Tag: Elton John

Olivia Newton-John – The Rumour (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1988

I have so many great memories dancing to this track back in ’88. I thought it was so cool that Olivia was getting heavy club play I love hearing it beat mixed in with all the other club hits of the day.

Thank you Olivia for all of the Love & Light you have shared with me and so many others over the years. Get well soon.

Originally posted August 17, 2012

“The Rumour” was the first single released from Olivia Newton-John’s 1988 MCA Records album of the same name. “The Rumour” was produced by Elton John and James Newton Howard, and was written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin. The song also included backing vocals and piano by Elton John. The single only reached #62 on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

“The Rumour” was issued as a 12″ single featuring remixes by Shep Pettibone helping it become a top twenty dance hit peaking at #17 on the Billboard Dance Chart in October 1988. “The Rumour” also charted in Australia #35, Germany #36 and UK #86.

SIDE A:
The Rumour (12″ Extended Mix) 6:41
The Rumour (7″ Mix) 3:59

SIDE B:
The Rumour (12″ Dub) 4:14
The Rumour (Instrumental) 4:00

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

CHARTS:

Year Single Chart Position
1988 The Rumour U.S. Billboard Hot 100 #62
1988 The Rumour U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary Tracks #33
1988 The Rumour U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play #17
1988 The Rumour U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales #42

 

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: MCA Records – MCA-23890
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1988
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Mixed By – Shep Pettibone, Steve Peck
Producer – Elton John, James Newton Howard
Remix [Additional Production] – Shep Pettibone
Written-By – Elton John & Bernie Taupin

NOTES:
Original versions appears on the Olivia Newton-John album “THE RUMOUR”

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

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 12AX7ECC803-S Gold Electron Tube
Soundcard: ESI Juli@
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
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

Elton John/Millie Jackson – Act Of War (Remix Number Two) (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1985

A. Front

“Act Of War” is a 1985 single with lyrics by Elton John’s longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin, this song uses war as a metaphor for a stormy interpersonal relationship. It was the era of the Cold War, when the United States and Russia had nuclear weapons ready for attack. Explosions appear in the song to encourage the theme, and the video opens with the United States president answering his phone near the “button” which would supposedly launch the missiles. The jelly beans he eats are a reference to Ronald Reagan, the real president at the time who enjoyed the treats. It’s a catchy and upbeat tune from a resurgent Elton John, perhaps with an anti-nuclear sentiment similar to “99 Luftballons,” but it couldn’t get traction in America, where the song was ignored. “Act Of War” was a top 40 hit in the UK reaching #32.

Elton duets with soul singer Millie Jackson on this song. Jackson is an R&B star well known in the black community, but just under the mainstream radar. Like Tina Turner, who was first offered the duet but turned it down, Jackson has impressive looks and a stunning voice, and she could have crossed over to the Pop world had things gone a bit differently. In an interview with Millie Jackson, she explained: “Didn’t happen. Don’t care. In America I think in order to be a pop star you’ve got to have management. And I always managed myself. I was never looking to become that crossover pop star. Let white folks cross over to me. I call myself the poor people’s queen. Because once you get to the top there’s only one way to go.”

“Act Of War” was released only as a single, but later it was added to Elton’s “Ice on Fire” CD, having been recorded the same year. The song also features guitar by Nik Kershaw.

Several remixes were released for “Act Of War” this UK only limited edition contains exclusive remixes by Australian remixer/producer Julian Mendelsohn.

SIDE A:
Act Of War (Part 5) Vocal 7:30

SIDE B:
Act Of War (Part 6) Instrumental 4:20

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: The Rocket Record Company ‎– EJSR 812
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Limited Edition
Country: UK
Released: 1985
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Producer – Gus Dudgeon
Remix –Julian Mendelsohn (tracks: A), Stuart Epps (tracks: B)
Written-By – Bernie Taupin, Elton John

Find The 12″ On DISCOGS

B. Back

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut III
Cartridge: Ortofon Super
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 30
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck 
Speed Control: Pro-Ject Speed Box S
Phono Pre-amp: Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Tube: Tung-Sol 12AX7ECC803-S Gold Electron Tube
Soundcard: ESI Juli@
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans: Brother MFC-6490CW Professional Series Scanner

SOFTWARE USED:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removeal: 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

Elton John – Healing Hands (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1989

“Healing Hands” was the final hit single of the 1980s for British pop-star Elton John, written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin and recorded on his million-selling 1989 album Sleeping with the Past. The single was released during the late-summer of 1989, and was a top-twenty hit in the US. It was paired as a double A-side single with Sacrifice”, which became Elton’s first solo number 1 single in the UK. The song was inspired by the Four Tops song “Reach Out, I’ll Be There”. Produced by Chris Thomas, it was the first of three singles released from the album, with the follow-ups being “Sacrifice” and “Club at the End of the Street”.

