JOHN CAMERON'S MUSICOLOGY
EPISODE X: GRACE JONES (79 - 85)
by John Cameron


Warm Leatherette
(Warm Leatherette, Private Life,
SheÕs Lost Control, Pars)
Nightclubbing
(Pull Up To The Bumper, Nightclubbing,
Demolition Man, Walking In The Rain)
Living My Life
(Living My Life, My Jamaican Guy)
Well, Well, Well
Slave To The Rhythm


How can a discography with a stretch of three amazing albums be so underrated, so unspoken and so... Well, it's Grace Jones, so it's usually best not to ask questions.
After a trilogy of disco albums, it was time to begin a new one. Composed of New-wave, RnB, reggae and funk. The songs had to match the visual crafted by Grace Jones and Jean Paul Goode and be tailored to her unique voice and personality. After the lacking success those first three albums, the head of Island Records Chris Blackwell stepped in for control.
Along with the poster of Grace hanging on the studio wall, Blackwell and co-producer Alex Sadkin, had a series of tapes containing songs they were going to cover. Many of which in their original forms, seemed to be an unlikely fit for what they were trying to achieve.
Chris hired drummer Sly Dunbar and bassist Robbie Shakespear. ÒSly & RobbieÓ would go on to be regarded as one of the greatest duos in production and rhythm. They would be the ones tasked to execute the new era of Grace Jones.

Warm Leatherette
In November 1979 and The Compass Point All Stars were now assembled.
ItÕs important to note, that they werenÕt just doing covers. They were completely transforming the original versions into something into something more tailored, into something almost new, into something... arguably better.
The original version of ÒWarm LeatheretteÓ by Dennis Miller, is an early example of the industrial genre, with elements of new-wave and synthpop. The instrumental is striking, but repetitive. The lyrics are exceptionally well written but delivered in an emotionless manner. ThatÕs not to disregard its significance or individuality, but to further illustrate that what was going on JonesÕ album, would not in that vein.
The song is basically a surmise of JG BallardÕs 1973 novel, Crash, in which the protagonist becomes sexually aroused by the staging and participation of car accidents. The content might be strange, but Grace would later reflect on the track, remarking that it was easy to get into character for it. And thatÕs how she should be thought of when singing many of her songs Ð a character.
ÒWarm LeatheretteÓ was the best possible way to introduce the new Grace Jones to the world, perfectly proclaiming her attitude and presence. Despite it not making much of an impact at the time as a single, the song is a staple in her discography.

Private Life
Later in thst same session, the All Stars would be played another tape, with this one containing ÒPrivate Life" by the Pretenders, which had only just been released. Its transformation wasnÕt as radical as the former, maintaining its basic rhythm Ð but performing it dryer and funkier.
The original guitars were replaced from their elongated chord strums, to a funky riff. These are present on whatÕs been labelled as ÒLong Version 2Ó, which was released as part an anniversary release of the ÒWarm LeatheretteÓ album. It could be assumed that this is an early version of the track, as these riffs would be removed on the commercial version, only making their appearance towards the end to amp up the energy.
With those modifications made, Wally Badarou contributed his synth arrangements to add to the almost-sinister atmosphere.
This time, GraceÕs vocal delivery is less melodic than the original. This spoken word style of performing songs would be revisited by Grace on almost every album she did going forward.
Chrissie Hynde of ÒThe PretendersÓ would later remark that this version of Private Life is Òhow it was supposed to soundÓ. Rarely does a cover get such praise from its original artist - this speaks to the mastery of the team behind it.
There are a multitude of versions that exist for the song. As mentioned, there is the ÒLong Version 2Ó mix, which appears to be an earlier or alternate to what was released initially. Not only does it feature those menacing guitars on the chorus, but the solo on the instrumental bridge differs Ð let's pan the two side by side. The album version in the left channel and this other mix in the right. The structure of the track after this section would also change, extending for two minutes longer than the longest released version.
Playing the verses side by side, we can also hear that there seems to be a very discreet pitched-up replication of the lead vocal playing under the main that was added later in production.
The single mix would retain its original guitar licks in the opening chorus and GraceÕs vocal is further accentuated by reverberation.
As is synonymous with reggae music and Island Records, a Òdub versionÓ of the song would be produced, starting with the album versionÕs beginning structure, before breaking down into a showcase of its masterful musicianship.
ÒPrivate LifeÓ would be released as the third out of seven singles from ÒWarm LeatheretteÓ, charting the highest at no 20 in the United Kingdom. It would be remixed and re-released again in 1985 to similar success. This song would be the turning point in the sessions where the band clicked together and knew they were participating in something special.

SheÕs Lost Control
The B-Side of that single, would be an outtake from the album, a cover of Joy DivisionÕs ÒSheÕs Lost ControlÓ.
This was possibly the last song to be recorded during the ÒWarm LeatheretteÓ sessions, with Grace reflecting on it as Òcut (or recorded) really to just wind up the sessionsÓ.
That might have been the case initially, but listening to it, she really does lose control. She commits to the role as naturally as if sheÕs speaking one of her 4 second languages. Rather than it coming from the critical perspective of a male perspective, with Jones, itÕs more like a removed self-assessment, reinterpreted according to gender.
Strangely enough, for a b-side, the song would have different edits. ThereÕs the 7Ó edit, but then thereÕs 3 Long Versions Ð pressed on different singles around the world. Stranger than that Ð are the differences beyond the edits. ÒLong Version 1Ó is a different mix, as the reverberation is much dryer on the drums and vocal, the bass is lower and the rhythmic synth is mixed out in some sections.
Whatever the preferred mix, it wouldnÕt have been out of place on ÒWarm Leatherette'sÓ final configuration. When Grace Jones was asked in 1980 how she would sum up her music, she replied, ÒGood songs, interpreted well. Nothing trendy. Classics Ð whatever that might beÓ.

Pars
The ÒWarm LeatheretteÓ album would be issued on vinyl and cassette in May of 1980, with the final masters having been printed in March. Both formats would have different content Ð with the vinyl version being significantly shorter than its counterpart. Many of the songs would be edited down, usually removing the extended instrumental sections.
Some editions of the cassette would have written on it Òmost of these tracks are longer versions than those on the recordÓ while the vinyl would say ÒDue to limited space on record, cassette available with extended version of most tracksÓ.
The album would be well received in the UK, reaching no. 45 on the charts. Perhaps not a significant success, but it was a pretty engaging chapter in the new book of Grace. It was a precursor to greater things, in revisionist history.
Grace Jones finally had her voice. She was freshly 32. She was newly a mother. She was about to become an icon.
There would be more than thirteen tracks recorded in those sessions and many covers being rejected before an attempt at recording Ð The Rolling StoneÕs ÒBrown SugarÓ being a notable example.
But there was one original record that didnÕt fit the mould of the album, that would define the next.

Nightclubbing
Peanut Butter/ Pull Up To The Bumper
Initially an instrumental recorded by the Compass Point All Stars, titled ÒPeanut ButterÓ, what it would later become was considered too out of place for ÒWarm LeatheretteÓ. This track would be released in February 1981 as a b-side to a rather obscure single. But it wouldnÕt be long after until Grace, Dana Mayo and Sly & Robbie reclaimed it, added lyrics and turned it into one of the greatest club tracks of the 1980s.
The instrumental would be reworked slightly, evening out the mix and overdubbing new bass parts and sound effects. The lyrics would be a cause for controversy, with some radio stations in the US would ban it from airplay, assuming the songÕs lyrics about various forms of sex. 
ÒPull Up To The BumperÓ would definitely not have fitted with the heavier aspects of new-wave and punk in ÒWarm LeatheretteÓ, thankfully though, it did set the tone for what would become Grace JonesÕ defining work and one of the most significant albums of the 80s.
Apparently, this was just one of a few songs that were left over from those early sessions. What the rest were, has never been confirmed. However, the outtakes and their new overdubs would steer the direction of where the next album was going.

Nightclubbing
The Compass Point All Stars, along with Sadkin, Blackwell and Grace returned to the studio shortly after their previous release to work on the next. This time, there would be room for more original works than featured in the last, however cover songs would still be a key ingredient in what they were cooking.
Written by Iggy Pop and initially produced by David Bowie, what would become the albumÕs title track, ÒNightclubbingÓ, is an adapted composition of the original. In some sections, particularly in the beginning, it seems fuller, but it maintains a sparse key sequence throughout with GraceÕs vocal being the main showcase.
Blackwell once remarked that for this album, he wanted Ôwanted a rhythmic reggae bottom, aggressive rock guitar, atmospheric keyboards in the middle, and Grace on top". This track is perhaps the best representation of his vision Ð taking what was good on the last album, giving the new one a more distinctive sound.
Remarkably, ÒNightclubbingÓ wouldnÕt be released as a single. It would however become arguably the most recognised version of the song and a staple in JonesÕ live shows, typically opening her vast productions, inducing excitement with that pounding combination of bass and keys.

Demolition Man
ÒWarm LeatheretteÓ may not have been the success that was impending, but it did have a reputation in the music industry Ð enough for there to be interest in what Grace would do next.
Interest, significant enough to attract the songwriting of Sting.
Being the physical and vocal personification of androgyny, Grace was able to convincingly perform from the perspective of either a man or a woman Ð an ability that would be played with throughout the album.
ÒDemolition ManÓ would be StingÕs successful contribution, and a fitting one at that. The lyrics are a self-description of a polarising figure Ð antithetical to any situation or person. It contains references to a political metaphor Òthree-lined whipÓ, which is essentially when a political leader tells their party to vote a certain way. Remove that line, and there isnÕt really any indication of a political undertone.
This instrumental is... Unconventional. At least, in the way itÕs mixed. During the songÕs verses, itÕs monophonic. All instruments and vocals are mixed to the centre Ð identical in both channels. Then, as the chorus finishes, we hear everything expand out, resulting into a full, typical stereo presentation.
Despite being written by another artist, ÒDemolition ManÓ is not a cover. It was offered directly to Chris Blackwell and Alex Sadkin for the project. Sting would later remark that he and his band, ÒThe PoliceÓ were dismayed by the success the single was having and would release their own version just seven months later.
ÒDemolition ManÓ was the first single released from ÒNightclubbingÓ. Chart records seem to indicate that its success was minimal.

Walking In The Rain
The opening track and final single released from ÒNightclubbingÓ, was ÒWalking In The RainÓ, originally recorded by Australian new-wave Group ÒFlash and the PanÓ in 1978.
Alex Sadkin and Chris Blackwell werenÕt the only masterminds behind the immaculate choice of cover songs, as they would also appeal to others working at Compas Point at the time. Tina Weymouth, one of the founders of Talking Heads side project, Tom Tom Club, remembers this as her contribution.
Given WeymouthÕs timeline in her story, it could be possible that this was also an outtake from ÒWarm LeatheretteÓ.
What stands out on the track the most, are the contributions of Wally Badarou. ItÕs hard to describe what those synthesisers are adding exactly, because theyÕre so essential to the feel of the song. Had this been made in the climate of todayÕs music industry, it wouldnÕt just be Sly & Robbie with producer credit.
The version featured on the single is vastly different than on the album, aside from its additional three minutes. The vocal performances are completely different. ItÕs not just that their different take or that the extended mix has a jarring delay on the vocal, but even the structure of where the verses begin differ. Where on one version she might begin on beat... On the other it might be between.
Whatever experience you choose to listen to, thereÕs no denying the immersive nature of the instrumental. And no escaping the captivity of JonesÕ delivery.

