Life (The Cardigans album)

Last updated

Life
The Cardigans- Life.jpg
Studio album by
Released1 March 1995
Recorded 1994
Genre
Length45:22 (Original version)
47:04 (UK)
47:59 (US)
Label Stockholm Records
Producer Tore Johansson
The Cardigans chronology
Emmerdale
(1994)
Life
(1995)
First Band on the Moon
(1996)
Singles from Life
  1. "Carnival"
  2. "Hey! Get Out of My Way"
  3. "Rise and Shine"
  4. "Sick & Tired"
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Alternative Press Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Chicago Tribune Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [5]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [6]
Entertainment Weekly A [7]
NME 8/10 [8]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [9]
Sunday News 8/10 [10]

Life is the second studio album of The Cardigans. It was released worldwide in 1995 and was an international success, especially in Japan, where it achieved platinum status. Outside of Sweden and Japan (where debut Emmerdale had been released in 1994), it was released as their first album: a compilation of tracks from both Emmerdale and Life. It was released in the United States under the label Minty Fresh Records.

Contents

Track listing

All music composed by Peter Svensson, except "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" by Iommi, Butler, Ward, Osbourne

Swedish edition

  1. "Carnival" (Lyrics: Nina Persson, Svensson, Sveningsson) – 3:37
  2. "Gordon's Gardenparty" (Lyrics: Persson, Svensson) – 3:22
  3. "Daddy's Car" (Lyrics: Sveningsson, Bengt Lagerberg) – 3:35
  4. "Pikebubbles" (Lyrics: Sveningsson, Svensson) – 3:05
  5. "Tomorrow" (Lyrics: Sveningsson) – 3:05
  6. "Beautiful One" (Lyrics: Sveningsson) – 3:28
  7. "Travelling with Charley" (Lyrics: Sveningsson, Svensson) – 4:09
  8. "Fine" (Lyrics: Sveningsson) – 3:11
  9. "Sunday Circus Song" (Lyrics: Sveningsson, Svensson) – 3:56
  10. "Hey! Get Out of My Way" (Lyrics: Persson, Svensson) – 3:30
  11. "Closing Time" (Lyrics: Lars-Olof Johansson, Sveningsson, Svensson) – 10:22

UK, French, Canadian and Brazilian version

  1. "Carnival" – 3:37
  2. "Gordon's Gardenparty" – 3:22
  3. "Daddy's Car" – 3:35
  4. "Sick & Tired" (Lyrics: Sveningsson) – 3:24
  5. "Tomorrow" – 3:05
  6. "Rise & Shine" (Lyrics: Sveningsson) – 3:30
  7. "Beautiful One" – 3:28
  8. "Travelling with Charley" – 4:09
  9. "Fine" – 3:11
  10. "Celia Inside" (Lyrics: Sveningsson) – 4:42
  11. "Hey! Get Out of My Way" – 3:32
  12. "After All..." (Lyrics: Sveningsson) – 2:57
  13. "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" (Lyrics: Butler) – 4:32 [11]

This version omits "Pikebubbles", "Sunday Circus Song" and "Closing Time", replacing them with "Sick & Tired", "Rise & Shine", "Celia Inside", "After All..." and "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" from Emmerdale. "Celia Inside" is a longer edit, and "Rise & Shine" is a new recording, while the others are taken directly from the previous album. The omitted song "Pikebubbles" was released internationally as the B side to the 1995 "Rise & Shine" single. Additionally, "Hey! Get Out Of My Way" is single version.

US edition

  1. "Carnival" – 3:36
  2. "Daddy's Car" – 3:35
  3. "Fine" – 3:09
  4. "Rise & Shine" – 3:28
  5. "Our Space" – 3:29
  6. "Celia Inside" – 4:40
  7. "Over the Water" – 2:13
  8. "Tomorrow" – 3:03
  9. "Sick & Tired" – 3:23
  10. "Beautiful One" – 3:27
  11. "Gordon's Gardenparty" – 3:19
  12. "Hey! Get Out of My Way" – 3:30
  13. "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" – 4:30 [11]
  14. "Happy Meal" – 2:36

This version omits "Pikebubbles", "Travelling with Charley", "Sunday Circus Song" and "Closing Time", replacing them with "Rise & Shine", "Our Space", "Celia Inside", "Over the Water", "Sick & Tired" and "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" from Emmerdale and exclusive US bonus track "Happy Meal". The four omitted tracks were included as a bonus disc with the US version of Emmerdale, released in 1997.

Personnel

Other appearances

Singles

Continental Europe/UK

Japan/Sweden

Charts

Chart (1995–96)
  • Peak
  • position
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [12] 50
Icelandic Albums (Plötur og Diskar) [13] 1
Japanese Albums (Oricon) [14] 13
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [15] 20
UK Albums (OCC) [16] 51

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ) [17] 2× Platinum500,000 [18]
Sweden (GLF) [19] Platinum191,000 [20]
United Kingdom (BPI) [21] Gold100,000*
Summaries
Worldwide1,500,000 [18]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Cardigans</span> Swedish rock band

The Cardigans are a Swedish pop rock band formed in Jönköping, Sweden, in 1992 by guitarist Peter Svensson, bassist Magnus Sveningsson, drummer Bengt Lagerberg, keyboardist Lars-Olof Johansson and lead singer Nina Persson. Post-hiatus shows since 2012 have been with Oskar Humlebo on guitar instead of Svensson.

