Burning The Ground Exclusive
Waterfront was a British pop duo made up of singer Phil Cilia and guitarist Chris Duffy. In 1988, the pair struck gold with their soulful debut single “Cry,” a heartfelt ballad that blended sophisticated pop with blue-eyed soul and a touch of adult contemporary polish. Released from their self-titled debut album, the song became an international hit and remains one of the most memorable one-hit wonders of the late 1980s.
Built around a smooth groove, emotional vocals, and a soaring chorus, “Cry” resonated strongly with radio audiences on both sides of the Atlantic. In the United States, the single climbed all the way to #10 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it Waterfront’s only American chart hit. The song also found success in their home country, reaching #17 on the UK Singles Chart.
What made “Cry” stand out in 1989 was its understated sophistication. While much of pop radio at the time leaned heavily toward flashy production and bombastic hooks, Waterfront delivered something more mature and emotionally grounded. Phil Cilia’s expressive vocal performance gave the song a sincerity that connected immediately with listeners, while Chris Duffy’s tasteful instrumentation added warmth and texture.
The success of “Cry” helped Waterfront gain considerable exposure during the late 1980s, especially in the United States where MTV and adult contemporary radio embraced the single. The duo followed up with additional releases, but none managed to recreate the crossover success of their debut hit.
Listening today, “Cry” still sounds timeless. Its blend of soulful melodies and polished production captures the best elements of sophisticated late-80s pop. For many fans, the track remains a hidden gem of the era, one of those songs that instantly transports you back to a specific moment in time.
Whether you remember hearing it on late-night radio, catching the video on MTV, or discovering it years later, “Cry” remains a beautifully crafted pop song that deserved every bit of its chart success.
SIDE A:
Cry (Extended Version) 7:05
Remix – Bruce Forest
Cry (7″ Version) 3:51
SIDE B:
Cry (Club Mix) 6:32
Edited By – Roger Pauletta
Engineer [Remix] – P. Dennis Mitchell
Keyboards [Additional Programming] – Merv De Teyer
Remix, Producer [Additional Production] – Gail “Sky” King
Cry (Dub) 4:54
Edited By – Roger Pauletta
Engineer [Remix] – P. Dennis Mitchell
Keyboards [Additional Programming] – Merv De Teyer
Remix, Producer [Additional Production] – Gail “Sky” King
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
| Chart Performance – Waterfront: Cry (1989) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| Canada Top Singles (RPM) | 7 |
| Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) | 61 |
| Italy Airplay (Music & Media) | 18 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) | 30 |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 17 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 10 |
| US Adult Contemporary (Billboard) | 2 |
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Polydor – 889 251-1
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Single
Country: US
Released: 1989
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: New Wave, Synth-pop
CREDITS:
- Music By – Cilia*
- Producer – Glenn Skinner
- Written-By, Music By – Chris Duffy
NOTES:
From the Polydor album 422 837 970-1 “WATERFRONT”
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
PLEASE READ
There are two 24-Bit links; if one does not work, try the other
**24-bit FLAC Only Available For SIX Days!
Password: burningtheground
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I admit I don’t remember this song! My only comment: ANYONE can dance to this song, even terrible dancers like me!
Thank you Paul.At first, I thought, “I don’t know this song.” Then I played it, and during the intro, I thought—okay, never heard it. But once the vocals kicked in, the memories came flooding back. I am constantly surprised by the treasures you unearth and that is exactly what defines this site. I wish everyone here on board a wonderful weekend.
