I have the 7" single of Sandra's 'Little girl', so it's no surprise that I would buy the 12" single as well. Like the single, this maxi has two tracks, but the A-side comes in an extended version.
Like many 12" singles of the mid-Eighties, the extended version is just that: an extended version of the regular track. It contains some interesting variations on the song, including a drum track that keeps the listener interested.
My collection: 12" single no. 200 Found: Marik, Vienna, July 1994 Cost: 99 Schilling Tracks: 'Little girl (extended version)' / 'Sisters and brothers'
Although this blog is dedicated to music on vinyl (the name says it all) I would like to make an exception and make you an offer you can't refuse. There's a lot of music on here you can listen to for free, but this time I'm asking for $1. That's not a lot, is it?
Black has been making beautiful music for 30 years now. In the Eighties he was very successful with the song 'Wonderful life' and subsequent releases. His vinyl output during that time has been featured on this blog (see it here). After that, things became less commercially successful - although the music has always been beautiful. You can hear it for yourself on the new compilation 'Any colour you like', which was released today. You can download it here and if you use the discount code 'mrg4song' it will cost you just £0.75 - 10% of the original price! If you like this blog you MUST download this compilation. If only to do me - and yourself - a favour.
After the success of '(I'll never be) Maria Magdalena', Sandra and her producer Michael Cretu had to come up with a successor. They chose to stick to the success formula: synthesizers, a melodic chorus and male backing vocals.
The 12" single featured a longer version of the track that would also appear on Sandra's debut album 'The long play'.
My collection: 12" single no. 196
Found: Concerto, Amsterdam, 1993
Cost: 2 guilders
Tracks: 'In the heat of the night [longer version]' / 'Heatwave'
The follow-up to the first single from their self-titled debut album was Aurora's 'The day it rained forever'. A dynamic dance track, which was remixed by no less than five remix teams. Most of the remixes were again unreleased on cd-single.
This double 12" single features seven remixes by the Belgian group Lasgo, the Mancunian dance duo Flip & Fill (DJ's Graham Turner and Mark Hall) and Monoboy. It's quite an attractive package with some rather brilliant remixes.
My collection: 12" single no. 579
Found: Discogs.com, received August 5, 2011
Cost: 5 euro
Tracks: 'The day it rained forever (Lasgo vocal)' / 'The day it rained forever (Flip & Fill vocal)', 'The day it rained forever (Monoboy Dubstramental)' // 'The day it rained forever (Monoboy Vocal)', 'The day it rained forever (Flip & Fill instrumental)' / 'The day it rained forever (Radio edit)', 'The day it rained forever (Flip & Fill radio edit)'
When Janet Jackson released 'Design of a decade' in 1996, 'Runaway' appeared on the cd as a new track. This new track was released as the first single from the album. The first cd-single at the time featured three remixes of 'When I think of you', whereas the second one featured four remixes of 'Runaway'.
This promotional double 12" single, however, is something else: it features no less than fourteen remixes of 'Runaway'. And only two of them appeared on the aforementioned cd-single. It's a great package, and what's more: most of these remixes are actually quite good!
My collection: 12" single no. 585
Found: Discogs.com, received August 31, 2011
Cost: 6 euro
Tracks: 'Runaway (G-man's Hip Hop mix feat. Coolio)', 'Runaway (G-man's Hip Hop extended)', 'Runaway (Silk's Old School radio)', 'Runaway (G-man's Club mix)' / 'Runaway (Kelly's Bump & Run 12"), 'Runaway (Kelly's Bump & Run radio)', 'Runaway (Silk's Old School 12")' // 'Runaway (Torin's Chicago Underground)', 'Runaway (Maestro's 95th & Ashland House Dub)', 'Runaway (Silk's Housy mix)' / 'Runaway (Jam & Lewis Street mix edit)', 'Runaway (Jam & Lewis Ghetto mix)', 'Runaway (J.A.M. session mix)', 'Runaway (IndaSoul mix)'
Composed by Vangelis and Jon Anderson and produced by Quicy Jones, 'State of independence', released in 1982 was a glorious piece of pop music. Layered with synthesizers and not too far removed from the aforementioned duo's own version, it was a massive hit for Donna Summer that year.
This limited edition 12" single features both the single edit and the full length track. Alas, no remixes. But the track was eventually remixed in 1996 - and that was a bit of a mixed blessing to say the least.
My collection: 12" single no. 188
Found: Disco Market, Den Haag, 1993
Cost: 1 guilder
Tracks: 'State of independence (long version)' / 'State of independence (special edit)', 'Love is just a breath away'
America was still in shock after having seen (part of) her tit when Janet Jackson's 2004 album 'Damita Jo' was released. It meant that the album did relatively worse than previous albums because the sight of all that flesh meant that no-one could listen to music anymore - of course!
Listening to the album now one can't help but notice that miss Jackson might have been a tad sex-obsessed, but a track like 'Just a little while' - which closes the album - is nothing more or less than a pleasant piece of pop music. The mixes on this 12" single could have been a massive club success.
My collection: 12" single no. 582
Found: Discogs.com, received August 5, 2011
Cost: 5 euro
Tracks: 'Just a little while (album version)', 'Just a little while (Maurice's Nu Soul remix)' / 'Just a little while (Peter Rauhofer club mix)'