The Best of Sade

Summary

The Best of Sade is the first greatest hits album by English band Sade, released by Epic Records in the United Kingdom on 31 October 1994 and in the United States on 4 November 1994. The compilation chronicles Sade's first four studio albums, while also including non-single songs "Jezebel", "Like a Tattoo" and "Pearls", as well as "Please Send Me Someone to Love", which appeared in the soundtrack to the film Philadelphia. The album was digitally remastered in 2000.

The Best of Sade
Greatest hits album by
Released31 October 1994 (1994-10-31)
Recorded1983–1993
Studio
Length74:03
LabelEpic
Producer
Sade chronology
Love Deluxe
(1992)
The Best of Sade
(1994)
Lovers Rock
(2000)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Christgau's Consumer Guide(1-star Honorable Mention)[2]
Entertainment WeeklyA[3]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[4]

The singles from Diamond Life, as well as Stronger Than Pride's "Paradise" and "Nothing Can Come Between Us", are presented in their 7″ edit forms; "Never as Good as the First Time" and "Cherish the Day" are remixes produced by Sade, also taken from their respective singles. None of this information is listed within the album's packaging.

Critical reception edit

AllMusic's Jason Elias wrote, "By the time this was released in 1994, something unexpected happened. Sade's early work became classic and the later additions boasted even better vocals and songs that nicely improved on the theme. The timeless sound and class always exhibited makes Sade Adu and her band a no-brainer for an appealing compilation. Like Al Green's Greatest Hits, The Best of Sade doesn't detract from the original albums and is a marker of time, not the end of the act... Despite its riches, The Best of Sade doesn't include all of the best, since 'Maureen' and or 'Keep Looking' aren't here. It's a small complaint and The Best of Sade is a great overview."[1] Robert Christgau called the album "another loungecore alternative".[2]

Track listing edit

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Your Love Is King"Robin Millar3:43
2."Hang On to Your Love" (edit of LP version)
  • Adu
  • Matthewman
Millar4:31
3."Smooth Operator" (7″ edit)Millar4:18
4."Jezebel"
  • Adu
  • Matthewman
Millar5:25
5."The Sweetest Taboo"
  • Adu
  • Martin Ditcham
Millar4:25
6."Is It a Crime?"
  • Adu
  • Matthewman
  • Andrew Hale
Millar6:17
7."Never as Good as the First Time" (remix edit)
  • Adu
  • Matthewman
3:59
8."Love Is Stronger Than Pride"
  • Adu
  • Matthewman
  • Hale
4:18
9."Paradise" (remix)
3:37
10."Nothing Can Come Between Us" (radio edit)
  • Adu
  • Matthewman
  • Hale
3:53
11."No Ordinary Love"
  • Adu
  • Matthewman
7:20
12."Like a Tattoo"
  • Adu
  • Matthewman
  • Hale
3:37
13."Kiss of Life" (radio edit)
  • Adu
  • Matthewman
  • Hale
  • Denman
4:11
14."Please Send Me Someone to Love"Percy Mayfield
  • Sade
  • Hein Hoven
3:42
15."Cherish the Day" (Sade remix)
  • Adu
  • Matthewman
  • Hale
6:19
16."Pearls"
  • Adu
  • Hale
4:37
Total length:74:03

Notes edit

  • ^[a] signifies a co-producer

Personnel edit

Credits adapted from the liner notes of The Best of Sade.[5]

Sade edit

Additional musicians edit

  • Dave Early – drums, percussion (tracks 1–7)
  • Martin Ditcham – percussion (tracks 1–11, 13); drums (tracks 8–10, 13)
  • Paul Cooke – drums (tracks 1–3)
  • Terry Bailey – trumpet (tracks 1–7)
  • Gordon Matthewman – trumpet (tracks 1–3)
  • Pete Beachill – trombone (tracks 4–7)
  • Leroy Osbourne – vocals (tracks 7–13, 15, 16)
  • Jake Jacas – vocals (track 7)
  • Gordon Hunte – guitar (tracks 9, 14)
  • Nick Ingman – string arrangements (tracks 13, 16)
  • Gavyn Wright – orchestra leader (tracks 11–13, 15, 16)
  • Tony Pleeth – solo cello (track 16)
  • Karl Van Den Bossche – percussion (track 14)
  • Trevor Murrell – drums (track 14)

Technical edit

  • Robin Millar – production (tracks 1–7)
  • Mike Pela – production engineering (tracks 1–7); production (track 7); engineering, co-production (tracks 8–13, 15, 16)
  • Pete Brown – engineering assistance (tracks 1–7)
  • Simon Driscoll – engineering assistance (tracks 1–7)
  • Ben Rogan – production (track 7); engineering, co-production (tracks 8–10)
  • Sade – production (tracks 7–13, 15, 16), arrangement (tracks 8–13, 15, 16)
  • Phil Legg – engineering assistance (tracks 4–7)
  • Melanie West – engineering assistance (tracks 8–10)
  • Vince McCartney – engineering assistance (tracks 8–10)
  • Franck Segarra – engineering assistance (tracks 8–10)
  • Olivier de Bosson – engineering assistance (tracks 8–10)
  • Alain Lubrano – engineering assistance (tracks 8–10)
  • Jean-Christophe Vareille – engineering assistance (tracks 8–10)
  • Sandro Franchin – engineering assistance (tracks 11–13, 15, 16)
  • Adrian Moore – engineering assistance (tracks 11–13, 15, 16)
  • Marc Williams – engineering assistance (tracks 11–13, 15, 16)
  • Hein Hoven – production, mixing (track 14)
  • Ian Cooper – mastering

Artwork edit

  • Albert Watson – photography
  • Jo Strettel – photography
  • Peter Brawne – design

Charts edit

Certifications edit

Certifications for The Best of Sade
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Argentina (CAPIF)[39] Platinum 60,000^
Australia (ARIA)[40] 3× Platinum 210,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[41] Gold 25,000*
Belgium (BEA)[42] Platinum 50,000*
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[43] Gold 100,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[44] Platinum 100,000^
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[45] Gold 34,474[45]
France (SNEP)[46] 2× Gold 200,000*
Germany (BVMI)[47] Gold 250,000^
Italy (FIMI)[48] Platinum 50,000*
Japan (RIAJ)[49] Gold 100,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[50] Platinum 100,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[51] Platinum 15,000^
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[52] Platinum 100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[53]
1994 release
Platinum 300,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[54]
2000 release
2× Platinum 600,000^
United States (RIAA)[55] 4× Platinum 4,000,000^
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[56] 2× Platinum 2,000,000*

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

Notes edit

  1. ^ Tracks 1–7
  2. ^ Tracks 4–10
  3. ^ a b Tracks 8–10
  4. ^ a b c Tracks 11–13, 15 and 16
  5. ^ a b Track 14

References edit

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  3. ^ Jones, Anderson (18 November 1994). "Music Review: 'The Best of Sade' (1994)". Entertainment Weekly. No. 249. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  4. ^ Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian, eds. (2004). "Sade". The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 712. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
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