B:
Scandal (7″ Version) 4:42
My Life Has Been Saved 3:15

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Parlophone – 12 QUEEN 14, Parlophone – 12QUEEN 14
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Single, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1989
Genre: Rock
Style: Pop Rock

CREDITS:

Design – Richard Gray (2)
Engineer – David Richards
Photography By – Paul Rider (4)
Producer, Arranged By – David Richards, Queen
Written-By – Queen

NOTES:
“Scandal” Taken from the album “The Miracle”.

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for burningtheground.net

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.

June 3, 2025

Donna Summer – This Time I Know It’s For Real (US 12″) (1989)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

The Queen of Disco meets the Kings of Hi-NRG.

To kick off Pride Month with absolute euphoria, I’m posting one of Donna Summer’s finest late-’80s dance anthems—“This Time I Know It’s For Real”. Released in 1989, this track marked a bold comeback and a stunning collaboration with UK production powerhouse Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW). And yes—it still hits.

After years of genre-hopping in the ’80s, Donna returned to her roots on the dancefloor with this glossy, synth-loaded smash. It climbed to #7 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and became a major hit worldwide—her first UK Top 10 in almost a decade.

The 12″ version stretches the joy a little longer, and if you grew up hearing this in the clubs—or maybe roller-skating under mirror balls—it’s pure serotonin. For many of us, Donna Summer wasn’t just a disco icon; she was a spiritual mother of the dancefloor. Her music was freedom, sweat, style, and everything Pride stands for.

This song is also a nod to new beginnings—proof that it’s never too late for a second act, for reinvention, for love that finally feels real.

🌈 Pride Month Note:
There’s no better way to honor Pride than by turning up a Donna Summer track—because whether you were on the floor at Studio 54 or twirling in your bedroom, her voice gave us permission to feel fabulous, free, and fearless.

Happy Pride. Long live the Queen. Turn it UP.

SIDE A:
This Time I Know It’s For Real (Extended Remix) 7:22
Written-By – Summer, Stock Aitken Waterman

SIDE B:
If It Makes You Feel Good (LP Version) 3:45
Written-By – Stock Aitken Waterman*

This Time I Know It’s For Real (Instrumental) 3:34
Written-By – Summer, Stock Aitken Waterman

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1989	This Time I Know It’s For Real	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#7
1989	This Time I Know It’s For Real	U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary	#2
1989	This Time I Know It’s For Real	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs	#5
1989	This Time I Know It’s For Real	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Singles Sales	#1

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Atlantic – 0-86415
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1989
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:

Backing Vocals – Dee Lewis, Mae McKenna, Mike Stock
Design – David Howells
Drums – A Linn*
Engineer – Karen Hewitt, Yoyo
Guitar – Matt Aitken
Hair – Andrene
Keyboards – George De Angelis, Matt Aitken, Mike Stock
Mixed By – Mixmaster Pete Hammond*
Photography By – Lawrence Lawry
Producer – Stock, Aitken & Waterman
Stylist [Styling] – Kelly Cooper

NOTES:
Recorded at PWL

Printed in U.S.A.

A. Remixed from Atlantic LP 81987 – “Another Place And Time”
B1. From Atlantic LP 81987 – “Another Place And Time”

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for burningtheground.net

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.

January 3, 2025

The Touch with Terence Trent D’Arby – I Want To Know (International Lady) (Europe 12″)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1989

I Want to Know (International Lady)” is a track by The Touch featuring Terence Trent D’Arby. Originally recorded in 1984 for the album Love on Time, the album gained renewed attention when it was re-issued in 1989 under the title Early Works, following D’Arby’s global success as a solo artist. In 1989, the “I Want to Know (International Lady)” was released as a 12″ vinyl maxi-single in Germany, marking its official debut as a standalone release.

Before his rise to fame with his debut solo album, Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D’Arby (1987), D’Arby was a member of The Touch. He joined the band while stationed in Germany during his military service. “I Want to Know (International Lady)” reflects his early musical style, blending elements of rock and funk.

The song also gained recognition for being featured in the 1984 German film Schulmädchen ’84, further solidifying its place in D’Arby’s early career history.

SIDE A:
I Want To Know (International Lady) (Club Mix) 6:53

SIDE B:
Weekend 3:47
I Want To Know (International Lady) (Radio Version) 4:27

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: IMP – 889 001-1
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Maxi-Single, 45 RPM
Country: Europe
Released: 1989
Genre: Rock, Funk / Soul
Style: Pop Rock, Funk, Disco

CREDITS:

Music By, Lyrics By – Benny Braun (tracks: B1), Frank Itt (tracks: B1), Mark Burton, Norris William (tracks: B1), T.T. D’Arby* (tracks: A, B2)

NOTES:
Recorded at FAR Music-studios, Rosbach 1983.
Digital remix at FAR Music-studios, Rosbach 1989.

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

THE GEAR:
Turntable: Technics SL-1200MK7
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon 2M Black PnP MkII
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro Spin Acrylic Mat
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp: Pro-Jec Tube Box DS2
Tubes: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7 ECC83/B759 Gold Pins Vacuum Tube – Matched Pair
DAC: Alpha Design Labs GT40a USB DAC
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner

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.