Tag: John “Jellybean” Benitez

March 12, 2018

Madonna – Burning Up/Physical Attraction (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1983

“Burning Up” is a song by American singer Madonna from her 1983 eponymous debut album. It was released as the album’s second single on March 9, 1983, in some countries as a double-A side single with “Physical Attraction”, another song from the album. The song was presented as an early recorded demo by Madonna to Sire Records who green-lighted the recording of the single after the first single “Everybody” became a dance hit. Madonna collaborated with Reggie Lucas, who produced the single while John Benitez provided the guitar riffs and backing vocals. Musically, the song incorporates instrumentation from the bass guitar, synthesizers and drums, and the lyrics talk of the singer’s lack of shame in declaring her passion for her lover.

Released with “Physical Attraction” on the B side, the song was given mixed reviews from contemporary critics and authors, who noted the song’s darker, urgent composition while praising its dance beats. The single failed to do well commercially anywhere, except the dance chart in the United States, where it peaked at #3, and the Australian charts, where it was a top 20 hit. After a number of live appearances in clubs to promote the single, it was added to the set-list of the 1985 Virgin Tour. An electric guitar version was performed on the 2004 Re-Invention World Tour and the 2015–2016 Rebel Heart Tour.

The accompanying music video of the song portrayed Madonna in the classic submissive female positions while writhing in passion on an empty road, for her lover who appeared to come from her behind on a car. The video ended showing Madonna driving the car instead, thereby concluding that she was always in charge. Many authors noted that the “Burning Up” music video was a beginning of Madonna’s depiction of her taking control of a destabilized male sexuality.

FAST SIDE:
Burning Up (12″ Version) 5:55
Written-By – Madonna

SLOW SIDE:
Physical Attraction (Album Version) 6:36
Remix – John Benitez*
Written-By – Reggie Lucas

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1983	Burning Up	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	#3

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Sire ‎– 0-29715, Sire ‎– 9 29715-0 A
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Maxi-Single
Country: US
Released: 09 Mar 1983
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Design [Art Design] – Martin Burgoyne
Engineer – Jim Dougherty
Producer – Reggie Lucas

NOTES:
From the Sire LP “MADONNA”

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

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 12AX7 TubeGold Pins
Soundcard: Novation Audiohub 2×4 Audio Interface
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, ocenaudio
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

March 8, 2018

Sting – If You Love Somebody Set Them Free (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1985

“If You Love Somebody Set Them Free” is the first single released from Sting’s solo debut album The Dream of the Blue Turtles. It is also the opening track of the album and is featured on Fields of Gold: The Best of Sting 1984–1994 as well as The Very Best of Sting & The Police.

Like much of the album, the song has heavy jazz influences, and was a major hit, peaking at number one on the US Album Rock Tracks chart for three weeks. On the US pop chart, it peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100, number 17 on the US R&B chart, number 26 on the UK Singles Chart, and number 18 on the Australian Kent Music Report singles chart.

A portion of the song was later used for Sting’s 1987 hit “We’ll Be Together” from …Nothing Like the Sun.

The single launched a long string of singles(stretching over three albums) where Sting collaborated with New Orleans saxophonist and one-time Tonight Show bandleader Branford Marsalis.

The song was also performed at The Brits in February 1995 with M People. He duetted on the song with the band’s lead singer, Heather Small and this track was given the dance treatment by the band who was also backed by a 100-strong Gospel Choir at the Earls Court Arena during the annual music awards show.

Sting said that he wrote the song as an “antidote” to the Police’s 1983 song, “Every Breath You Take”, which he also wrote. The song was also lampooned by The Dead Milkmen in the song “If You Love Somebody, Set Them on Fire,” from their 1990 album Metaphysical Graffiti.

The single B-side consists of a studio recording of the song “Another Day” which would appear the following year in a live version on Sting’s live album Bring On the Night.

SIDE A:
If You Love Somebody Set Them Free (“Jellybean” Dance Mix) 8:00
Percussion – Paulinho da Costa
Engineer [Remix] – Michael Hutchinson
Producer – Pete Smith
Remix – John “Jellybean” Benitez

If You Love Somebody Set Them Free (Album Version) 4:13
Producer – Pete Smith

SIDE B
If You Love Somebody Set Them Free (Torch Song Mix) 4:52
Producer – William Orbit
Remix – Rico Conning

Another Day 3:58
Producer – Pete Smith

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1985	If You Love Somebody Set Them Free	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#3
1985	If You Love Somebody Set Them Free	U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks	#1
1985	If You Love Somebody Set Them Free	U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles	#17

