The Glamorous Life

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The Glamorous Life

Theglamorouslife album.jpg
from the album The Glamorous Life
Originals album artwork
from the album Originals
Theglamorouslife single.jpg
single art for The Glamorous Life
Song details
Performer: Sheila E.; Prince
First Released: 2 May 1984 - The Glamorous Life single
7 June 2019 - Originals album (Prince version)
Album(s): The Glamorous Life
Originals
Writer(s): Prince (credited to Sheila E.)
Producer(s): Prince (credited to Sheila E. and The Starr Company on The Glamorous Life)
Live Appearances
First and last live appearance:
Performed regularly on tour:
Performed occasionally in shows:

The Glamorous Life is the sixth and final track on Sheila E.’s first album The Glamorous Life, and, four weeks before the album’s release, The Glamorous Life was released as the album’s first single; it was, therefore, the first song to be credited to Sheila E.. The Glamorous Life was written by Prince, but credited to Sheila E..

In 1986, the Club Edit was included as the second track on The Glamorous Club Dance EP, a Japan-only EP of extended versions of Sheila E.’s singles.

On 19 June 2013, an instrumental rehearsal of The Glamorous Life was streamed live on 3rdEyeGirl LiveStream TV for 3 minutes.

Basic tracking took place on 27 December 1983 at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California (the day before Next Time Wipe The Lipstick Off Your Collar), and the song was originally tentatively intended for Apollonia 6, until Prince began to work with Sheila E. in February 1984, at which time he set the song aside for her. Sheila E. added her drums to the song on 8 February 1984, and with editing and mixing the song was then extended the next day to its 8:58 length, as released on The Glamorous Life album, to showcase her musical abilities.

Sheila E.’s vocals were then recorded in the last days of March 1984, also at Sunset Sound. The Glamorous Life is notable for featuring the first use of saxophone on a Prince-related track, played by Larry Williams.

The track also features the first released appearance of David Coleman (Lisa Coleman’s brother) on a Prince-related track, playing cello.

In 1991, Sheila E. re-recorded a ’salsa' version of The Glamorous Life without Prince, for a planned fifth album for Warner Bros. (following Sex Cymbal, her fourth solo album and the first album after she left Prince’s camp) called 'Fe'. This version, titled La Vida Glamarosa, and the album remain unreleased.

In 2019, Prince’s own version was released as the tenth track on the posthumous album Originals.


Recording Information
Recording Sessions
Date Studio Additional info
27 December 1983 Sunset Sound - Studio 3,
Hollywood, CA, USA
Tracking, Saxophone overdubs
28 December 1983 Sunset Sound,
Hollywood, CA, USA
Vocal overdubs (Prince & Jill Jones)
6 January 1984 Sunset Sound,
Hollywood, CA, USA
Cello overdub (David Coleman)
8 February 1984 Sunset Sound,
Hollywood, CA, USA
Drum overdubs (Sheila E.), mix
9 February 1984 Sunset Sound,
Hollywood, CA, USA
mix & edit
29 or 30 March 1984 (estimate) Sunset Sound,
Hollywood, CA, USA
Sheila E. percussion & vocals
Recording Personnel

Sheila E. version


Prince version (on Originals)



Versions
Released Versions
Title Length Released Version Additional info
The Glamorous Life 8:58 The Glamorous Life Studio
The Glamorous Life (Edit) 3:41 The Glamorous Life single

Strange Tales From The Rain promo

Edit
The Glamorous Life (Part II) 3:12 The Glamorous Life single Edit Edit continuing from where The Glamorous Life (Edit) ended
The Glamorous Life (Club Edit) 6:33 The Glamorous Life single

The Glamorous Club Dance EP
The Glamorous Life reissue

Edit
Special Medley Of “The Glamorous Life” /
Sister Fate” / “A Love Bizarre
.2:31 Special Medley Of “The Glamorous Life” / “Sister Fate” / “A Love Bizarre” Edit (in 7:08 medley)
The Glamorous Life 4:12 Originals Prince vocal version released in 2019
Video Versions
Title Length Released Version Additional info
The Glamorous Life 3:47 Promotional release only Promo video See The Glamorous Life video for more details
The Glamorous Life 3:47 Promotional release only Promo video Slightly alternate version; see The Glamorous Life video for more details
The Glamorous Life 13:25 Sheila E.: Live Romance 1600 VHS/laserdisc Live 8 March 1986, Warfield Theater, San Francisco, CA
Vanguard Jam 12:18 NPG Music Club WMV download Awards Show performance video 19 March 2005, 36th NAACP Image Awards, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles, California; part of medley containing D.M.S.R. / We’re A Winner / I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You) / Satisfied / I Don’t Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing (Open Up The Door, I’ll Get It Myself) / Housequake / The Jam / The Bird / The Glamorous Life / Santana Medley
Glamorous Life ?:?? Sheila E.: Summer Tour 2012 (Raw And Real / Live In Lugano Switzerland) DVD Live 5 July 2012, Lugano, Switzerland
Broadcasts/streaming (only)
Title Length Released Version Additional info
I Feel For You T.B.C. Delayed performance TV broadcast Live 2 March 2004, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, NBC Studios, Burbank, CA; includes clips of A Love Bizarre and The Glamorous Life
I Feel For You T.B.C. Delayed awards show performance TV broadcast Live 15 March 2004 19th Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony, Waldorf Astoria, New York, NY; includes clips of A Love Bizarre and The Glamorous Life
The Glamorous Life / A Love Bizarre T.B.C. Delayed awards show performance TV broadcast Live 1 June 2007, 9th annual ALMA Awards, Pasadena Civic Auditorium, Pasadena, CA, USA; includes instrumental coda of A Love Bizarre
The Glamorous Life (instrumental) 3:00 3rdEyeTV Show # 1 live video stream Rehearsal 19 June 2013, Paisley Park (Soundstage), Chanhassen, Minnesota; NPG only, without Prince
The Glamorous Life 1:30 3rdEyeGirl’s YouTube account Live 31 August 2013, World Trade Center - Piscadera Bay (Sam Cooke), Willemstad, Curaçao
Unreleased Versions
Title Version Additional Info
The Glamorous Life Studio Full version of original 1983 recording with Prince vocals
 
Additional Information

See also Trivia

  • The Glamorous Life was nominated at the 27th annual Grammy Awards (1985) in the category 'Best pop female vocalist' (which was won by What’s Love Got To Do With It by Tina Turner).

References
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