Tag: Auditory Icon

March 22, 2024

Commodores – Nightshift (US 12″)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1985

NEW 2024 Transfer
NEW Meticulous Audio Restoration

Originally posted August 13, 2011

AN 80s AUDITORY ICON

“Nightshift” is a 1985 song by the Commodores and the title track from their album of the same name. The song was written by lead singer Walter Orange in collaboration with Dennis Lambert and Franne Golde as a tribute to soul/R&B singers Jackie Wilson and Marvin Gaye, both of whom died in 1984. The song was released as the album’s first single in January 1985 by Motown Records. “Nightshift” was recorded in 1984 and became the Commodores’ first hit after Lionel Richie’s departure from the group.

The song features a lead vocal from drummer Walter Orange, who had sung lead years earlier on “Brick House”. Lionel Richie’s replacement, J.D. Nicholas, sings the second verse and then Orange and Nicholas share lead vocals on the remaining choruses.

The first verse mentions Gaye’s song “What’s Going On”, while the second verse mentions Jackie Wilson’s “Lonely Teardrops” (“Say You Will”), “Baby Workout” and “(Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher”.

“Nightshift” became their biggest hit after Richie’s departure, peaking at number three for the week of April 20 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and UK Singles Chart, and rising to number one on the Hot Black Singles chart; the single also became a success on the Adult Contemporary and the Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales charts in the first half of that year. It was the group’s final top-ten hit.

Although the band was against the label’s decision to release it as a single, it won a Grammy Award in 1985 for Best Vocal R&B Performance by a Duo/Group.

John Leland of Spin said the song, “puts the group back on the map with a vengeance. Its spare, lilting Caribbean groove dispenses with the group’s penchant for schmaltz, and new lead singer J. D. Nicholas’ sweet tenor is all late-night yearning.”

SIDE A:
Nightshift (Edit Of Club Mix) 4:47

SIDE B:
Nightshift (Club Mix) 7:04
Nightshift (Instrumental Mix) 7:18

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1985	Nightshift	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#3
1985	Nightshift	U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles	#1
1985	Nightshift	U.S. Billboard Billboard Adult Contemporary Tracks	#2
1985	Nightshift	U.S. Billboard Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales	#6

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Motown – 4533MG
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1985
Genre: Electronic, Funk / Soul
Style: Downtempo, Rhythm & Blues, Funk

CREDITS:

- Mixed At – M & M Productions
- Engineer – Joe Arlotta
- Mixed By – John Morales & Sergio Munzibai
- Producer – Dennis Lambert

NOTES:
“An M&M Mix”
Album version in “NIGHTSHIFT”

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

SOFTWARE:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (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 making a donation using PayPal. Thank you for your help.

August 23, 2023

Men At Work – Down Under (Extended Mix) (Australia 12″)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1986

NEW 2023 Transfer
NEW Meticulous Audio Restoration

Originally posted January 23, 2013

AN 80s AUDITORY ICON

“Down Under” is a song recorded by Australian rock band Men at Work. It was originally released in 1980 as the B-side to their first local single, “Keypunch Operator”, released before the band signed with Columbia Records. Both early songs were written by the group’s co-founders, Colin Hay and Ron Strykert. The early version of “Down Under” has a slightly different tempo and arrangement from the later Columbia release. The best-known version was then released on Columbia in 1981 as the second single from their debut album Business as Usual (1981).

The hit song went to number one in their home country Australia in December 1981, and then topped the New Zealand charts in February 1982. The song topped the Canadian charts in October 1982. In the United States, the song debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 on 6 November 1982 at No. 79, and reached No. 1 in January 1983. Topping the US Billboard chart for four non-consecutive weeks, it eventually sold over two million copies in the US alone. Billboard ranked it at No. 4 for 1983. In the UK, the song topped the charts in January and February 1983: the only Men at Work song to make the UK top 20. The song also went to No. 1 in Denmark, Ireland, Italy and Switzerland, and was a top 10 hit in many other countries.

“Down Under” is perceived as a patriotic song in Australia; it remains popular and is often played at sporting events. In January 2018, as part of Triple M’s “Ozzest 100”, the ‘most Australian’ songs of all time so far, “Down Under” was ranked number 2 behind Cold Chisel’s “Khe Sanh”.