That is one of the best feelings about music, when a song hides in the back of your memory for decades and then suddenly comes rushing back the moment the vocals start. I love it when that happens, too. “Cry” is definitely one of those tracks that quietly lived on radio playlists for a while and then somehow faded into the background over the years. I think that rediscovery element is what keeps all of us digging through these old records. There are still so many forgotten gems waiting to trigger those memories again. Thanks so much, Toxicaudio. Wishing you… Read more »
This is a great song Paul! But I remember when it first came out and I was not particularly enthralled by it. I think I dismissed it at the time as it really leaned into that adult contemporary genre that I wasn’t really much into. Hearing it a few years later with fresh ears I really enjoyed it for what it is. This track always stands out to me for for that reason – it reminds me to just enjoy a song as it is, without any preconceived notions. It has a slower paced polished and elegant groove that really… Read more »
You described this song perfectly, JP. I think a lot of us dismissed certain tracks back then because they didn’t fit the lane we were mostly listening to at the time. In the late 80s, everything felt so segmented: dance, freestyle, synthpop, rock, AC, Top 40, and sometimes a song like “Cry” could slip past you if you were focused on harder-hitting club tracks or more electronic sounds. What really stands out now is just how classy and well-produced it is. It has that polished sophistication that many late 80s pop songs were aiming for, but Waterfront pulled it off… Read more »
Hi Paul from Brisbane Australia, love your work, and absolute excellent rips. Not sure if you are aware of the Italian Europop group, Fun Fun? When you’re up to it, could you consider the original 1984 12 inch to “Color my love”, which clocks in around 7:40. It’s a brilliant dance mix, but unfortunately has not received the love it deserves from the mastering gods. Every digital copy out there has clipping and is as bricked as hell, thanks, have a nice day from Brisi bay. 🙂
Good day, mate. I really appreciate my Aussie followers—Australia is my favorite country in the world. I had posted that 12″ before, but Ben Liebrand asked me to take it down, as it seems he doesn’t want Fun Fun to be shared. I’d love to post more of them, but unfortunately, I can’t. It’s a shame about the mastering, though. Thanks for asking, mate.
Wow Paul, I don’t think I’ve heard this since 1989! This one really got memory-holed. As many others have pointed out the George Michael connection, I do recall thinking at the time it was in fact the new George Michael single… No matter, a great tune with tasteful production, soulful delivery and as you mentioned, understated sophistication. Looking at the chart history you wonder how a single in the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 2 on the Adult Contemporary chart could seemingly vanish without a trace. Big thank you again for filling in these gaps and… Read more »
You are absolutely right, Retro Hound. “Memory-holed” is the perfect description for this one. It was genuinely a massive radio hit at the time, yet somehow it rarely gets mentioned when people talk about late 80s pop. That probably says a lot about how crowded and competitive radio was back then. So many songs were huge for a moment and then quietly disappeared from rotation. I can totally understand the George Michael comparison too. The vocal phrasing and soulful delivery definitely carried that same kind of polished sophistication that George was mastering during the Faith era. I would not be… Read more »
Funny, I don’t remember this song, off the top of my head, I had this record at the time and I do fondly remember “Nature of Love” it got a lot of airplay, and I recall it had that George Michael/Johnny Hates Jazz, sophistipop sound with orchestration by Anne Dudley, so I guess they were 2 hit wonders.
“Nature Of Love” is such a great pull, Joey. That one definitely had more of the sophisti-pop DNA right out front, and you nailed the George Michael/Johnny Hates Jazz connection. The Anne Dudley orchestration added a really elegant touch too, very polished and cinematic in places. It’s funny how “Cry” became the bigger hit in the States, yet for some listeners, songs like “Nature Of Love” ended up being the more memorable track long term. I think Waterfront fit perfectly into that late 80s sophisticated pop lane alongside Johnny Hates Jazz, Danny Wilson, Curiosity Killed The Cat, and even some… Read more »
Hey Paul This Does Have That George Michael Vibe. I love When You Pull Those Rabbits Out Of The Hat. Thanks For This Jamm!!
Thanks, Mark! I had a feeling you would pick up on that George Michael vibe right away. There is definitely that same soulful sophistication running through the track, especially in the vocal delivery and production style. This is exactly the kind of song I love bringing back because it sort of slipped through the cracks over the years despite being a pretty big hit at the time. Those “rabbit out of the hat” moments are some of the most fun for me, too. Really glad you enjoyed this one, my friend. Thanks as always for bringing the energy to the… Read more »
One of my favorite songs from the late 80’s!! I feel like pop music had a wider umbrella during this time, and I loved that. Artists who would likely be pushed into a solely adult contemporary category now were represented in a way I do not think they are now. Waterfront seemed to blend a bit into Breathe in my mind, but I loved them both! thank you for posting, looking forward to hearing a couple of mixes I have never heard!!
