| Diamond Life | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 16 July 1984 (1984-07-16) | |||
| Recorded | October–November 1983 | |||
| Studio | Power Plant (London) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 44:31 | |||
| Label | Epic | |||
| Producer | Robin Millar | |||
| Sade chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Diamond Life | ||||
| ||||
Diamond Life is the debut studio album by English bandSade, released in the United Kingdom on 16 July 1984 byEpic Records and in the United States on 27 February 1985 byPortrait Records. After studying fashion design, and later modelling,Sade Adu began backup-singing with British band Pride. During this time Adu and three of the original members of Pride—Paul Anthony Cook,Paul Denman, andStuart Matthewman—left the group to form their own band called Sade. After various demos and performances, Sade received interest from record labels and signed to Epic.
Recording for the album began in 1983 atPower Plant Studios in London and took six weeks to complete. The album's content was written by the members of Sade and the production was handled byRobin Millar. Fifteen songs were recorded. The album contains a variety of musical styles, includingsoul,jazz, andsophisti-pop, while its lyrics mostly discuss love. The album spawned four singles, including "Your Love Is King" and "Smooth Operator".
Diamond Life received widespread acclaim from music critics and it was also a commercial success, winning the1985 Brit Award forBest British Album. The album reached number two on theUK Albums Chart and number five on the USBillboard 200, and has been certified multi-platinum in both countries.Diamond Life sold over 10 million copies worldwide, becoming one of the top-selling debut recordings of the era and the best-selling debut album by a British female vocalist, a record that stood for 24 years.
After studying fashion design, and later modelling briefly,Sade Adu began singing backup vocals for the British band Pride. During this time, she formed a songwriting partnership with Pride's guitarist and saxophonistStuart Matthewman; together, backed by Pride's rhythm section of drummer Paul Anthony Cook and bassistPaul Denman, they began performing their own sets at Pride gigs.[8] Adu's solo performances of the song "Smooth Operator" attracted the attention of record companies, and in 1983, Adu, Matthewman, Cook, and Denman split from Pride to form the band Sade.[8][9] In May 1983, Sade performed for the first time in the United States, at theDanceteria club in New York. On 18 October 1983, Adu signed withEpic Records, while the rest of the band signed to her as contractors in 1984.[10][unreliable source]
Prior to signing their record deal, Sade recordedDiamond Life in six weeks. It was recorded atPower Plant Studios in London. After cutting the proposed singles "Smooth Operator" and "Your Love Is King", the first album track recorded was "Sally", a song aboutthe Salvation Army.[11] The band worked collectively on the album's musical direction, rehearsing each song in detail and then recording it.[11] Adu started writing "When Am I Going to Make a Living" on the back of a cleaning ticket after she picked her clothes up from the cleaners. She had no money and she wrote down the song's title.[11]
ProducerRobin Millar met the band in 1983, at which point the band members had never worked in a professional studio and only had demos and recordings from theBBC studios andEMI publishing studios. Millar booked a week's worth of studio time and later noted that the limitations of recording before computers had an impact upon the sound: "We used a real piano and aFender Rhodes piano, painstakingly synching them up." They recorded 15 songs,[12] all written by Adu and members of the group, except "Smooth Operator", which was written exclusively by Adu andRay St. John. They also recorded acover version of "Why Can't We Live Together" (1972) byTimmy Thomas.[13]
For the recording of "Cherry Pie", the band had no mixing desks with automation; each member had their job of putting a bit of echo or delay, or changing a level.[11] Millar would then edit between the different mixes. Speaking about this Matthewman said, "Very often, we would have six people at the mixing desk at the same time."[11]
Lyrically,Diamond Life revolves around themes of love, discussing both the positives and the negatives of relationships. The music featuresjazzy textures built over prominent basslines, smooth drums, and subtle guitar. The album also features heavy use of brass instruments and keyboards.[14] Writing forAllMusic,Ron Wynn noted the album's "slick production and quasi-jazz backing" and characterised Adu's singing as "deliberately icy, her delivery and voice aloof, deadpan, and cold".[15]
In a contemporary review,Stephen Holden ofThe New York Times saidDiamond Life "eschews the synthesizers that dominate British pop to make music that resembles a cross between therock-jazz ofSteely Dan and the West Indian-flavoredfolk-pop ofJoan Armatrading. Smoldering Brazilian rhythms blend with tersepop-soul melodies and jazzy harmonies to create a sultry, timeless nightclub ambiance."[16]Rolling Stone'sDanyel Smith called it soul music with "self-possessed sophistication", and described Adu's vocal as "thick and rich".[17]Paul Lester ofBBC Music stated thatDiamond Life exemplified the "mellifluous"quiet storm style ofR&B.[5]
