SADE - DIAMOND LIFE

This actually was my first Sade CD.  Well, in those days it was a cassette.  'Smooth Operator' was the song that inspired me to buy the tape and one that I really loved.  Even though I still love the song, it stopped being my favorite once I gained exposure to more of her material.  There are so many great songs by this band.

'Smooth Operator' starts the album off and it's a smash hit of course.  Anyone who was around during the 80s remembers this song.  I don't know how high it went on the charts, but I know it's one of their most well known numbers.

It's followed by the song that might very well be my absolute favorite Sade song of all time.  Knowing what I like instrumentally, you wouldn't consider this song as one I'm partial to.  But it's the lyrics and the sentiment that make this song so important to me.  'Your Love Is King' is the most romantic song ever written.

"Your love is king, crown you in my heart."  Absolute brilliance.

'Hang On To Your Love' is the next number and it maintains the island/reggae sound texture they're known for.  It's also got another amazing message.  When Sade writes about love, it's a strong powerful commitment.  A deep abiding love.  One I think about a lot.  'Frankie's First Affair' fits into another type of Sade song.  It's the storytelling side of the band and reminds me of an older kind of song.  From the 50s.  It has elements of those songs by girl groups like the Shangri-Las.  There are a couple other songs on this CD that fill in the same category.  'Cherry Pie' and 'Sally' are the two I'm thinking of.  I'm not sure I love these songs as much as the others, but they're still enjoyable.

'When Am I Going To Make A Living' is a song about making life better for yourself.  It's quite subdued.  It's followed up by 'Cherry Pie' and 'Sally'.  Of the two, I prefer 'Cherry Pie'.  'I Will Be Your Friend' is the next track.  It's a very sweet sentiment and another song I really love.

'Why Can't We Live Together' is the final track and I remember hearing this one about the same time I heard a song by the Pet Shop Boys with a similar title.  I sometimes confuse the two.  But I do love it.

Although this isn't my favorite Sade album, it has my favorite songs on it.  This is a band that you can't really define from album to album.  Each subsequent release enriches the body of work as a whole.  Unlike an artist like Meshell Ndegeocello who's sound changes with each release, Sade seems to add chapters to an ongoing book.  They continue the story.  My final words:  IF ROMANCE WAS MUSIC, THIS ALBUM WOULD HAVE IT ALL.

SADE - DIAMOND LIFE
01. Smooth Operator
02. Your Love Is King
03. Hang On To Your Love
04. Frankie's First Affair
05. When Am I Going To Make A Living
06. Cherry Pie
07. Sally
08. I Will Be Your Friend
09. Why Can't We Live Together