Does anyone know if the video version (with the jazzy ending) was ever released?

it's on this 12 inch mix title Red Eye

funkpill said:

Thanx. I'm going to look for that one.

The version on the original LP was different to what was released on the remastered CD version in 2000. That one was just the radio edit, whereas the original LP version was another long jazzy type of version. Different to "Red Eye" as well. Also, the version of "Hang Onto Your Love" on the record has another verse which isn't on the remastered version. I can't speak for the original CD version of the "Diamond Life" album though, but those are the differences I spotted. There are others but I don't remember them right now.....I spoke of it in my review "Diamond Life" on my blog.

anc282 said:

I'll have to pay attention to that. I have the original issue of Diamond Life and the Remaster. I'll check it out.

All right, here's my longass review of "Diamond Life."

If you click on the link below, you can also read it there.

At the time I wrote this piece, it was one of the most popular reviews on the site.



This next artist was born Helen Folasade Adu in Nigeria, to a British mother and an African father. She originally began her career as a model, but eventually started singing lead vocals for a few local bands that were just kind of kicking around in England back in the eighties. Such bands included Pride, Halo James and Arriva. It was while she was singing for these bands that she not only built up her confidence as a singer, but also met the members of the band who would later back her up on every single album she ever released. For those of you not in the know, that's Stuart Matthewman, Paul Denman & Andrew Hale. The band soon changed their name to Sade (yes, the band was also known by this moniker) and signed to Epic Records. In 1984, they released their debut album "Diamond Life" and the rest, as they say is history. All right then, here's yet another track-for-track analysis to keep you all entertained:

Smooth Operator: What do you think of whenever you hear the name Sade? I'm almost certain that your answer is going to be "Smooth Operator." And why not? It's her most recognised tune. Or at least, that's the one that gets the most airplay. Anyhow, for the uninitated folks out there, this song basically contains elements of such styles of music as Bossa Nova, Jazz and Funk. Although the 12inch mix concludes with a very Latin inspired instrumental jam titled "Red Eye," and the original LP version ends with an unbelievable jazz interlude, which has sadly been ommitted from the CD version of the album. Lyrically the song is all about a big time ladies man, who I'm sure we would label a player or a pimp nowadays. Overall it's a great tune, as we all should know by now.....but, I must admit, the cover by Señor Coconut was not very good. On another note, I always incorrectly interpreted the lyric "no place for beginners or sensitive hearts" as "the place for beginners are sexes apart." Ah!, misheard lyrics. Gotta love 'em. Sometimes they don't even make sense.....as you can see. All righty then, onto Track 2.

Your Love Is King: This song was another huge hit for Ms Adu & her band. It was also a very sexy song in general...in fact it always will be. That saxophone in the intro must have done alot of wonders for folks back in the day. Even today it's probably still a hit in people's budiors all over the world. The main message here seems to be that some guy's sex, is just out of this world. Yeah, I said sex. She's replaced that word with 'love,' but we all know that it was much more than just "love" that she was singing about. I mean, what else would it be? With lyrics like, "I'm coming" and "You're making me dance inside." See? If this were some rapper, we'd be hearing all kinds of filth floran and filth, but since it's Sade, we're given a song that's more sensual than it is sexual. There's even a non-explicit lyric featured on the original LP that's been deleted from the CD version...for some reason unknow to man.


Hang On To Your Love: After a couple of ballads, Sade decide to bump up the tempo, if only for a little while, with this slightly funky piece of work right here. The bass guitars and congas are all being played in a very nice & syncopated type of manner in order to provide us with a fairly tight groove. One that we all need every now & then. Lyrically, she seems to be singing to every single person in the entire universe, informing us all that whenever times get rough in our intimate relationships, we should always stick by our respective partners & never ever try to give up on the love we have for one another. Yeah, I think that's a great statement. "Hang On To Your Love" was a huge hit as well. Admittedly though, the video clip is a classic display of eighties cheese in all its glory, but that's cool cause the song itself is timeless.