“Healing Hands” did moderately well as a single in the United States, climbing to #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reaching #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart the week of October 21, 1989 (dislodging Madonna’s “Cherish” from the #1 position). The song failed to make the UK Top 40 on its initial release, as did the follow-up, “Sacrifice.” However, after Steve Wright of BBC Radio One added “Sacrifice” to his station’s playlist, “Sacrifice” was re-released in the UK with “Healing Hands” as the flip side. The double A-side record topped the UK chart for five weeks starting June 23, 1990, becoming the first solo #1 UK hit of Elton John’s career.

Musically, the song is complex, with the verses in the key of B flat, and the chorus in the key of D major. An instrumental solo, in the related minor key of G minor, serves as a bridge.

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Cover: Near Mint

SIDE A:
Healing Hands (Extended Re-Mix)  5:05
Edited By – Tony Shimkin
Engineer – Goh Hopola
Remix, Producer [Additional], Edited By – Shep Pettibone
Written-By – Elton John/Taupin*

SIDE B:
Healing Hands (7″ Version)  4:22
Written-By – Elton John/Taupin*

Dancing In The End Zone 3:52
Written-By – Davey Johnstone , Elton John/Taupin*

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: The Rocket Record Company
Catalog#: EJS 1912
Format: Vinyl, 12″
Country: UK
Released: 1989
Genre: Electronic, Pop, Rock
Style: Soft Rock, Pop Rock
Credits: Lyrics By – Taupin*
Producer – Chris Thomas
Recorded By – David Nicholas

NOTES:
“Healing Hands (7″ Version)” taken from the forthcoming album ‘SLEEPING WITH THE PAST’

DISCOGS

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut III
Cartridge: Ortofon Super
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 20
Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Soundcard: ESI Juli@
VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Brother MFC-6490CW Professional Series Scanner

SOFTWARE USED:
Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Adobe Photoshop CS5
ClickRepair
dBpoweramp
Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
Downsampled to 24bit/96kHz and16bit /44kHz using iZotope RX Advanced 2
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

Elton John – I’m Still Standing (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1983

REQUEST

“I’m Still Standing” is a song on English pop-rock performer Elton John’s 1983 album, Too Low for Zero. He sings about making a comeback despite problems in daily life. The video, directed by Russell Mulcahy, was shot in Cannes and Nice on the Côte d’Azur in France and features the colours of the French flag. Bruno Tonioli, a judge on the hit shows Strictly Come Dancing for BBC (UK) and its American adaptation, Dancing with the Stars for ABC in the US, appears as one of the dancers in the video.

The song became a big hit for John on both sides of the Atlantic, peaking at #4 in the UK, reached #1 in Switzerland and #12 in the US.

The b-side “Earn While You Learn” is an instrumental piece performed by Lord Choc Ice which is one of Elton John’s aliases. The song did appear as a bonus track on the 1998 remastered CD version of “Too Low For Zero” which is now out of print.

SIDE A
I’m Still Standing (Extended Version) 3:46

SIDE B
Earn While You Learn 6:42
Performed By – Lord Choc Ice

RELEASE/PRODUCTION INFORMATION
Label: The Rocket Record Company
Catalog#: EJS 112
Format: Vinyl, 12″
Country: UK
Released: 1983
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: New Wave, Pop Rock
Credits: Producer – Chris Thomas (tracks: A) , Clive Franks (tracks: B) , Elton John (tracks: B)
Recorded By – Bill Price
Written-By – Elton John & Bernie Taupin (tracks: A) , Lord Choc Ice (tracks: B)

NOTES
Original sound recording made by Rocket Records
Big Pig Music LTD.

DISCOGS

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut III
Cartridge: Ortofon Super
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 20
Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Soundcard: ESI Juli@
VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Brother MFC-6490CW Professional Series Scanner

SOFTWARE USED:
Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Adobe Photoshop CS5
ClickRepair
dBpoweramp
Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
Downsampled to 24bit/96kHz and16bit /44kHz using iZotope RX Advanced 2
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi