Better Than Heaven

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Better Than Heaven was singer Stacey Q's first album under Atlantic Records. This release was the first full-length album that the same lineup of musicians (formerly performing as SSQ), released simply under the name Stacey Q. The artist continued to work with her SSQ bandmates in her solo albums such as Better Than Heaven, Hard Machine and Nights Like This. Better Than Heaven has become the album that she is mostly known for.

The album was released in 1986 and gave Stacey Q and her former bandmates two mainstream hits: "Two of Hearts" and "We Connect". Both songs were promoted in the sitcom The Facts of Life where Stacey Q guest starred as the character "Cinnamon". "Two of Hearts" was the first song to be promoted on the sitcom. The song was a hit peaking on the Billboard Hot 100 at number three. "We Connect" also went up the charts where it reached the Top 40, eventually peaking to number 35 in the U.S. The album hit #59 on the U.S. Billboard 200.

Track listing

1. "Two of Hearts" (J. Mitchell, T. Green, S. Gatlin) (3:59)/(7:13 on CD versions)
2. "We Connect" (W. Wilcox) (4:14)
3. "Insecurity" (R. West) (3:31)
4. "Better Than Heaven" (C. Ruiz-Velasco, J.P. Charles, M. Holding) (3:33)
5. "Don't Let Me Down" (K. Moet, J. St. James) (3:53)
6. "Music out of Bounds" (S. Hahn, J. St. James, S. Swain, R. West) (4:24)
7. "Love or Desire" (J. St. James) (3:46)
8. "Don't Break My Heart" (S. Swain, J. St. James) (3:33)
9. "He Doesn't Understand" (R. Anderson) (5:07)
10. "Dancing Nowhere" (S. Swain. J. St. James) (3:46)

Personnel

SSQ

• Stacey Q
• Skip Hahn
• Karl Moet
• Rich West
• Jon St. James

Production

• Frank Del Rio - associate producer (track 7)
• William J. Walker - associate producer (track 1)
• Jeff C. Fishman - associate producer (track 1)
• Willie Wilcox - associate producer (track 2), additional synth programming
• Keith Cowen - production coordinator
• Kirk Henry - production assistance
• Nancy Wendland - production assistance
• Keith Zajic - production assistance
• Gary Mraz - additional synth programming
• Dave Sitz - additional synth programming
• Dave Guccione - additional synth programming
• Aaron Rapoport - photography
• Danny Mendellin - hair & make-up
• Ed Jensen - hair & make-up
• Charlotte McGinnes - hair & make-up
• Tish & Gina - band stylists
• Jodi Rovin - design
• Barry Diament - CD mastering

Charts and Certifications

• These are the peak positions and certifications from chart providers.

Chart (1986)	Peak position	Certification
U.S. Billboard 200	59	Gold
U.S. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums	46