Tag: US

October 8, 2025

Will To Power – Say It’s Gonna Rain (US 12″) (1988)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

“Say It’s Gonna Rain” is a song by American dance-pop group Will to Power. The original version appeared on their self-titled debut album, released in 1988. Written and produced by Miami-based DJ and producer Bob Rosenberg, the track features Suzi Carr on lead vocals.

A 12-inch single was issued to clubs the same year, featuring extended and remixed versions that became a massive hit in dance circles. The remix went on to become the group’s first of two number-one hits on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, where it held the top spot for two weeks in August and September 1988. It also crossed over to the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 49 that July.

Built on a sleek freestyle groove and shimmering synth layers, “Say It’s Gonna Rain” perfectly captures the late-’80s Miami club sound—melodic, emotional, and irresistibly danceable. Suzi Carr’s soulful, yearning delivery gives the song a romantic core beneath its pulsating beats.

While Will to Power later found mainstream pop success with their chart-topping medley “Baby, I Love Your Way/Freebird,” “Say It’s Gonna Rain” remains their defining club anthem—a staple of freestyle compilations and a time capsule of the 1988 dancefloor scene.

*Note: On Side B, the tracks are listed separately on the label; however, they are actually mixed together. To preserve the flow and integrity of the original vinyl, I have not separated the tracks.

For those who lived through the era, this one instantly conjures flashing lights, smoke machines, and that unmistakable 808 rhythm echoing through packed dance clubs on a humid summer night.

SIDE A:
Say It’s Gonna Rain (Extended Mix) 6:38

SIDE B:
Say It’s Gonna Rain (Instrumental Mix)/
Say It’s Gonna Rain (808 Capella) 7:25 *

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

Chart Performance – Will To Power: *Say It’s Gonna Rain 1988*
Chart	Peak Position	Date
Canada (RPM) Dance	#8	1988
US Billboard Hot 100	#49	1988
US Billboard Hot Dance / Club Play	#1	1988
US Billboard Hot Dance / Maxi-Singles Sales	#3	1988

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Epic – 49 07589
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1988
Genre: Electronic
Style: Freestyle

CREDITS:

Lacquer Cut By – MF*
Producer – Bob Rosenberg
Written-By – B. Rosenberg*

Lacquer Cut At – Fullersound
Pressed By – Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Carrollton, GA

NOTES:
From the LP “Will To Power”

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 7, 2025

3 Speed / Maria Vidal – Once Bitten / Just One Kiss (US 7″) (1985)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

NEW 2025 Transfer
NEW Meticulous Audio Restoration

I originally posted this single back in October 2014, but for Spooky Season Spins 2025 I’m proud to share a brand-new, meticulously restored transfer — crisp, clean, and better than ever.

Spooky Season Spins Begins! 🎃💀🕸️

October is here, and that means it’s time to dust off the cobwebs, dim the lights, and turn up the volume — Spooky Season Spins officially begins today on Burning The Ground!

To kick things off, I’m featuring a rare and fascinating 7″ single pairing two tracks that perfectly capture that eerie ‘80s edge: 3 Speed – “Once Bitten” backed with Maria Vidal – “Just One Kiss.”

Released in 1985, this promo single was tied to the cult horror-comedy Once Bitten, starring a young Jim Carrey and Lauren Hutton. The A-side, “Once Bitten” by 3 Speed, brings that quintessential mid-80s movie soundtrack energy — upbeat, synthy, and a little bit dangerous. Flip it over, and Maria Vidal (best known for her hit “Body Rock”) delivers “Just One Kiss,” a sultry, atmospheric cut that’s dripping with vampiric allure.

3 Speed, a synth-rock band formed in Boston, enjoyed considerable success following the release of the Once Bitten soundtrack. At one point, they were even opening for Pat Benatar. Despite this momentum, MCA Records never petitioned the band to record a full-length LP, commissioning them instead to write songs for other soundtracks — including Rad and Savage Streets.

Both tracks on this single — “Once Bitten” and “Just One Kiss” — were written by legendary songwriting duo Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, who went on to craft some of the biggest hits of the 1980s and 1990s, including “Like A Virgin,” “True Colors,” “So Emotional,” and “Eternal Flame.”

“Just One Kiss” had actually been recorded earlier, in 1982, by Rick Springfield for his album Success Hasn’t Spoiled Me Yet — making the Once Bitten versions a fascinating bridge between early ‘80s pop-rock and mid-decade soundtrack synth-pop.

