Tag: Torch

Soft Cell – Torch (Germany 12″) (1982)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

As Pride Month continues, The Soundtrack of Pride turns its attention to one of the most poignant and emotionally devastating songs ever recorded by Soft Cell. While the duo is forever associated with dance floor staples and synth-pop provocations, “Torch” revealed another side of Marc Almond and David Ball, one filled with longing, heartbreak, and romantic obsession.

Released in the UK in April 1982, with the extended 12-inch single arriving in May, “Torch” quickly captured the public’s imagination. By mid-June, it had climbed to number two on the UK Singles Chart, held from the top spot by Dexys Midnight Runners’ “Come On Eileen.” It would go on to rank as the 45th biggest-selling single in the UK for 1982.

Audiences who expected another dark electronic dance anthem in the wake of “Tainted Love” and “Bedsitter” instead discovered something altogether different. “Torch” was a torch song in the truest sense of the word.

Built around dramatic piano chords, sweeping strings, and David Ball’s elegant synthesizer arrangements, the track showcased Marc Almond at his most vulnerable. His theatrical vocal performance captures the anguish of unrequited love with startling honesty. The lyrics paint the portrait of someone trapped in emotional limbo, desperately waiting for affection that may never be returned.

Adding to the song’s emotional intensity is a striking trumpet solo by John Gatchell, whose performance gives “Torch” an almost cinematic quality. The arrangement feels rooted as much in classic cabaret and film noir as it does in synth-pop, elevating the song into something timeless and deeply affecting.

As the song reaches its climax, another unexpected voice enters the story. Marc Almond duets with Cindy Ecstasy, an American clubgoer whom Soft Cell had met the previous year at the legendary after-hours Club Berlin in New York City. Her appearance is brief but unforgettable, providing a ghostly counterpoint to Almond’s aching vocal. The exchange feels intimate and spontaneous, as if we are eavesdropping on two lonely souls searching for connection in the early hours of the morning.

The song’s title itself is a nod to the tradition of torch songs, ballads of lost love and impossible desire that stretch back through decades of popular music. From Billie Holiday to Dusty Springfield, these songs gave voice to hearts left bruised and broken. Marc Almond embraced that lineage, channeling old Hollywood glamour and cabaret drama through the lens of early 1980s synth-pop.

For many LGBTQ+ listeners, “Torch” resonated on an even deeper level.

At a time when openly queer representation in mainstream music was rare, Marc Almond brought an unmistakable sense of outsider emotion to his performances. He often resisted labels and preferred ambiguity in his art, yet the feelings embedded within songs like “Torch” felt deeply familiar to those who had experienced loving from a distance, hiding their true selves, or longing for connections that society didn’t always permit them to express openly.

Pride isn’t only about celebration. It is also about acknowledging the emotional journeys that shape our lives. The first crushes we couldn’t talk about. The relationships that existed in secret. The heartbreaks that taught us resilience. The hope that someday our love stories could be lived honestly and without fear.

“Torch” understands all of that.

More than four decades later, it remains one of Soft Cell’s finest achievements. It stands as proof that synth-pop could be sophisticated, cinematic, and emotionally fearless. It reminds us that vulnerability can be its own form of strength.

As we continue celebrating The Soundtrack of Pride, “Torch” honors those quieter moments of our shared experience. The tears shed behind closed doors. The dreams that kept us going. The courage it took to keep loving, even when love seemed impossible.

Because sometimes Pride isn’t found beneath the disco ball.

Sometimes, Pride is carrying a flame through the darkness and refusing to let it go out.

SIDE A:
Torch 8:30
Trumpet – John Gatchell

SIDE B:
Insecure Me 8:17
Tenor Saxophone – Dave Tofani

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

Chart Performance – Soft Cell: Torch (1982) Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report) 68
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) 6
Ireland (IRMA) 7
Netherlands (Single Top 100) 12
UK Singles (OCC) 2
West Germany (GfK) 75

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Vertigo – 6400 618, Vertigo – 64 00 618
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Maxi-Single, Stereo
Country: Germany
Released: 1982
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:

NOTES:
Made in West Germany

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

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