DEAD OR ALIVE - YOU SPIN ME ROUND (LIKE A RECORD)

By Mark Nobes, chief editor

This song was the first UK number-one hit for the Stock Aitken Waterman production trio, and the only #1 for Dead Or Alive.

It's much harder to decipher that this is a S/A/W production than their releases later on in the 80s (with Kylie and Sinitta etc.) which all tended to sound very similar. This is one of the few S/A/W tracks that I actually really like, and it's a great shame that their songs started to gain irritating nursery rhyme choruses and generic production techniques.

Peter Burns wearing an eye patch  on the front sleeve of You Spin Me Round Murder Mix Vinyl 12 Inch

You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)  1984 UK 12 vinyl single featuring the Murder Mix and an extended mix of Misty Circles picture sleeve TX4861)

Released in November 1984, the band's second Top 30 record (a cover of That's The Way I Like It was the first hit reaching #22 in the UK) reached number one in the UK during March 1985, taking seventeen weeks to get there. It was taken from the band's most successful album Youthquake.

Other songs released as singles from the Youthquake album were; Lover Come Back To Me (#11 UK, #75 US, #13 US Dance), In Too Deep (#14 UK), My Heart Goes Boom - Get Me To The Doctor (#23 UK, #15 US Dance).

Dead Or Alive members in 1985 were; Pete Burns (vocals), Wayne Hussey (guitarist/songwriter), Mike Percy (bass), Steve Coy (drummer), Timothy Lever (various instruments) and Jason Alburey (keyboards).

Foul-mouthed lead singer, Pete Burns, spent his final years making regular appearances on reality shows, including the Channel Five TV show Celebrity Big Brother's Bit On The Side, where he certainly had his say! Burns passed away on 23rd October 2016, aged 57.
Dead Or Alive band members on rear sleeve of You Spin Me Round 12 Inch Murder Mix Vinyl

Rear of 12" Vinyl Sleeve UK

Formats

Epic 7 Inch Vinyl UK

A. You Spin me Round (Like A Record - 3:19

B. Misty Circles - 3:48

Epic 12 Inch Vinyl UK - Murder Mix

A. You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) (Murder Mix) - 8:00

B. Misty Circles (Extended Version) - 9:12

Epic 12 Inch Vinyl UK - Performance Mix

A. You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) (Performance Mix) - 7:28

     Mighty Mix (Part 2) - 7:48

Ba. Wish You Were Here

Bb. What I Want

Bc. Do It

Bd. Misty Circles

Released in January 2016 in the UK, this 2015 US Special Edition EP features a re-recorded and remastered version of You Spin Me Round. Also included is the 2009 version, with three cover; Even Better Than The Real Thing (U2), Pop Life (Prince) and Why It's So Hard (Madonna). 

Pete Burns on the front 7 inch vinyl sleeve for You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)

7 inch vinyl sleeve front (UK)

Dead Or Alive
Pete Burns on the front cover of Smash Hits magazine in March 1985