Tag: Promo

July 29, 2026

Patti Austin – It’s Gonna Be Special (US 12″ Promo) (1984)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

Apparently, one visit to the Two Of A Kind soundtrack was not enough.

After featuring Olivia Newton-John’s double A-side release of “Livin’ In Desperate Times” and “Twist Of Fate,” Ladies Of The 80s: Soundtrack Edition returns to the same movie for another overlooked gem.

This time, the spotlight belongs to Patti Austin and “It’s Gonna Be Special.”

The song first appeared on the soundtrack to the 1983 fantasy comedy Two Of A Kind, starring Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta. It was later released as the first single from Patti Austin’s self-titled 1984 album, where it also opened side one.

The movie may not have repeated the success of Grease, but its soundtrack brought together an impressive group of artists. Along with Olivia and Patti, the album featured Journey, Chicago, Boz Scaggs, Steve Kipner, David Foster, and the Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta duet “Take A Chance.”

As we have already discovered, the music from Two Of A Kind enjoyed a much longer life than the film itself.

“It’s Gonna Be Special” was written by Clif Magness and Glen Ballard and produced by Quincy Jones. Patti supplied both the lead and backing vocals, while the musicians included Magness on guitar, John Van Tongeren on keyboards and synthesizer, Paulinho da Costa on percussion, and a horn section arranged by Jerry Hey.

That is quite a collection of talent for one song.

Glen Ballard was still years away from becoming one of the most successful songwriters and producers of the 1990s. Clif Magness would also build an impressive career as a songwriter, musician, and producer. Here, they created a song filled with the excitement of believing that something wonderful is about to happen.

The title says it all.

“It’s Gonna Be Special” is bright, energetic, and filled with optimism. The rhythm combines polished early-1980s pop, R&B, and dance music. Synthesizers give the production a modern edge, while Jerry Hey’s horn arrangement adds warmth and punch.

Then there is Patti Austin.

Her voice gives the song its personality. She begins with confidence and continues building as the arrangement grows around her. By the time she reaches the chorus, she sounds completely certain that something special is on the way.

Patti had the technical skill to sing almost anything, but she never allowed that skill to overpower the emotion of a song. She could sound smooth and controlled, then suddenly lift a phrase with tremendous force. On “It’s Gonna Be Special,” she sounds joyful, playful, and determined all at once.

The song also fits the unusual story of Two Of A Kind better than it may first appear.

The film follows two ordinary people brought together through romance, angels, divine intervention, and the possible destruction of humanity. Against that background, Patti’s promise that something special is about to happen almost sounds like a message from the angels themselves.

Perhaps saving the world begins with a good dance record.

The single reached number 82 on the Billboard Hot 100. It performed much better with Patti’s core audience, climbing to number 15 on Billboard’s R&B chart and number 5 on the Dance chart.

The song does not appear to have received an official promotional music video. That lack of visual support may have limited its exposure at a time when music videos were becoming increasingly important to pop success. It is impossible to know whether a video would have pushed the record higher on the Hot 100, but it certainly could not have hurt.

In the United States, “It’s Gonna Be Special” was released commercially as a 7-inch single. The extended version, however, appeared only on a promotional 12-inch sent to radio stations and club DJs.

The promo contains the 6:30 “Dance Remix” and the shorter 4:14 “Single Edit.” The Dance Remix was created by John “Jellybean” Benitez.

Jellybean understood how to extend a song without losing what made the original work. His mix gives the rhythm section more room, brings the percussion forward, and adds instrumental passages designed for the dance floor.

The longer introduction allows the groove to establish itself before Patti takes control. Once her vocal arrives, the arrangement continues opening around her. The synthesizers, percussion, horns, and backing vocals receive more space, but the song never loses its strong pop structure.

This is still “It’s Gonna Be Special.”

There is simply more of it to enjoy.

