Island Life
Compilation album by
Grace Jones
Released3 December 1985
Recorded1977–1985
Genre
Length47:48
LabelIsland
Producer
Grace Jones chronology
Slave to the Rhythm
(1985)		 Island Life
(1985)		 Inside Story
(1986)

Island Life is the first greatest hits album by Jamaican singer and songwriter Grace Jones, released in December 1985, summing up the first nine years of her musical career. The album sits among Jones' best-selling works.

Production and release

After the major commercial success Grace Jones achieved with her comeback album Slave to the Rhythm in 1985, Island Records decided to release a best-of compilation at the end of the same year. Island Life would feature songs from most of Jones' Island Records albums: Portfolio (1977), Fame (1978), Warm Leatherette (1980), Nightclubbing (1981), Living My Life (1982), and Slave to the Rhythm (1985). No tracks from Muse (1979) were included. Some of the songs appeared in edited forms, and a remix of "Love Is the Drug" was included. No new songs were recorded for the album. Island Life consists only of previously released material, produced by Tom Moulton, Chris Blackwell, Alex Sadkin and Trevor Horn. American writer and journalist Glenn O'Brien wrote an essay for the record sleeve.

The Australian LP release of the album came with a bonus 12-inch disc containing four songs: "My Jamaican Guy", "Pull Up to the Bumper", "On Your Knees" and "Warm Leatherette", and the 1986 UK cassette release included three bonus tracks: "Demolition Man", "Nipple to the Bottle" and "Grace Jones Musclemix".

In April 1996 Island Records and Universal re-released the album under the name Island Life 2. Released only in France, it featured four additional tracks: "Pars", "Feel Up" and two versions of a 1993 single "Sex Drive", intended for the Black Marilyn album, which remains unreleased to date.[3] This version retains the cover picture of the original album, with the only difference being the yellow-coloured background.

Artwork

The cover picture is one of the most famous images of Grace Jones and was created by her then-partner Jean-Paul Goude. The impossibly graceful arabesque is actually a montage of separate images, following Goude's ideas on creating credible illusions with his cut-and-paint technique. The body position is "anatomically unlikely".[4] The picture was originally published in New York magazine in 1978 and subsequently used in the music video for Jones' hit single "La Vie en rose". It has been since described as "one of pop culture's most famous photographs".[5] Also included in the album sleeve are other iconic images of Jones, among them the "twins" photograph, Grace Jones in a cage and wearing a "maternity" dress.

The cover picture was featured in Michael Ochs' 1996 book 1000 Record Covers[6] and has been often imitated in works by other artists.[7] The image was also referenced in Nicki Minaj's 2011 music video for "Stupid Hoe", with Minaj mimicking the pose.[8]

Singles

As no new material was recorded for Island Life, the album was promoted by re-releases of singles. "Pull Up to the Bumper" was remixed and released at the end of 1985. The song, which had peaked at number 53 in the UK when released originally in 1981, climbed to number 12 and became one of Jones' greatest hits in the UK. A special "Musclemix" version of the song was also released, which was a megamix of "Pull Up to the Bumper" and other hits.

"Love Is the Drug" was released as the second single in early 1986, remixed by Eric Thorngren (on 7"). A music video was produced and the single, which had not charted upon its original 1980 release, entered charts in the UK, Ireland and Germany. A remixed version of "Love Is the Drug" by Paul "Groucho" Smykle was also released on 12", and the single re-entered singles chart in the UK. A megamix titled "Re-Mix Re-Mask" was also released on 12", backed with the Smykle remix of "Private Life".

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Robert ChristgauB−[1]

The album received favorable reviews from music critics. Andy Kellman from AllMusic website wrote that the album is a mostly concisive overview of Jones catalog which includes Jones's "'70s collaborations with Tom Moulton and her stellar '80s work with Sly & Robbie." He also wrote that although the album is a "decent introduction for casual fans" it lacks of "crucial material like 'Warm Leatherette' and 'Nipple to the Bottle.'"

Music critic Robert Christgau gave the album a B− and felt that a "lot of her best material is simply ignored" in the record.

Commercial performance

Island Life met with a warm commercial reception worldwide. It was a major success in the UK, reaching number 4 on the UK Albums Chart in December 1985, and New Zealand, where it topped the chart in March 1986, thus becoming the only chart-topper in Jones's entire career. CD sales of the album in the United States since 1991 have reached 112,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan.[9]

Track listing

All tracks produced by Chris Blackwell and Alex Sadkin, except for "La Vie en rose", "I Need a Man" and "Do or Die", produced by Tom Moulton, "Slave to the Rhythm", produced by Trevor Horn with assistance from Stephen Lipson, and "Sex Drive" on Island Life 2, produced by Mark Pistel and Philip Steir.

