Simple Minds - Promised You A Miracle mp3 album

Even though the A-side was a minor hit, the "musical secret weapon" here is "Theme for Great Cities", which totally kicks ass. It's a powerful funk/break/synth *Masterpiece*. It caught my ear when the S.U.R.E. Record pool (up in "Da Bronx") was serviced with this 12" U.K. Import back in the day. Shortly thereafter, I was blown away when Afrika Bambaataa played this at on of those amazing, "pre-gangsta" uptown-meets-downtown parties at The Roxy. He played it from beginning to end, and the whole floor was grooving and breaking to that unrelenting, propulsive bass-guitar/drum beat combo, with that haunting, atmospheric synth arrangement floating on top. This 12" single version sounds MUCH better than the LP version BTW: more dynamic range, higher highs and lower lows.

The B sided 'Theme For Great Cities' has been sampled many times over the years, the most well known being Corporation Of One's 'Real Life'. Its a fantasic instrumental, something that Simple Minds weren't afraid of doing and then releasing on various b sides on their single releases. With its wicked bass guitar strumming its way through the whole track, layered with some superb elctro style synths its no wonder this track goes down a storm in many a dj set.