The Dance Remix also places the song firmly within the club sound of 1984. The production is polished, but it has plenty of movement. It connects traditional R&B musicianship with the electronic pulse that was becoming central to dance music.

The Single Edit takes the opposite approach.

At 4:14, it presents the song in a tighter form suited to radio. The energy remains, but the arrangement moves more quickly from one section to the next. Having both versions together makes the promotional 12-inch especially useful for collectors.

You get the concise radio presentation and the full club experience on one record.

Because the 12-inch was promotional-only in the United States, it could easily have been missed by listeners who bought the soundtrack or Patti’s album. There was no widely available commercial 12-inch sitting beside the regular single in record stores.

You had to know a DJ, search the used-record bins, or get lucky.

That limited availability makes it an ideal selection for this series. “It’s Gonna Be Special” is not completely unknown, but Jellybean’s Dance Remix never received the attention given to many of his more famous mixes.

It deserves another chance.

Patti Austin had already built an extraordinary career by the time this single appeared. She began recording as a child and became one of the most respected studio vocalists of the 1970s. Her solo work moved through jazz, soul, pop, R&B, and dance music, while her recordings with Quincy Jones introduced her voice to an even larger audience.

Her number-one duet with James Ingram, “Baby, Come To Me,” had become a major hit shortly before this release. “It’s Gonna Be Special” showed that she could follow a romantic ballad with a bright electronic dance track without sounding out of place.

That versatility is one reason Patti belongs in Ladies Of The 80s.

She did not depend on shocking image changes or elaborate characters. Her reinvention happened through the music. She could move from a sophisticated ballad to jazz, funk, pop, or club music because her voice gave her the freedom to go almost anywhere.

For this post, I am featuring the rare US promotional 12-inch containing John “Jellybean” Benitez’s Dance Remix and the Single Edit.

The Dance Remix lets the groove stretch out.

The Single Edit gets directly to the point.

Two Of A Kind may have been an unusual movie, but its soundtrack continues to reveal treasures.

With Quincy Jones behind the controls, Jellybean Benitez handling the remix, and Patti Austin at the microphone, this one was always going to be special.

SIDE A:
It’s Gonna Be Special (Dance Remix) 6:30
Remix – John “Jellybean” Benitez

SIDE B:
It’s Gonna Be Special (Single Edit) 4:14

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

Chart (1984)	Peak Position
US Billboard Dance/Disco	5
US Billboard Hot Black Singles	15
US Billboard Hot 100	82

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Qwest Records – PRO-A-2076
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Promo, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic, Funk / Soul, Pop
Style: Soul

CREDITS:

Producer – Quincy Jones
Written-By – Cliff Magness*, Glen Ballard

NOTES:
From the motion picture “TWO OF A KIND”
From the album “PATTI AUSTIN” (1-23974)

Promotional Copy Not For Sale

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

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July 17, 2026

Eurythmics – Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty·Four) (1984)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

NEW 2026 Transfer
NEW Meticulous Audio Restoration

For the next entry in Ladies Of The 80s: Soundtrack Edition, we are leaving behind the bright pop of “Whole Wide World” and entering a much colder, darker, and more unsettling world.

“Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty-Four)” was released in 1984 as the first single from Eurythmics’ soundtrack album 1984 (For The Love Of Big Brother), created for Michael Radford’s film adaptation of George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four. The movie starred John Hurt as Winston Smith, Suzanna Hamilton as Julia, and Richard Burton in his final film role as O’Brien.

Although Eurythmics was a duo, there was no leaving Annie Lennox out of this series. Her voice, image, and commanding presence helped make Eurythmics one of the most recognizable acts of the decade. On “Sexcrime,” she sounds fierce, nervous, controlled, and ready to explode, often within the same few seconds.

The song was written by Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart and produced by Stewart. Its title comes directly from Orwell’s fictional language of Newspeak. In the world of Nineteen Eighty-Four, even private desire can become an offense against the state. Romance, sex, and personal loyalty are dangerous because they create bonds that exist outside the control of Big Brother.

