Eurythmics are known mainly for a lot of their mainstream releases but not so much for what was supposed to be their first motion-picture soundtrack release –titled 1984– for a movie also with the same title.  Ok, that was a long sentence.  I’ll simplify my point: Eurythmic’s 1984 was the soundtrack for the 1984 movie which was based on George Orwell’s novel:  1984/Nineteen Eight Four. Phew!

Back in 1984, I bought the LP vinyl & cassette of Eurythmics’ 1984, as well as the 7″ and 12″ singles of Sexcrime.  This entire album is actually my very favorite of any Eurythmics’ release.  It has all the synth-pop, electronic elements with Moroder-esque basslines, drum machine polyrhythms, stuttering vocal samples, layers of synth pads, lush sound engineering & mixing, seas of processed reverb and cutting-edge dark-noir feel to it all (with a touch of pop sparkles on top).  It’s pop and SERIOUS at the same time.  Timeless.  Emotional.  Deep.  All in all, 1984 is different in style & sound from Eurythmics’ previous forte, falling somewhere between Peter Gabriel’s Birdy soundtrack and The Art Of Noise.

Play Eurythmics “1984″ LP/Soundtrack…

Eurythmics 1984 Tracks…

Review of ’1984′ by DjProject…

Review by DjProject…

When Michael Redford set out to make a film adaptation of George Orwell’s well-known dystopia Nineteen Eighty-Four, Sir Richard Branson (Virgin was producing the film) wanted to have a pop act to contribute to the soundtrack. And so he brought onboard Eurythmics (still signed to RCA at the time). Although only a few of the cues were actually use in the theatrical cut and subsequently for laserdisc and DVD they were all but absent from the film (Eurythmics have become “unpersons” =] ), this is a fine alternative soundtrack to the work, both the novel and the film.

If Eurythmics were known solely for their pop sensibilities, this album would demonstrate their creative talents. The thing that makes this album stand out is the way it’s able to capture the mood and spirit of the world of Oceania. The sound is very modern and accessible to today but there’s a unsettling trait running through the album that compliments a future run by the principles of Ingsoc. Perhaps the best example in this album is “Greetings from a Dead Man.” The percussion makes it very dance-like yet the organ/synth sounds and Anne Lennox’s vocalizing give it a dark quality. This could very well be the first cyberpunk soundtrack =].

This is perhaps why Michael Redford disliked it so much. He was much in favor with Dominic Muldowney’s orchestral score. While Muldowney’s score is a good traditional film score and points to Orwell’s inspiration (the music is very “social realist” and would fit well with a socialist/communist band’s repertoire), it does very little to really explore and solidify the dark mood of the film. For an example, “I Did It Just the Same” was used (albeit in a slightly different form on the film) when Winston was recounting his encounter with prole prostitute. The rhythm track, the striptease-like synth bass and the other electronic oddities (Anne’s vocalizations were not on the film cue) help to amplify the sexuality in the scene, a verboten idea in the world of “1984.” Muldowney’s score just doesn’t cut it (pun intended).

While most Eurythmics fans would consider this a curiosity, I think it helps them to be seen as artists in their own right rather than just a pop group who happened to be at the right place at the right time. As for its failed use in the film, all I can say that I’m sorry that Michael Redford failed to see what this soundtrack could have done for the film.

Heaven 17 – “Play To Win” (BEF Disco Mix)…

Artist: Heaven 17
Title: Play To Win (BEF Disco Mix)
Year: 1981
Label: Virgin

Heaven 17 – “Play To Win” (BEF Disco Mix) (mp3)

Heaven 17 – “Penthouse And Pavement” (12″ Mix)…

Artist: Heaven 17
Title: Penthouse And Pavement (12″ Mix)
Year: 1981
Label: Virgin

Heaven 17 – “Penthouse And Pavement” (12″ Mix) (mp3)

Ah, this is one rarity from an outstanding, legendary British artist: Peter Gabriel. There was an actual 12″ record of In Your Eyes which featured the Special Mix. But what made this particular record more special was that the track In Your Eyes (Special Mix) was also featured on the B-side of a Peter Gabriel/Kate Bush 12″ single Don’t Give Up.

I have never opened nor played this record before. Thus, after nearly 25 years, I’ve unsealed it and recorded the track on the B-side to digital.  Therefore, a triple special indeed!

