This March, Vibe On Records will be going Primitive. The label is following its recent reissue of Cher's I Paralyze with another lavishly expanded Deluxe Edition - this time from Miami Sound Machine featuring the one and only Gloria Estefan. On March 31, Vibe On will reissue MSM's 1985 breakthrough Primitive Love as a 2-CD edition featuring a full 23 bonus tracks - four of which are previously unreleased, and six of which have never previously appeared on CD.
Primitive Love, Miami Sound Machine's ninth album, was the second English-language set from the Cuban-American band which defined the Latin crossover sound of the era. On the strength of the effervescent, floor-filling "Conga" and the beautiful ballad "Words Get in the Way," Primitive Love proved just the right kind of love for 1985. The album, produced by Emilio Estefan and showcasing his wife Gloria's distinctive and powerful lead vocals, rose to No. 23 on the Billboard 200 and even more impressively, reached No. 10 in the trade paper's Year End Chart. "Words Get in the Way," written by Gloria, shot to the top 5 of the Hot 100 and reached No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary countdown, while the infectious "Conga" made No. 10 on the Hot 100. "Bad Boy" peaked at No. 8 on both the Pop and AC surveys, and "Falling in Love (Uh-Oh") fared almost as well, at No. 25 Pop/No. 3 AC. Primitive Love made it clear that the music of seven-time Grammy Award winner Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine was here to stay. Indeed, the hits on the album can currently be heard eight times a week in the hit Broadway musical On Your Feet.
The original, multi-platinum 10-track Epic album has been generously expanded for this upcoming reissue. Four previously unreleased tracks make their debut: Extended Dance Edits of "Body to Body" and the title track, and the Extended Dub Mix of "Bad Boy" by the Estefans' engineer Eric Schilling; and the demo of "Falling in Love (Uh-Oh)." The six new-to-CD tracks include the instrumental version of "Conga," the Pablo Flores Dub Version of "Falling in Love" and Club Mix of "Bad Boy," the Spanish version of album track "Mucho Money," and more. Among the copious other bonuses, you'll hear "Words Get in the Way" in Spanish, soundtrack performances from the films Top Gun and Cobra, and remixes by Shep Pettibone.
Primitive Love has been newly remastered from the original tapes by Mike Piacentini at Sony's Battery Studios, while liner notes have been provided by Quentin Harrison drawing on input from Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Keith Caulfield of Billboard, and journalist Larry Flick. Vibe On's reissue is due on March 31, and is now available for pre-order directly from the label. Those ordering early can take advantage of discounted pre-order pricing, and will also receive a CD-sized art card that can be placed within the jewel case to serve as an alternate album cover.
We know you can't control yourself any longer; you can pre-order and peruse the track listing for the expanded Primitive Love below!
Miami Sound Machine, Primitive Love (Epic FE/EK 40131, 1985 - reissued Vibe On Records, 2017)
CD 1
- Body to Body
- Primitive Love
- Words Get in the Way
- Bad Boy
- Falling in Love (Uh-Oh)
- Conga
- Mucho Money
- You Made a Fool Out of Me
- Movies
- Surrender Paradise
- Hablas De Mi (from CBS Discos DIL 10375, 1985)
- Hot Summer Nights (from Top Gun) (from Columbia CK 40323, 1986)
- Suave (from Cobra) (from Scotti Bros. ZK 40325, 1986)
- Body to Body (Extended Dance Edit) (previously unreleased)
- Primitive Love (Extended Dance Edit) (previously unreleased)
- No Me Vuelvo a Enamorar (Words Get in the Way - Spanish Version) (from CBS Discos DIL 10375, 1985)
- Bad Boy (Shep Pettibone 7" Remix) (Epic single A 6537, 1985)
- Falling in Love (Uh-Oh) (Demo) (previously unreleased)
- Mucho Money (Spanish Version) (from CBS Discos DIL 10375, 1985)
- Conga (The Stronga-Conga Remix) (Epic 12-inch single TA 6956, 1985)
CD 2
- Conga (Pablo Flores Dance Mix) (Epic 12-inch single 49-05253, 1986)
- Bad Boy (Pablo Flores Club Mix) (Epic 12-inch single QTA 6537, 1985)
- Falling in Love (Uh-Oh) (Pablo Flores Extended Remix) (Epic 12-inch single QTA 6956, 1985)
- Body to Body (Extended Dance Mix) (from Epic (Japan) CD 4988010202552, 1985)
- Primitive Love (Extended Dance Mix) (from Epic (Japan) CD 4988010202552, 1985)
- Bad Boy (Rubber-Club-Dub Mix) (Epic 12-inch single QTA 6537, 1985)
- Falling in Love (Uh-Oh) (Pablo Flores 7" Remix) (Epic single 650251-7, 1985)
- Bad Boy (Shep Pettibone Remix) (Epic 12-inch single TA 6537, 1986)
- Conga (Instrumental) (Epic 12-inch single 49-05253, 1986)
- Bad Boy (Shep Pettibone Dub Version) (Epic 12-inch single TA 6537, 1986)
- Falling in Love (Uh-Oh) (Pablo Flores Dub Version) (Epic single 650251-6, 1985)
- Bad Boy (Extended Dance Mix) (from Epic (Japan) CD 4988010202552, 1985)
- Bad Boy (Extended Dub Mix) (previously unreleased)
CD 1, Tracks 11 & 19 and CD 2, Tracks 2, 6, 9 & 11 previously unreleased on CD
CKlaus says
Amazing selection of tracks from an album with only ten songs! Is this what has to happen in order to get "full coverage," a smaller label like this taking on an expansion of what was originally a CBS release? When they do their own (like George Michael, Cyndi Lauper, MJ etc.) they miss too much!!
Adam says
Fantastic reiusse, so much looking forward to this! Will Eyes of innocence follow? Nice to get a demo and some unreleased mixes and vinyl only tracks, but also songs from movie projects, this is what reissues should look like!
Patrick Shirley says
Definitely a fan of MSM and this album. I think there are some great extra tracks, but hard to be pleased with an entire disc of dance mixes. Perhaps a matter of taste but I can't imagine anyone really listening to those. I'm like reissues and appreciate the extra padding but would love to see more demos, alternate takes and live tracks.
Jason Bellenger says
Everyone has different expectations from a reissue. As for myself, I much, much prefer the 12" dance mixes, 7" mixes/edits, b-sides, etc. to any demos or live tracks. I listen to these special versions regularly. These special single mixes represent an important part of an era and are essential for these type of releases, in my opinion. I could do without the demos and live cuts in many cases. I am very pleased with this track selection and will happily be buying a copy.
Gabriel says
It has been indefinte postponed. 😞
Jason Bellenger says
Really? Licensing issues?