Eurythmics turned that idea into one of their hardest and most mechanical singles.

“Sexcrime” is built around pounding electronic percussion, stabbing synthesizers, sampled fragments of Annie’s voice, and Dave Stewart’s processed repetition of “nineteen eighty-four.” Annie’s vocals are cut into small pieces and fired through the track like another rhythm instrument. The effect is tense, hypnotic, and slightly disturbing.

It sounds like a pop song created inside the Ministry of Truth.

There is also a physical urgency to the record. Beneath all the cold machinery, Annie sings like someone trying to protect the final pieces of her private life. When she reaches the line about pulling down the bricks one by one and leaving a hole in the wall, the song briefly turns from fear toward resistance.

That was one of Eurythmics’ greatest strengths during this period. They could make electronic music sound cold and deeply human at the same time.

The song’s video carried the Orwellian mood even further. Filmed at London’s Battersea Power Station, it placed Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart inside a bleak industrial setting filled with harsh lighting, smoke, rain, surveillance imagery, and scenes from the movie. The location could hardly have been more appropriate for the song’s oppressive atmosphere.

The story behind the soundtrack was nearly as tense as the music.

Virgin Films commissioned Eurythmics to create music for the movie, while director Michael Radford had already been working with composer Dominic Muldowney on a traditional orchestral score. Radford objected when much of Muldowney’s work was replaced with Eurythmics’ electronic music. The Eurythmics later stated that they had accepted the assignment in good faith and were unaware of the disagreement between the director and the film company. Different releases of the movie have since appeared with different combinations of the two scores.

The controversy may have complicated the movie’s release, but 1984 (For The Love Of Big Brother) remains a fascinating Eurythmics album. Much of it is instrumental, experimental, and far removed from the direct pop sound of hits such as “Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)” and “Here Comes The Rain Again.”

“Sexcrime” was the album’s most obvious single, although there was nothing particularly safe about it.

In the UK, the record became Eurythmics’ sixth consecutive Top 10 single, reaching number four and spending fifteen weeks on the chart. The album reached number 23 on the UK Albums Chart.

The reception in the United States was very different. Many American radio programmers and video outlets reacted to the title without understanding its meaning within Orwell’s novel. The single stalled at number 81 on the Billboard Hot 100, but club audiences were far more welcoming. It reached number two on Billboard’s dance chart.

Once again, the clubs were ahead of the radio.

For this post, I am returning to the US 12-inch promotional release. The record opens with the nearly eight-minute Extended Mix, followed on the B-side by the Single Version and “I Did It Just The Same.”

The Extended Mix gives the mechanical rhythm more room to build. Annie’s sampled vocals move in and out of the arrangement while the percussion, synthesizers, and processed voices create a sense that the listener is being watched from every direction. It is not a traditional extended mix filled with new melodies or a warm dance-floor groove. Instead, it takes the song’s nervous tension and stretches it into something even more severe.

The B-side, “I Did It Just The Same,” also draws its title and subject matter from Orwell’s novel. It is another dark electronic piece that fits naturally beside “Sexcrime” and helps make the 12-inch feel like a small extension of the soundtrack album rather than a standard pop single. The US promotional pressing contains the Extended Mix, Single Version, and “I Did It Just The Same.”

I previously posted this record in January 2018. That transfer was itself an update of an even earlier Burning The Ground post, but eight years have passed, and my equipment and restoration work have changed considerably since then.

For the new 2026 edition, I returned to the vinyl and created an entirely new transfer from the beginning. This is not a remaster of the 2018 files. It is a fresh recording followed by meticulous audio restoration, with special attention given to preserving the sharp electronic attack, deep percussion, vocal samples, and cold atmosphere of the original production.

“Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty-Four)” is not the easiest or most comforting Eurythmics single. It is harsh, strange, repetitive, and confrontational.

