Burning The Ground Exclusive
💔 “You turn me inside out, you leave me outside in…”
Emotion, melody, and beat—freestyle heartbreak at its finest.
Today on Burning the Ground, we’re diving into a stone-cold freestyle gem from The Cover Girls—“Inside Outside.” Released in 1988 as the third single from their debut album Show Me, this track captures everything that made freestyle one of the defining dance genres of the late ’80s: high drama, lush synths, and an infectious rhythm you couldn’t escape on dance floors from NYC to Miami.
By this point, The Cover Girls—originally Angel Clivillés, Caroline Jackson, and Sunshine Wright—were riding high off the success of earlier singles like Show Me and Because of You. Inside Outside continued the streak, reaching #12 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart and making its way onto the Hot 100, where it peaked at #55—a testament to freestyle’s growing mainstream appeal in 1988.
Song & Production
Written by Alex Cabrera, Andy Tripoli, and Tony Moran, “Inside Outside” marked a pivotal moment for The Cover Girls. While not as mainstream as their future crossover ballads, it still reached #55 on the Billboard Hot 100 and soared to #12 on the Dance Club Songs chart, earning heavy rotation in clubs and on mixshows across the country.
The 12″ single on Fever Records was a DJ’s dream, featuring a fierce Extended Mix alongside a Drumapella and two Dub versions. The track was mixed by Andy “Panda” Tripoli and The Latin Rascals, whose legendary tape-edit techniques are on full display. Sharp edits, rhythmic dropouts, and echo-laden vocals turn the Extended Mix into a peak-hour freestyle workout.
Legacy
While not as commercially dominant as some of their later crossover hits, Inside Outside has earned its place as a freestyle essential—a track that’s still spun at old-school nights and freestyle festivals to this day. Its mix of heartbreak and high energy is a perfect example of why this era and genre continue to resonate with so many fans decades later.
There was no music video filmed for this single.
SIDE A:
Inside Outside 6:48
Inside Outside (Drumapella) 5:37
SIDE B:
Inside Outside (Dub 1) 6:29
Inside Outside (Dub 2) 5:27
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
U.S. CHART HISTORY:
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Inside Outside | U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | #55 |
| 1988 | Inside Outside | U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music / Club Songs | #12 |
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Fever Records – SF 824
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Single
Country: US
Released: 1988
Genre: Electronic
Style: Freestyle
CREDITS:
- Design [Album Design] – Mendel*
- Edited By – Chep Nunez*, Dennis Muyet
- Executive-Producer – Sal Abbatiello
- Hair [Hair Stylist] – Francel Montane
- Lacquer Cut By [Runout Etching ¢] – Tom Coyne
- Make-Up – Be-nard Giles
- Mixed By, Producer – Andy “Panda” Tripoli, The Latin Rascals
- Photography By – Patrick Pacheco
- Written-By – A. Cabrera*, A. Tripoli*, T. Moran*
NOTES:
Jacket made in Canada
Edited for SoS Entertainment
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
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Paul, I have to commend your fabulous work here on this terrific song!! The fidelity is stellar and incredible! You are an “artist” yourself in what you do in digitizing vinyl records. It’s like we’re hearing a CD rip. Your meticulous rendering is jaw-dropping and “eargasmic!” And those dubs are so marvelous, too!! It’s like they referenced John Robie’s syllabic solo from Freeeze’s “I.O.U.” with the Emulator dueling the “Ins” and “Outs” with keyboard ferocity in a dizzying display of electronic virtuosity!! I was in heaven while listening!! I just had to express my gratitude again for your dynamic and… Read more »
This is quite catchy! I didn’t realize how influential it’s become. And it really shows off the technique the Latin Rascals were known for. Thank you Paul… Great follow up to yesterday’s post!
Thanks so much, Retro Hound! I’m really glad this one caught your ear—Inside Outside is definitely one of those tracks that sneaks up on you with how influential it really was. And yes, the Latin Rascals’ touch is unmistakable… those edits and tape splices were pure art! 🎛️✂️
Appreciate you noticing the follow-up, too—always trying to keep the flow just right. Thanks again for being here and for always listening with such great ears!
–Paul
I love The Cover Girls. Great track off the first album SHOW ME. Hope you can post more on them and More Expose songs too please!!!!!
I will see what I can do.
Wow, I remember this one! And yes, no video, but here they are performing this song on a show:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4Z4_5kpXss
As a Latin Hip Hop fanatic (I do not like the term Freestyle), I am thrilled you decided to post this wonderful track, Paul. Records like these filled my days and nights back in the 1980s with so many memories!! This genre was so compelling back then because of all the fantastic production, booming beats, and razor blade cuts and splices!! I couldn’t get enough from the Latin Rascals and their partners whenever they were involved in records. I am so excited by this post, Paul, because it screams summertime!! This was the music of the airwaves, the clubs, the… Read more »
Thank you so much, Jeff! Your comment brought a huge smile to my face. I completely feel what you’re saying—this music wasn’t just sound, it was a lifestyle, a movement, and most of all, a feeling. I totally respect your preference for the term Latin Hip Hop—it’s important to honor how this scene was experienced and lived, especially by those who were in the heart of it. I can just picture the summers you’re describing—boomboxes on the boardwalk, DJs tearing it up in the parks, and that unmistakable energy that filled the Tri-state area. The Latin Rascals, Andy “Panda,” Tony… Read more »
Oh my gosh, Paul. I LOVE this song. I remember buying this 12″ back in the day and keeping it on regular rotation. The Cover Girls sure had a good run of hits in the 80s. That first album was pretty amazing. Thanks for posting this one. I cannot wait to listen to this one in all its DJ Paul T glory! You are the best!
Hey MusicMan3!
I’m so glad this one hit the mark for you! 🙌 “Inside Outside” really is one of those timeless tracks that never loses its spark—especially when played loud from the original 12″. That first Cover Girls album was packed with gems, and I totally agree—they had such a solid run of hits that defined an era.
Thanks so much for your kind words and continued support—it means the world to me! Hope you enjoy this one all over again, in full DJ Paul T glory! 😄🎧
–Paul