Peter Gabriel – “In Your Eyes” (Special Mix)…

Artist: Peter Gabriel
Title: In Your Eyes (Special Mix)
Year: 1986
Label: Virgin Records
Media Source: Recorded straight from 12-inch record to enhanced digital.

Peter Gabriel – “In Your Eyes” (Special Mix) (mp3)

In 1983, Malcolm McLaren released two singles, Buffalo Gals and Double Dutch, both of which becoming worldwide top-10 smash-hits. Those two tracks hit the international music charts before his LP Dutch Rock was released. Dutch Rock album proved to be highly influential, bringing hip-hop to a wider audience, especially in the UK.

In 1984, Malcolm changed his tune to opera on his next maxi/EP single release of Madam Butterfly which was an electronic, synth-pop modern-classic track, based on Giacomo Puccini’s 1902 classic-opera Madam Butterfly’s - “Un Bel Di Vedremo” final aria (watch videos below). For those of you who are not familiar with Puccini, perhaps you might recognize his “Nessun Dorma” aria from his Turandot opera (which is still part of today’s popular culture). Nessun Dorma has achieved pop-status by Luciano Pavarotti’s recording of it, used as the theme song of BBC’s television’s coverage of the 1990 FIFA World Cup soccer in Italy; and it subsequently reached #2 on the UK singles music chart (the highest placing ever by a classical recording).

Malcolm McLaren’s Madam Butterfly is arranged with a drum-machine, atmospheric synthesizers and spoken/sung R&B verses (with opera backup vocals). The production on Malcolm’s Madam Butterfly is stellar. The track was produced by Steven Hague who settled for nothing but the best in overall production. I know for a fact that a Fairlight CMI-2 was used, because Madam Butterfly (Un Bel Di Vedremo) starts with the Fairlight’s famous factory sound-preset ”aah” voices coming in slowly and rising gradually in amplitude, serving as a bed/pad sound layered in the background throughout the track. Watch music video below to hear that sound. I know all the Fairlight sounds inside-out, because I’ve heard them millions of times since 1980 when the Fairlight beast of a sampler/workstation instrument was used on countless of tracks by other famous artists and groups in that era (for it’s unique sound, powerful sample/sound processing engine and music sequencer). Watch this video of the Fairlight being demonstrated by Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran. As for the chord melody in Madam Butterfly, it is a sound of an upright-harp with softer/slower attack transient; though there’s no telling what synthesizer or sampler brand used for it. It could’ve been a custom-sampled harp sound for the Fairlight, or a factory-sample bank coming from a then-popular E-mu Emulator-II, but my guess is that the harp and the bassline-sound were factory-preset patches from a Yamaha DX7 synth. Watch this YouTube demo of the DX7. Harp sounds from synths and samplers sound almost exactly the same and very difficult to distinguish them apart. Also, the drum-machine used in Madam Butterfly is an Oberheim DMX (which was just as popular as Roland TR-808, LinnDrum and E-mu Drumulator and SP-12 drum-machines at that time).

Attention new music producers: I have compiled and categorized .wav samples of almost every classic drum-machine and electronic drum-kits made by man.  Download drum_kits.zip

I used to own the 12″ vinyl of Madam Butterfly which I bought in 1984 from Our Price record store in Uxbridge town center (Hillingdon, Buckinghamshire, UK). But I gave it to my friend Mister P-Body (Arizona) in June 2001 (just before I moved back to West Vancouver, BC, Canada, on July 1, 2001), as I had already owned a copy of it on CD-single which I’d purchased in 1988. To this day, I’m still playing the track over and over again. I have never gotten (and still never get) sick of listening to Madam Butterfly — takes on me on long mind trips each time.

• Read my previous blog/article: Malcom McLaren – “Deep In Vogue”

Malcolm McLaren – “Madam Butterfly” (Un Bel Di Vedremo)…

Artist: Malcolm McLaren
Title: Madam Butterfly (Un Bel Di Vedremo)
Year: 1984
Label: Virgin Records; Charisma Records

Malcolm McLaren – “Madam Butterfly” (Un Bel Di Vedremo) (mp3)

Malcolm McLaren – “Madam Butterfly” (On The Fly Mix)…

Artist: Malcolm McLaren
Title: Madam Butterfly (On The Fly Mix)
Year: 1984
Label: Virgin Records; Charisma Records

Malcolm McLaren – “Madam Butterfly” (On The Fly Mix) (mp3)