Side A – UK cassette release bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)AlbumLength
6."Demolition Man"StingNightclubbing 
7."Nipple to the Bottle"
Living My Life 

Side B

No.TitleWriter(s)AlbumLength
1."Love Is the Drug"
Warm Leatherette6:02
2."Pull Up to the Bumper"
  • Kookoo Baya
  • Grace Jones
  • Dana Mano
Nightclubbing3:38
3."Walking in the Rain"
Nightclubbing4:18
4."My Jamaican Guy"Grace JonesLiving My Life6:00
5."Slave to the Rhythm"
Slave to the Rhythm4:22
Side B – UK cassette release bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)AlbumLength
6."Grace Jones Musclemix"VariousIsland Life 
Island Life 2 bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)AlbumLength
11."Pars"Jacques HigelinWarm Leatherette4:48
12."Feel Up"Grace JonesNightclubbing4:04
13."Sex Drive" (Sex Pitch Mix)Sheep on DrugsBlack Marilyn7:18
14."Sex Drive" (Hard Drive Mix)Sheep on DrugsBlack Marilyn5:10

Notes

  • "Grace Jones Musclemix" is a mashup of (in order) "Pull Up to the Bumper", "Slave to the Rhythm", "Warm Leatherette", "Private Life", "Walking in the Rain", "Use Me" and "Love Is the Drug".
  • 7″ edits of "Do or Die", "Pull Up to the Bumper" and "Slave to the Rhythm" are included.
  • "Love Is the Drug" appears as Eric "E.T." Thorngren's remix.

Charts

Certifications and sales

Certifications and sales for Island Life
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[27] Gold 35,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[28] Gold 25,000*
New Zealand (RMNZ)[29] Platinum 15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[30] Gold 100,000^
United States — 112,000[9]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release history and formats for Island Life
Region Year Format(s) Label
Various 1985
  • LP
  • CD
  • cassette
Australia LP Festival
Portugal LP
  • Island
  • Dacapo
Yugoslavia LP
UK 1986 Cassette Island
Brazil 1988 LP Island
Europe 1989 CD Island
US, Europe 1990 CD Island, Island Masters
France 1996 CD Universal International

References

  1. 1 2 Robert Christgau. "Robert Christgau: CG: grace jones". www.robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
  2. 1 2 Andrew Hamilton. "Island Life - Grace Jones". www.allmusic.com. Retrieved 28 December 2006.
  3. ↑ "Grace Jones Trivia – Grace Jones Interesting Facts – Grace Jones Notes". www.gracejones.org. Archived from the original on 30 December 2010. Retrieved 27 September 2010.
  4. ↑ Will Hodgkinson. "Snapshot: Grace Jones". arts.guardian.co.uk. web.archive.org. Archived from the original on 15 June 2008. Retrieved 1 August 2009.
  5. ↑ "Images: Grace Jones by Jean-Paul Goude". afirstclassriot.com. Archived from the original on 11 May 2012. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  6. ↑ Ochs, Michael (2005). 1000 Record Covers. Taschen. p. 540.
  7. ↑ Tom Townsend. "The Queen of music Grace Jones meets HRH The Queen!". music.uk.msn.com. Archived from the original on 16 June 2012. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  8. ↑ "Nicki Minaj Channels Beyoncé, Grace Jones, and Gaga in "Stupid Hoe"". thenynthlife.com. Archived from the original on 27 December 2013. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  9. 1 2 Keith Caulfield (19 December 2008). "Ask Billboard: Perez Hilton, Solange, Grace Jones". Billboard. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  10. ↑ Kent 1993, p. 160
  11. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Grace Jones – Island Life" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  12. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Grace Jones – Island Life" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  13. ↑ "European Hot 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 3, no. 5. 8 February 1986. p. 17. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  14. ↑ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  15. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Grace Jones – Island Life" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  16. ↑ Racca, Guido (2019). M&D Borsa Album 1964–2019 (in Italian). ISBN 978-1094705002.
  17. ↑ "Charts.nz – Grace Jones – Island Life". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  18. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Grace Jones – Island Life". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  19. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Grace Jones – Island Life". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  20. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  21. ↑ "Grace Jones Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  22. ↑ Kent 1993, p. 438
  23. ↑ "Jahreshitparade Alben 1986". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  24. ↑ "European Hot 100 Albums – Hot 100 of the Year 1986" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 3, no. 51/52. 27 December 1986. p. 35. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  25. ↑ "Top Selling Albums of 1986". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  26. ↑ "Top 100 Albums (January to December 1986)" (PDF). Music Week. 24 January 1987. p. 25. ISSN 0265-1548 – via World Radio History.
  27. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1997 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
  28. ↑ "Austrian album certifications – Grace Jones – Island Life" (in German). IFPI Austria. 11 December 1990.
  29. ↑ "New Zealand album certifications – Grace Jones – Island Life". Recorded Music NZ.
  30. ↑ "British album certifications – Grace Jones – Island Life". British Phonographic Industry. 11 February 1986.

Bibliography

  • Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
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