Promise (album)

Infobox Album
Name = Promise
Type = studio
Artist = Sade


Released = 16 November 1985 (UK)
21 December 1985 (U.S.)
Recorded = Power Plant Studios
(London, England)
Studio Miraval
(Le Val, Var, France)
Genre = Soul, R&B, jazz
Length = 54:15
Label = Epic (UK)
Portrait (U.S.)
Producer = Sade Adu, Robin Millar, Ben Rogan, Mike Pela
Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|3|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:enh9kett7q7b link]
*Review-Christgau|B|name=Sade
*"Rolling Stone" (not rated) [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/sade/albums/album/208219/review/5946308/promise link]
Last album = "Diamond Life
(1984)
This album = "Promise"
(1985)
Next album = "Stronger Than Pride"
(1988)

"Promise" is the second studio album by the English group Sade, released in 1985 on Epic Records.

The major hits from this album were "The Sweetest Taboo" and "Never as Good as the First Time", which reached number five and number twenty on the "Billboard" Hot 100, respectively. Also, "Is It a Crime" was released as a single. Whilst not as initially successful as their debut album "Diamond Life", "Promise" became the band's first album to top the albums chart in both the United Kingdom and the United States, undoubtedly helped by an appearance at Live Aid and a cameo in the film "Absolute Beginners".

The title "Promise" comes from a letter from Sade Adu's father where he refers to the "promise of hope" to recover from cancer.

Track listing

CD and cassette

#"Is It a Crime" (Sade Adu, Stuart Matthewman, Andrew Hale) – 6:20
#"The Sweetest Taboo" (Adu, Martin Ditcham) – 4:36
#"War of the Hearts" (Adu, Matthewman) – 6:47
#"You're Not the Man" (Adu, Matthewman) – 5:09
#"Jezebel" (Adu, Matthewman) – 5:27
#"Mr Wrong" (Adu, Matthewman, Hale, Paul S. Denman) – 2:49
#"Punch Drunk" (Hale) – 5:21
#"Never as Good as the First Time" (Adu, Matthewman) – 4:59
#"Fear" (Adu, Matthewman) – 4:09
#"Tar Baby" (Adu, Matthewman) – 3:57
#"Maureen" (Adu, Hale, Denman) – 4:20

LP

#"Is It a Crime" – 6:18
#"The Sweetest Taboo" – 4:35
#"War of the Hearts" – 6:47
#"Jezebel" – 5:30
#"Mr Wrong" – 2:50
#"Never as Good as the First Time" – 5:01
#"Fear" – 4:05
#"Tar Baby" – 3:58
#"Maureen" – 4:22

Personnel

Musicians

ade

*Sade Adu – vocals
*Andrew Hale – keyboards
*Stuart Matthewman – guitar, saxophone
*Paul S. Denman – bass

Additional musicians

*Terry Bailey – trumpet
*Pete Beachill – trombone
*Carlos Bonnell – guitar
*Martin Ditcham – percussion
*Dave Early – drums, percussion
*Jake Jacas – vocals
*Mike Pela – strings

Production

*Sade Adu – producer, arranger
*Robin Millar – producer
*Ben Rogan – producer
*Mike Pela – producer, engineer, mixing, production engineer
*Nick Ingman – arranger
*Pete Brown – assistant engineer
*Simon Driscoll – assistant engineer
*Phil Legg – assistant engineer
*Tom Coyne – remastering
*Lee Barrett – management
*Graham Smith – design
*Toshi Yajima – photography

Charts

Certifications

*4× platinum::flagicon|USA RIAA: 4,000,000 [cite web |url=http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH |title=RIAA – Searchable Database |accessdate=2008-05-31 |date=23 July 1997 |work=RIAA]

*2× platinum::flagicon|Canada CRIA: 200,000 [cite web |url=http://www.cria.ca/cert_db_search.php |title=CRIA: Search Certification Database |accessdate=2008-05-31 |date=27 June 1986 |work=CRIA] ::flagicon|UK BPI: 600,000 [cite web |url=http://www.bpi.co.uk/platinum/platinumright.asp?rq=search_plat&r_id=24780 |title=UK Certified Awards |accessdate=2008-05-31 |date=17 January 1986 |work=BPI]
*Platinum::flagicon|Finland IFPI: 30,000 [cite web |url=http://www.ifpi.fi/tilastot/kplista.html?action=vapaa&tyyppi=ulko&haku=artisti&julkaisuntyyppi=albumi&teksti=Sade |title=IFPI Finland – Kultalevyhaku |accessdate=2008-06-06 |work=IFPI |language=Finnish] ::flagicon|Germany IFPI: 200,000 [cite web |url=http://www.musikindustrie.de/gold_platin_datenbank.html |title=Gold/Platin-Datenbank |accessdate=2008-05-31 |work=Bundesverband Musikindustrie |language=German] ::flagicon|France SNEP: 300,000 [cite web |url=http://www.disqueenfrance.com/certifications/album.asp?suite=5&forme_certif=12&annee=10 |title=Les certifications Albums – Année 1995 – Platine |accessdate=2008-06-06 |date=20 April 1995 |work=SNEP |language=French]

References

succession box
before = "The Love Songs" by George Benson
title = UK Albums Chart number-one album
years = 16 November 1985 – 23 November 1985
after = "The Greatest Hits of 1985" by various artistssuccession box
before = "Let's Talk About Love" by Modern Talking
title = Swiss Albums Chart number-one album
years = 1 December 1985 – 15 December 1985
after = "Casanova" by Rondò Venezianosuccession box
before = "The Broadway Album" by Barbra Streisand
title = U.S. "Billboard" 200 number-one album
years = 15 February 1986 – 22 February 1986
after = "Welcome to the Real World" by Mr. Mister