The album opens with the single "Smooth Operator", which combines elements of R&B, jazz,adult contemporary, pop, anddance music.[18] "Your Love Is King" is a smooth ballad that contains a saxophone solo performed by Stuart Matthewman. The album closes with a cover version of Timmy Thomas' 1972 song "Why Can't We Live Together".[19]
"Your Love Is King" was released as the album's lead single on 25 February 1984. The song was a success in European territories, peaking at number seven on theIrish Singles Chart and number six on theUK Singles Chart.[20][21] It was less successful in the United States, where it peaked at number 54 on theBillboard Hot 100.[22] "When Am I Going to Make a Living" was released as the album's second single in the UK on 26 May 1984; the single was less successful than its predecessor, charting at number 28 in Ireland[20] and number 36 in the UK.[21] However, the song did fare well elsewhere, peaking at number 12 on theDutch Top 40.[23]
"Smooth Operator" was released on 15 September 1984 as the album's third single. It peaked at number 19 in the UK,[21] while reaching the top 20 inAustria, Switzerland, France, and Germany.[24] In the US, the song peaked at number five on theBillboard Hot 100 andBillboard'sHot Black Singles chart, as well as topping theBillboard'sAdult Contemporary chart.[22]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [25] |
| Number One | 4/5[26] |
| Pitchfork | 9.6/10[27] |
| Record Mirror |  [28] |
| Rolling Stone | [17] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [29] |
| Smash Hits | 8+1⁄2/10[30] |
| Sounds | [31] |
| Uncut | [32] |
| The Village Voice | B[33] |
Preceded by two charting singles and extensive coverage of Sade in the British music press,Diamond Life was highly anticipated in the band's native United Kingdom.[25] Calling Adu "a trueLady singing the blues",Sounds critic Garry Johnson praised the "smouldering sensuality" ofDiamond Life and labelled it "a classic, proving that all the hype about her was, if anything, under-selling her ability."[31] Paul Bursche ofNumber One said that the album affirmed "the quality of her songs and that wonderful voice",[26] while Dave Rimmer complimented it as "cool yet finger-snappingly sharp" inSmash Hits.[30] InRecord Mirror,Dylan Jones considered it a "confirmation of her talents and charms" and particularly commended its polished production, which he said gave the material "an air of black loud compassion".[28] Less impressed wasNME reviewer Rachel Wilde, who felt that despite Adu's "undoubted intelligence" and skilful singing onDiamond Life, "at its core, this is a most conventional style of pleasing."[34]
In a contemporary review forThe Village Voice,Robert Christgau applauded Sade's "taste, concept, sound", and avoidance of indulgent musicianship, arguing that these qualities enhanced the "humanitarian" themed songs. The range of both Adu's "grainy voice" and "well-meaning songwriting" was questioned by Christgau, who found "Hang On to Your Love" and "Smooth Operator" more "warming" than "seductive" and incapable of sustaining the rest of the album.[33] Lynn Van Matre from theChicago Tribune deemed the record "casual cocktail-lounge elegance", performed "with far more style than substance".[35] Connie Johnson of theLos Angeles Times said "there's an earthy substance to some of the cuts—not much substance, but enough to draw you back for another listen", while crediting Sade for knowing how to "clamp personal style onto recycled R&B idioms and make it all look invitingly new."[36]
ReviewingDiamond Life in retrospect for BBC Music, Paul Lester credited Adu for her ability to write "songs that were sufficiently soulful and jazzy yet poppy, funky yet easy listening, to appeal to fans of all those genres."[5] Paul Evans calledDiamond Life a "victory of attitude" inThe Rolling Stone Album Guide (1992), writing that Sade "projects a wised-up sensuality, and the record neither creaks with the revivalism ofHarry Connick nor the sterility ofSimply Red, to name but two of Sade's neo-cocktail rivals."[37] AllMusic staff writer Andy Kellman noted the subtle "depth of the material" onDiamond Life and said that while the "luster" of its sound and Adu's "deceptively cool vocals" drew in "casual listeners", the album showed Sade to be "soul aesthetes concerned with more than creating a mood and projecting glamour."[25]
Diamond Life won the1985 Brit Award forBest British Album.[38] It was also among 10 albums nominated for British Album of 30 Years at the2010 Brit Awards, losing to(What's the Story) Morning Glory? byOasis.[39] The music video for "Smooth Operator", directed byJulien Temple, was nominated for twoMTV Video Music Awards in 1985,Best Female Video andBest New Artist.[40]Diamond Life was voted the 14th best album of 1985 in thePazz & Jop, an annual poll of American critics, published byThe Village Voice; "Smooth Operator" was voted 25th in the singles poll.[41]Pitchfork placed the album at number 10 on its list of "The 200 Best Albums of the 1980s".[42] In 2020,Rolling Stone ranked the album number 200 on its list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time",[43] and, in 2022, number 66 on its list of the "100 Best Debut Albums of All Time".[44]
