Tag: Promo

November 13, 2025

Sade – The Sweetest Taboo (US 12″ Promo) (1985)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

Released in late 1985 as the lead single from Promise, Sade’s sophomore album, “The Sweetest Taboo” is a silky, sunlit groove that effortlessly blends jazz, pop, and soul into one of the most distinctive sounds of the decade. The track was written by Sade Adu and bandmate Martin Ditcham and produced by Robin Millar, who also helmed their debut Diamond Life.

Where Diamond Life introduced the world to Sade’s cool sophistication, Promise deepened the palette—more organic, more textured, and more confident. “The Sweetest Taboo” perfectly captures that evolution. Built around a gentle Latin-tinged rhythm, velvety guitar, and understated percussion, the song creates a mood that feels both romantic and timeless.

Lyrically, Sade describes a love so deep it feels almost forbidden—a passion that transcends words. Her vocal delivery is intimate and soothing, floating effortlessly over the groove. “There’s a quiet storm / And it never felt like this before,” she sings, inviting listeners into a serene emotional space few artists could craft so delicately.

The single became one of Sade’s signature hits, reaching #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart in early 1986. It also found success across Europe, further cementing the group’s status as global icons of refined, emotive pop. The accompanying music video, directed by Brian Ward, mirrors the song’s warmth—featuring Sade in desert landscapes and dreamlike imagery that evoke both freedom and longing.

“The Sweetest Taboo” is more than just a hit single; it’s a defining moment in 1980s music—smooth yet soulful, intimate yet sophisticated. Nearly forty years later, its gentle rhythm and Sade’s unmistakable voice still sound like the essence of quiet passion.

SIDE A:
The Sweetest Taboo (Short Version) 4:24

SIDE B:
The Sweetest Taboo (Long Version) 5:27

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

Chart Performance — Sade: The Sweetest Taboo (1985)
Chart	Peak Position	Date
US Billboard Billboard Hot 100	#5	1985/86
US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary	#1	1985/86
US Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs	#3	1985/86
UK Singles Chart	#31	1985/86
Canada Top Singles (RPM)	#12	1985/86

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Portrait – RAS 2219
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Promo
Country: US
Released: 1985
Genre: Jazz, Funk / Soul, Pop
Style: Smooth Jazz, Soul

CREDITS:

Engineer [Production] – Mike Pela
Producer – Robin Millar
Written-By – Ditcham*, Adu*
Pressed By – Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Pitman
Lacquer Cut At – Frankford/Wayne Mastering Labs
Produced For – Modern Media Ltd.
Published By – Silver Angel Music, Inc.

NOTES:
DEMONSTRATION
NOT FOR SALE
Taken From The Portrait Lp: “PROMISE”

“Long Version” is also known as “Extended Version”.

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
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

You can help show your support for this blog by donating using PayPal. I appreciate your help.

October 24, 2025

The Crypt Keeper – The Crypt Jam (US 12″ Promo) (1992)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

🧛‍♂️ “Let’s all go to the crypt where the cool ghouls hang!”

In 1992, the wisecracking host of HBO’s Tales from the Crypt decided to take his gruesome groove to the dance floor with “The Crypt Jam.” Voiced by John Kassir in character as the delightfully demented Crypt Keeper, the single was released on Big Screen Records and both written and produced by Chuckii Booker, the multi-talented R&B artist best known for his hits “Turned Away” and “Games.”

Booker’s production gives “The Crypt Jam” a slick early-’90s new jack swing feel—thick, punchy beats, funky synth bass, and layers of spooky samples. What could have been a mere novelty track is instead surprisingly danceable and well-crafted, thanks to Booker’s polished touch.

The Crypt Keeper’s signature cackles, graveyard puns, and horror humor are all here in full force—making it a fun, campy club track that bridges the gap between horror fandom and early ’90s dance culture.

The music video, featuring the Crypt Keeper rapping, dancing, and surrounded by creepy party guests, aired on MTV and was included on various Tales from the Crypt home video releases. It’s gloriously over-the-top: part Halloween special, part hip-hop parody, and pure early-’90s entertainment.

