For its lyrical richness and unique rhythms, Sade’s album Love Deluxe deserves a spot in your top-five list.
One of the most raw, melodic, emotional and enchanting albums of the 90’s is most definitely Love Deluxe by soul/jazz singer & band, Sade (Shar-day). Sade (AKA Helen Folasade Adu) is a Nigerian born British artist who gained popularity for her and her band’s sophisticated music making that included unique Afro-Cuban rhythms. She and her group rose to fame in the 80s with the hits “The Sweetest Taboo” and “Smooth Operator.” I rank this album one of my TOP 3 favorites ever, definitely my number one favorite as of right now.
Love Deluxe opens with the infamous, Grammy winning song “No Ordinary Love.” This is a 7-minute long heartache, a clear story of sorrow. In her lyrics Sade eloquently speaks on her broken relationship, including her curiosity and confusion of her loss, saying, “Didn’t I tell you what I believe? Did somebody say that a love like that won’t last? Didn’t I give you all that I got to give?” reflecting on the unique and special love she came to lose. Thus, the chorus goes, “This is no ordinary love.” She digs deep into the hurt and remnants that love leaves with her words “I keep crying, I keep trying for you. There’s nothing like you and I…” I find this special and inspiring because despite her obvious grief she still upholds the vibrancy and realness of her past relationship rather than just tearing the other person or whole relationship down and trashing on it.
One of my other favorites is “Like a Tattoo.” It is a pure masterpiece. A work of art drawn from the deepest feeling depths of the soul. She goes back to her sadness with this one, telling a story which we can assume is about her previous lover. In the beginning she sets a scene between her and this person where she includes some dialogue and describes him as “hungry for life and thirsty for the distant river.” This specific line gives us insight into what may have set them apart on different paths and caused this pain for her. Near the end of the song she closes on a sincere note, singing, “Like the scar of age written all over my face, the war is still raging inside me. I still feel the chill, as I reveal my shame to you. I wear it like a tattoo (x3).” Absolutely poetic and beautiful. I think this ending is the best part of the song because it so acutely explains her feelings. The language she uses is so telling. “Like the scar of age,” saying it’s changed her and that change is permanent as well as apparent. “The war is still raging inside me,” comparing her feelings to those brutal conflicts of a battle. Love and War are so contrasting but with this kind of comparison she draws, you can understand the similarities of loss, hurt, confusion and overall struggle. Now you can imagine a war with yourself and your feelings all happening in your mind and body. Finishing with “I wear it like a tattoo,” coming back to that idea of this romantic experience having permanency on her.
One more honorable mention is “Bullet Proof Soul.” This song is another direct story talking about a deep hurt and heartbreak. Sade sings, “I was so in love with you. You rarely see a love that true. Wasn’t that enough for you?” Then she continues with, “I would climb a mountain. I wouldn’t want to see you fall. Rock climb for you. And give you a reason for it all.” She explains in these lyrics her feelings and devotion for her love. She follows up with these next lyrics that kind of shift the story a bit: “You kept on thinking You were the only one. Too busy thinking. Love is a gun. I know the end before the story’s been told. It’s not that complicated, But you’re gonna need a bulletproof soul.” This is a little different from the themes we have been following in the album, because here she kind of picks up a stronger perspective and not just taking on all the accountability and hurt. This is proven when later she states, “They got it, but you got all the trouble you need. I came in like a lamb. But I intend to leave like a lion.” I think that line has so much power and it’s a really confident perspective many could gain inspiration and strength through.
Along with those great pieces of work the album includes more treasures such as “Feel No Pain,” “I Couldn’t Love You More,” “Kiss of Life,” “ Cherish the Day,” “Pearls,” and closes out with a beautiful instrumental called “Mermaid” written by Sade and her bandmates themselves. An ethereal experience to say the least. I highly recommend giving this a listen.
You can hear Sade’s Love Deluxe on Spotify or Apple Music.
Header image: By Thilo Parg – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17387770
The Pine Needle 