Colin Hay told Songfacts: “The chorus is really about the selling of Australia in many ways, the over-development of the country. It was a song about the loss of spirit in that country. It’s really about the plundering of the country by greedy people. It is ultimately about celebrating the country, but not in a nationalistic way and not in a flag-waving sense. It’s really more than that.

This 12″ was released in Australia to promote the band’s first Greatest Hits package, “81-85, ” issued in November 1986.

SIDE A:
Down Under (Extended Mix) 5:29
Engineer – Ian MacKenzie*
Mixed By – Greg Ham
Music By – Strykert*
Words By, Music By – Hay*

SIDE B:
Sail To You (Extended Mix) 5:50
Mixed By – François Kevorkian
Producer – Colin Hay, Greg Ham
Written-By – C. Hay, G. Ham, R. Strykert*

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1982	Down Under	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#1
1982	Down Under	U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks	#13
1982	Down Under	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play	#33
1982	Down Under	U.S. Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks	#1

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: CBS – BA 12229
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: Australia
Released: 1986
Genre: Electronic
Style: New wave, Synth-pop

CREDITS:

Mixed At – Platinum Studios, Melbourne
Published By – CBS Songs

NOTES:
Limited Edition

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
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 making a donation using PayPal. Thank you for your help.

August 4, 2023

Toni Basil – Mickey (US 12″)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1982

BTG BARBIE Rewind: Bubblegum Pop Inspired by BARBIE!

AN 80s AUDITORY ICON

NEW 2023 Transfer!
NEW Meticulous Audio Restoration!

Originally posted November 15, 2011

“Mickey” (originally titled as “Kitty”) is a song recorded by American singer and choreographer Toni Basil for her debut studio album, Word of Mouth (1981). It was first recorded by the pop group Racey. Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn wrote the song, while production was helmed by Greg Mathieson and Trevor Veitch. Basil’s version is new wave, featuring guitar, synthesizers and cheerleading chants. It garnered a mixed response from music critics, with some critics praising the radio-friendly nature of the song, while others described some of the lyrics as obscene.

The song was originally performed by British pop group Racey, with the title “Kitty”, and was included on their debut studio album Smash and Grab in 1979. The original Racey song did not include the “Oh Mickey, you’re so fine” chant, which Basil added.

For years, it was rumored that the name was changed to Mickey because Basil developed a crush on the Monkees’ drummer and lead vocalist Micky Dolenz, after meeting him on the set of their movie, Head, for which she was the choreographer. However, that claim has been denied by Basil, who has said that she “didn’t really know Micky at all”. In January 2020, Basil released a re-recording of the song as “Hey Mickey” to digital and streaming platforms.

On August 31, 2017, Basil filed a multi-claim lawsuit against Razor & Tie Direct, Forever 21, Disney, Viacom, VH1, and South Park. Basil alleged that the defendants had commercially used the song “Mickey” without a license and damaged her right of publicity, claiming excess of $25,000 in damages. Basil also filed a lawsuit against AMC on May 12, 2020, for the unauthorized use of “Mickey” in a trailer for Preacher. On August 27, 2020, a California state of appeals court affirmed dismissal of Basil’s case.

The music video was directed, produced and choreographed by Basil herself. The cheerleaders featured in the video were members of a championship squad from Carson High School in Carson, California. The cheerleading uniform Basil wore in the music video was the one she actually wore in high school. According to Basil, “They didn’t put anything in the budget, I did everything myself. And this is the actual cheer sweater from Las Vegas High.”

“Mickey” was Basil’s only U.S. Billboard Top 40 single.

SIDE A:
Mickey (Special Club Mix) 5:57

SIDE B:
Mickey (Spanish Version) 5:13

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Excellent

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1982	Mickey	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#1
1982	Mickey	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play	#3

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Chrysalis – CDS-2666
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1982
Genre: Rock
Style: New Wave, Pop Rock

CREDITS:

Photography By – Sherry Rayn Barnett
Producer – Greg Mathieson, Trevor Veitch
Written-By – Chapman*, Chinn*

NOTES:
Special version from the LP “WORD OF MOUTH”

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
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 making a donation using PayPal. Thank you for your help.

August 3, 2023

Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Want To Have Fun (Japan 12″)

Burning The Ground Exclusive 1984

BTG BARBIE Rewind: Bubblegum Pop Inspired by BARBIE!

AN 80S AUDITORY ICON

NEW 2023 Transfer!
NEW Meticulous Audio Restoration!