Though “The Crypt Jam” didn’t chart, it found an afterlife as a Halloween cult favorite. Fans of Booker’s production can easily hear his rhythmic fingerprints throughout, turning the Crypt Keeper’s macabre humor into something that could have haunted any club floor in 1992.

💀 Fun Fact:
Chuckii Booker’s involvement makes this one of the rare novelty singles tied to a TV character that actually carries legitimate R&B and dance credentials. Booker handled everything from songwriting to production, giving the track a professional polish that sets it apart from most TV tie-ins of the era.

🕸️ For this post, I created custom sleeve artwork to give this undead dance floor classic the proper cover it never had. Inspired by vintage Tales from the Crypt comic art and early-’90s horror design, it captures the ghoulish fun and funky energy of The Crypt Jam.

Even after three decades, this spooky groove proves that when it comes to beats from beyond the grave, nobody does it deader than the Crypt Keeper.

SIDE A:
The Crypt Jam (Radio Edit) 4:00
The Crypt Jam (Album Version) 4:31
Scales From The Crypt (Club Mix) 7:08

SIDE B:
The Crypt Jam (TV Mix) 4:30
The Crypt Jam (A Cappella Crypt Keeper Mix) 3:46
The Crypt Jam (Fat Instrumental Mix) 3:46

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Big Screen Records – PRO-A-5577
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Promo, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1992
Genre: Hip Hop
Style: RnB/Swing, Pop Rap, Horror Rock

CREDITS:

Lacquer Cut By – M.M*
Mixed By – Rob Chiarelli
Producer, Written-By – Chuckii Booker

NOTES:
Custom artwork: DjPaulT

PROMOTION ONLY.
NOT FOR SALE.

Performed By The Crypt Keeper (John Kassir)
LP Version from the Big Screen Records album
ORIGINAL MUSIC FROM TALES FROM THE CRYPT

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 donating using PayPal. I appreciate your help.

October 2, 2025

Jody Watley – When A Man Loves A Woman (US 12″ Promo) (1994)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

Released in 1994 as the final single from her fourth album, Intimacy (1993), Jody Watley’s When a Man Loves a Woman stands out as one of the most intriguing singles of her career. Co-written with Larry Campbell, the song paired Watley’s poetic, philosophical spoken-word style with a sultry midtempo R&B/hip-hop groove, offering something bold and different from her previous chart-toppers.

Charts

The single became a success on both sides of the Atlantic. In the U.S., it climbed to #11 on the Billboard R&B Singles Chart, while in the UK, it reached #33 on the Singles Chart, becoming Watley’s first Top 40 hit there since “Friends” in 1989. In clubs, it fared even better, soaring to the top of the UK Club Chart, thanks in part to strong remixes.

Critical Reception

Critics praised the single’s originality and risk-taking:

Billboard (Larry Flick): Called it a “clever and unusual single,” noting Watley “waxes poetic and philosophical about relationships, chatting over an insinuating, midtempo hip-hop groove,” enhanced by “imaginative, format-stretching remixes.”
Gavin Report (Bill Speed & John Martinucci): Described it as “a monologue observing key elements of an unconditional relationship between a man and a woman.”
Music Week (Andy Beevers): Awarded four out of five stars and Pick of the Week in Dance, praising the BBG remixes that “have taken the track to the top of the RM Club Chart.”
Music & Media: Highlighted the socially conscious lyrics, noting the subtle message about AIDS and fidelity.
Record Mirror (James Hamilton): Called it a “mumbling slinky swayer (not the Percy Sledge classic),” remarking on its “sultrily muttered instructions about the right ways to treat the one you love without giving them AIDS.

Music Video

The music video for When a Man Loves a Woman marked Jody Watley’s directorial debut, giving her the chance to craft her own visual vision to accompany the single.

US Promo Release

In the U.S., at least three promo 12″ singles were issued, all featuring exclusive remixes never released commercially. Most of these versions have not appeared digitally or on CD, making them rare and highly collectible among Watley fans.

Legacy

Though not as universally recognized as her chart-topping hits Looking for a New Love or Real Love, When a Man Loves a Woman reflects Jody Watley’s artistry at its most daring—merging spoken-word poetry, house and R&B grooves, social commentary, and creative independence. It remains an essential piece of her catalog, a track that connected powerfully with audiences in clubs and on the charts while showcasing her growth as both an artist and visionary.

