Burning The Ground Exclusive
Originally released in 1988, “She Drives Me Crazy” marked the explosive return of British trio Fine Young Cannibals. Issued as the lead single from their second (and final) album The Raw & the Cooked (1989), the track became an instant classic—showcasing Roland Gift’s unmistakable falsetto and the band’s clever fusion of pop, soul, and funk.
Written by frontman Roland Gift and bassist David Steele, and co-produced by the band along with David Z (a longtime Prince collaborator), “She Drives Me Crazy” has one of the most iconic snare sounds of the era. The distinctive “pop” of the drum was no accident—David Z employed an inventive technique during the recording sessions at Prince’s famed Paisley Park Studios in Minneapolis. The snare part was recorded separately, then played back through a speaker placed on top of the snare drum while a mic underneath captured the sound again—creating that sharp, tight punch that helped the track cut through on both radio and the dancefloor.
Chart-wise, the single became the band’s biggest hit. In the UK, it reached No. 5—making it their highest-charting release at home. But it was in the U.S. that the song really took off, hitting No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and staying there for a week in April 1989. It also topped charts in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Austria, and Spain, cementing Fine Young Cannibals’ global success. Two different music videos were shot for the track—one by French choreographer/director Philippe Decouflé and another by Pedro Romhanyi.
Today on Burning the Ground, I’m featuring the U.S. 12″ single, which includes three rare remixes by Justin Strauss: a club-friendly extended remix a Dub, and a tight edit version—none of which have been released digitally or appeared on commercial CD (except for a scarce promo) which included the Justin Strauss Remix. Strauss’s approach adds extra rhythmic space and re-sequencing, extending the groove while preserving the quirky charm of the original.
If, like me, you spent countless nights in record stores or at clubs chasing down mixes you knew weren’t on your regular 12″, this one’s for you. A peak pop moment, reimagined with the dancefloor in mind.
SIDE ONE:
She Drives Me Crazy (The Justin Strauss Remix) 7:42
Edited By – Chep Nunez*
Engineer [Remix] – Daniel Abraham
Keyboards – Eric Kupper
Producer [Additional], Remix – Justin Strauss
She Drives Me Crazy (Single Remix) 3:48
Edited By – Chep Nunez*
Engineer [Remix] – Daniel Abraham
Keyboards – Eric Kupper
Producer [Additional], Remix – Justin Strauss
SIDE A:
She Drives Me Crazy (David Z Remix) 7:05
Remix – David Z.
She Drives Me Crazy (Driven Crazy Dub) 5:33
Edited By – Chep Nunez*
Engineer [Remix] – Daniel Abraham
Keyboards – Eric Kupper
Producer [Additional], Remix – Justin Strauss
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
U.S. CHART HISTORY:
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | She Drives Me Crazy | U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | #1 |
| 1989 | She Drives Me Crazy | U.S. Billboard 12 Inch Singles Sales | #3 |
| 1989 | She Drives Me Crazy | U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play | #1 |
| 1989 | She Drives Me Crazy | U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles | #54 |
| 1989 | She Drives Me Crazy | U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks | #5 |
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: I.R.S. Records – IRS-23926
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Single, Pinckneyville
Country: US
Released: 1989
Genre: Electronic, Pop, Stage & Screen
Style: Dance-pop, House
CREDITS:
- Management – Tony Meilandt
- Producer – David Z.
- Written-By – Steele*, Gift*
NOTES:
The labels state Side One and Side A.
Tracks A1/A2/B2: Additional production for Just Right Productions.
Track A1 is also known as the “U.S. Mix”.
Management is written “Tony Meilandt AGM Management”
This release was pressed at the MCA Pressing Plant, Pinckneyville .
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
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