Excellent point, Greg. The late 80s really did have a much wider musical umbrella on pop radio. You could hear dance music, sophisti-pop, rock, freestyle, adult contemporary, synthpop, and soul all sharing space together on the same station. That variety is one of the things I miss most about that era. I think Waterfront absolutely fits into that same lane as Breathe. Both had that smooth, polished sophistication with soulful vocals and understated production that felt mature without losing their pop appeal. Songs were allowed to breathe a little more back then instead of being forced into such narrowly defined… Read more »
Ooo… I recall this track, can’t help but think their band name came from Simple Minds…but Bruce Forest in the mix has got me super curious!
thx for a Friday afternoon lesson in music history!
That is a great observation, ING. I never made the Simple Minds connection before, but now that you mention it, “Waterfront” does instantly bring that song title to mind. Would not surprise me at all if it played some subconscious role somewhere along the line. And yes, seeing Bruce Forest attached to the mixes definitely raises the curiosity factor. He had such a strong touch when it came to giving tracks a little extra club energy while still respecting the original song. In this case, he managed to add more movement and dance flavor without stripping away the elegance and… Read more »
Wow, great to see Waterfront here! Thanks for another great rip.
Cry was great, but I always had a softer spot for Broken Arrow from the album. Think that might appear here, Paul?
Thanks, Goodguy! I am really glad you enjoyed this one. Waterfront are definitely one of those groups that deserve a deeper revisit beyond just “Cry.” And great call on “Broken Arrow.” That track has such a smooth atmospheric feel to it and really shows another side of the band beyond the big hit single. The whole album honestly had a stronger sense of sophistication and consistency than many people probably remember. As for whether it might appear here someday, never say never. You know I love digging into overlooked album tracks, alternate mixes, and lesser-known singles, especially from artists that… Read more »
I never understood how this band could release this track (ethically and legally). If you know/knew the George Michael’s “Faith” album like I, you would know this song is a 100% complete rip off of George’s work on Faith…the vocals, the gospel backup singers, the instrumentation, etc. are complete imitations of George. I heard this on the radio a few times but I never heard it in any clubs. Today, if this song were released 2 years after Faith, the lawsuits would come in before the end of the first radio play. It’s nice to get this (I never bought… Read more »
interesting. I never really felt the connection the George Michael or Faith, but I will be thinking about that now when I listen. Faith is just a classic!
I can definitely understand why you hear such a strong connection to Faith, Fred. The similarities are hard to ignore, especially the vocal style, soulful phrasing, gospel backing vocals, and that polished late 80s production approach. George Michael really cast a huge shadow over pop music after Faith exploded, and a lot of artists and producers were clearly influenced by that sound for several years afterward. At the same time, I think Waterfront managed to bring enough of their own personality and sophistication to keep it from feeling like a direct copy to me. It definitely sits in that same… Read more »
Hey Paul, another great release thank you very much. Side note: when selecting transfernow link, a dangerouos site warning appears, i’m sure is not about your file, but just to let you know. Best my friend.
Thanks so much for letting me know, Marcelo. I really appreciate the heads up. I have been experimenting with alternate hosts since the MEGA suspension, and it seems some browsers or security filters are more aggressive with certain file-sharing services than others.
I will definitely look into the TransferNow link and see if there is anything I can adjust or possibly swap out with another mirror. I always want everyone here to feel comfortable and safe downloading the files.
Thanks again, my friend, and I am glad you enjoyed the post.
I love these types of songs you post, Paul. This one in particular is a great follow-up to yesterday’s wonderful record. There’s a vibe here, a beautiful sophistication too. Blue-eyed soul is a lovely genre. I’m excited about the flip side because I’m a fan of Roger Pauletta and his editing skills! Thank you, Paul for a real sonic treat!
Have a grand weekend, Paul, Retro Hound, Song_and_Dance, and the rest!!
Jeff
Thank you, Jeff. I knew this one would connect with you. There really is a special sophistication running through these late 80s blue-eyed soul and sophisti-pop records that feels timeless when done right. Yesterday’s post and this one definitely share that same polished atmosphere and emotional warmth. And I had a feeling you would notice Roger Pauletta’s involvement right away. His editing work always brought a sense of flow and refinement to these extended mixes. Sometimes those subtle edits and arrangement choices make all the difference in turning a good 12″ into a memorable listening experience. This record really is… Read more »