Tag: US

April 30, 2026

Ta Mara & The Seen – Everybody Dance (US 12″) (1985)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

When the Minneapolis sound was in full swing during the mid-80s, a wave of artists connected to Prince and his extended circle began carving out their own identities. One of the more underrated entries from that era came from Ta Mara and the Seen, a group assembled and guided by Jesse Johnson, best known as the guitarist for The Time.

Released in 1985, “Everybody Dance” served as the lead single from the group’s self-titled debut album. Right out of the gate, the track made its intentions clear. This was not a slow burn. It was built for movement, clubs, and radio, with a slick blend of funk grooves, synth hooks, and sharp, dancefloor-ready rhythm.

Jesse Johnson’s production carries the DNA of the Minneapolis sound. Tight drum programming, punchy bass lines, and layered keyboards all sit front and center. There is a polished edge, but it never feels sterile. Instead, it has that live-wire energy that defined so many records coming out of Minneapolis at the time.

Fronting it all is Ta Mara’s vocal. She brings a confident, playful tone that rides the groove effortlessly. The lyrics are simple and direct. This is a call to the dancefloor, nothing more, nothing less. That simplicity works in the song’s favor. It keeps the focus on the rhythm and the feel.

Commercially, the track performed well. “Everybody Dance” climbed to No. 3 on the Billboard R&B chart and crossed over to reach No. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100. That crossover success shows how accessible the track was, balancing funk credibility with pop appeal.

Even with that chart success, Ta Mara and the Seen often get overlooked when people talk about the Minneapolis scene. Acts like The Time, Sheila E., and Janet Jackson tend to dominate the conversation. But “Everybody Dance” proves that the circle ran deeper, with artists who could deliver just as much groove and personality.

Listening back now, the track still holds up. The production feels of its time, but in the best way. It captures a moment when funk, R&B, and pop were colliding in a very specific, very influential way.

For collectors and fans of 80s dance music, this is one that deserves a revisit. It sits comfortably alongside the bigger names, even if it never quite got the same long-term spotlight. Sometimes the deeper cuts tell the fuller story, and “Everybody Dance” is a perfect example of that.

SIDE A:
Everybody Dance 5:43
Written-By – J. Johnson*, Ta Mara

SIDE B:
Lonely Heart 4:45
Written-By – J. Johnson, T. Bradley

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

Chart Performance — Ta Mara & The Seen: *Everybody Dance* (1985)
Chart	Peak Position	Date
US Billboard Dance Club Songs	#17	1985
US Billboard Hot 100	#24	1985
US Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Songs	#3	1985

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: A&M Records – SP-12149
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single, Stereo
Country: US
Released: 1985
Genre: Electronic
Style: Electro, Synth-pop

CREDITS:

Engineer [Engineered By] – Jesse*, Kevin Madeja
Producer [Produced By] – J. Johnson*

NOTES:
Recorded and Mixed at Jungle Love Studios, Mpls., Minn.

From the A&M album “Ta Mara & The Seen

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-Jec Tube Box DS2
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
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.

April 29, 2026

Michael Jackson – Bad (US 12″) (1987)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

In 1987, Michael Jackson faced what seemed like an impossible task, following the biggest-selling album of all time, Thriller. Most artists would have played it safe. Jackson did the opposite. He came back louder, tougher, and with something to prove. The result was “Bad,” a song that wasn’t just a hit single, it was a statement.

Released on September 7, 1987, as the second single from the album of the same name, “Bad” introduced a sharper and more aggressive side of Jackson. Gone was some of the wide-eyed wonder of Off the Wall and Thriller. In its place was confidence, attitude, and swagger. Written by Jackson himself and co-produced with Quincy Jones, “Bad” was built to make an impact. It reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on October 24, 1987, where it stayed for two consecutive weeks, becoming Jackson’s eighth U.S. No. 1 single.

Musically, “Bad” is driven by a punchy bassline, sharp percussion, and one of Jackson’s most commanding vocal performances. He spits out the lyrics with urgency and bravado, delivering lines that feel more like challenges than pop hooks. It was Jackson stepping into a harder streetwise image, even if he was still unmistakably Michael.

The inspiration for the song reportedly came from a real-life story Jackson had read about a student from a private school who was killed after returning to his old neighborhood and trying to prove he still belonged there. Jackson took that idea and transformed it into a song about identity, respect, and survival. It became less about being “bad” in the criminal sense and more about strength and self-definition.

Of course, no discussion of “Bad” is complete without the short film. Directed by Martin Scorsese, the full 18-minute video was far more ambitious than the average music promo of the era. Set in New York and filmed in black and white, it starred a young Wesley Snipes in one of his earliest screen appearances. The film gave the song a cinematic edge and helped cement the visual identity of the entire Bad era.

The choreography also became iconic. Jackson once again turned movement into part of the song’s DNA. The snapping, the sharp footwork, the aggressive stance, it all made “Bad” instantly recognizable. It was one of those performances that people tried to imitate the minute they saw it.

