"Life's What You Make It" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Talk Talk | ||||
from the album The Colour of Spring | ||||
B-side | "It's Getting Late in the Evening" | |||
Released | November 1985 (EU) [1] 6 January 1986 (UK) | |||
Recorded | 1985 | |||
Studio | ||||
Genre | New wave [4] [5] | |||
Length | 4:29 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) | Tim Friese-Greene | |||
Talk Talk UKsingles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Life's What You Make It" on YouTube |
"Life's What You Make It" is a song by the English band Talk Talk. It was released as a single in 1985,the first from the band's album The Colour of Spring . The single was a hit in the UK in January 1986,peaking at No. 16,and charted in numerous other countries,often reaching the Top 20. It appeared at No. 90 on the Billboard Hot 100 the weeks of February 15 and 22,1986. [6] [7]
Artist James Marsh created the single's cover illustration. The track was re-released as a single in 1990,charting for a second time.
The song was one of the last to be conceived for The Colour of Spring,following concern from the band's management at the lack of an obvious single among accumulated work. Initially unwilling,Mark Hollis and Tim Friese-Greene,the principal source of original material for the band,accepted the task as a challenge. Friese-Greene:"I had a drum pattern loosely inspired by Kate Bush's 'Running Up That Hill' and Mark was playing 'Green Onions' organ over the top." (Making No. 3 in the UK Singles Chart,"Running Up That Hill" had been released in August 1985.) The track was embellished with David Rhodes' guitar hook. [8]
Credits as per The Colour of Spring album notes. [9]
|
|
Chart (1985–1986) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report) [13] | 70 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [14] | 14 |
Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [15] | 48 |
Europe (European Top 100 Singles) [16] | 10 |
France (SNEP) [17] | 49 |
Germany (GfK) [18] | 24 |
Ireland (IRMA) [19] | 17 |
Italy ( Musica e dischi ) [20] | 14 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [21] | 13 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [22] | 11 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [23] | 11 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [24] | 17 |
UK Singles (OCC) [25] | 16 |
US Billboard Hot 100 [26] | 90 |
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play 1 [26] | 22 |
US Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales 1 [26] | 40 |
US Billboard Top Rock Tracks [26] | 26 |
US Cash Box [27] | 88 |
Chart (1990) | Peak position |
---|---|
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [28] | 66 |
Ireland (IRMA) [19] | 23 |
UK Singles (OCC) [29] | 23 |
1Remix
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI) [30] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
The song is covered in 1994 by The Divine Comedy with a string quartet during the Promenade album sessions, and released in several occasions.
In 2009, "Life's What You Make It" was covered by Australian rock musician Rowland S. Howard for his final solo album Pop Crimes . [31]
For the 2012 benefit tribute album Spirit of Talk Talk, "Life's What You Make It" was covered by singer-songwriter Duncan Sheik in a duet with Rachael Yamagata. [32] In 2011 the Danish band Dúné recorded the song for the film ID:A . [33]
More recently, a Placebo cover version of "Life's What You Make It" featured on both a double A-side (with "Jesus' Son") and the band's Life's What You Make It EP in 2016. [34] American rock band Joywave covered the song for a Spotify Singles release for the music streaming service in 2018. [35]
The track appeared in the 2002 video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City , where it plays on the fictional in-game pop radio station Flash FM. [36]
Talk Talk were an English band formed in 1981, led by Mark Hollis, Lee Harris (drums), and Paul Webb (bass). Initially a synth-pop group, Talk Talk's first two albums, The Party's Over (1982) and It's My Life (1984), reached top 40 in the UK and produced the international hit singles "Talk Talk", "Today", "It's My Life", and "Such a Shame". They achieved widespread critical success in Europe and the UK with the album The Colour of Spring (1986) along with its singles "Life's What You Make It" and "Living in Another World". 1988's Spirit of Eden moved the group towards a more experimental sound informed by jazz and improvisation, pioneering what became known as post-rock; it was critically acclaimed but commercially unsuccessful.
It's My Life is the second studio album by English band Talk Talk, released on 13 February 1984.
The Colour of Spring is the third studio album by English band Talk Talk, released on 17 February 1986. Written by Mark Hollis and producer Tim Friese-Greene, the album combines elements of jazz and art pop in an effort by Hollis to embrace more organic instrumentation and production values. Unlike previous Talk Talk albums, synthesizers are rarely featured on the album, being replaced by guitar, piano, and organ. The album went on to become Talk Talk's greatest commercial success, spawning the hit singles "Life's What You Make It" and "Living in Another World" and reaching the Top 20 in numerous countries, including the UK, where it reached No. 8 and stayed in the UK charts for 21 weeks.
Spirit of Eden is the fourth studio album by English band Talk Talk, released in 1988 on Parlophone Records. It was compiled from a lengthy recording process at London's Wessex Studios between 1987 and 1988, with songs written by singer Mark Hollis and producer Tim Friese-Greene. Often working in darkness, the band recorded many hours of improvised performances that drew on elements of jazz, ambient, classical music, blues, and dub. These long-form recordings were then heavily edited and re-arranged into an album in mostly digital format. The results were a radical departure from Talk Talk's earlier synth-pop recordings, and would later be credited with pioneering the post-rock genre.