That is exactly why it remains so exciting.

More than four decades later, the song still sounds like a warning being transmitted from somewhere just beyond the telescreen.

Big Brother is watching.

Annie Lennox is fighting back.

SIDE A:
Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty•Four) (Extended Version) 7:59

SIDE B:
Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty•Four) (Single Version) 3:58
I Did It Just The Same 3:27

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

Chart Performance – Eurythmics: Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty Four) (1984–1985)	Peak Position
Australia (Kent Music Report)	5
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)	3
Canada Top Singles (RPM)	18
Europe (European Top 100 Singles)	7
France (SNEP)	7
Ireland (IRMA)	4
Italy (Musica e dischi)	19
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)	10
Netherlands (Single Top 100)	12
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)	8
Norway (VG-lista)	9
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)	3
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)	6
UK Singles Chart	4
US Billboard Hot 100	81
US Billboard Dance Club Songs	2
West Germany (GfK)	3

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: RCA – JW-13957, RCA – PW-13957
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Promo, Stereo
Country: US
Released: 1984
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:

Composed By [Composer] – Lennox*, Stewart*
Lacquer Cut By – JA*
Mixed By – David A. Stewart, Eric Thorngren
Producer [Produced By] – David A. Stewart

NOTES:
Mix names on the sleeve are “Extended Mix” and “Single Mix” and on the labels are “Extended Version” and “Single Version”.

Taken from the motion picture soundtrack album: 1984

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for BURNING THE GROUND

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.

July 10, 2026

Barbra Streisand – Promises (US 12″ Promo) (1980)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

NEW 2026 Transfer
NEW Meticulous Audio Restoration

Original post date: June 26, 2015

Released in May 1981, “Promises” was the fourth and final single taken from Barbra Streisand’s hugely successful album Guilty.

Written by Barry Gibb and Robin Gibb, the song carries the polished pop sound that defined much of the album. Barry and Robin also appear on backing vocals, adding those unmistakable Gibb harmonies behind Streisand’s commanding lead.

While “Promises” narrowly missed the Top 40 on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 48, it found greater success with adult contemporary listeners. The single reached number 8 on the US Adult Contemporary chart and climbed to number 5 in Canada.

A commercial 12″ single was released in both the United States and Europe, featuring a 5:55 “Special Version.” To my knowledge, this extended version has never appeared on CD or through digital services and remains exclusive to vinyl.

“Promises” also marked an interesting point in Streisand’s singles history. It was her first commercially released 12″ single as a solo artist. It followed her 1979 duet with Donna Summer, “No More Tears (Enough Is Enough),” along with promotional 12″ releases for “Shake Me, Wake Me (When It’s Over)” in 1975 and “The Main Event/Fight” in 1979.

The “Special Version” does not radically remake the song. Instead, it gives the arrangement more room to breathe, extending the smooth production and allowing the backing vocals, rhythm section, and instrumental details to stand out. It is a subtle extension, but one that works beautifully with the sleek sound of the Guilty era.

This post features a brand-new 2026 meticulous audio transfer and restoration taken from the US 12″ promotional pressing. The record contains the same 5:55 version on both sides.

For Streisand collectors, Gibb fans, and anyone who appreciates the refined sound of early 1980s pop, this vinyl-only version of “Promises” is a lovely addition to the collection.

SIDE A:
Promises (Special Version) 5:55

SIDE B:
Promises (Special Version) 5:55

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

Chart Performance – Barbra Streisand: Promises (1981)	Peak Position
Canada RPM Adult Contemporary	#5
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#48
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary	#8
U.S. Cash Box Top 100	#48

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Columbia – 43 02089
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Promo
Country: US
Released: 1980
Genre: Pop
Style: Vocal, Disco

CREDITS:

Executive-Producer – Charles Koppelman
Producer – Albhy Galuten, Barry Gibb, Karl Richardson
Written-By – B. Gibb*, R. Gibb*

NOTES:
DEMONSTRATION
NOT FOR SALE
Special Version Of The Columbia Lp: “GUILTY” FC 36750
Taken from The Columbia Lp: “GUILTY” FC 36750
Same track both sides.

