Dead Or Alive - You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) (12" Murder Mix)

Dead Or Alive - You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) (12" Murder Mix) / 12 Inch Extended Remix (HQ Audio)

You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) was released in November 1984 and went up and down in the lower reaches of the chart for 12 weeks before reaching number 40 at which point it accelerated to number one, finally making top spot in March 1975.

Making the record had almost as many twists and turns as its journey through the chart.

Dead Or Alive had formed in Liverpool in 1979, with a more punk/goth inspired sound. Singer and songwriter Pete Burns had previously been in a punk band called the Mystery Girls, with Julian Cope and Pete Wylie.

Their debut album, Sophisticated Boom Boom - released in early 1984 - reached number 29 in the UK album chart. At the eighth attempt they also made the charts with a single - their cover of KC And The Sunshine Band’s That’s The Way I Like It reaching number 22, leading to their first Top Of The Pops appearance.

With a hit under their belts the band were ready to push things further. Pete Burns wanted their next album to take them even closer towards the sound of gay clubs of the time. He loved Divine’s You Think You’re A Man and Hazel Dean’s Whatever I Do (Wherever I Go) both of which were early Stock Aitken and Waterman productions.

For that reason Burns wanted to work with them but Epic Records had other ideas and encouraged them develop a more indie sound. Burns was determined to see his vision through and took out a £2500 personal loan to fund a recording session with Stock Aitken and Waterman, and some video production.

“I loved Pete Burns from the minute we met,” says Waterman. “With You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) he’d brought me a piece of gold. I just had to make it shinier.”

Burns says he wrote You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) after listening to Luther Vandross’ I Wanted Your Love and singing his own words over the top of it. Clearly he also knew of Little Nell’s 1976 hit single See You Round Like A Record.

Dead Or Alive already had a demo version but didn't feel it was quite right.

“We really developed the drums, bass and bottom end,” says engineer Phil Harding, who mixed the track. “The top end sequencers were kept, but using different synthesisers as we had more. Mike Stock added the vocal texture.”

As the project moved to mixing stage, tensions began to run high. Burns and Steve Coy of Dead Or Alive wanted to be very involved and were pushing to record more parts. Mike Stock and Matt Aitken were adamant they had what they needed and just wanted to get on and finish the track. Phil Harding and his assistant were in the studio too, so it was far busier than a normal Hit Factory session.

Pete Waterman eventually came in and insisted everybody stop arguing and leave, in part because they’d been at it all day and had become less able to tell what was good and what wasn’t. He decided he and Phil Harding would work through the night to mix the track.

“We liked to make the 12 inch first, then edit a 7 inch from that” says Harding. “It was the longest session I’d ever done and the best extended mix I'd made. Pete would drive me on and we realised we had something so we were really excited.”

“Mike and Matt arrived at 10 or 11am and we were still there. They listened and loved it. Then Pete Burns heard it and he was over the moon. It was just what he wanted - Dead or Alive sounding like Divine or Hazel Dean but even better.”

“Pete Waterman said to Pete it would be their number single and he was right.”

Having such a big hit was a big deal for Dead Or Alive. They had five subsequent top 40 hits in the 1980s, and the accompanying album Youthquake went top 10.

It was a big deal for Stock Aitken and Waterman too, giving them a UK number one and their first US hit with their first production for a major label. The project also served to help develop their signature production style and reputation.

To put it in context, before You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) Stock Aitken and Waterman's Hit Factory had had produced only two UK top 20 hits. It went on to produce over 80, including 12 number ones for the likes of Rick Astley, Mel & Kim and Kylie Minogue.

Featured here is the Murder Mix, created in that marathon overnight mixing session.

Some reports say the 12 inch of this track sold more copies than the 7 inch version. The mix was certainly huge in the clubs at the time, and unquestionably played a key role in getting the track to number one, and kicking off the high profile careers of both Pete Burns and Stock, Aitken and Waterman.

Year: 1984

Label: Epic

Cat no: TX 4861