“It’s Still Warm (long version)” (1987) – Dramarama

“It’s Still Warm (long version)” (1987) – Dramarama * Written by John Easdale * LP: The Days of Wayne and Roses (The Trash Tapes) (1992) * Produced by John Easdale, Mark Ettel, and Chris Carter

This longer version of Dramarama’s 1987 single, which turned up on a 1992 fan club-only release called The Days of Wayne and Roses, intensifies its wistful vibe. They were a New Jersey band who became KROQ darlings in Los Angeles but couldn’t convert that notoriety into commercial success, so by extension, “It’s Still Warm” can feel like a poignant wallow in the lost promises of youth, especially for listeners who spent their teen years in the late ’80s. The long version, with its quiet merry-go-round intro doing a I-IV-VIIb pattern, brings to mind the Motors’ “Dancing the Night Away,” which also had a long and short version, either being essential in its own way.