Monday 30 March 2009

Dame Edna Everage - Bad


"Bad" was included on Dame Edna's 1987 album "The Dame Edna Party Experience". It was a sequenced album full of cover versions such as "I Should Be So Lucky", "Venus", "The Twist", "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" and the theme from Australian soap-opera "Neighbours", all performed in her unique comedy style. "Neighbours" was released as a single, where it peaked at a disappointing #83 in the UK charts.

"Niceness" is Dame Edna's theme tune, and was featured on her 1978 album "The Sound Of Edna".

TRACKLISTING:

Bad
Niceness




PASSWORD: http://popgems.blogspot.com

Saturday 28 March 2009

Barbara Cartland's Album Of Love Songs


Dame Barbara Cartland is best known as a romantic novelist. She is often called "The Queen of Romance". In 1978 she recorded an album of Love Songs, featuring The Mike Sammes Singers and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

It's debatable whether the album is a stroke of genius - or completely awful. You can judge for yourself. There is something quite hypnotic about it though. And while you may be listening to it, thinking "God..this is terrible", you may find yourself unable to stop listening. Possibly.. :D

TRACKLISTING:

I'll Follow My Heart
Desert Song
A Nightingale Sang In Berkely Sqaure
How Deep Is The Ocean
If You Were The Only Girl
I'll See You Again
Mr Wonderful
Dream Lover
Love Is My Reason
Always
If You Are But A Dream
Goodnight Sweetheart




PASSWORD: http://popgems.blogspot.com

Tuesday 10 March 2009

2 Unlimited - Twilight Zone


From 1992, "Twilight Zone" was a hit single released by the Dutch Eurodance group 2 Unlimited. It reached #2 in the UK and #5 on the U.S. Dance chart, thus becoming their biggest hit on that chart. The UK release of the single was the first 2 Unlimited single in that country to include the vocals by singer Anita Doth, as they had been cut out of their previous hit "Get Ready for This". However, Ray Slijngaard's raps were once again removed.

This song is notable for it's resemblance to the original Mortal Kombat theme tune.

TRACKLISTING:

Twilight Zone (7" Edit)
Twilight Zone (Rap Version)
Twilight Zone (Rave Version)
Twilight Zone (Rapping Rave Version)




PASSWORD: http://popgems.blogspot.com

East 17 - Deep


From 1993, this was the third single from East 17's "Walthamstow" album. At the time it provided them with their biggest hit, peaking at #5 in the UK, #7 in Australia and #6 in Sweden. The track was produced by Robin Goodfellow but featured additional production from Ian Curnow & Phil Harding. The "Penetration Mix" was by David Morales and the "Throat Mix" was provided by Diss-Cuss.

TRACKLISTING:

Deep (Breath Mix)
Deep (Penetration Mix)
Deep (Throat Mix)
Deep (Down Mix)
Deep (Depth Mix)
Deep (Meaning Mix)
Deep (Delta Steam House Of Funk Mix)




PASSWORD: http://popgems.blogspot.com

Monday 9 March 2009

Salt 'N' Pepa - Push It [Again]


"Push It" was originally a hit for Salt 'N' Pepa in 1987. This 1999 re-release, labled as "Push It [Again]" featured remixes from DJ Tonka, Sharam Jey, Klubbheads, and Orinko (aka Timo Maas). It was released as a single in Germany, where it peaked at #26 in the German singles chart.

TRACKLISTING:

Push It [Again] (DJ Tonka Remix Edit)
Push It [Again] (DJ Tonka Remix)
Push It [Again] (Klubbheads '98 Mix)
Push It [Again] (Sharam Jey's Push It Lover Mix)
Push It [Again] (Orinko's Tribal Dub)
Push It [Again] (Silly Walk Mix)
Push It (Original Version)




PASSWORD: http://popgems.blogspot.com

Sinitta - Never Too Late


Does anyone out there have Sinitta's other early solo single "I Could Be". I'm looking for the 7"/Single version. If you can help with this then please contact me. Thanks!

From 1983, this was Sinitta's debut solo single. Written and produced by J.G.Hargreaves & A.Ajai-Ajagbe, and released on Midas Records. John 'Jellybean' Benitez is credited as the remixer on the Extended Version.

The song is a great example of the pop sound that Sinitta would become known for. Sadly the song wasn't a hit, but it's a Pop Gems nonetheless!

TRACKLISTING:

Never Too Late
Never Too Late (Extended Version)




PASSWORD: http://popgems.blogspot.com

*Thanks to Ian for the extended mix.

Sunday 8 March 2009

Cathy Dennis - West End Pad


From 1996, this was the first single taken from Cathy Dennis's third album "Am I The Kinda Girl?" For this album, and all the released singles, Cathy Dennis had moved away from the dance-orientated sound that she had become known for and went for a more mature sounding guitar-based sound.