Diamond Life reached number two on theUK Albums Chart and was certified quadruple platinum by theBritish Phonographic Industry (BPI) on 2 March 1987, denoting shipments in excess of 1.2 million copies in the United Kingdom.[45][46] In the United States, it peaked at number five on theBillboard 200,[47] and on 2 February 1995, it was certified quadruple platinum by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments in excess of four million copies.[48] Additionally, the album topped the charts in Austria, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Switzerland.[49][50] By May 1985,Diamond Life had international sales of over one million copies in the United Kingdom, and four million copies sold worldwide.[51] As of November 1997, worldwide sales stand at 10 million copies.[52]
Sade have been credited as being influential toneo soul.[53] In a retrospective piece forPitchfork,Clover Hope wrote thatDiamond Life "became a prototype for a generation of singers who favored naked elegance", including later R&B acts such asD'Angelo,Jill Scott, andAlicia Keys.[27] Sade achieved success in the 1980s with music that featured asophisti-pop style, incorporating elements of soul, pop,smooth jazz, and quiet storm.[54] Lester credited the album with giving quiet storm music a "wide, even international audience".[5] The band were part of a new wave of British R&B-oriented artists during the late 1980s and early 1990s that also includedSoul II Soul,Caron Wheeler,the Brand New Heavies, Simply Red,Jamiroquai, andLisa Stansfield.[55] AllMusic's Alex Henderson wrote, "Many of the British artists who emerged during that period had a neo-soul outlook and were able to blend influences from different eras."[55]
The album made an appearance in the 2004 horror comedy filmShaun of the Dead where it was described by main character Shaun (Simon Pegg) as being the favourite album of his now ex-girlfriend Liz only for his best friend Ed (Nick Frost) to use it as a weapon against the zombies.
All tracks are written bySade Adu andStuart Matthewman, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Smooth Operator" |
| 4:58 |
| 2. | "Your Love Is King" | 3:41 | |
| 3. | "Hang On to Your Love" | 5:55 | |
| 4. | "Frankie's First Affair" | 4:39 | |
| 5. | "When Am I Going to Make a Living" | 3:27 | |
| 6. | "Cherry Pie" |
| 6:20 |
| 7. | "Sally" | 5:23 | |
| 8. | "I Will Be Your Friend" | 4:45 | |
| 9. | "Why Can't We Live Together" | Timmy Thomas | 5:28 |
| Total length: | 44:31 | ||
Some cassette editions, like the initial US and Canadian editions, use the above standard track listing. Others used the track listing below, which included "Smooth Operator" / "Snake Bite" and "Love Affair with Life" from the single for "Your Love Is King".
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Smooth Operator" / "Snake Bite" |
| 7:28 |
| 2. | "Your Love Is King" | 3:41 | |
| 3. | "Hang On to Your Love" | 5:55 | |
| 4. | "Frankie's First Affair" | 4:39 | |
| 5. | "When Am I Going to Make a Living" | 3:27 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6. | "Cherry Pie" |
| 6:20 |
| 7. | "Sally" | 5:23 | |
| 8. | "I Will Be Your Friend" | 4:45 | |
| 9. | "Why Can't We Live Together" | Thomas | 5:28 |
| 10. | "Love Affair with Life" |
| 4:35 |
| Total length: | 51:36 | ||
Credits adapted from the liner notes ofDiamond Life.[13]
Sade[edit]
Additional musicians[edit]
| Technical[edit]
Artwork[edit]
|
Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[93] | 4× Platinum | 280,000^ |
| Brazil | — | 300,000[94] |
| Canada (Music Canada)[95] | 2× Platinum | 200,000^ |
| France (SNEP)[97] | 2× Platinum | 700,000[96] |
| Germany (BVMI)[98] | Platinum | 850,000[96] |
| Japan | — | 150,000[96] |
| Netherlands (NVPI)[99] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[100] | Platinum | 15,000^ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[101] Reissue | Gold | 7,500‡ |
| Spain (PROMUSICAE)[102] | Gold | 50,000^ |
| Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[103] | 2× Platinum | 100,000^ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[46] | 4× Platinum | 1,200,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[48] | 4× Platinum | 4,000,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[104] Video | Gold | 50,000^ |
| Summaries | ||
| Europe | — | 4,000,000[105] |
| Worldwide | — | 10,000,000 – 12,000,000[52][106][107] |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
... the sophist-pop shimmer and cosmopolitan smooth jazz of debut album 'Diamond Life' ...
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)Ma con "Promise" ha polverizzato la vendita del precedente album, sembra anzi che abbia raddoppialto le copie (da 6 a 12 milioni)