SIDE A:
When A Man Loves A Woman (D.J.’s Club Mix) 7:33
Producer [Additional Production], Remix – Darryl James
Written-By – Jody Watley, Larry “Rock” Campbell

When A Man Loves A Woman (D.J.’s Bentley’s Mix) 6:07
Producer [Additional Production], Remix – Darryl James
Written-By – Jody Watley, Larry “Rock” Campbell

SIDE B:
When A Man Loves A Woman (D.J.’s Dub Mix) 5:01
Producer [Additional Production], Remix – Darryl James
Written-By – Jody Watley, Larry “Rock” Campbell

When A Man Loves A Woman (D.J.’s Other Dub Mix) 5:33
Producer [Additional Production], Remix – Darryl James
Written-By – Jody Watley, Larry “Rock” Campbell

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

Chart Performance – Jody Watley: *When A Man Loves A Woman* (1994)
Chart	Peak Position	Date
US Billboard Dance Club Songs	#8	1994
US Billboard Under Hot 100	15	1994
US Billboard R&B Singles	#1	1994
UK Club Chart (Music Week)	#1	1994
UK Dance (Music Week)	#2	1994
UK Singles (OCC)	#33	1994

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: MCA Records – MCA8P 2976
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Single, Promo
Country: US
Released: 1994
Genre: Electronic, Hip-Hop
Style: House, Garage House, Downtempo

CREDITS:

Executive-Producer – Jody Watley
Producer, Arranged By – Art & Rhythm

NOTES:
Original version appears on the Jody Watley album “Intimacy”

Housed inside MCA Records 12″ Single die-cut sleeve

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

**24bit FLAC Only Available For Seven Days!

Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by donating using PayPal. I appreciate your help.

September 30, 2025

Taylor Dayne – Don’t Rush Me (US 12″ Promo) (1988)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

Released as the fourth single from Taylor Dayne’s multi-platinum debut album Tell It to My Heart (1988), “Don’t Rush Me” was written by Alexandra Forbes and Jeff Franzel. The song continued Dayne’s hot streak, becoming her third consecutive U.S. Top 10 hit. It peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1988 and also climbed the Adult Contemporary and Dance charts, solidifying her as one of the standout voices of the late ’80s.

The 12” I’m posting today is the U.S. promo-only release, which stands apart from the standard single. This pressing contains exclusive House Mixes that were originally only issued in the United States and France. These remixes gave “Don’t Rush Me” a club-friendly update, layering in deeper grooves and house beats while keeping Dayne’s dynamic vocal front and center.

Another gem from the golden era of the 12-inch single, this promo captures Taylor Dayne at the peak of her chart power while also giving DJs something fresh to spin.

SIDE A:
Don’t Rush Me (Continental Clubhouse Mix) 8:39

SIDE B:
Don’t Rush Me (Continental Dubhouse Mix) 5:37
Don’t Rush Me (Rushapella) 3:39

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

Chart Performance – Taylor Dayne: *Don’t Rush Me* (1988)
Chart	Peak Position	Date
US Billboard Dance Club Songs	#6	1988
US Billboard Hot 100	#2	1988
US Billboard RAdult Contemporary	#3	1988
U.K. Singles	#76	1988
Canada Top Singles (RPM)	#4	1988

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Arista – ADP-9774
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Promo
Country: US
Released: 1988
Genre: Electronic
Style: House

CREDITS:

Engineer [Recording & Mix Engineer] – Bob Cadway
Overdubbed By [Keyboard Overdubs] – Rich Tancredi
Producer [Produced By], Remix [Remixed By] – Ric Wake
Remix [Remixed By] – Richie Jones
Written-By – Alexandra Forbes, Jeff Franzel

NOTES:
Produced For Bleux Productions

Loaned for promotion only

Manufactured By Arista Records, Inc. 6 W. 57th St., N.Y., N.Y. 10019

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

**24bit FLAC Only Available For Seven Days!

Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by donating using PayPal. I appreciate your help.