<i>Gran Turismo</i> (album) 1998 studio album by The Cardigans

Gran Turismo is the fourth studio album by Swedish band the Cardigans, released internationally on 19 October 1998 and in November 1998 in the United States. It features a darker and more moody type of music, mixed with more electronic sounds.

<i>First Band on the Moon</i> 1996 studio album by the Cardigans

First Band on the Moon is the third studio album by the Cardigans. It features the international single "Lovefool". It was first released on 12 August 1996 and internationally on 6 September 1996.

<i>Long Gone Before Daylight</i> 2003 studio album by The Cardigans

Long Gone Before Daylight is the fifth studio album by Swedish rock band the Cardigans. Released in Japan on 19 March 2003 and in Europe from 24 March by Stockholm Records, it was their first studio album since the release of Gran Turismo in 1998, during which time band members released numerous solo works under assumed aliases: Peter Svensson issued Paus' sole, self-titled album in 1998. This was followed by the release of the self-titled record from Nina Persson's A Camp in 2001, and bassist Magnus Sveningsson's I Sing Because of You in 2002.

<i>Emmerdale</i> (album) 1994 studio album by The Cardigans

Emmerdale is the debut studio album by Swedish pop rock band The Cardigans. It was originally released in Sweden by Trampolene Records on 18 February 1994, and on 24 September 1994 in Japan. It was later reissued in Europe in January 1999 and in Canada in May the same year. A special U.S. version was released in August 1999 by Minty Fresh Records and features a bonus disc of songs from The Cardigans' second album Life. These songs were not released in the U.S. edition of said album and were previously unavailable on any U.S. release. The album was named after the British television soap opera of the same name.

<i>Super Extra Gravity</i> 2005 studio album by the Cardigans

Super Extra Gravity is the sixth and final studio album by Swedish band the Cardigans. It was produced by Tore Johansson, who last worked with the Cardigans on Gran Turismo and later with the band Franz Ferdinand. The album was released in Germany and Ireland on 14 October 2005 and in the UK on 17 October 2005. A Japanese edition was later released. The first single released was "I Need Some Fine Wine and You, You Need to Be Nicer". The second single was "Don't Blame Your Daughter (Diamonds)". It was said that "Godspell"—the lyrics of which reference a conservative religious mentality common to the band's hometown of Jönköping—was to be the third single, but plans for its release fell through.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Svensson</span> Swedish musician

Anders Peter Svensson is a Swedish record producer, songwriter, and musician. He is the main songwriter and guitarist of the band the Cardigans. He started playing guitar at the age of eight, and in his teens he went on to play with local bands. After meeting bass player Magnus Sveningsson, they formed The Cardigans in 1992. Peter Svensson is credited with writing the music and melodies for almost all of the group's original songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burning Down the House</span> 1983 single by Talking Heads

"Burning Down the House" is a song by new wave band Talking Heads, released in July 1983 as the first single from their fifth studio album Speaking in Tongues.

Sick and Tired may refer to:

<i>The Other Side of the Moon</i> (album) 1997 compilation album by The Cardigans

The Other Side of the Moon is a compilation album by The Cardigans. It features B-sides and rarities that never made it onto the albums and were previously only available on singles. It was released only in Japan and Australia on 5 December 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Cardigans discography</span>

The Cardigans are a band from Sweden. They have released six studio albums, which in total have sold about 15 million copies worldwide. This is a list of their album and single releases.

<i>Best Of</i> (The Cardigans album) 2008 greatest hits album by The Cardigans

Best Of is a greatest hits album by the Swedish group The Cardigans, released in Europe in January 2008. It contains twenty-one singles and album tracks. There is also a double-CD version with rare tracks and B-sides. Both versions of the album contain no new songs, though some tracks had previously been released only in the UK or Japan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rise and Shine (The Cardigans song)</span> 1994 single by the Cardigans

"Rise & Shine" is a song by Swedish band the Cardigans. It first appeared in 1992 on a limited edition 7-inch EP, The World According To..., and was the first Cardigans recording to feature Nina Persson as lead vocalist. Due to the positive response to the track, Persson became the group's permanent lead singer, and the song was re-recorded and released as the first single from their debut 1994 album Emmerdale. It was later re-recorded again for their second album Life and was re-released throughout Europe to promote the international version of the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Favourite Game</span> 1998 single by the Cardigans

"My Favourite Game" is an alternative rock song written by Peter Svensson and Nina Persson for Swedish band the Cardigans' fourth studio album, Gran Turismo (1998). The song is the album's eighth track and was released as its first single on 14 September 1998. Lyrically, it is about a failing relationship and the attempt made to better the significant other or save people from themselves. "My Favourite Game" found minor international success, reaching number three in Sweden and number 14 in the UK. It also charted within the top 40 in several European countries and New Zealand. While it failed to chart on the US Billboard Hot 100 and its radio counterpart, it peaked at number 16 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erase/Rewind</span> 1999 single by the Cardigans

