Loose Ends – Hangin' On A String (Contemplating) (Extended Dance Mix)

Always had great respect for Loose Ends and for this track, piece of history in global dance music of the eighties, and in eighties soul too. Only one little thing is that when you hear the riff starting with 'You...' plus the little pause, all this could make a mind flash of the riff of 'You are in my system' by The System.
By my side is a great thing because i adore that track also!
Track construction and also style are quite different though.

"Hangin' On a string" one of my absolute all time favourite songs. Whenever I play it I have to put it on again straight after. Just done that right now!!!

The press here is fantastic! Better than the pic sleeve with cat# VS 748 12 which sounds too trebly and harsh compared to this one from what I can .

Dexter Wansel: “The Philly Sound has many global connections and stories. This is just one of them.
Loose Ends is one of the top British dance and urban contemporary groups of the 1980’s. It’s original are Carl McIntosh, Jane Eugene, and it’s founder, Steve Nichol. Virgin signed them in 1981 as Loose End, but the group changed its name to Loose Ends in 1983. In 1985 they crossed the Atlantic and landed in Philadelphia where they created an album along with numerous Philly musicians and singers including.....Backing Vocals-Barbara Ingram, Carla Benson, Evette Benton (Sweethearts Of Sigma), along with Jeff Toms Smith and Joanna Gardner. Drums-Tommy Campbell, Electric Piano-Donald Robinson, Guitar-Ron Jennings, Percussion-“Doc" Gibbs, Saxophone-Robert Malach and Sam Peake, Arranger/Conductor/Composer-Dexter Wansel, and Producer Nick Martinelli. The album was entitled, So Where Are You? and fostered their first big hit single “Hangin’ On A String (Contemplating)” which reached #13 in the UK chart, and #1 on the US Billboard R&B chart, making Loose Ends, thanks to it’s Philadelphia connection, the first black British band to ever top that chart. They reached #16 with the single "Magic Touch" in that same year. One of the albums most beautiful tracks is “You Can’t Stop The Rain” arranged and conducted by Dexter Wansel. Loose Ends would use part of Wansel’s arrangement as the mystic intro for their live performances. They also recorded the Wansel/Biggs composition “The Sweetest Pain” for their album. Another single that reached #1 for them on the US charts was “Slow Down” which was a track from their third album Zagora, also recorded in Philadelphia at Sigma Sound Studios and engineered by Mike Tarsia. After returning back home to Britain, Carl and Steve would reunite with Dexter Wansel and Mike Tarsia in London for Wansel’s production project with expatriate Pat (P.P.) Arnold. A former member of the Ike & Tina Turner Review singers, The Ikettes. Carl, Steve and Dexter together tracked a single entitled “A Little Pain” which found radio rotation throughout Europe. Loose Ends last hit was “Watching You” in 1988, which reached #2 in Europe. Afterwards the group went their separate ways finding individual successes. Carl Anderson kept the group’s name. Through numerous lineup changes, on occasion the three original Loose Ends will reunite. Loose Ends was also signed to MCA America.
The Album-So Where Are You Now?, Is A Virgin Records Release. Produced by Nick Martinelli for Watch Out Productions. Recorded at Alpha Recording Studios and Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia PA. Engineered by Bruce Weedon and Al Alberts Junior.
The Philly Sound has many global connections and stories. This was just one of them.”

A Little Spice is such a good song. v v

Labels are white on my copy, so both white and pale green label versions exist of this promo.

What an amazing track. Not only its haunting sound effects in the background, the lyrics display a relationship coming apart. "Who's been changing you!?" Both parties are conflicted in their feelings about it all. It all plays out in the music from the drums to the bass and rhythm guitars. Haunting background vocals "you never told me you were waiting, contemplating...". What a great track...and the album (US Version - A Little Spice) features more delights.

Classic cut that I from Inner City Radio (full FM stereo) and John Leech on Essex Radio in the late 80s. Don't think many of my mates were listening to this sort of jam back then,

re. the pale green labels in the notes, I have this and my labels are pink with a stencilled outline of a jet liner just visible on side A. Will attempt to photograph it in the daylight and the image if it comes out...

This midtempo offering from the early ‘80s Brit-funkers was the forerunner to Soul II Soul’s later success, and has the distinction of being the first ever UK soul record to top the American R&B listings! Okay, history lesson over. This contemporary update has all the hallmarks of a turntable remix (e.g. the whole track’s been time stretched and set to a house tempo) but as such still works remarkably well. In parts it might sound a little off-key, but as an exercise as what could be achieved given the right parts, then the mouth waters in anticipation.