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: A&M Records ‎– SP-12132
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, B
Country: US
Released: 1985
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Backing Vocals – Dolette McDonald, Janice Pendarvis
Bass – Darryl Jones
Drums – Omar Hakim
Keyboards – Kenny Kirkland
Photography By – Max Vadukul
Producer – Pete Smith (tracks: A1, A2, B2), Sting (tracks: A1, A2, B2)
Saxophone, Percussion [Miscellaneous] – Branford Marsalis
Written-By, Vocals, Guitar – Sting

NOTES:
“If You Love Somebody Set Them Free” from the LP “The Dream of the Blue Turtles”

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

February 1, 2018

a-ha – I’ve Been Losing You (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1986

“I’ve Been Losing You” is a song by Norwegian band A-ha. It was the first single taken from their 1986 Scoundrel Days album. It reached number one in Norway and number eight in the UK. It achieved worldwide sales of over 1.1 million copies.

The music video was shot in a wide arena in Los Angeles.

“This Alone Is Love” was the B-side, in an earlier, rawer form than the one that was re-recorded for Stay on These Roads. Both versions can be easily differentiated by their duration and the use of certain instruments. The earlier version is notable for its organ solo that sets in at 3:36 until the end of the song. The Scoundrel Days version is notable for its guitar solo. It is derived from a song by Waaktaar and Furuholmen’s previous band Bridges.

SIDE A:
I’ve Been Losing You (Extended Mix) 7:02
Engineer [Assistant] – Craig Engel
Engineer [Remix] – Brian Malouf
Producer [Additional], Remix – Jellybean*

SIDE B:
I’ve Been Losing You (Dub) 4:26
Engineer [Assistant] – Craig Engel
Engineer [Remix] – Brian Malouf
Producer [Additional], Remix – Jellybean*

This Alone Is Love 4:32
Music By – Mags (2)

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Warner Bros. Records ‎– 9 20557-0, Warner Bros. Records ‎– 0-20557
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Maxi-Single
Country: US
Released: 1986
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Design – Jeri McManus Heiden
Music By, Lyrics By – Pål Waaktaar
Photography By – Knut Bry
Producer – Mags (2), Pål Waaktaar

NOTES:
From the LP “SCOUNDREL DAYS”

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

July 18, 2017

Dan Hartman – I Can Dream About You (Germany 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1984

“I Can Dream About You” is a song performed by American singer Dan Hartman for the soundtrack album of the film Streets of Fire. Released in 1984 as a single from the soundtrack, and included on Hartman’s album I Can Dream About You, it reached number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The song first appeared in Streets of Fire, where it was performed by the fictional group The Sorels. The real voice behind the version used in the film was Winston Ford, but Hartman’s version was the one used on the soundtrack album and released as a single. In a Songfacts interview with the film’s musical director, Kenny Vance, he recalled “The same guy that sings lead on that and “Countdown to Love,” a song that I wrote for the film, was a guy working at a Radio Shack (Winston Ford), and I think when you look at the film and The Sorels are singing it live in the movie, that was the version that was supposed to come out, and I recorded that version. But then when Dan Hartman heard it, I don’t know what happened next, but I know that he took that guy’s voice off and he put his own on, and he had a hit with it. Hollywood is a very slippery place.”

Originally, producer Jimmy Iovine had asked Hartman to write a song for a film he was working on. Hartman was told that the song was going to be sung by four black guys in a concert situation within the film, and Hartman ended up thinking about a demo he made of “I Can Dream About You.” Hartman then went through some legal maneuvering to get the benefit of his breakthrough. The use of the song in the film being performed by actors did not feature Hartman on vocals but a studio singer. After some contract negotiating, Hartman insisted he sing the song on the soundtrack, and that his version be released if a single were to be issued from the soundtrack album. Additionally, any music video had to feature his own voice using the song. These clauses helped Hartman become an “overnight sensation.” Both Hartman and Iovine worked on his 1984, same-titled solo album I Can Dream About You, following the song’s use in the film. The album would spawn two other Top 40 charting singles on the US Billboard Hot 100 – “We Are the Young” and “Second Nature”.

SIDE A:
I Can Dream About You (Jellybean Remix) 7:32
Engineer [Mix Engineer] – Michael Hutchinson
Remix – John “Jellybean” Benitez

SIDE B:
I Can Dream About You (Larry Levan Extended Remix) 5:57
Remix – Larry Levan

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1984	I Can Dream About You	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#7
1984	I Can Dream About You	U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary	#8
1984	I Can Dream About You	U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles	#60
1984	I Can Dream About You	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	#6

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: MCA Records ‎– 259 307-0
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: Germany
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Producer – Jimmy Iovine
Producer, Written-By – Dan Hartman

NOTES:
Music from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack “Streets Of Fire”

Find the 12″ on DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

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

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi