Paradise (Sade song) explained

Paradise
Cover:Sade - Paradise.png
Type:single
Artist:Sade
Album:Stronger Than Pride
B-Side:Keep Hangin' On
Released:May 1988
Recorded:1987
Genre:
Length:4:02 (album version)
3:37 (single version)
Label:Epic
Composer:
Lyricist:Sade Adu
Producer:Sade
Prev Title:Love Is Stronger Than Pride
Prev Year:1988
Next Title:Nothing Can Come Between Us
Next Year:1988

"Paradise" is a song by English band Sade from their third studio album, Stronger Than Pride (1988). It was released in May 1988 by Epic as the album's second single. It is Sade's most successful track on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, peaking at number one for one week. The single also reached number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 21 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. Its music video was directed by Alex McDowell. "Paradise" is often considered one of the band's signature songs, alongside "Smooth Operator" (1984), "The Sweetest Taboo" (1985), and "No Ordinary Love" (1992).

Composition

"Paradise" is written in the key of F minor in common time with a tempo of 102 beats per minute. Adu's vocals span from F3 to A♭4.[1]

Critical reception

The song was described as "swaggering" and "sinewy" by Lloyd Bradley of BBC Music.[2] Pan-European magazine Music & Media viewed it as a "brooding, percussion-orientated, summery track. Highly swinging through its persistent, up-tempo, although at the same time somehow restrained, groove."[3] John Tague from NME said, "...well, 'Paradise' is no different to any other song she's done in the last four years, as cooly sculpted as her features and about as engaging as an average Daily Telegraph leader."[4] Frank Guan of Vulture commented, "Any song titled 'Paradise' had better sound like it, and her version doesn't disappoint – in fact, no song better expresses the phase of love where disappointment is impossible."[5]

Music video

Released in June 1988 and directed by British narrative designer and creative director Alex McDowell, the accompanying music video for "Paradise" features Sade joining in a celebration in a Mexican village and dancing with a young girl.

Track listings

A. "Paradise" (remix) – 3:35

B. "Paradise" (instrumental) – 4:00

A. "Paradise" (extended remix) – 5:33

B1. "Paradise" (extended instrumental) – 4:01

B2. "Paradise" (extra beats) – 2:11

  1. "Paradise" (extended version) – 5:30
  2. "Hang On to Your Love" (US remix) – 5:13
  3. "Keep Hangin' On" (live) – 2:59
  4. "Paradise" (instrumental) – 4:02
  1. "Paradise" (remix) – 3:35
  2. "Super Bien Total" – 4:03
  1. "Paradise" (remix) – 3:39
  2. "Paradise" (instrumental) – 4:03

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1988)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[6] 86
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[7] 18
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[8] 1
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[9] 28
Italy (Musica e dischi)[10] 19
US Cash Box Top 100[11] 20
US Top Black Contemporary Singles (Cash Box)[12] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (1988)! scope="col"
Position
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[13] 43
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[14] 41
US Top Black Contemporary Singles (Cash Box)[15] 12

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sade – Paradise . musicnotes.com . 8 March 2010 . 16 November 2018.
  2. Web site: Bradley . Lloyd . Sade The Ultimate Collection Review . . 2011 . 2 May 2018 .
  3. Previews: Singles. Music & Media. 11 June 1988. 21. 19 July 2022.
  4. John. Tague. Singles. NME. 28 May 1988. 16. 29 October 2023.
  5. Web site: Guan . Frank . All 73 Sade Songs, Ranked From Worst to Best . . 26 October 2017 . 21 June 2019.
  6. Web site: Response from ARIA re: chart inquiry, received 17 June 2014 . 6 October 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141129020821/http://i.imgur.com/9AQCjII.jpg . 29 November 2014 . live . Imgur.
  7. RPM 100 Singles . . 48 . 15 . 30 July 1988 . 6 . 0033-7064 . World Radio History.
  8. RPM Adult Contemporary . RPM . 48 . 18 . 20 August 1988 . 12 . 0033-7064 . World Radio History.
  9. Book: Pennanen, Timo . Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 . fi . 1st . Helsinki . . 2006 . 978-951-1-21053-5.
  10. Web site: Classifiche . . it . 2 June 2022. Select "Singoli" in the "Tipo" field, type "Sade" in the "Artista" field and press "cerca".
  11. Web site: Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending July 23, 1988 . . 20 December 2019.
  12. Web site: Cash Box Top Black Contemporary Singles – Week ending July 16, 1988 . Cash Box . 21 January 2021.
  13. Adult Contemporary Songs – Year-End 1988 . Billboard . 20 December 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191106184433/https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1988/adult-contemporary-songs . 6 November 2019.
  14. 1988 The Year in Music & Video – Top Black Singles . Billboard . 100 . 52 . 24 December 1988 . Y-23 . 0006-2510 . World Radio History.
  15. Web site: The Cash Box Year-End Charts: 1988 – Top 50 Black Contemporary Singles . Cash Box . 31 December 1988 . 2 June 2022.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Paradise (Sade song)".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.