Living My Life (album)

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Untitled
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
Robert ChristgauB+[2]

Living My Life is the sixth studio album by Grace Jones, released in 1982. It was the last of three albums she recorded at the Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas.

Background

Having recorded two reggae-oriented albums with the Compass Point Allstars at the Compass Point Studios in Nassau, Bahamas, with the most recent Nightclubbing became her most successful record to date, Jones went back into studio in 1982 to record an album which would turn out her final offering in the Compass Point trilogy. This time around, Jones recorded only one cover, "The Apple Stretching", which was originally written by Melvin Van Peebles and used in the Broadway show Waltz of the Stork.[3] "Nipple to the Bottle" was co-written with Sly Dunbar, while, apart from "My Jamaican Guy", the other tracks were collaborations with Barry Reynolds.

The title track "Living My Life", despite receiving a limited single release, was ultimately left off the album. Further outtakes included the track "Man Around the House" (written by Jones and Barry Reynolds), and a cover of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire". Both tracks were released on the 1998 compilation Private Life: The Compass Point Sessions.

The album was a commercial success, reaching top 20 in no less than five countries. In March 1983 Billboard magazine reported that the sales of the album had surpassed 400,000 copies worldwide.[4]

Artwork

The Living My Life cover picture has been described as famous as the music featured on the record itself.[5] Like majority of Jones' artworks at that time, this one was created by her then partner Jean-Paul Goude, this time with an additional contribution from Rob O'Connor. It features the singer's disembodied head cut out from the original photograph and pasted onto a blank white background in a way that gives her head and face an angular shape.[6] A piece of tape, or a plaster, has been pasted over her left eyebrow, and her forehead is covered with drops of water, or sweat. This cover, as many other Goude's designs for Jones, has won critical acclaim and has been an inspiration for other artists ever since.[7]

The picture was re-used for the cover of the 2006 compilation Colour Collection, a re-release of The Universal Masters Collection.[8]

Singles

The urban-flavoured "Nipple to the Bottle" and reggae-oriented "The Apple Stretching" were released simultaneously as lead singles. "Nipple to the Bottle" received a worldwide release, becoming a highly popular dance track in the USA, as well as a top 3 hit in New Zealand. The latter was not released in the North America and achieved only moderate success in Europe.

Three more singles were then simultaneously released in January 1983, of which "My Jamaican Guy" turned out the most successful. "Cry Now, Laugh Later", released only in the USA and Canada, and "Unlimited Capacity for Love" did not chart.

In 2010 "Inspiration" was remixed to a 7:14 "Leroc Sportif Edit" and released as a one-track digital only single in February.[9][10]

Track listing

Side A

  1. "My Jamaican Guy" (Grace Jones) – 6:00
  2. "Nipple to the Bottle" (Grace Jones, Sly Dunbar) – 5:55
  3. "The Apple Stretching" (Melvin Van Peebles) – 7:08

Side B

  1. "Everybody Hold Still" (Grace Jones, Barry Reynolds) – 3:10
  2. "Cry Now, Laugh Later" (Grace Jones, Barry Reynolds) – 5:00
  3. "Inspiration" (Grace Jones, Barry Reynolds) – 4:35
  4. "Unlimited Capacity for Love" (Grace Jones, Barry Reynolds) – 5:45

Personnel

Chart performance

Chart Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[11] 34
Germany[12][13] 46
Netherlands[14] 18
New Zealand[15] 3
Norway[16] 13
Sweden[17] 7
United Kingdom[18] 15
United States[19] 86
United States (Top R&B Albums)[19] 19

Release history

Region Year Format(s) Label
Worldwide 1982 LP, Cassette, CD Island
Yugoslavia 1983 LP Jugoton, Island
Europe 1989 CD Island Masters

References

  1. ^ Ron Wynn. "Living My Life - Grace Jones". www.allmusic.com. Retrieved 2006-12-28.
  2. ^ Robert Christgau. "Robert Christgau: CG: grace jones". www.robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 2012-04-12.
  3. ^ Bessman, Jim (March 4, 1995). "Capitol's Melvin Van Peebles Issues 1st Album in 20 Years". Billboard: 86. ISSN 0006-2510.
  4. ^ Leo Sacks. "Amazing Grace: Singer/Model Jones Aims to Alter Her Exotic Image". Billboard. books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-02-29.
  5. ^ Paul Flynn. "The Apple Stretching Dummy » Reviews". www.dummymag.com. Retrieved 2012-05-24.
  6. ^ Michael Verity. "Awesome Album Covers: Grace Jones' "Living My Life"". wnew.radio.com. Retrieved 2012-05-24.
  7. ^ John Paul Thurlow. "volume 2 / Some inspiration. Grace Jones Living my life. Art direction by Jean Paul Goude. 1982". pinterest.com. Retrieved 2012-05-24.
  8. ^ "Images for Grace Jones - Colour Collection". www.discogs.com. Retrieved 2012-05-24.
  9. ^ "Inspiration: Grace Jones: Amazon.co.uk: MP3 Downloads". www.amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-05-23.
  10. ^ "Inspiration - Grace Jones". www.allmusic.com. Retrieved 2012-05-24.
  11. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). Sydney: Australian Chart Book. p. 160. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  12. ^ "Suche nach "grace jones"". www.charts.de (in German). Retrieved 2012-04-05.
  13. ^ "Liedsuche" (in German). www.charts-surfer.de. Retrieved 2009-11-10.
  14. ^ "Discografie Grace Jones" (in Dutch). www.dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 2009-10-15.
  15. ^ "Discography Grace Jones". charts.org.nz. Retrieved 2009-11-10.
  16. ^ "Discography Grace Jones". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 2009-11-10.
  17. ^ "Discography Grace Jones". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 2009-11-10.
  18. ^ "Chart Stats - Grace Jones - Slave To The Rhythm". www.chartstats.com. Archived from the original on 2012-07-28. Retrieved 2012-04-05.
  19. ^ a b "Grace Jones". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2009-11-11.

External links

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