"What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)" is a song by American synth-pop band Information Society that was released as a single in 1988. The "Pure Energy" subtitle derives from a sample of Leonard Nimoy's voice from the Star Trek episode "Errand of Mercy". There are also samples of DeForest Kelley (the character Dr. McCoy) in the song's introduction, saying, "it's worked so far, but we're not out yet." and Richard Tatro's (The Android Norman) voices from the episode "I, Mudd". John Leland of Spin magazine called it a "pretty potent dance record".
In 2009, VH1 ran a countdown of the 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the '80s. Information Society's "What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)" placed at number 74 on the countdown.
The song was a big hit in the US, spending 25 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number three in October 1988. The single was certified gold by the RIAA on January 18, 1989, selling 500,000 copies.
The song was featured in the feature films Loverboy and American Psycho. A remixed version was included in American Psycho's soundtrack.
In 1989, Pittsburgh radio station WYDD-FM played this song non-stop in a loop for 25½ hours—focusing on a repeat of the "Pure Energy" sample from Leonard Nimoy as Star Trek's Mr. Spock. The marketing stunt caused listeners to call emergency services, concerned that some calamity had befallen the DJs and other station employees. Bob Hank, general manager at the time, told reporters he was only trying to draw attention to the station's switch in format and new call letters WNRJ (N-R-J = "energy"). "We were just trying to draw a little bit of attention," Hank said. "We never dreamed it would go this far."
The song started out as a 10-minute instrumental jam, when Information Society was trying to record their first album. Tommy Boy Records grew frustrated that the band was spending so much money in the studio but had nothing to show for it, and pressured them to make a hit. Paul Robb came up with a chorus he said was partly inspired by "Sledgehammer" by Peter Gabriel, as well as Duran Duran. After the chorus, he wrote verses with Kurt Harland.
Robb emulated minimalist New Wave artists such as Gary Numan and Devo by trying to write lyrics that "said as little as possible". He said the verses were "just sort of a random collection of emotional impressions. ... But when you look back at it now, it's a clear narrative about the difficulty that people have communicating with each other. At the time, we weren't writing it with that in mind, but it's so clear when you just read through the lyrics. It's a very simple and very clear-cut story."
Track listings
1988
7": Tommy Boy * London / 886 420-7 (Netherlands)
"What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)" (Pure Energy Radio Edit) – 3:35
"What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)" (Club Radio Edit) – 3:15
12": Tommy Boy / TB 911 (US)
"What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)" (Club Mix) – 8:00
"What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)" (The 54 Mix) – 5:12
"What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)" (Percappella) – 4:09
"What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)" (Pure Energy Mix) – 4:33
"What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)" (What's on Your Dub Mix) – 6:22
tracks 1–3 remixed by "Little" Louie Vega, Roman Ricardo
track four is the album version.
also available on MC (TBC 911)
also available on CD (TBCD 911)
12": London / LONX 211 (UK)
"What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)" (Club Mix) – 8:00
"What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)" (Pure Energy Mix) – 4:33
"What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)" (What's on Your Dub Mix) – 6:22
also available on CD (LONCD 211)
1998
12": Cleopatra Records CLP 0327
Side A
"What's on Your Mind" (Girl Eats Boy Mix)
"What's on Your Mind" (Remixed by David J of Love & Rockets)
Side B
"What's on Your Mind" (Remixed by Christian B./Daren Kramer for CKB Production)
"What's on Your Mind" (Remixed by Judson Leach and Exhibition)
All of these remixes would make a second appearance on the remix album InSoc Recombinant.
2001
CD single: Tommy Boy silver label
"What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)" (Pure Energy 2001 Edit) – 3:48
"What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)" (Boris & Beck Exit Edit) – 3:58
"What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)" (Junior's Blue Zone Club Mix) – 9:08
"What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)" (Boris & Beck Exit Mix) – 8:46
"What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)" (Sugarpussy Psychic Funk Mix) – 6:38
Information Society (also known as InSoc) is an American electronic band from Minneapolis–St. Paul, Minnesota, initially active from 1982 to 1997, primarily consisting of Kurt Harland Larson, Paul Robb, and James Cassidy; the latter two reconvened the band in 2006, initially with Christopher Anton as lead vocalist, then with Harland rejoining them as lead vocalist by 2008.