This record is one of those under-the-radar soundtrack gems that never got a wide release, making it a real treat for collectors and spooky-season DJs alike.

So cue the fog machine, light a few candles, and let’s sink our teeth into this one — the first Spooky Season Spin of 2025.

🩸 Stay tuned all month long for more hauntingly good 12″ and 7″ treats from the darker corners of the 1980s dancefloor.

SIDE A:
Once Bitten 3:39
Performed By – 3-Speed*

SIDE B:
Just One Kiss 4:00
Performed By – Maria Vidal

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Curb Records – MCA-52717, MCA Records – MCA-52717
Format: Vinyl, 7″, 45 RPM
Country: US
Released: 1985
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: New Wave, Pop Rock

CREDITS:

Engineer – Brian Reeves
Producer – Richie Zito
Written-By – B. Steinberg*, T. Kelly*

NOTES:
From the MCA/CURB LP, MCA-6154, “Music From The Motion Picture Soundtrack “Once Bitten.”

Buy the 7″ 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.

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.

October 1, 2025

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

Burning The Ground Exclusive

By the fall of 1988, Taylor Dayne was on a roll. Her powerhouse debut album Tell It to My Heart had already produced three U.S. Top 10 singles, including the title track, and she was quickly becoming one of the defining vocalists of the late ‘80s. Riding that momentum, Arista Records issued “Don’t Rush Me” as the fourth single from the album, and it turned out to be one of Dayne’s biggest hits.

Written by Alexandra Forbes and Jeff Franzel and produced by Ric Wake, the song stands out for its lyrical theme. Unlike the bold passion of “Tell It to My Heart” or the dance-floor fire of “Prove Your Love,” “Don’t Rush Me” carries a message about taking things slow—essentially, a plea for abstinence. Delivered with Dayne’s unmistakable vocal strength, it struck a balance between vulnerability and determination.

Chart Success

“Don’t Rush Me” first saw release in the UK in September 1988 before arriving in the U.S. on October 24. The single quickly climbed the charts, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1989, only held back from the top by Phil Collins’ “Two Hearts.” It became Dayne’s highest-charting single in the States at the time and spent an impressive 20 weeks on the Hot 100.

On other U.S. charts, it reached No. 3 on Adult Contemporary, No. 6 on the Dance Club Songs chart, and even topped Cashbox for a week in late January. Internationally, however, “Don’t Rush Me” didn’t achieve the same level of success, charting modestly in Europe, with Germany being one of the few countries where it cracked the Top 40.

The Music Video

The single’s visuals have a curious backstory. The first video, directed by Alek Keshishian (who would later work with Madonna), was shot in Los Angeles and featured Dayne alongside a “real sexy guy” in various scenes. For reasons never fully explained, that version was scrapped and replaced with a second video directed by David Hogan. The final cut, filmed in New York at the Capitol Theatre, was more of a straightforward performance piece showcasing Dayne’s presence on stage. This version debuted on VH-1 on December 10, 1988, before rolling out to MTV, BET, and Night Tracks later that month.

Legacy

“Don’t Rush Me” proved that Taylor Dayne was more than just a one-hit wonder riding the wave of late-’80s dance-pop. It showed her versatility as both a pop and adult contemporary artist, paving the way for her ballads like “Love Will Lead You Back,” which would eventually take her all the way to No. 1.

Even though its chart performance outside the U.S. was limited, the single remains one of Taylor Dayne’s signature hits—a track that captured her vocal power while delivering a message that was somewhat unusual for its time.

SIDE A:
Don’t Rush Me (Extended Version) 7:16
Remix – Richie Jones

Don’t Rush Me (Bonus Beats) 3:39
Remix – Richie Jones

SIDE B:
Don’t Rush Me (Single Version) 3:48

Don’t Rush Me (Dub Version) 6:08
Remix – Richie Jones

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 – AD1-9723
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1988
Genre: Electronic, Pop
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:

Design – Susan Mendola
Keyboards – Steve Skinner
Management – Champion Entertainment Organization, Inc.
Mixed By, Recorded By, Guitar – Bob Cadway
Photography By – Jennifer Baumann
Producer – Ric Wake
Written-By – Alexandra Forbes, Jeff Franzel

Recorded At – Cove City Sound Studios
Mixed At – Cove City Sound Studios
Mixed At – Blue Jay Studios

NOTES:

From the album “Tell It To My Heart”

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.