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for BURNING THE GROUND

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.

July 2, 2026

Frank Tovey – Luxury (US 12″ Promo) (1986)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

“Luxury” is a 1985 single by Frank Tovey, the man many of us first came to know as Fad Gadget.

Frank Tovey was one of those artists who never really fit into a neat little box. As Fad Gadget, he helped shape the darker, stranger side of early electronic music. He could be funny, disturbing, sharp, theatrical, and oddly catchy, sometimes all in the same song. By the mid-1980s, Tovey had put the Fad Gadget name aside and began releasing music under his own name.

“Luxury” was one of those moments where he stepped a little closer to pop without losing that bite.

Produced by Frank Tovey and Daniel Miller, with Flood engineering, “Luxury” has a bright, almost polished surface. But don’t let that fool you. Under the sheen, Tovey is still poking at greed, image, class, and all the shiny things people chase to feel important. The song moves with a sharp electronic snap, but there is a sly grin behind it. It is catchy, but it is not empty.

Chart-wise, “Luxury” did not break into the official UK Top 100, but it did make a respectable showing on the UK Independent Singles Chart, reaching No. 20 in 1985. That feels about right for Frank Tovey. Too strange for the mainstream, but right at home with the listeners and DJs who were paying attention.

My copy is the U.S. 12″ promotional pressing released by Sire Records in 1986. The A-side features both “Luxury (12″ Mix)” and the LP version of “Luxury,” giving DJs the choice between the extended mix and the album cut. The B-side pairs “Collapsing New People (London Mix),” recorded as Fad Gadget, with the LP version of “Concrete,” another Frank Tovey track from Snakes and Ladders.

That track listing is what makes this promo especially interesting. It does not just promote one single. It gives us Frank Tovey in transition, with his solo work sitting right next to one of the best-known Fad Gadget tracks.

“Collapsing New People” is tense, metallic, and very much tied to the early 1980s underground electronic scene. The “London Mix” gives the track a harder club push while keeping all of its strange, nervous energy intact. Placed next to “Luxury,” it also shows how much range Tovey had. He could move from abrasive electronic art-pop into something more streamlined and still sound completely like himself.

For me, that is what makes this 12″ such a cool piece. “Luxury” may be one of Tovey’s more accessible moments, but it still carries that restless spirit that made his work stand apart. Whether recording as Fad Gadget or under his own name, Frank Tovey always sounded like he was pushing against the walls.

This U.S. promo is a great little snapshot of that story.

SIDE A:
Frank Tovey – Luxury (12″ Mix) 7:00
Engineer – Flood
Producer – Daniel Miller, Frank Tovey
Recorded By [Additional] – Tony Harris
Remix – Alistair Clay, Flood, Frank Tovey

Frank Tovey – Luxury (LP Version) 4:02
Producer – Daniel Miller, Frank Tovey

SIDE B:
Fad Gadget – Collapsing New People (London Mix) 9:21
Featuring – Einstürzende Neubauten
Producer – Daniel Miller, Flood, Frank Tovey, Gareth Jones

Frank Tovey – Concrete (LP Version) 4:36
Engineer – E.C. Radcliffe
Producer – E.C. Radcliffe, Frank Tovey

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label:Sire – PRO-A-2573
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Promo
Country: US
Released: 1986
Genre: Electronic
Style: New Wave, Industrial, Synth-pop

NOTES:
Housed in a custom one-sided Sire Records picture sleeve

Original versions of “Luxury”, “Collapsing New People”, and “Concrete” are available on the Frank Tovey album “Snakes & Ladders” on Sire Records.

Promotional Copy Not For Sale

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for BURNING THE GROUND

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.