Originally posted May 20, 2015

“Girls Just Want to Have Fun” is a song made famous by Cyndi Lauper four years after it was written by Robert Hazard. It was the first major single released by Lauper as a solo artist and the lead single from her debut studio album, She’s So Unusual (1983). Lauper’s version gained recognition as a feminist anthem and was promoted by a Grammy-winning music video. It has been covered, either as a studio recording or in a live performance, by over 30 other artists.

The single was Lauper’s breakthrough hit, reaching No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and becoming a worldwide hit throughout late 1983 and early 1984. It is considered one of Lauper’s signature songs and was a widely popular song during the 1980s. The lists “Rolling Stone and MTV: ‘100 Greatest Pop Songs’: 1–50”, “Rolling Stone: The 100 Top Music Videos” and “VH1: 100 Greatest Videos” ranked the song at No. 22, No. 39 and No. 45, respectively. The song received Grammy Award nominations for Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

The song was written by Robert Hazard, who recorded a demo of it in 1979. Hazard wrote the song from a male point of view. Lauper’s version appeared on her 1983 debut solo record She’s So Unusual. Lauper changed some of the lyrics at the suggestion of her producer and she also had her own suggestions about how her version should sound. The track is a synthesizer-backed anthem, from a feminist perspective, conveying the point that all women really want is to have the same experiences that men can have.[9] Gillian G. Gaar, author of She’s a Rebel: The History of Women in Rock & Roll (2002), described the single and corresponding video as a “strong feminist statement”, an “anthem of female solidarity” and a “playful romp celebrating female camaraderie.”

Cash Box said that “Robert Hazard’s original male point of view is transformed into a cheerleader-like sing-along for party girls, and the Toni Basil–like beat is augmented by a hooky, ringing guitar.”

The song was released in late 1983 but much of its success on the charts came during the first half of 1984. The single reached the Top 10 in over 25 countries and reached No. 1 in ten of those countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, and Norway. It also reached No. 2 in both the United Kingdom and the United States.

In the United States, the song entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 80 on December 17, 1983. It ultimately peaked at No. 2 on March 10, 1984, where it stayed for two weeks, behind Van Halen’s “Jump”. In the United Kingdom, the song entered the chart at No. 50 on January 14, 1984, and peaked at No. 2 on February 4, 1984, where it stayed for one week. In Ireland, the song entered the chart on January 29, 1984. It peaked at No. 1 for two weeks and was on the chart for a total of seven weeks. In Australia, the song debuted on the Kent Music Report Top 100 on February 27, 1984. It entered the Top 10 in only its third week on the chart and reached No. 1 on March 26, 1984. It topped the chart for two weeks and then remained at No. 2 for four weeks behind Nena’s “99 Luftballons”. It stayed on the chart for 21 weeks and was the 9th biggest-selling single of the year. In Belgium, the song debut at No. 38 on February 18, 1984, and peaked at No. 4 on April 7, 1984. In the Netherlands, the song entered the chart at No. 38 on February 25, 1984, and peaked at No. 4 on March 31, 1984.

In Sweden, the song entered at No. 13 on March 6, 1984, and peaked at No. 5 on April 3, 1984, charting for six weeks. In Switzerland, the song entered the chart at No. 15 on April 1, 1984, and peaked at No. 6 on April 29, 1984. In New Zealand, the song debuted at No. 21 on April 1, 1984, and peaked at No. 1 on May 6, 1984, where it stayed for three weeks. In Austria, the single entered at No. 3 on May 1, 1984, which was its peak position. In Netherland and New Zealand “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” made the year end charts for the Top 100 of 1984. On the ARC (American Radio Chart), “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” reached #1 and made the Top 40 songs of the year for 1984.

SIDE A:
Girls Just Want To Have Fun (Extended Version) 6:05

SIDE B:
Fun With V. Knutsn (Instrumental) 7:09
Xtra Fun 5:07

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

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1984	Girls Just Want To Have Fun	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#2
1984	Girls Just Want To Have Fun	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	#1

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Portrait – 12・3P-509
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: Japan
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:

Engineer – Elliot Scheiner
Engineer [Assistant] – Tom Swift
Executive-Producer – Lennie Petze
Mixed By – Arthur Baker
Producer – Rick Chertoff
Written-By – R. Hazard*

NOTES:
Special version from the LP “SHE’S SO UNUSUAL”
Manufactured in Japan.

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
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 making a donation using PayPal. Thank you for your help.