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Charmed Life is the fourth studio album by English rock singer Billy Idol, released in 1990 through 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“.
By 1990’s aptly named Charmed Life, Billy Idol was seemingly more well-known for his excessive lifestyle than his creative zenith of a few years prior. This made his channeling of Jim Morrison on a rowdy cover of “LA Woman” even more apt. He had done so before, of course, most memorably on 1986’s Whiplash Smile. But where Idol‘s clever amalgam of dance beats and punky guitar breaks had done its part to define the 1980s, his update of the classic Doors song was the new sound of the same old seedy, City of Angels underbelly, remixed for the cusp of a new decade. Its mirthful screams and bizzaro beat speak (“She drinks my wine spo-dee-o-dee”) also marked one of Charmed Life‘s few memorable moments. “Cradle of Love” was another obvious high point; together with its saucy video the clattering, histrionic single was largely responsible for the LP’s platinum status. But Steve Stevens had departed prior to Charmed, taking his pyrotechnic guitar with him, and his absence is certainly felt.
The album wallows in mood pieces like the greaser-tinged “Endless Sleep” or the confessional “Prodigal Blues.” While the latter cut does feature a surging melody and some great synth textures, its guitar blasts don’t ring with the same fervor. Likewise, the fiery soloing of “Right Way” doesn’t mesh as well with Idol‘s vocal or the synthetic-sounding backing track — the whole thing is like the classic pieces of a Idol song, disassembled. Charmed Life probably will offer the sneering rocker’s true fans some teeth-sinkable material. But it’s impossible not to notice its inconsistencies.
Track listing
- The Loveless – 4:17
- Pumping on Steel – 4:41
- Prodigal Blues – 5:41
- L.A. Woman – 5:29
- Trouble With the Sweet Stuff – 5:58
- Cradle of Love – 4:40
- Mark of Caine – 4:31
- Endless Sleep – 3:12
- Love Unchained – 4:39
- The Right Way – 5:03
- License to Thrill – 6:01
Personnel
- Billy Idol – vocals, guitar, horn arrangement on “License to Thrill”
- Mark Younger-Smith – guitar, bass guitar
- Phil Soussan – bass guitar
- Jimmy Johnson – bass guitar
- Phil Shenale – bass guitar, programming
- Vito – bass guitar
- Arthur Barrow – keyboards, programming
- Greg Mathieson – keyboards
- Mike Baird – drums
- Keith Forsey – drums, producer
Credits
- A&R – Jeff Aldrich
- A&R [For Rude Dude Inc.] – Brigid Waters
- Arranged By – Billy Idol, Keith Forsey
- Art Direction – Awest, Brass Ring Circus Studios
- Design Concept [Cover Concept] – Awest, Billy Idol
- Illustration [Cover Illustration] – Awest
- Management – East End Management, Eric Barrett, Tony Dimitriades
- Management [Billy Idol Personal Assistant] – Art Natoli
- Mastered By – Bernie Grundman (tracks: 1 to 5, 7 to 11), George Marino (tracks: 6)
- Photography By – Max Aguilera-Hellweg
- Producer – Keith Forsey
Notes
Release Date: 1990
Recording Location:
Conway Recording Studios, Hollywood, CA
Lighthouse Studios, L.A
Track Record Studios, North Hollywood, CA
Track Record, L.A
Genre: Pop/Rock
Duration: 54:20
Label – Chrysalis Records
Record-facts... 