"Erase/Rewind" is a song written by Peter Svensson and Nina Persson for the Cardigans' fourth studio album, Gran Turismo (1998). The song is the album's second track and was released as its second single in January 1999, reaching number three in Iceland, number seven in Italy and the United Kingdom, and number 12 in Sweden. It was featured in the 1999 film The Thirteenth Floor during the ending credits. It was also featured in the 1999 film Never Been Kissed when Josie dances with her prom date Guy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hanging Around (The Cardigans song)</span> 1999 single by The Cardigans

"Hanging Around" is a song written by Peter Svensson and Nina Persson for the Cardigans' 1998 album Gran Turismo. The song is the album's sixth track, and was released as its third single on 12 July 1999, and charted at number 17 on the UK Singles Chart. The music video was directed by Sophie Muller, and is based on the 1965 Roman Polanski film, Repulsion, with Nina Persson playing the role of 'Carol'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carnival (The Cardigans song)</span> 1995 single by the Cardigans

"Carnival" is a song by Swedish band the Cardigans. It was released in March 1995 by Trampolene and Stockholm Records as the first single from their second album, Life (1995). The song gave the group their first appearance on the UK Singles Chart, reaching number 72 in June 1995. After their next single, a re-issue of "Sick & Tired", reached the top 40, "Carnival" was re-pressed and reached a peak of number 35. This release also peaked at number 44 in the Netherlands, becoming the band's first single to chart there. The accompanying music video was directed by Swedish-based director Matt Broadley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sick & Tired (The Cardigans song)</span> 1994 single by the Cardigans

"Sick & Tired" is a song by Swedish band the Cardigans. It was released in September 1994 by Trampolene as the third single from their debut album, Emmerdale (1994), in Sweden and as their first single in Japan the following month. It was subsequently included on the international release of their second album, Life (1995), and issued as its first single in March 1995. A reissue later the same year became the group's first top-40 hit in the United Kingdom. In February 1996, it reached number one in Iceland, staying at the summit for four weeks. A music video was produced to promote the single, directed by Swedish director Björn Lindgren.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Been It</span> 1996 single by the Cardigans

"Been It" is a song by Swedish band the Cardigans, released from their third studio album, First Band on the Moon. In additional to reaching number 56 on the UK Singles Chart, the song also became an alternative hit in Canada, climbing to number nine on the RPM Alternative 30.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Your New Cuckoo</span> 1997 single by the Cardigans

"Your New Cuckoo" is a song from the Cardigans' third studio album, First Band on the Moon. Released on 9 December 1996 in Japan, the song reached number 35 on the UK Singles Chart the following year.

References

  1. 1 2 Bush, John. "Life – The Cardigans". AllMusic . Retrieved 25 November 2023.
  2. Lewis, Justin (2003). "The Cardigans". In Buckley, Peter (ed.). The Rough Guide to Rock (3rd ed.). London: Rough Guides. pp. 173–174. ISBN   978-1-84353-105-0.
  3. 1 2 Freedom du Lac, Josh (1 January 1998). "The Cardigans". In Knopper, Steve (ed.). MusicHound Lounge: The Essential Album Guide. Detroit: Visible Ink Press. p. 77.
  4. DeMarco, Laura (May 1996). "Music Reviews". Alternative Press . Vol. 10, no. 94. pp. 69–70.
  5. Kot, Greg (6 June 1996). "The Cardigans: Life (Minty Fresh)". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  6. Larkin, Colin (2011). "Cardigans". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN   9780857125958.
  7. Smith, Ethan (23 February 1996). "Life". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  8. Beaumont, Mark (8 July 1995). "Long Play". NME . p. 47. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  9. Randall, Mac (2004). "The Cardigans". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp.  137–38. ISBN   9780743201698.
  10. Phillips, Antony (25 February 1996). "Albums". Sunday News .
  11. 1 2 Originally performed by Black Sabbath
  12. "Offiziellecharts.de – The Cardigans – Life" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
  13. Island plötur og diskar (in Icelandic). Dagblaðið Vísir. 24 April 1996. p. 40. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
  14. カーディガンズのランキング [The Cardigans album sales ranking] (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on 12 January 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  15. "Swedishcharts.com – The Cardigans – Emmerdale". Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
  16. "Cardigans | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
  17. "Japanese album certifications – カーディガンズ – ライフ" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan.Select 1997年4月 on the drop-down menu
  18. 1 2 Craig Rosen (21 September 1996). "Sweden's Cardigans Wrap Up U.S." Billboard . Vol. 108, no. 38. pp. 9, 89. ISSN   0006-2510.
  19. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  20. David Sinclair (23 December 1995). "Global Music Pulse | The Latest Music News From Around The Planet | APRIL". Billboard . Vol. 107, no. 50. p. 65. ISSN   0006-2510.
  21. "British album certifications – The Cardigans – Life". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 3 March 2017.