Charmed Life (Billy Idol album)

Charmed Life
Studio album by Billy Idol
Released	May 1990
Recorded	1989–1990
Genre	Hard rock, new wave
Length	54:20
Label	Chrysalis
Producer	Keith Forsey
Billy Idol chronology
Idol Songs: 11 of the Best (1988) Charmed Life (1990) Cyberpunk (1993)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Piero Scaruffi	[2]
Robert Christgau	[3]
Rolling Stone	[4]

Charmed Life is an album released by Billy Idol in 1990 through Chrysalis Records (see 1990 in music). It was his fourth studio-album.

"Cradle of Love" was also featured on the soundtrack of The Adventures of Ford Fairlane. The song is famous for its video, which won the 1990 MTV Video Music Award for "Best video from a film". The video, directed by David Fincher, features 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 has been certified platinum by the RIAA and gold by BPI.

Track listing

Side one

1. "The Loveless" (Idol, Mark Younger-Smith) – 4:17
2. "Pumping on Steel" (Idol, Younger-Smith) – 4:42
3. "Prodigal Blues" (Idol) – 5:41
4. "L.A. Woman" (Densmore, Krieger, Manzarek, Morrison) – 5:19
5. "Trouble with the Sweet Stuff" (Dave Concors) – 5:50

Side two

1. "Cradle of Love" (Idol, David Werner) – 4:39
2. "Mark of Caine" (Idol) – 4:33
3. "Endless Sleep" (Dolores Nance, Jody Reynolds) – 3:13
4. "Love Unchained" (Idol) – 4:41
5. "The Right Way" (Idol) – 5:05
6. "License to Thrill" (Keith Forsey, Idol) – 6:02

Charting album & singles

• 1990 Charmed Life LP Billboard 200 No. 11
• 1990 Cradle of Love (From "Ford Fairlane")
  • Billboard Hot 100 No. 2
  • Mainstream Rock Tracks No. 1
  • Modern Rock Tracks No. 7
• 1990 L.A. Woman
  • Billboard Hot 100 No. 52
  • Mainstream Rock Tracks No. 18
• 1991 Prodigal Blues Mainstream Rock Tracks No. 35

Certification

Country	Certification	Sales
United States	Platinum	1,000,000
United Kingdom	Gold	100,000

Personnel

• Billy Idol — vocals, guitar
• Mark Younger-Smith — guitar, bass
• Mike Baird — drums
• Phil Soussan — bass
• Arthur Barrow — keyboards, programming
• Keith Forsey — drums, producer
• Jimmy Johnson — bass
• Greg Mathieson — keyboards
• Phil Shenale — bass, programming
• Vito — bass

Notes

1. ^ http://www.allmusic.com/album/charmed-life-r9749
2. ^ http://www.scaruffi.com/vol4/bidol.html
3. ^ http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=billy+idol
4. ^ RS 577