Sade ~ England

Diamond Life (1984)

A few stories emerge as I listen to Diamond Life for the first time. Some of these songs were ubiquitous in my early years of college. 'Smooth Operator', 'Your Love is King', and 'Hang On To Your Love' were all major hits, and that's exactly how Diamond Life opens. They had the perfect 1984 sound for smooth jazz / soul, that's for sure. It's these same three hits that appear on The Best of Sade, a CD I bought for my wife not long after we were married. So I heard these songs even more than usual, having popped the CD in the car changer for long road trips together. As mentioned before, she tired of her collection, but I stashed it away for later. Now she's asking for those CDs again (I knew she would). 

Sade - which is really a group - were at their best when they laid down a mean groove. So in addition to the above three, tracks like 'When Am I Going to Make a Living' (sounds like my Mom!) and 'I Will Be Your Friend' are other highlights. Speaking of my mum, she has the exact same name as Sade's mother! Way too funny. I'll have to tell her that. Her response will be "Who's Sade?". Well she is 82... So this was part of the 42 piece thrift find two weeks ago. Interestingly enough, I had found it at another thrift at the same time that I bought the Saracho album. There was another guy who showed up going through the records, and we got to talking. He said he was looking for Sade for his girlfriend. I showed him what I found, and it was obvious he was telling the truth. So I let him have it instead, figuring I'll probably find it again later. And fortune favors the kind, as not only did I find it again, but it's the original UK version! Yaay. 

And now for the final story. This is crazy, but many of you may have known this when I wrote what I'm about to share. But I truly did not. "Now this has to be the damnedest album I've picked up in some time. Marvin Gaye... brings along Jimmy Smith on organ... with a drum machine... and plays the music of Sade... in 1972." That would be my scratch off notes for Timmy Thomas' Why Can't We Live Together album. That same song closes Diamond Life! What I thought was a coincidence, ended up being a major influence. No doubt in my mind that primary songwriter Stuart Matthewman knew all about Timmy Thomas. Talk about the key ingredient in your secret sauce! So there it is. I'll be keeping this album, that's for sure.

Ownership: 

1984 Epic UK (LP). Gatefold. Acquired in 2021.

Epic (CD). Booklet with recording details. Acquired in 2024.

1985 Portrait (MC). Acquired in 2026.

6/28/21 (review); 3/11/26

Other albums I own and need to review: Promise; Stronger Than Pride

9/19/23 (new entry)

Images. 1983 USA-Colorado

I'm always on the lookout for local releases, and it seems I've run into this title before, but didn't pay attention close. So when this mint copy showed up at a local thrift shop, I nailed it. These guys were from Castle Pines, just south of Denver. The mountain and lake picture on the cover (oddly it appears the photo is from California - why not Colorado?) makes it look like any number of new age albums on the market at the time. Well it's not that, but it is a variant on smooth jazz. Even though woodwinds artist Joe Anderies lists flute, alto flute, and tenor sax, he is shown playing the trusty soprano sax, and that would be his preferred instrument (to my dismay). On the bright side, main songwriter Lee Bartley provides the wonderful grand piano and Fender Rhodes. There's also some guest female vocals on the first side that adds much needed variety. I found the compositions a cut above normal, and made for a very pleasant early evening listen. Given its provenance, this one stays.

Ownership: LP: 1983 Echo. Single sleeve. Recently acquired as noted above. Easy to find if you're so inclined.