Private Life
| "Private Life" | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Grace Jones | ||||||||
| from the album Warm Leatherette | ||||||||
| B-side | "She's Lost Control", "Pars" | |||||||
| Released | June 27, 1980 | |||||||
| Format | 7", 12" | |||||||
| Genre | Reggae | |||||||
| Label | Island | |||||||
| Writer(s) | Chrissie Hynde | |||||||
| Producer | Chris Blackwell, Alex Sadkin | |||||||
| Grace Jones singles chronology | ||||||||
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"Private Life" is a 1979 song by an English band The Pretenders, famously covered by Jamaican reggae singer Grace Jones and released as a single in 1980.
Contents |
[edit] Background
The song was written by Chrissie Hynde, the leader and singer of The Pretenders, and included on band's eponymous 1979 debut album. The following year the track was covered by Grace Jones on her first post-disco album Warm Leatherette, recorded at the Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas with among others Sly and Robbie. In the liner notes to Island Records' 1998 compilation Private Life: The Compass Point Sessions Hynde is quoted as saying: Like all the other London punks, I wanted to do reggae, and I wrote "Private Life". When I first heard Grace's version I thought 'Now that's how it's supposed to sound!' In fact it was one of the highpoints of my career - what with Sly and Robbie being the masters, and Grace Jones with her scorching delivery. Someone told me it was Chris Blackwell's idea - thanks Chris![1]
"Private Life" was released as the third single from the Warm Leatherette album but it became the single that marked a new era in Jones' career as she left her disco persona behind her and began exploring genres like reggae, rock and new wave, combined with an entirely different image. It in fact became Grace Jones' first ever chart entry in the UK, peaking at #17. The single's B-side was a non-album track; "She's Lost Control", originally recorded by Joy Division. Both tracks were remixed and re-edited for the 7" single with the 4:38 version of "Private Life", now available on the Spectrum/Universal Music for Girls Night Out compilation CD.[2] The original 7" version of "She's Lost Control" is still yet to be released on CD. In the Netherlands the B-side was the French language "Pars" from the Warm Leatherette album. In Germany, "La Vie en rose" from 1977 Portfolio was re-issued as a follow-up single to "Private Life" whereas the UK and the Netherlands opted for "The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game", which had already been the lead single off Warm Leatherette on American market.
Following the release of the compilation Island Life in 1985 the song was remixed and re-issued as a single in the UK, then with "My Jamaican Guy" as the B-side, and charted again.
[edit] Music video
The original video for this song presented the famous Grace Jones mask for the first time. The entire video shows Grace's face in a close-up, her taking the mask off and on and off again, singing straight into the camera. The clip was filmed in just one take, without any cuts.[3] The music video was directed by Mike Mansfield.[4]
Another music video for the song was produced, which was included in the program of the 1982 A One Man Show VHS release. It again presented Jones in a close-up, with her face partially covered with shadows, as well as posing in front of a white wall.
[edit] Track listing
- A. "Private Life" – 4:37
- B. "She's Lost Control" – 3:45
- A. "Private Life" – 4:36
- B. "Pars" – 4:05
- A. "Private Life" (Long Version) – 6:19
- B. "She's Lost Control" (Long Version) – 8:25
- A. "Private Life" – 3:57
- B. "My Jamaican Guy" – 4:16
- A1. "Private Life" – 7:00
- A2. "My Jamaican Guy" – 6:00
- B1. "Feel Up" – 6:14
- B2. "She's Lost Control" – 5:45
[edit] Chart performance
| Chart (1980) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom[15][16] | 17 |
| Chart (1986) | Peak position |
| United Kingdom[15][16] | 91 |
[edit] References
- ^ Liner notes: Grace Jones Private Life: The Compass Point Sessions, Island Records 524 601-2, 1998.
- ^ "Music For Girls Night Out: Various Artists: Amazon.co.uk: Music". www.amazon.co.uk. http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0012NOMW6/ref=dm_dp_cdp?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1326146877&sr=8-1. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
- ^ "Grace Jones - Private Life - YouTube". www.youtube.com. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thtQngqG4vg. Retrieved 2008-04-23.
- ^ "Grace Jones - "Private life"". www.mvdbase.com. http://www.mvdbase.com/video.php?id=14853. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
- ^ "Grace Jones - Private Life (Vinyl) at Discogs". www.discogs.com. http://www.discogs.com/Grace-Jones-Private-Life/release/27790. Retrieved 2008-06-21.
- ^ "Private Life / She's Lost Control by Grace Jones : Reviews and Ratings - Rate Your Music". rateyourmusic.com. http://rateyourmusic.com/release/single/grace_jones/private_life___shes_lost_control_f2/. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
- ^ "Grace Jones - Private Life / Pars (Vinyl) at Discogs". www.discogs.com. http://www.discogs.com/Grace-Jones-Private-Life-Pars/release/754279. Retrieved 2008-06-21.
- ^ "Private Life / Pars by Grace Jones : Reviews and Ratings - Rate Your Music". rateyourmusic.com. http://rateyourmusic.com/release/single/grace_jones/private_life___pars/. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
- ^ "Grace Jones - Private Life / She's Lost Control (Vinyl) at Discogs". www.discogs.com. http://www.discogs.com/Grace-Jones-Private-Life-Shes-Lost-Control/release/160870. Retrieved 2008-06-21.
- ^ "Private Life / She's Lost Control by Grace Jones : Reviews and Ratings - Rate Your Music". rateyourmusic.com. http://rateyourmusic.com/release/single/grace_jones/private_life___shes_lost_control_f1/. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
- ^ "Grace Jones - Private Life / My Jamaican Guy (Vinyl) at Discogs". www.discogs.com. http://www.discogs.com/Grace-Jones-Private-Life-My-Jamaican-Guy/release/1283164. Retrieved 2008-06-21.
- ^ "Private Life (Remix) / My Jamaican Guy by Grace Jones : Reviews and Ratings - Rate Your Music". rateyourmusic.com. http://rateyourmusic.com/release/single/grace_jones/private_life__remix____my_jamaican_guy.p/. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
- ^ "Grace Jones - Private Life (Vinyl) at Discogs". www.discogs.com. http://www.discogs.com/Grace-Jones-Private-Life/release/505426. Retrieved 2008-06-21.
- ^ "Private Life (Remix) by Grace Jones : Reviews and Ratings - Rate Your Music". rateyourmusic.com. http://rateyourmusic.com/release/single/grace_jones/private_life__remix_/. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
- ^ a b "Grace Jones". www.chartstats.com. http://www.chartstats.com/artistinfo.php?id=3340. Retrieved 2012-01-06.
- ^ a b "GRACE JONES". The Official Charts Company. www.theofficialcharts.com. http://www.theofficialcharts.com/artist/_/grace%20jones/#singles. Retrieved 2009-10-15.