IÕve Seen That Face Before (Libertango)
The only number one garnered single from the album, making its peak on the Belgian charts, was ÒIÕve Seen That Face BeforeÓ. Written by Barry Reynolds, Dennis Wilkey and Nathalie Delon to the melody of Astor PiazzollaÕs ÒLibertangoÓ, the lyrics use the dark, creeping tone of the music to further emphasise the stalker narrative.
Not only would there be an extended mix of the album version, but also one with rerecorded spoken passages in Portuguese. Comparing them side by side, the mix is pretty much the same, except during those spoken sections the rerecorded version is mixing some percussion parts and extra accordion.
The fact that this was the only single to attain significant chart success at the time, is remarkable looking back. ÒNightclubbingÓ was a success. It charted highly in Europe and New Zealand, and pretty well in Australia and the United States. It would take out the number one spot in ÒNew Music ExpressÓ ÒAlbums of The YearÓ list in 1981 and have its place in a plethora of other publications. Today, itÕs regarded as an essential album of the 80Õs.
Living My Life
Throughout 1981 and 1982, Grace Jones would perform her ÒOne Man ShowÓ throughout the world, further capitalising on the success of ÒNightclubbingÓ. In late 1982, concert footage would be turned into a short film, although heavily altered by husband and artistic partner Jean Paul Goode.
Tacked onto the end of the main feature, was the music video for new song ÒLiving My LifeÓ. The visual is perhaps most memorable for a scene in which Grace puts a gun to her head and pulls the trigger, not that its particularly graphic.
The lyrics describe someone constantly persecuted for... Well, Living their life. The fast-paced, dramatic instrumental emphasises the intensity of such scrutiny.
The title would also be the name of the follow-up to ÒNightclubbingÓ, even though the song didnÕt make the final configuration. The ÒLiving My LifeÓ album would be released on the 7th of November, 1982. Its contents were the result of dedicated sessions, unlike the crossover that had occurred between ÒWarm LeatheretteÓ and ÒNightclubbingÓ. The most drastic change however, is that it only featured on cover song. The rest were penned by the now regular team.
My Jamaican Guy
Arguably the highlight of ÒLiving My LifeÓ is the quintessential Grace Jones anthem, ÒMy Jamaican GuyÓ. Beginning with melodic synthesised steel drums, before pounding mechanised drums and vocal yelps dominate the mix. As the first track on the album, it was an announcement of sorts for the more dominating-reggae sound that would follow.
During the ÒNightclubbingÓ sessions, keyboardist for The Wailers Tyrone Downie would contribute his vocal and music. Grace was charmed enough by him that she began to write this song, half in English and half in Jamaican Patois.
JonesÕ mother, Marjorie would contribute uncredited backing vocals, as her name appearing on her daughter's album, would have apparently upset the church elders in her town.


The ÒLiving My LifeÓ singles would combine the best of both worlds from the previous two album, including both extended and dub mixes. ÒMy Jamaican GuyÓ would feature both in a variety of edits. It would chart in the United Kingdom and New Zealand.
Despite its lacking success, comparative to the previous two albums, ÒLiving My LifeÓ is a brilliantly crafted collection of songs. While it didnÕt contain as many covers, the quality and collective efforts are all still there.
ÒLiving My LifeÓ brings to close a perfect trilogy.
As the focus of Island Records shifted, so too did Grace and the Compass Point All Stars.
Well, Well, Well
On July 25th 1987, Alex Sadkin, who along with Blackwell produced this incredible run of albums, was involved in a motorbike accident. He passed away at the age of 38.
A couple of years later, during some sessions for an unreleased album, Barry Reynolds (the only musician from Compass Point that Grace continued to work with) penned a track in SadkinÕs memory. That version of the song remained unreleased.
In 2007, Grace was in the midst of recording her comeback album. The tribute would be one of the tracks included and sparked a reunion of The Compass Point All Stars after 25 years.
ÒWell, Well, WellÓ describes a character reflecting on memories, getting his thoughts together until eventually deciding that a return to home might assist in trying to make sense of life. Wherever that home might be. How these lyrics relate to Sadkin, is most likely very personal to Grace, Barry and the All Stars.
The song is reminiscent of the magic they created in the 80Õs and despite being recorded decades later; it wouldnÕt have been out of place anywhere in the Compass Point Trilogy. A further testament to the timeless music they created together.
Grace Jones is an icon. An artistÕs artist. And one of the greatest performers of our time. While she would continue to some more excellent music, none would be as highly regarded as ÒWarm LeatheretteÓ, ÒNightclubbingÓ and ÒLiving My LifeÓ. ThatÕs a stretch of albums that only the best artists can achieve.



Slave To The Rhythm
After ÒLiving My LifeÓ, Grace would take a break from music to focus on her film career. Around this time, Chris Blackwell wanted to put together a collection of the most hit-worthy tracks in JonesÕ catalogue. He felt that there needed to be a new song to feature. So, he called upon Trevor Horn to produce something.
 Recycling an abandoned ÒFrankie Goes To HollywoodÓ project idea, ÒSlave To The RhythmÓ, another number one hit, was born.
Production on the project would recommence in 1985.
The sessions for ÓSlave To The RhythmÓ would eventually produce enough material for a complete album, which would be compose of three vocal versions of the title track and five instrumental and vocal dubs, intertwined with interview snippets of Grace reflecting on life.
The ÒSlave To The RhythmÓ album would be released in late October 1985 to critical and commercial acclaim. The compilation ÒIsland LifeÓ would follow in December and would become the most successful release in Grace JonesÕ career.