The larger Bad album went on to make history, becoming the first album ever to produce five Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 singles, with “Bad” serving as one of its defining moments. It proved Jackson could survive the shadow of Thriller, even if critics at the time insisted on comparing the two.

Looking back now, “Bad” stands as one of the essential Michael Jackson singles. It was bold, stylish, and fearless. It showed that he wasn’t interested in repeating himself. He wanted to push forward, even under enormous pressure.

Nearly four decades later, “Bad” still sounds like an artist refusing to stand still.

Because sometimes the best response to impossible expectations is simple:

You ask, “Who’s bad?”

And Michael answers it himself.

SIDE A:
Bad (Dance Extended Mix Includes ‘False Fade’ ) 8:24
Remix – Bruce Swedien

Bad (7″ Single Mix) 4:08

SIDE B:
Bad (Dance Remix Radio Edit) 4:55
Remix – Bruce Swedien

Bad (Dub Version) 4:07
Bad (A Cappella) 3:49

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

Chart Performance – Michael Jackson: *Bad* (1987)
Chart (1987)	Peak position
Australia (Australian Music Report)	4
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)	9
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)	1
Canada Retail Singles (The Record)	1
Canada Top Singles (RPM)	5
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)	1
Denmark (IFPI)	1
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)	1
Finland (Suomen virallinen singlelista)	6
France (SNEP)	4
Hungary (MAHASZ)	6
Ireland (IRMA)	1
Italy (Musica e Dischi)	1
Italy Airplay (Music & Media)	6
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)	1
Netherlands (Single Top 100)	1
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)	2
Norway (VG-lista)	2
South Africa (EMA)	4
Spain (AFYVE)	3
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)	4
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)	3
UK Singles (OCC)	3
US Billboard Hot 100	1
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)	33
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard), Remix	1
US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard), Remix	1
US Hot Black Singles (Billboard)	1
US Hot Crossover (Billboard)	1
US Cash Box Top 100	1
US CHR/Pop Airplay (Radio & Records)	1
West Germany (GfK)	4

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Epic – 49 07462
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Single
Country: US
Released: 1987
Genre: Electronic
Style: Dance-pop

CREDITS:

Art Direction – Nancy Donald, Tony Lane (2)
Co-producer, Written-By – Michael Jackson
Lettering [“Bad” Lettering] – Jeffrey Spear
Mastered By – Bernie Grundman
Photography By – Sam Emerson
Producer – Quincy Jones
Recorded By, Mixed By – Bruce Swedien

NOTES:
Also Available: Michael Jackson’s LP “Bad” on Epic Records, Cassettes and Compact Disc.

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.

April 24, 2026

Yaz – Nobody’s Diary / State Farm (US 12″) (1983)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

Released in May 1983, “Nobody’s Diary” was the final single by British synth-pop duo Yazoo—known as Yaz in North America—and the only single taken from their second and final studio album You and Me Both (1983). It also marked the final chapter of one of the most influential synth-pop partnerships of the early ’80s: Alison Moyet and Vince Clarke.

Written by Alison Moyet when she was just 16 years old, “Nobody’s Diary” carries a raw emotional honesty that makes it one of Yazoo’s most enduring songs. At the time, Moyet was still playing in local bands around South East Essex, and even then the song had the lyrical maturity and emotional depth that would later define her solo work. Although written years earlier, it became one of the last tracks recorded for You and Me Both. Vince Clarke later recalled that it immediately stood out as the obvious choice for a single.

Recorded at Eric Radcliffe’s Blackwing Studios and produced by Yazoo, Eric Radcliffe, and Daniel Miller, the track perfectly balances Clarke’s icy synth precision with Moyet’s rich, soulful vocal delivery. That contrast between emotional vulnerability and machine-like rhythm is exactly what made Yazoo so special.

Lyrically, “Nobody’s Diary” is about privacy, emotional distance, and the pain of being misunderstood or exposed. Moyet delivers every line with conviction, making the song both intensely personal and universally relatable at the same time. It remains one of her finest recorded performances.

The single reached #3 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming one of Yazoo’s biggest hits and a fitting final statement before the duo split.

The original sleeve artwork is also memorable. Designed by Steven Appleby with the sleeve produced by Acrobat Design, the cover depicts what was described as a “rather hip young man in a bathtub” who seems so lost in his private thoughts that he has forgotten to turn off the water. It’s a clever visual metaphor for the song’s themes of introspection and emotional isolation.

Mute Records also issued a second, limited-edition 12-inch single in the UK featuring “Situation” on the flip side. “Situation,” of course, became one of Yazoo’s signature club tracks and appeared on the U.S. version of Upstairs at Eric’s, though it was only added to later UK pressings of that album.

My copy is the U.S. Sire Records 12-inch, where “Nobody’s Diary” was issued as a double A-side with “State Farm.” In the UK, “State Farm” served as the standard B-side to “Nobody’s Diary” and did not appear on the UK version of You and Me Both. It was later included on the North American version of the album, making it a natural pairing for the U.S. release.

