BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1989
R E Q U E S T
“Express Yourself” is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her fourth studio album Like a Prayer. It was released as the second single from the album on May 9, 1989, by Sire Records. The song was included on the greatest hits compilation albums The Immaculate Collection (1990), and Celebration (2009). “Express Yourself” was the first song that Madonna and producer Stephen Bray collaborated on for Like a Prayer. Written and produced by them, the song was a tribute to American funk and soul band Sly and the Family Stone. The main inspiration behind the song is female empowerment, urging women never to go for second-best and to always express their inner feelings.
“Express Yourself” is an upbeat dance-pop song that features instrumentation from brass, hand claps and drum beats, while the chorus is backed by the sound of saxophone and percussion. The lyrics talk about rejecting material pleasures and only accepting the best for oneself; subtexts are employed throughout the song. “Express Yourself” received positive reviews from critics, who applauded the gender equality message of the song and complimented the song for being a hymn to freedom and encouragement to women and all oppressed minorities. The song was also a commercial success, reaching the top of the charts in Canada, Italy and Switzerland and the top five in other nations. It also became Madonna’s sixth number-one hit on the European Hot 100 Singles chart.
*As a bonus I have added the 7″ Remix taken from the US 7″ single.
SIDE A:
Express Yourself (Non-Stop Express Mix) 7:58
Express Yourself (Stop & Go Dubs) 10:50
SIDE B:
Express Yourself (Local Mix) 6:20
The Look Of Love (LP Version) 4:03
Producer, Written-By – atrick Leonard
BONUS TRACK:
Express Yourself (7″ Remix) 4:34
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
U.S. CHART HISTORY:
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Express Yourself | U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | #2 |
| 1989 | Express Yourself | U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks | #12 |
| 1989 | Express Yourself | U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play | #1 |
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Sire – 0-21225
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1989
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop
Credits: Design – Jeri Heiden
Engineer [Remix Engineer] – Bob Rosa (tracks: A1 to B1)
Photography By – Herb Ritts
Producer, Written-By – Madonna, Stephen Bray (tracks: A1 to B1)
Programmed By – Fred McFarlane (tracks: A1 to B1)
Remix, Producer [Additional Production], Edited By – Shep Pettibone (tracks: A1 to B1)
Typography [Lettering] – Kama Logan
NOTES:
“Express Yourself” from the Sire LP:
“LIKE A PRAYER”
“The Look Of Love” from the soundtrack LP:
“WHO’s THAT GIRL”
Find The 12″ On DISCOGS
EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut III
Cartridge: Ortofon Super
Stylus: Ortofon OM Stylus 30
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
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: ClickRepair (DeClick Level 3)
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
