Burning The Ground Exclusive
When it comes to excess, spectacle, and unapologetic camp, few groups embraced it quite as enthusiastically as Sweden’s Army of Lovers. Long before pop culture fully embraced flamboyant self-expression and gender-bending visuals, Army of Lovers were building an entire musical universe around it. Their music combined Eurodisco, Hi-NRG, dance-pop, and theatrical storytelling into something uniquely their own.
Originally appearing on the group’s 1990 debut album Disco Extravaganza, “Ride The Bullet” was written by Alexander Bard, Anders Wollbeck, Jean-Pierre Barda, Emil Hellman, and Camilla Henemark. The track was later remixed for inclusion on the group’s breakthrough second album Massive Luxury Overdose in 1991, helping introduce the song to a wider international audience. The 1992 single release would become one of the group’s biggest European successes, reaching the Top 10 in Austria, Finland, and Greece while also topping the chart in Israel.
Musically, “Ride The Bullet” is classic Army of Lovers. Layers of sweeping strings, pulsating dance beats, dramatic spoken passages, and larger-than-life vocals collide to create a record that feels equal parts nightclub anthem and theatrical production. While many Eurodance acts of the era focused on straightforward club rhythms, Army of Lovers approached dance music with a sense of humor and grandeur, turning every song into a lavish performance piece. Critics at the time praised the track’s infectious disco energy and irresistible groove, noting its combination of Eurodisco sheen and high-energy dance-pop production.
The song also marked an interesting transition period for the group. The original version featured La Camilla, whose commanding presence helped define the band’s early image. Following her departure in 1991, Michaela de la Cour joined the group and appeared on the later remix and accompanying video. As a result, two distinct music videos exist for “Ride The Bullet,” each reflecting a different era of Army of Lovers’ visual evolution.
Of course, visuals were always just as important as the music. Army of Lovers treated every video as a work of pop art, filling them with religious iconography, historical references, outrageous costumes, and enough camp to power an entire Pride celebration. “Ride The Bullet” is no exception, delivering the kind of extravagant imagery that became the group’s trademark and helped cement their reputation as one of Europe’s most unforgettable pop acts.
Today, “Ride The Bullet” remains one of the defining tracks from the Massive Luxury Overdose era, a period that saw Army of Lovers become international dance-floor favorites. More than three decades later, the song still sounds gloriously over-the-top, proving that sometimes pop music is at its best when it refuses to take itself too seriously while still delivering an irresistible groove.
Army of Lovers showed the world that dance music could be glamorous, outrageous, and wildly entertaining all at once. “Ride The Bullet” remains one of the finest examples of that philosophy in action.
SIDE A:
Ride The Bullet (Radio Edit) 3:28
Remix, Producer [Additional Production By] – Nuzak
Ride The Bullet (Tren De Amor Mix) 6:26
Remix, Producer [Additional Production By] – Nuzak
SIDE B:
Ride The Bullet (DNA Groove Approved) 4:56
Other [Assisted By] – Davidge
Remix, Producer [Additional Production By] – DNA
Ride The Bullet (David Ford & The E.G. Orchestra Re-Mix) 5:21
Remix, Producer [Additional Production By] – David Ford & The E.G. Orchestra
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
| Chart Performance – Army Of Lovers: Ride The Bullet (1992) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) | 191 |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) | 4 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) | 12 |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) | 40 |
| Europe (European Dance Radio) | 24 |
| Finland (IFPI) | 4 |
| Germany (GfK) | 22 |
| Greece (Virgin) | 9 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade) | 2 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100) | 34 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) | 32 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) | 40 |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 67 |
| UK Club Chart (Music Week) | 79 |
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: China Records – WOKT 2018, Ton Son Ton – WOKT 2018
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single, Stereo
Country: UK
Released: 1992
Genre: Electronic
Style: House, Synth-pop
CREDITS:
- Co-producer, Engineer – Per Adebratt
- Costume Designer [Costumes Designed By] – Camilla Thulin
- Executive-Producer – Ola Håkansson
- Film Director [Video Clips Directed By] – Fredrik Boklund, Martin Persson
- Lead Vocals – De La Cour*
- Photography By – Carl-Johan Paulin
- Plated By – M (91)
- Producer – Alexander Bard, Anders Wollbeck
- Programmed By, Guitar – Anders Wollbeck
- Sleeve – Marie Wollbeck*
- Vocals [Guest] – Katarina Wilczewski
- Vocals, Bass – La Camilla
- Vocals, Computer – Alexander Bard
- Vocals, Drums – Jean-Pierre Barda
- Vocals, Keyboards – De La Cour*
- Written-By – Bard*, Wollbeck*, Henemark*, Hellman*, Barda*
NOTES:
Recorded and mixed at Sonet Studios, Stockholm.
Track B1 is called ‘Ride The Bullet (DNA Groove Approved Mix)’ on the label
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.
In 1992, the wisecracking host of HBO’s Tales from the Crypt decided to take his gruesome groove to the dance floor with “The Crypt Jam.” Voiced by John Kassir in character as the delightfully demented Crypt Keeper, the single was released on Big Screen Records and both written and produced by Chuckii Booker, the multi-talented R&B artist best known for his hits “Turned Away” and “Games.”
