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!!!

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 members 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 members 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

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 remember 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,

DJs from the 80s are probably sick of this record. To some, it probably sums up that era and could even be dismissed by others as 'wine-bar music' to play next to 'Your Love Is King'. To me, this is unbeatable and one of the few records to always stay in my constantly rearranged 'Top 5 of all-time' list. It's been played to death and the video still makes me cringe but its a total killer. How such a dark and unconventional arrangement of a tune could make it so big in the pop charts is almost amusing. Nick Martinelli, together with David Todd, was responsible for some of the best boogie/disco remixes of the early 80s but this is him on a solo trip displaying how much of a deep talent he was/is. Make mine a Snakebite please, barman.

This is without a doubt one of the greatest dance records ever made. Pure gold. Considered, soulful and timelessly relevant, I personally rank it up there with the likes of Michael Jackson's 'Billy Jean' and Madonna's 'Into the groove’; such is its infectious capacity to appeal to the wider audience in general. Regrettably for Loose Ends, it never managed to replicate the commercial success of either, success that this track so rightly deserved.

It was a bit of a slow burner upon its release and didn’t do that well in the regular music charts. However, it did do well in the smaller R&B charts of the time on both sides of the Atlantic and was more than likely positioned within easy reach of many DJs boxes such were the likely number of requests to hear it. However, the wider impact of this record was to have a more significant effect on other like minded artist who sought to replicate Loose Ends rich, smooth, soulful sound into their own projects and production techniques. Hanging on a string can therefore be considered as being both a prominent catalyst and noteworthy inspiration for the soulful British music revival that came about in the following years, with acclaimed acts like Soul ll Soul and Lisa Stansfield being the most obvious exponents of this sound.

While many music lovers will be familiar with this track, fewer probably own it. While most of those 80's DJ's are now probably considering retirement, perhaps the time is now right for a new, younger generation to re-discover Hanging On A String and give it the justice it still deserves. Let’s hope so.