Malcolm McLaren – “Death Of Butterfly” (Tu Tu Piccolo)…

Artist: Malcolm McLaren
Title: Death Of Butterfly (Tu Tu Piccolo)
Year: 1984
Label: Virgin Records; Charisma Records

Malcolm McLaren – “Death Of Butterfly” (Tu Tu Piccolo) (mp3)

Music Video: Macolm McLaren – “Madam Butterfly” (widescreen)…

Stage Performance: A preview of Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” opera…

Opera Performance: Puccini – “Madama Butterfly” (Un Bel Di Vedremo)…

Stage Performance:
Pavarotti sings “Nessun Dorma” final aria of Puccini’s Turandot opera…

I have selected my favorite Simple Minds singles to post on here.  These particular tracks are very hard to find these days, as most of them were available only as maxi-singles on 12″ records and audio-CD (only one in particular: Don’t You Forget About Me which was re-issued on CD-single in the late 80′s) back in the days when they were originally released.  Almost all of the instrumental versions below were on the B-sides of the 12″ records.  I’ve added slight reverb to give them more ambience.  It is very hard to find any of them on current CD releases or from legit digital-download services (iTunes, etc.) today.  Now, the very last track on the bottom below is Open Your Mind by Usura (Euro dance genre) and NOT by Simple Minds.  The reason why I’ve made it available here is because it borrowed (and possibly sampled) heavily from Simple Minds’ New Gold Dream track (also posted below, second-bottom).

Simple Minds – “Theme For Great Cities” (12″ Instrumental)…

Artist: Simple Minds
Title: Theme For Great Cities (12″ Instrumental)
Year: 1982
Label: Virgin Records; Polygram
Media Source: Recorded straight from 12-inch record to enhanced digital.

Simple Minds – “Theme For Great Cities” (12″ Instrumental) (mp3)

Simple Minds – “Seeing Out The Angel” (12″ Instrumental)…

Artist: Simple Minds
Title: Seeing Out The Angel (12″ Instrumental)
Year: 1981
Label: Virgin Records; Polygram
Media Source: Recorded straight from 12-inch record to enhanced digital.

Simple Minds – “Seeing Out The Angel” (12″ Instrumental) (mp3)

Simple Minds – “Promised You A Miracle” (12″)…

Artist: Simple Minds
Title: Promised You A Miracle (12″)
Year: 1982
Label: Virgin Records; Polygram
Media Source: Recorded straight from 12-inch record to enhanced digital.

Simple Minds – “Promised You A Miracle” (12″) (mp3)

Simple Minds – “Every Heaven” (12″ Instrumental)…

Artist: Simple Minds
Title: Every Heaven (12″ Instrumental)
Year: 1982
Label: Virgin Records; EMI Music
Media Source: Recorded straight from 12-inch record to enhanced digital.

Simple Minds – “Every Heaven” (12″ Instrumental) (mp3)

Simple Minds – “Don’t You Forget About Me” (Extended Version)…

Artist: Simple Minds
Title: Don’t You Forget About Me (Extended Version)
Year: 1984
Label: Virgin Records

Simple Minds – “Don’t You Forget About Me” (Extended Version) (mp3)

Simple Minds – “Ghostdancing” (Extended 12″ Remix)…

Artist: Simple Minds
Title: Ghostdancing (Extended 12″Remix)
Year: 1986
Label: Virgin Records
Media Source: Recorded straight from 12-inch record to enhanced digital.

Simple Minds – “Ghostdancing” (Extended 12″ Remix) (mp3)

Simple Minds – “Ghostdancing” (Instrumental)…

Artist: Simple Minds
Title: Ghost Dancing (Instrumental)
Year: 1986
Label: Virgin Records
Media Source: Recorded straight from 12-inch record to enhanced digital.

Simple Minds – “Ghostdancing” (Instrumental) (mp3)

Simple Minds – “New Gold Dream” (81-82-83-84)…

Artist: Simple Minds
Title: New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84)
Year: 1982
Label: Virgin Records

Simple Minds – “New Gold Dream” (81-82-83-84) (mp3)

Usura – “Open Your Mind” (Chart Mix)…

Artist: Usura
Title: Open Your Mind (Chart Mix)
Year: 1993
Label: Time S.p.A.

Usura – “Open Your Mind” (Chart Mix) (mp3)