▁included ▁versions ▁of ▁the ▁singles ▁" Un certain ▁Sm ile ", ▁" Per fect ", ▁and ▁" This ▁Is ▁the ▁Day ". ▁Although ▁the ▁album ▁received ▁positive ▁reviews , ▁it ▁initially ▁sold ▁mod est ly , ▁reaching ▁number ▁ 2 7 ▁in ▁the ▁UK ▁and ▁chart ing ▁in ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁other ▁countries , ▁but ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁the ▁album ▁was ▁cert ified ▁gold ▁in ▁the ▁UK . ▁Soul ▁M ining ▁was ▁re iss ued ▁in ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁as ▁a ▁ 3 0 th ▁anni versary ▁del ux e ▁version ▁on ▁vin yl , ▁attract ing ▁ret ros pective ▁reviews ▁which ▁univers ally ▁pra ised ▁the ▁record , ▁with ▁several ▁critics ▁considering ▁it ▁to ▁be ▁both ▁Johnson ' s ▁defining ▁work ▁and ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁best ▁albums ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s . ▁ ▁Background ▁and ▁initial ▁New ▁York ▁recording ▁sessions ▁Following ▁the ▁release ▁of ▁Burn ing ▁Blue ▁Soul ▁( 1 9 8 1 ) ▁Johnson ▁had ▁started ▁work ▁on ▁a ▁follow - up , ▁provision ally ▁titled ▁The ▁P orn ography ▁of ▁Desp air . ▁Although ▁Burn ing ▁Blue ▁Soul ▁had ▁been ▁released ▁on ▁the ▁ 4 AD ▁record ▁label , ▁ ▁had ▁also ▁released ▁a ▁one - off ▁single , ▁" C old ▁Sp ell ▁A head ", ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁on ▁the ▁Some ▁B izar re ▁label ▁run ▁by ▁Ste vo , ▁and ▁major ▁record ▁labels ▁were ▁express ing ▁interest ▁in ▁Some ▁B izar re ' s