Frankie's First Affair: Now, this song was completely new to me when I bought myself a copy of the CD in 2004. Or at least, I don't recall ever hearing it before then. It's a very midtempo type of song that seems to go back to the whole ladies man/smooth operator theme. Except now it appears that the once very slick player has finally been caught out, despite several warnings from a "somebody" who was aware of his every move. Obviously for the sake of this tune, that person just so happens to be Sade, who may or may not be narrating the story that's being told in the song. Now that the player has been played, he must suffer the consequences of a broken heart. Although in this song, he's not refferred to as a player but a heartbreaker instead. It's still a great track though.


When Am I Going To Make A Living: I think it's safe to say that, this is one of those songs where, even though it's fairly upbeat musically, it's quite the opposite (to a certain extent) lyrically. She keeps repeating the phrase, "we are hungry but we won't give in," which, in the context of this song is basically referring to the fact that some folks out there are just struggling with everyday living, even though they actually want to get themselves a real 'life' if you will, where they're working everyday & earning money, in order to support themselves. It could also be interpreted as a message to every single person in the universe, informing us all to more or less keep our heads up, while we're chasing that particular dream of ours. Even if we really can't reach that far. Err. Right. That's as best as I could do.

Cherry Pie: And the funk just keeps on coming. Actually, the groove behind this one reminds me a lot of what Stuart Matthewman (her guitarist) would later do with Maxwell in the mid '90s. Take a good listen to the way he uses his wah-wah pedal and you'll know exactly what I mean. Also, Sade's "funk" was seemingly very classy, as opposed to raw as hell like it normally is. But anyhow, this song is just all about a fella in Helen's life who more or less broke her heart, therefore, he was both a "sweet" type of guy and a fella who was "wild as Friday night." Pretty interesting way to describe a person! Definitely a great track, and obviously a huge favourite among the Sade fans.

Sally: Okay, so let's get back to the ballads. The lyrics in this song talk about a woman named Sally who was "doing all our dirty work." So what is she implying there? That Sally was a prostitute? Perhaps there is some truth to this statement....or maybe I'm just reading into it a little too much, as I usually do, cuz she encourages us to "put your hands together for Sally." Elsewhere, it seems that Sade is also referring to drug addiction, homelessness (perhaps even a drugged out pimp?), and infidelity. Turns out that all of the men in these situations were all saved by this "Sally" character. Well, if this song really is in fact about a garden tool.....then some folks out there are using the wrong song when it comes to sex music! I don't care how seductive it might sound to you, if the lyrics aren't saying "let me love you," or "I wanna get with you baby" or what have you, the song just doesn't belong in your bedroom at all. Very simple. Well.....I don't think it does anyway. Say what you will.

I Will Be Your Friend: On this track, they've gone back to the "Latin sound" that they were playing around with on "Smooth Operator." Of course that makes for a decent enough, slightly laid back type of groove. The song itself is just saying that Sade's going to be some guy's "friend" forever, and that she's going to be the one to always make him feel good about pretty much everything in his life. Somehow I don't think that they're going to be just friends, but anyway, I suppose they had to keep it nice, simple and clean for a wider audience. What more can I say? The song is wack! Nah, for real, it's all right.


Why Can't We Live Together: It's just as well we have YouTube nowadays, because before I did a search for this song on that particular site, I had no idea what the original song sounded like. Yes, it's a cover: of a '70s song by a fellow called Timmy Thomas. The video clip features a few scantily clad dancers.....that can only be a good sign, right? Anyhow, Sade's basically made the tune very similar, particularly with that Latin inspired tick-tock beat that continues throughout the song. Chances are, it's a call for racial harmony...either that or a couple trying to sort their differences out. It's a nice closing number however you choose to interpret the lyrics.

Verdict: When you really look at it, you'll see that this was a very different type of album for its time. When most folks were using all of the latest technology in the way of drum machines & synthesizers, Sade & her crew were going back to the real organic sounds, and using live instrumentation in the process. Hence, the album will stand the test of time for a good number of years....actually - it's more like forever. Overall, this is a really great album from start to finish. Just go pick it up!

anc282 said:

nice u should mention she is nigerian. i met this cabbie in buenos aires last year was so into sade, he took me every where for almost nothing cos i told him i am nigerian and lived for sometime in the uk. he said something like he was close to her by having me around. such fanatism i thought but then again i always seek out yanks that live in mineapolis st paul especially in the 80's hoping i can catch one trivia bout prince.