"West End Pad" was released as a 2 CD Single set and peaked at #25 in the UK charts. The setfeatured an Extended Mix of the song, and also two non-album tracks "Baggage" and "Run Like A River".

TRACKLISTING:

West End Pad
West End Pad (Extended Mix)
West End Pad (Alternative Supple 7")
Baggage
Run Like A River




PASSWORD: http://popgems.blogspot.com

Cheryl Baker - Sensuality


Cheryl Baker is an English television presenter and singer. She is most famous for being a member of 1980s pop group Bucks Fizz, and has performed for the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest twice, winning it the second time.

From 1992, this was Cheryl Bakers second solo single. (Her first being 'If Paradise Is Half As Nice' in 1987.) Sadly, 'Sensuality' faired even worse that her first solo single and didn't even chart in the UK. For the release, she dropped her surname and just called herself 'Cheryl'. The b-side to the single was new track 'Love To Love'.

TRACKLISTING:

Sensuality (7" Radio Mix)
Sensuality (12" Club Mix)
Love To Love




PASSWORD: http://popgems.blogspot.com

Monday 2 March 2009

Tricia Leigh Fisher - Empty Beach


Does anyone out there have any of the remixes for Tricia Leigh Fisher's singles "Empty Beach" & "Let's Make The Time"?? If you can help with these then please contact me. Thanks!

Tricia Leigh Fisher is an American actress and singer. Her older sister is actress Joely Fisher, and her older half-sister is actress Carrie Fisher of Star Wars fame. In 1990, Tricia Leigh Fisher's self-titled debut album was released. It featured tracks produced by Rod Gammons, Phil Harding & Ian Curnow, and mixing on some tracks from Dave Ford. Many of the tracks featured backing vocals from Mae McKenna, Miriam Stockley, and Tracy Ackerman.

"Empty Beach" was the first single released from the album. A great little pop song that was a modest hit. Second single "Let's Make The Time" unfortunately wasn't a hit. A third single was released, double a-side "My Heart Holds On"/"Good As Gold".

TRACKLISTING:

Empty Beach



PASSWORD: http://popgems.blogspot.com

Thereza Bazar - The Big Kiss


Thereza Bazar is one half of UK pop vocal duo Dollar. She released one solo album in 1985 called The Big Kiss, which she co-wrote. It was produced by Arif Mardin and featured the singles "The Big Kiss" and "Too Much in Love". The album reportedly cost half a million pounds to produce and generated media attention, but according to Bazar, the album's circulation was poor due to a mix-up at the record company, with the album unavailable at the time of its advertised release. Today Bazar mentions the incident as the most upsetting of her career, but she has high regard for the album, saying it had "a strong pedigree.

Despite it's lack of success, i'd agree with Bazar's regard for the "The Big Kiss". It's a great 80's pop album, and definitely well worth a listen.

TRACKLISTING:

The Big Kiss
I See It In Your Eyes
Too Much In Love
English Girl Should Not, No! No!
Give Me Back My Heart
Never Make The Same Mistake
Traitor Of The Heart
Save Me
Give Yourself Up
You're All I Ever Wanted




PASSWORD: http://popgems.blogspot.com

*Thanks to Mikeyten for this!

Thereza Bazar - Gotcha!


Thereza Bazar is one half of UK pop vocal duo Dollar. In 1985 she released a solo album "The Big Kiss". Two singles were released from the album, title track "The Big Kiss" & "Too Much In Love" but met with little success. Problems at the time with the promotion of the album meant that that also was a commercial failure.

"Gotcha" was not featured on her solo album. It's taken from the soundtrack of the little known 1985 movie "Gotcha!" Starring Anthony Edwards as Jonathan, a college student on vacation in Europe for the first time. He gets involved in an affair with a beautiful, mysterious woman. This leads to Jonathan becoming a target for spies. Woo! lol

A lame movie plot, but a great pop song!

TRACKLISTING:

Gotcha!



PASSWORD: http://popgems.blogspot.com

Sunday 1 March 2009

Dollar - It's Nature's Way (No Problem)


Dollar are a pop vocal duo from the UK, consisting of David Van Day and Thereza Bazar. The duo were successful in the late 1970s and 1980s. From 1988, this was the last single released by the duo. They had had a big hit the previous year with "Oh L'Amour" (UK #7, November 1987) but sadly failed to find the same success with "It's Nature's Way". The track peaked in the UK charts at #58 in July 1988.

TRACKLISTING:

It's Nature's Way (No Problem) (7" Version)
It's Nature's Way (No Problem) (12" Version)


*thanks to the itshouldhavebeenahit blog for the 7" version.



PASSWORD: http://popgems.blogspot.com