Breaking out the USB turntable and encoding some odds & ends - thought I'd share!
• Boomtown Rats - "Drag Me Down (U.S. Version): The Rats were the focus of this blog's second-ever entry, so head over there to read about their convulted history when it comes to their American releases. "Drag Me Down" was a single from their ill-fated final LP, In The Long Grass, which had several songs remixed for American sensibilities. This version has different lyrics, a completely different, very Springsteen-esque bridge, even a different ending. This version did not make it onto the recent remaster, which is regrettable. I sorta prefer this one to the original...must be the American in me.
• Tina Turner - "One of the Living (Special Dance Mix)": This Holly Knight/Mike Chapman gem was the second single from the Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome soundtrack. It never shows up on any Tina compilations and its only CD appearance to date has been confined to the soundtrack only, which is puzzling for a song that won the 1985 Grammy for Best Female Rock Performance. This 12" version has never been issued on CD, as far as I know. Bonus: Conan the Barbarian on sax!
• Real Life - "Under the Hammer": An album track from Heartland, the Aussie band's debut that gave them the smash "Send Me An Angel". I always thought this would make a killer third single after "Catch Me I'm Falling", but alas, it was not meant to be. When David Steery sings I can't stannnnd iiiiiit!, you can hear his little heart shatter. Posted 'cuz I like it.
More vinyl treasures to come this week!
"Drag Me Down" did not chart. "One of the Living" peaked at #15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at #6 on the Dance Music/Club Play Chart in 1985. "Under the Hammer" was not released as a single.
* All songs are for sampling purposes only. If the album is currently in print, you'll see an Amazon link to purchase it. Supporting artists is a good thing, since labels are run by soulless whores. I KEED! Sorta. Look, if you like it, and it's in print, support 'em. If you're the artist or copyright holder, a quick e-mail to me will bring the song down ASAP. But compliment my writing first.
* Don't e-mail me asking me to repost dead links or to send you a song you can't find. Believe it or not, I have a life outside my blogging. I KEED! But don't do it.
* One more, and this is a biggie -- do NOT hotlink directly to my audio files and post them on your site, big shot. That's just disrespectful, rude, and a theft of my hard-earned bandwith.
Now, get readin', get downloadiN', and play nice. I loves me some comments. Bring it!
