Studio Album · No. 1
Diamond Life Songwriting Credits by Sade
Produced by Robin Millar · Engineered by Mike Pela, Ben Rogan
Epic
Sophisti-PopSmooth SoulQuiet Storm
89%
Authorship
Holds writing credit on 8 of 9 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 8 / 9 documented
Who wrote the songs?
Scored across the 9 tracks with documented writers, by whether Sade carries a lyricist or composer credit.
8 trackswritten by Sade
1 trackoutside writers
Sade's roles on this album
Share of the 9 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
Lyricist89%
Composer89%
Producer0%
Performer100%
By the Numbers
9
Tracks
6
Lyricists
1
Producers
1984
Released
Data Insight
Adu writes eight of the nine lyrics and Stuart Matthewman is on seven of the compositions. The ninth is a Timmy Thomas cover, the only song in the whole catalogue where she wrote no words.
Diamond Life came out on Epic in July 1984, sold over four million copies worldwide and won the Brit Award for Best British Album.
Track Listing & Credits 9 tracks
Written by the artist
Written by outside writers
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Smooth Operator
#5
|
Sade AduRay St. John | Helen Folasade AduRay St. John | Robin Millar | Sade (Performer) |
| 2 |
Your Love Is King
#54
|
Sade AduStuart Matthewman | Helen Folasade AduStuart Matthewman | Robin Millar | Sade (Performer) |
| 3 |
Hang On to Your Love
|
Sade AduStuart Matthewman | Helen Folasade AduStuart Matthewman | Robin Millar | Sade (Performer) |
| 4 |
Frankie's First Affair
|
Sade AduStuart Matthewman | Helen Folasade AduStuart Matthewman | Robin Millar | Sade (Performer) |
| 5 |
When Am I Going to Make a Living
|
Sade AduStuart Matthewman | Helen Folasade AduStuart Matthewman | Robin Millar | Sade (Performer) |
| 6 |
Cherry Pie
|
Sade AduStuart MatthewmanAndrew HalePaul Denman | Helen Folasade AduStuart MatthewmanAndrew HalePaul Denman | Robin Millar | Sade (Performer) |
| 7 |
Sally
|
Sade AduStuart Matthewman | Helen Folasade AduStuart Matthewman | Robin Millar | Sade (Performer) |
| 8 |
I Will Be Your Friend
|
Sade AduStuart Matthewman | Helen Folasade AduStuart Matthewman | Robin Millar | Sade (Performer) |
| 9 |
Why Can't We Live Together
|
Timmy Thomas | Timmy Thomas | Robin Millar | Sade (Performer) |
Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 9 contributors
More from Sade
Frequently Asked Questions Diamond Life
Who wrote Diamond Life?
Sade Adu wrote eight of the nine lyrics, with Stuart Matthewman composing alongside her on most tracks. "Why Can't We Live Together" is Timmy Thomas's and "Smooth Operator" adds Ray St. John.
How high did the singles chart?
"Smooth Operator" reached number 5 on the Hot 100 and "Your Love Is King" number 54.
How did it sell?
Over four million copies worldwide.
Who produced it?
Robin Millar.
Who engineered it?
Mike Pela and Ben Rogan.
Did it win anything?
The Brit Award for Best British Album.
How long is the album?
44:31 across nine tracks.