Natural History: The Very Best of Talk Talk is a 1990 greatest hits album by Talk Talk. It collects songs that the band released under EMI between 1982 and 1988.
Laughing Stock is the fifth and final studio album by English band Talk Talk, released in 1991. Following their previous release Spirit of Eden (1988), bassist Paul Webb left the group, which reduced Talk Talk to the duo of singer/multi-instrumentalist Mark Hollis and drummer Lee Harris. Talk Talk then acrimoniously left EMI and signed to Polydor, who released the album on their newly revitalised jazz-based Verve Records label. Laughing Stock was recorded at London's Wessex Sound Studios from September 1990 to April 1991 with producer Tim Friese-Greene and engineer Phill Brown.
The Dream Academy was a British band consisting of singer/guitarist and primary songwriter Nick Laird-Clowes, multi-instrumentalist Kate St John, and keyboardist Gilbert Gabriel. The band is most noted for their 1985 hit record, "Life in a Northern Town".
"You Keep Me Hangin' On" is a song written and composed by Holland–Dozier–Holland. It was first recorded in 1966 by American Motown group the Supremes, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
"It's My Life" is a song by the English new wave band Talk Talk. Written by Mark Hollis and Tim Friese-Greene, it was the title track on the band's second album, It's My Life (1984), and released as its first single in January 1984. It reached number 46 on the UK Singles Chart, but did better in several other countries, reaching number 33 in Germany, number 32 in New Zealand, number 25 in France and number 9 in Italy. It was their only hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 31 the weeks of May 19 and 26, 1984; and it peaked at number 30 in Canada. The song also peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart.
"The Power of Love" is a pop song co-written and originally recorded by American singer-songwriter Jennifer Rush in 1984. It was released in December 1984 by CBS Records as the fifth single from her debut album, Jennifer Rush (1984), and has since been covered by Air Supply, Laura Branigan, and Celine Dion.
History Revisited: The Remixes is a 1991 album comprising remixes of hit Talk Talk songs. It followed the successful greatest hits collection Natural History, released the year before. The band itself did not take part in the making of the album and condemned its release; consequently, they sued their former record label EMI for using Talk Talk material without permission.
"Run Runaway" is a song by British rock band Slade, released in 1984 as the third single from the band's 11th studio album, The Amazing Kamikaze Syndrome, and as the lead single from the album's US counterpart, Keep Your Hands Off My Power Supply. The song was written by lead vocalist Noddy Holder and bassist Jim Lea and produced by John Punter. It reached No. 7 in the United Kingdom and was the band's first, and only, top 20 hit in the United States, where it reached No. 20.
"Such a Shame" is a song written by Mark Hollis for the English band Talk Talk's second album It's My Life (1984). It was released as the album's second single and went on to become a top 10 hit across Europe.
"What Makes You Beautiful" is the debut single by the British-Irish boy band One Direction. It was the lead single from their debut album, Up All Night (2011). Written by Savan Kotecha and producer Rami Yacoub, the song was released by Syco Records on 11 September 2011. The uptempo power pop track features a prominent guitar-based chorus and riff. The middle eight consists of a "na na na" hook.
Joywave is an American indie rock band from Rochester, New York, formed in 2010. Their lineup consists of Daniel Armbruster (vocals), Joseph Morinelli (guitar), and Paul Brenner (drums). The band first became known for its collaboration with electronic music project Big Data, "Dangerous", which peaked at number two on the Billboard Rock & Alternative Airplay chart in 2014. After releasing two EPs, their debut album, How Do You Feel Now?, was released through their own Cultco Music label, an imprint of Hollywood Records, in 2015. Their second album, Content, was released on July 28, 2017. It was followed by their third album, Possession, which was released on March 13, 2020. Their fourth album, Cleanse, was released on February 11, 2022. Their fifth album, Permanent Pleasure, released on May 17, 2024.
"Give It Up" is a song by English band Talk Talk, released by Parlophone in 1986 as the third single from their third studio album The Colour of Spring. The song was written by Mark Hollis and Tim Friese-Greene, and produced by Friese-Greene. "Give It Up" peaked at number 59 in the UK Singles Chart.
"Living in Another World" is a song by English band Talk Talk. It was recorded for the band's 1986 album The Colour of Spring and was the second single from the album, making the top 40 in Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Flanders.
"I Believe in You" is a song by English band Talk Talk, released by Parlophone in 1988 as the only single from their fourth studio album Spirit of Eden. The song was written by Mark Hollis and Tim Friese-Greene, and produced by Friese-Greene. "I Believe in You" peaked at number 85 in the UK Singles Chart.
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"I Don't Believe in You" is a song by English band Talk Talk, released by Parlophone in 1986 as the fourth and final single from their third studio album The Colour of Spring. The song was written by Mark Hollis and Tim Friese-Greene, and produced by Friese-Greene. "I Don't Believe in You" peaked at number 96 in the UK Singles Chart.
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