“State Farm” is one of Yazoo’s darker and moodier tracks, with a stark electronic atmosphere that contrasts beautifully with the emotional sweep of “Nobody’s Diary.” Together, they made a perfect club package for American DJs.

That strategy paid off—the double A-side “Nobody’s Diary” / “State Farm” reached #1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in July 1983, giving Yazoo one final U.S. dancefloor triumph.

Even decades later, “Nobody’s Diary” still sounds timeless. It captures everything that made Yazoo extraordinary: sharp songwriting, emotional honesty, inventive production, and that unique tension between heartbreak and synthesizers.

It was the end of the duo—but what a beautiful way to say goodbye.

SIDE A:
Nobody’s Diary (Extended Version) 6:08

SIDE B:
State Farm (Extended Version) 6:38

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

Chart Performance — Yaz: *Nobody’s Diary / State Farm* (1983)
Chart	Peak Position	Date
US Billboard Dance Club Songs	#1	1983

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Sire – 0-20121, Sire – 9 20121-0 A, Mute – 0-20121, Mute – 9 20121-0 A
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Specialty Pressing
Country: US
Released: 1983
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:

Design [Sleeve Design] – Acrobat Design Ltd.
Illustration – Steven Appleby
Producer – Daniel Miller (tracks: A), Eric Radcliffe, Yaz*
Written-By – Moyet*, Clark* (tracks: AA)

NOTES:
Recorded at Blackwing Studios 1983.

Made in U.S.A.

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.

April 22, 2026

Hubert Kah – Angel 07 (Alternate Club Mix) (US 12″) (1985)

Burning The Ground Exclusive

When Hubert Kah set their sights on the U.S. market in 1985, they didn’t just translate one of their songs—they reimagined it. “Angel 07” is the English-language counterpart to “Engel 07,” originally released in 1984 from the album Golden Zeiten, but the American version stands on its own as a sleek, soundtrack-ready slice of mid-’80s synthpop.

From Engel to Angel

The original “Engel 07”—written by Hubert Kemmler (music) with lyrics by Mario Killer—had already established itself in Germany, peaking at No. 30 on the national chart. But for international audiences, the band went back into the studio and crafted “Angel 07,” with new English lyrics by Timothy Touchton.

Rather than feeling like a simple translation, “Angel 07” has a slightly different energy—more direct, a bit more polished, and clearly aimed at radio and club play beyond Europe.

The Sound of 1985

Produced by Michael Cretu and Armand Volker, the track is a perfect example of that crisp, high-gloss electronic production that defined the era. There’s a cool precision to the arrangement—driving sequencers, shimmering synth layers, and a steady, pulsing rhythm that gives the song its forward momentum.

Kemmler’s vocal retains that detached, almost enigmatic quality, which only adds to the track’s sense of intrigue. It’s this balance between emotional distance and rhythmic urgency that makes the song so compelling.

Lights, Camera, Synthpop

“Angel 07” found a natural home in the 1985 action-comedy Gotcha!, a film steeped in Cold War paranoia and playful espionage. The song’s cinematic feel—tense, stylish, and slightly mysterious—fits seamlessly into that world.

It’s one of those rare soundtrack pairings where the music and the film actually enhance each other.

The 12″ Experience

If you’re spinning the U.S. 12″, you’re hearing “Angel 07” the way it was meant to be heard. The extended format opens up the track, giving more space to the instrumental passages and allowing the production details to shine.

This is where the craftsmanship of Cretu really comes through—subtle textures, layered synth lines, and a dynamic arrangement that keeps evolving from start to finish. It’s not just a longer version—it’s a deeper one.

Final Spin

While “Engel 07” remains a standout in the band’s German catalog, “Angel 07” is a fascinating alternate vision—one shaped for a different audience but just as effective.

For collectors, especially those who appreciate the intersection of European synthpop and mid-’80s American club culture, the U.S. 12″ is an essential piece. It captures a moment when borders blurred, sounds traveled, and a German synthpop band briefly stepped onto a global stage—with style to spare.

SIDE A:
Angel 07 (Extended Version) 6:10
Angel 07 (Edited Version) 3:54

SIDE B:
Angel 07 (Rock Remix) 4:19
Remix, Engineer – David Leonard

Angel 07 (Alternative Remix) 6:54
Engineer [Remix] – David Storrs
Remix – Victor Flores

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Curb Records – MCA-23551, MCA Records – MCA-23551, Wheatley Records – MCA-23551
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: US
Released: 1985
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:

Co-producer – Armand Volker
Producer, Arranged By – Michael Cretu
Written-By – H. Kemmler*, T. Touchton*

NOTES:
Special versions of the song from the LP, music from the motion picture soundtrack, “Gotcha!” MCA-5596

Recorded at Data-Alpha Studios, Munich.
Track B1 remixed at Capitol Studios, Los Angeles, CA.
Track B2 remixed at the Record Plant, Los Angeles, CA.

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.