Tag: US

June 13, 2025

Earlene Bentley – The Boys Come To Town (US 12″) (1983)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

Let the glitterball spin a little faster today—because the boys have definitely come to town!

Today’s Disco Friday and Pride Month pick is an unapologetic slab of Hi-NRG heat from the fabulous Erlene Bentley: the powerhouse 1983 club anthem “The Boys Come To Town.” Originally released in the UK on Ian Levine’s Record Shack Records, my post features the rare and equally fierce US 12″ pressing on Megatone Records—a label legendary in the San Francisco gay disco scene. 🔥

From its stomping bassline to Erlene’s commanding, no-nonsense vocal delivery, this track was built for the dancefloor. It’s campy, it’s charged, it’s proud—and it captures that bold, liberating spirit that defined queer nightlife at the height of the Hi-NRG movement.

💥 Fun fact: The song was so iconic in the New York club scene that it even found its way onto the big screen—featured in the 1984 film “Police Academy” during the infamous Blue Oyster Bar scene. A moment that has since become a cultural time capsule of leather, mustaches, and late-night disco sleaze.

And how can you resist lines like:
“Hey, big boy! Why don’t you come up and see me sometime?”
Camp. Sass. Power. Bentley delivers it all with a wink and a whip crack.

While she may not have had mainstream chart success, Erlene Bentley carved out her own niche in queer club culture—and this track remains one of the most iconic anthems of the Hi-NRG era. It’s pure theatricality with a pulsing heart, a perfect tribute to the freedom and flair that Pride Month celebrates.

💿 This extended mix takes its time—and you’ll want it to—building into a glorious eruption of synths, horns, and unapologetic attitude.

So throw on your harness or heels, find your spotlight, and let this Hi-NRG gem take you back to a time when the dancefloor was both sanctuary and stage.

SIDE A:
The Boys Come To Town 8:07

SIDE B:
The Boys Come To Town (Instrumental Dub) 8:16

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Megatone Records – MT-115, Record Shack Records – MT-115
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM
Country: US
Released: 1983
Genre: Electronic
Style: Hi NRG, Disco

CREDITS:

Arranged By – Fiachra Trench
Mastered By – José Rodriguez
Producer – Ian Levine and Fiachra Trench
Written-By – I. Levine – F. Trench*

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

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.

June 12, 2025

k.d. Lang – Miss Chatelaine (US 12″ Promo) (1992)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

Today’s Pride Month selection is a dreamy, delightful gem from one of the most iconic and unapologetically queer voices in music—k.d. lang. Released in 1992, “Miss Chatelaine” is the second single from her breakthrough album Ingénue (1992), and it’s as cheeky and charming as it is subversive.

The title is a tongue-in-cheek nod to Chatelaine, a Canadian women’s magazine that once named lang their “Woman of the Year” before she came out publicly. With a wink and a twirl, lang reclaims the title in this swooning, romantic tune—drenched in lush orchestration and playful irony. The song playfully contrasts with lang’s tomboy image and silky contralto vocals, creating a visual and musical aesthetic that is both retro and radical.

Today’s post features the shimmering St. Tropez Mix from the 12″ release—a sun-soaked, extended take that brings a relaxed, continental dancefloor flavor to the track. It’s pure escapism and pure elegance, with a sly smirk behind the glamour. The remix emphasizes the song’s breezy, bossa-nova bounce, giving lang’s voice even more space to glide and flirt.

k.d. lang made headlines in 1992 when she came out as a lesbian at the height of her fame. She didn’t just break barriers—she bulldozed through them with grace, humor, and incredible talent. Her courage opened doors for a generation of queer artists, and songs like “Miss Chatelaine” remain milestones in the soundtrack of LGBTQ+ visibility.

As we celebrate Pride, this track is a reminder that authenticity can be beautiful, bold, and even a little mischievous. 💅✨

Here’s to the queens, the rebels, and the dreamers. Happy Pride!

SIDE A:
Miss Chatelaine (St. Tropez Mix) 5:32
Remix, Producer [Additional] – Greg Penny

Miss Chatelaine (St. Tropez Edit) 3:45
Remix, Producer [Additional] – Greg Penny

SIDE B:
Miss Chatelaine (Paris ’92) 5:56
Remix, Producer [Additional] – Greg Penny

Miss Chatelaine (Single Version) 3:46

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1992	Miss Chatelaine	U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary	#32

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Sire – PRO-A-6052
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Promo
Country: US
Released: 1992
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:

Mastered By – CB*
Producer – Ben Mink, Greg Penny, k.d. lang
Written-By – Ben Mink, k.d. lang

NOTES:
Original taken from the album Ingénue

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for 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.

