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Charmed Life | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 30 April 1990 [1] | |||
Recorded | 1989–1990 | |||
Genre | Hard rock | |||
Length | 54:20 | |||
Label | Chrysalis | |||
Producer | Keith Forsey | |||
Billy Idol chronology | ||||
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Singles from Charmed Life | ||||
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Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
Billboard | positive [3] |
Cash Box | positive [4] |
NME | 8/10 [5] |
Record Mirror | [6] |
Rolling Stone | [7] |
Smash Hits | [8] |
Charmed Life is the fourth studio album by English rock singer Billy Idol, released on 30 April 1990 by Chrysalis Records.
The lead single, "Cradle of Love", appeared on the soundtrack of The Adventures of Ford Fairlane . The song was famous for its video, which won the 1990 MTV Video Music Award for "Best video from a film". The video directed by David Fincher, involved Betsy Lynn George as a teenager who knocks at her neighbour's door and asks to play a tape, before stripping to the music. The album's second single is a cover version of "L.A. Woman" by The Doors. Its video was also directed by Fincher. The third single off the album was "Prodigal Blues".
Charmed Life was certified Platinum by the RIAA and Silver by BPI in 1990.
"The album is about how great life is and how bad it is just to throw it away, which I almost did."
—Billy Idol discussing the album's theme. [9]
Unlike Idol's previous three albums, Charmed Life did not feature guitarist Steve Stevens, and most of the guitar work was handled by Mark Younger-Smith instead. Idol told Sounds in 1990, "Meeting Mark Younger-Smith gave me a lynchpin, someone I could work with by forming a sound and an idea for this album." Idol finished sessions for the album on 5 February 1990. During the following morning, after picking up the final mixes from Conway Studios, he was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident. [9]
"Love Unchained" was inspired by a friend of Idol's who died in a motorcycle accident. [9]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "The Loveless" | Billy Idol, Mark Younger-Smith | 4:17 |
2. | "Pumping on Steel" | Idol, Younger-Smith | 4:41 |
3. | "Prodigal Blues" | Idol | 5:41 |
4. | "L.A. Woman" | John Densmore, Robbie Krieger, Ray Manzarek, Jim Morrison | 5:29 |
5. | "Trouble With the Sweet Stuff" | Idol, Keith Forsey, Younger-Smith, Dave Concors | 5:58 |
6. | "Cradle of Love" | David Werner, Idol | 4:40 |
7. | "Mark of Caine" | Idol | 4:31 |
8. | "Endless Sleep" | Dolores Nance, Jody Reynolds | 3:12 |
9. | "Love Unchained" | Idol | 4:39 |
10. | "The Right Way" | Idol | 5:03 |
11. | "License to Thrill" | Idol, Forsey | 6:01 |
Handclaps on "The Right Way"
Studios
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [30] | Gold | 35,000^ |
Canada (Music Canada) [31] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
Germany (BVMI) [32] | Gold | 250,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [33] | Silver | 60,000^ |
United States (RIAA) [34] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
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