This release is from a series of 3″ CD singles that Virgin Records pushed hard to establish in the late ’80s as a going concern in formatting. Cute as they were, and despite a good number of such releases from the Virgin and related labels, they never quite took off. Nevertheless, I have a lot of time for many of these, since they were a good way of finding sometimes obscure mixes on CD for the first time. But equally, many are somewhat maddening in the choice of tracks that were included to accompany the main single selection. We’ve been here before for example, look back on Side by side: 1988 Japan 3” CD singles for a good example of what I’m talking about; to this day, the ‘Ghosts’ 3″ CD single appears to be the only way to find that mighty fine late 1981 vintage live recording of ‘The Art Of Parties’ (Version) that was on the flip side of the original single release in digital form, despite may latter-day re-issue opportunities on Japan’s back catalogue. You want to hear a take with Steve Jansen hammering away on Simmons drums, roll right up! Meanwhile, an open goal is missed with the ‘Gentlemen Take Polaroids’ 3″ CD single which picks two tracks that were never even anywhere near the original double-pack 7″ release – that single mix of ‘Burning Bridges’ remains unreleased digitally to this very day.
This Scritti Politti release sits somewhere in the middle of these two extremes, perhaps. Continue reading “Scritti Politti – ‘The Word Girl’ UK 3″ Mini-CD (Virgin CDT 13, 1988)”