June 5, 2025

The B-52’s – Private Idaho (US 12” Promo) (1980)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

Hold onto your beehives, kids—today we’re teleporting back to the zany, post-punk planet of The B-52’s, and this time… you’re headed straight to your own Private Idaho! 🌵💃

From their sophomore album Wild Planet, “Private Idaho” is a woozy swirl of surf rock, sci-fi twang, and cryptic political commentary—all shaken up in that unmistakable B-52’s cocktail. Fred Schneider’s shout-speak delivery, Cindy and Kate’s glorious harmonies, and that reverb-drenched guitar? Chef’s kiss! This track struts, strangles, and spins like a disco ball in a trailer park—and we LOVE it.

Released in late 1980, “Private Idaho” became the band’s second U.S. charting single, peaking at #74 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reaching #5 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart—a major feat for such a gleefully unorthodox group. Down under, the song was a surprise hit, reaching #11 in Australia, where it remains a cult favorite.

This 12″ promo packs the full-length LP version, but what makes it truly special is the B-side: an instrumental version of “Party Out Of Bounds”—the opening track of Wild Planet! This mix is exclusive to Private Idaho singles and isn’t widely available elsewhere. It’s an absolute party-starter, even without the vocals—kitschy, manic, and full of that signature B-52’s sass.

🎈🎶 These two tracks are a celebration of the group’s fearless weirdness, queer-coded joy, and wild energy—making them perfect for Pride Month. Long before mainstream culture caught on, the B-52’s were unapologetically themselves, creating space for all the freaks, misfits, and dancefloor dreamers to come together and let go.

🌀So whether you’re lost in your own Private Idaho or just partying out of bounds—this 12” is a reminder to embrace the odd, crank up the fun, and dance like you’ve got a bouffant on fire!

Stay bold, stay loud, stay proud!

SIDE A:
Private Idaho 3:34
Written-By – C. Wilson, F. Schneider, K. Pierson, K. Strickland, R. Wilson*

SIDE B:
Party Out Of Bounds (Instrumental) 4:30
Written-By – K. Strickland, R. Wilson

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1980	Private Idaho	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#74
1980	Private Idaho	U.S. Billboard Dance / Club Songs	#5

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Warner Bros. Records – PRO-A-890
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Promo
Country: US
Released: Aug 1980
Genre: Rock
Style: New Wave, Pop Rock

CREDITS:

Engineer – Rhett Davies
Engineer [Assistant] – Benjamin Armbrister
Executive-Producer – Chris Blackwell
Producer – Rhett Davies, The B-52’s

NOTES:
From the Warner Bros. Album BSK 3471 Wild Planet.

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for burningtheground.net

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

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.

June 4, 2025

George Michael – Freedom (US 12″) (1990)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

“I think there’s something you should know… I think it’s time I told you so…”

We’re taking Pride Month to the next level today with one of the most powerful anthems of self-liberation ever recorded—George Michael’s “Freedom ’90” (also known simply as “Freedom”) A bold declaration, a pop rebellion, and a deeply personal statement wrapped in a slammin’ groove, this track marked a turning point in George’s career and personal evolution.

Following the overwhelming fame of Faith, George Michael was ready to shed the image that had defined him. He famously refused to appear in the music video for Freedom! ’90—instead, letting a lineup of supermodels lip-sync the lyrics in a beautifully stylized, iconic clip. The burning jukebox, the exploding leather jacket, the shattered guitar—all symbols of a past he was torching on his own terms.

More than a personal manifesto, the song resonated with countless fans who felt the pressure to perform identities that weren’t truly theirs. “Freedom! ’90” became—and remains—a defiant celebration of choosing authenticity over expectation.

For the LGBTQ+ community, especially in the 90s, this track hit hard. George Michael would later come out publicly, but even before then, this song felt like a coded cry of self-emancipation. It still gives chills, pumps fists, and fills dance floors.

From its gospel-tinged backing vocals to its laid-back funk groove and emotional punch, Freedom! ’90 is a timeless Pride anthem for anyone who’s ever had to break free just to be who they are.

SIDE A:
Freedom (Back To Reality Mix) 6:14

SIDE B:
Fantasy 5:02
Freedom (Album Version) 6:25

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1990	Freedom	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#8
1990	Freedom	U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary	#27
1990	Freedom	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	#16

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Columbia – 44 73584, Columbia – 44-73584
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1990
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop, Dance-pop

CREDITS:

Arranged By, Design [Sleeve], Producer – George Michael
Design [Sleeve] – Simon Halfon
Engineer – Chris Porter
Lacquer Cut By – Vlado*
Management – Kahane Entertainment
Photography By – Russel Young*
Written-By – B. Romeo* (tracks: A), C. Wheeler* (tracks: A), G. Michael*, N. Hooper* (tracks: A), S. Law* (tracks: A)

NOTES:
“Freedom” taken from the Columbia release LISTEN WITHOUT PREJUDICE 46898

Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for 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.