An 80's classic available in original format?
Si Wooldridge | Chippenham, Wiltshire England | 07/24/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This CD is a bit of a mixed blessing. White Lines is one of the classic rap tracks of the 80's and this release shows it in it's original extended form. When I first heard the original single edit I thought it was great, the full 12" is even better. This is not just an extended mix with some instrumental breaks in it, this is a full song and was probably the original version (I think this must have been edited down to make it more radio-friendly). I have been trying to find this song on CD for years and had checked out all the Grandmaster Flash/Melle Mel compilations and none had this version on them.The b-side Scorpio is a piece of electronic experimentation which kind of appeals to me as I am not a rap genre fan, definitely a synth enthusiast. This track is what b-sides were originally intended to be, a chance to experiment.The only let-down of this single is that it is only the two tracks. I feel this was a bit of a wasted opportunity, and the inclusion of The Message would have made this a must-have for other casual fans of this genre. It didn't put me off, but how many others will spurn this for this reason?"