The Effortless Quiet Storm Cool of SADE & "Smooth Operator" | New British Canon
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Published 2021-11-05
Britain is not known for its soul music. But in the 1980s there was a nostalgic wave of British acts that were enthralled by the sound: Phil Collins was covering the Supremes, Soft Cell and Dexys Midnight Runners were in love with obscure R&B 45s and there was an influx of white-fronted plastic soul groups like Spandau Ballet, ABC and late era Roxy Music. But adding some legitimacy and heat to the mix was Sade. Their debut album Diamond Life defined the 80s for many, its warm sensuality the soundtrack for many an intimate moment, while singles like “Your Love Is King,” “When am I Going to Make a Living?” and “The Sweetest Taboo” quiet-stormed the charts. But who was this band? This is New British Canon and this is the story of “Smooth Operator.”
#Sade #QuietStorm #MusicDocumentary
This video is sponsored by Surfshark.
Fact-checking by Serenity Autumn.
Soundtrack
Luar - Citrine (soundcloud.com/luarbeats)
B-Side - Pen Unubis
Jesse Gallagher - The Golden Present
Luar - Anchor (soundcloud.com/luarbeats)
00:00 Introduction
02:10 Pride & The Origins of Sade The Band
07:05 Writing & Recording Diamond Life
12:14 "There's a Quiet Storm..."
17:16 "I'm Not Very Good at the Business of Being a Pop Star"
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All Comments (21)
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What is your favourite Sade track? You more into "Is It a Crime?" or "By Your Side?" Comment down below! Trash Theory playlists - Spotify: tinyurl.com/yxp32pjf Deezer: tinyurl.com/y2mdp8h2 Also if you want to access the Grunge playlist, here's my patreon link: patreon.com/trashtheory
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Really speaks to Sade as a person that her band mates speak so highly of her. Too often you see the backing band get salty at how the lead got all the fame but they're out there saying she doesn't get enough credit. Pretty cool
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Sade continues to prove that less is more, especially if you actually have talent. She doesn't seek the spotlight, and disappears in between projects, living a private life. Whenever she DOES appear, it's all about her music.
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"Is It a Crime?" is the one song that should've been a huge hit and wasn't. I remember them performing this on "Saturday Night Live" and being blown away.
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I'm a "No Ordinary Love" man, myself. I could listen to that groove and her gorgeous voice all day, and that's not even getting into the great lyrics. Just a perfect jam.
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I remember buying Diamond Life and my classmates making fun of me. After a while everybody came to me asking for borrowing, but I never gave the album away. I had to listen to it at least one time a week. One of just a handful of albums I have a really personal relation to it. Greetings from Germany :)
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I’ve heard from people in the UK that Sade isn’t said to be as impactful as she’s/they’ve been in America, which is surprising. Sade is literally beloved by the black community here in America - as evidenced from the references she inspires for rappers and R&B artist alike. I don’t know anyone black who didn’t grow up hearing Sade being played lol
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The U.S. population is 0.4% to 0.6% higher today than it would be if Sadé never made music.
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Stunning woman, stunning artist. Class act.
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Sade even now is utterly amazing. The old albums are still so fresh and nothing like it to this day. I will never tire of hearing safes amazing voice
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As an 80s child, she helped define that era in my mind. I loved her then and still do!
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If you’d never said it, I would have never noticed their music was much less technically sophisticated than it sounds like. Goes to show how impeccable taste and efficiency they had in the use of their means. I’ll take a perfect Sade mood for every ten overly complicated jazz noodling.
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I have travelled the world and, at 56, I have found Sade fans everywhere; from young sommeliers in Portugal, to old Jazz lovers in Japan. She is loved everywhere.
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I was waiting for this video. Sade was and continues to be a slick act. Their influence on contemporary R&B, soul, and I would also say trip hop is absolutely astounding. I hope to give their catalogue a deep dive one day. It’s an act that deserves to canonizes on the same level of 80’s British legends like Joy Division, the Cure, and Duran Duran.
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I remember, here in the states, listening to Sade on the “quiet storm” station. Every time I heard her, I couldn’t turn it off. As good as any soul from the US.
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“Cherish the day” is just so beautiful and therapeutic to sing 🎤
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Best concert of my life....September 14, 2001 in Denver.....3 days after 9/11. It was a weird vibe, but at that moment in time we all needed her quiet cool, calm and sophistication. Always been a huge fan.
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If I can only pick one song, Jezebel would be it. The brilliance of Sade was that she is able to write dark, complex and melancholic music, and somehow pulled it off without being a run of mill pop act, nor having to be an Edgelord metal, or punk band.
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Starting at 12:53 there's an interesting insight into the mentality of the UK music press and the enduring influence of the old class system in public attitudes. It apparently wasn't acceptable for Sade to simply have a different sound and look; people seemed to have had a need to slot the band into a particular place in the class system. Very strange behaviour when viewed from abroad.
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The band themselves are great musicians and her voice just elevates the vibe
