The_Glamorous_Life

The Glamorous Life

The Glamorous Life

1984 single by Sheila E


"The Glamorous Life" is a song written by Prince, recorded by American percussionist Sheila E. and produced by both. The song has lyrics which reflect a cynicism for the decadence and materialism of the song's protagonist, referred to in the third person, who "wants to lead a glamorous life", although she is aware that "without love, it ain't much".

Quick Facts Single by Sheila E., from the album ...

"The Glamorous Life" is the title track and closing song on Sheila E.'s debut solo album, and reached number seven on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, as well as number one on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. The track earned two Grammy Award nominations and three MTV Award nominations. In 2019, the original Prince demo of the song was released on his posthumous album Originals.

Track listings

7-inch vinyl

A. "The Glamorous Life" – 3:41
B. "The Glamorous Life Part II" – 3:12

12-inch vinyl

A. "The Glamorous Life" (club edit) – 6:33
B. "The Glamorous Life Part II" – 3:12

Personnel

Credits sourced from Benoît Clerc and Duane Tudahl[2][3]

Charts

More information Chart (1984–1985), Peak position ...

Melissa Tkautz version

Quick Facts Single by Melissa Tkautz, from the album Lost & Found ...

"The Glamorous Life" was covered by Australian actress and singer Melissa Tkautz in September 2005. The single was seen as a comeback for Tkautz who had enjoyed considerable success in the early 1990s both as an actress and singer. Tkautz had previously scored an Australian number-one hit in 1991 with the song "Read My Lips", which spent two weeks at the top spot and won her an ARIA Award for Highest Selling Single in 1992. After a twelve-year hiatus from the music industry, Tkautz returned with her cover of Sheila E.'s 1984 hit "The Glamorous Life" and a new album Lost & Found. "The Glamorous Life" debuted and peaked at number 31 on the Australian Singles Chart on September 18, 2005, and spent two weeks in the top 50.

Track listing

Australian CD single[19]

  1. "The Glamorous Life" (radio edit) – 3:22
  2. "The Glamorous Life" (AC radio edit) – 3:35
  3. "The Glamorous Life" (Hotfuss radio edit) – 3:21
  4. "The Glamorous Life" (Luke Leal vs. Peachy club mix) – 8:24
  5. "The Glamorous Life" (JimmyZ vs. Bootyscratcherz 4Play club mix) – 6:28
  6. "The Glamorous Life" (Hotfuss club mix) – 6:22

Charts

More information Chart (2005), Peak position ...

T-Funk version

Quick Facts Released, Studio ...

Four weeks after Tkautz released her rendition of the song, Australian dance music act T-Funk released their cover, which features vocals from American singer Inaya Day. Andrew De Silva of Australian quartet CDB plays bass on the song. This version reached number 31 on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart four weeks after Tkautz's rendition did the same. Outside Australia, this cover peaked at number five in Hungary and number six on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart.

Track listing

Australian CD single[21]

  1. "The Glamorous Life" (T-Funk radio edit)
  2. "The Glamorous Life" (T-Funk 12-inch)
  3. "The Glamorous Life" (original demo 12-inch)
  4. "The Glamorous Life" (mrTimothy remix 12-inch)

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from the Australian CD single liner notes.[21]

Studio

  • Recorded, mixed, and mastered at XXLarge Studio

Personnel

  • Prince – writing
  • Inaya Day – vocals
  • Andrew De Silva – bass
  • T-Funk – production (as mrTimothy)
  • Rudy Sandapa, Damian Smith – programming
  • Chris Petty – artwork and logo designs
  • One of a Kind – additional design

Charts

More information Chart (2005–2006), Peak position ...

References

  1. Rolling Stone Staff (September 17, 2014). "100 Best Singles of 1984: Pop's Greatest Year". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 31, 2023. Prince and Sheila E. maintained a behind-the-scenes relationship for years...and it's not hard to hear on this irresistibly frisky funk-pop morality play...
  2. Clerc, Benoît (October 2022). Prince: All the Songs. Octopus. ISBN 9781784728816.
  3. Tudahl, Duane (2018). Prince and the Purple Rain Era Studio Sessions: 1983 and 1984 (Expanded Edition). Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9781538116432.
  4. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 270. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  5. "Sheila E. – The Glamorous Life" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  6. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 35, 1984" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  7. "Sheila E. – The Glamorous Life" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  8. "Sheila E. Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  9. "Jaaroverzichten 1984" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  10. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1984" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  11. "Talent Almanac 1985: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 96, no. 51. December 22, 1984. p. TA-19.
  12. "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 5th September 2005" (PDF). ARIA. September 5, 2005. p. 29. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 22, 2008. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
  13. "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 3rd October 2005" (PDF). ARIA. October 3, 2005. p. 30. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 22, 2008. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
  14. The Glamorous Life (Australian CD single). T-Funk. Ministry of Sound Australia. 2005. MOSCD5043.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Dance Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  16. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved March 10, 2020.

Share this article:

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article The_Glamorous_Life, and is written by contributors. Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.