"Walking Away" is a 1988 song by American synth-pop group, Information Society. Released as a single in late 1988, the song peaked at No. 9 in the United States in February 1989, No. 5 in the Hot Dance Club Play chart and No. 15 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. "Walking Away" is the second single from the band's eponymous album. The music video was directed by Mark Pellington.
The song contains samples of William Shatner as James T. Kirk saying "It is useless to resist us" from the Star Trek episode, "Mirror, Mirror", and James Doohan as Scotty saying "Let's Go See!" from the Star Trek episode, "Wolf in the Fold".
Singer Paul Robb said,
"Walking Away" was a song where I sat down and said, "I want to write a song that's kind of like "What's on Your Mind," but it's going to be directed to some former members of our band who had sort of quit the band at an importune moment. As a matter of fact, they both quit right before we made it big with "Running." So if you listen to the lyrics of "Walking Away," it's basically just someone complaining about people who left. That's because that's exactly what it is. It's a very transparent song - there's no deep meanings in that one.
Track listings:
EP
"Walking Away" (S.M.D. Mix) – 7:09
"Walking Away" (House Dub) – 6:09
"Walking Away" (Radio Version) – 3:59
12" single
"Walking Away" (Space Age Mix)6:36
"Space Age Dub"7:57
"Make It funkier" (Boot It Up Vocal)2:56
"Walking Away" (S.M.D. mix)7:09
"Walking Away" (House Dub)6:09
"Walking Away" (Radio Version)3:59
CD single
"Walking Away" (Radio Version)3:58
"Walking Away" (LP Version)5:01
"Walking Away" (Space Age Mix)6:36
"Walking Away" (S.M.D. mix)7:08
A pressing variation exists with silhouette figures inverted
"Seasons Change" is a pop–R&B song written and produced by Lewis Martineé for the American girl group Exposé's debut album, Exposure (1987). It was the group's fifth single released. The song's lyrics describe relationships fading away due to the changes brought about by time (on both people and events). It is the group's biggest hit to date. Angie Vollaro of fellow Lewis A. Martineé group Sequal lent background vocals to this song; Steve Grove on saxophone. Expose was an 80's rarity as one of the only female vocal groups to hit #1. (Bananarama being the other group) The music video features the group reminiscing in a beach house they are closing down for the summer.
Released at the end of 1987 as the album's fifth single, the ballad remains the group's biggest hit to date, as it went to number one on the Adult Contemporary chart and topped the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for one week on February 20, 1988. The single reached number 97 in the United Kingdom.
"Point of No Return" is a single by the American pop group Exposé. Written and produced by Lewis Martineé, the single was originally released in 1984 on the Pantera label with Alejandra Lorenzo (Alé) as the lead singer. The single was re-recorded in 1987 with Jeanette Jurado as the lead vocalist and included on the group's debut album, Exposure (1987), when it was finally released on compact disc in 1989.
"It's just a little song about loving somebody to the point of no return," said songwriter Lewis Martineé when asked if there was a deeper meaning to the song. "I just liked the title 'Point Of No Return,' so I decided to write a song around that. Then I started coming up with the beats and the synthesizer lines and then both melody and words. I wrote that song so fast it was crazy, like, literally 15 minutes. But then I didn't like the bridge and I changed it. I'm glad I did because the bridge actually came out really good at the end."
The original vocal mix of the song, featuring Lorenzo, reached the top of the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in spring 1985. The re-recorded vocal version with Jurado reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in July 1987.
The music video for "Point of No Return" features Exposé performing in front of an energetic audience. As of December 2022, it has been well-received on YouTube, with the release featuring over fourteen million views.
Let Me Be the One is a single by Exposé, released on May 15, 1987. It was written and produced by Lewis Martineé and appears on their debut album, Exposure. The lead vocals on the song were performed by Gioia Bruno.
Released as a single in August 1987, "Let Me Be the One" became the group's third consecutive top-ten single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in October of that year, when it peaked at No. 7. The song also reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. In the United Kingdom, the song reached No. 76 on the British pop chart.
"Sex Shooter" is a song written by Prince for his protégés, girl group Apollonia 6. It appeared on the band's only album, Apollonia 6 and was released as a single in 1984. The song was performed by Apollonia 6 in the film Purple Rain. It was nominated by the Golden Raspberry Awards for Worst Song. Billboard named the song #93 on their list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time.
.jpg)
.jpg)
