Private Life: The Compass Point Sessions

Private Life: The Compass Point Sessions is a two disc anthology of recordings by Grace Jones released by Island Records in 1998.

Grace Jones recorded three albums with Sly & Robbie in the legendary Compass Point Studios, Bahamas during the period of 1980-1982; Warm Leatherette, Nightclubbing and Living My Life. Private Life: The Compass Point Sessions contains long and extended version of her hits, although the CD booklet claims that these haven't been issued before, most of them have in fact appeared on numerous CD re-issues around the world. Other tracks were remixed or re-edited by the PolyGram/Universal engineers in 1998 for this particular compilation - this instead of using the many existing long or extended versions by original producers Chris Blackwell and Alex Sadkin that were mixed and released on vinyl in 1980-1982. The track "Living My Life" appears as an edited remix by Paul "Groucho" Smykle - dating from 1986, which the liner notes fail to mention. Another anomaly on The Compass Point Sessions is that it concludes with "Slave To The Rhythm", a track which was recorded in 1985, in London and with British producer Trevor Horn. Also the mix used, here renamed "Hot Blooded Version", is again an alternate 1998 re-mix/re-edit of the original 12" version entitled "Blooded."

This compilation, however, collects what is generally regarded to be Jones' best work and it also offers a well-researched essay and two previously unreleased songs from the Living My Life sessions: "Man Around The House" and a demo recording of Johnny Cash's classic "Ring of Fire."

Track listing

Disc One

1. "Private Life" (Original Long Version) - 6:17
   • Original version appears on 1980 album Warm Leatherette
2. "Private Life" (1998 Dub Re-Edit/Remix) - 8:04
   • Original version appears on 1980 album Warm Leatherette
3. "Love is the Drug" (Original Long Version) - 8:38
   • Original version appears on 1980 album Warm Leatherette
4. "Breakdown" - 5:29
   • From 1980 album Warm Leatherette
5. "Warm Leatherette" (Original Long Version) - 5:35
   • From 1980 album Warm Leatherette
6. "The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game" (Original Long Version) - 6:44
   • From 1980 album Warm Leatherette
7. "I've Done It Again" - 3:50
   • From 1981 album Nightclubbing
8. "Pars" (1998 Re-Edit/Remix) - 5:41
   • Original version appears on 1980 album Warm Leatherette
9. "Pull Up to the Bumper" - 4:33
   • From 1981 album Nightclubbing
10. "Use Me" (1998 Re-Edit/Remix) - 6:10
    • Original version appears on 1981 album Nightclubbing
11. "She's Lost Control" (1998 Re-Edit/Remix) - 8:23
    • Single B-side from the Warm Leatherette sessions, 1980
12. "She's Lost Control" (1998 Dub Re-Edit/Remix) - 8:38
    • Single B-side from the Warm Leatherette sessions, 1980

Disc Two

1. "Walking in the Rain" (1998 Remix/Re-Edit) - 4:27
   • Original version appears on 1981 album Nightclubbing
2. "Cry Now, Laugh Later" - 5:01
   • From 1982 album Living My Life
3. "Nightclubbing" - 5:03
   • From 1981 album Nightclubbing
4. "The Apple Stretching" - 7:05
   • From 1982 album Living My Life
5. "Nipple to the Bottle" (Original UK 12" Version) - 6:53
   • Original version appears on album Living My Life
6. "My Jamaican Guy" (Original US 12" Version) - 7:01
   • Original version appears on album Living My Life
7. "Feel Up" - 4:02
   • From 1981 album Nightclubbing
8. "I've Seen That Face Before (Libertango)" - 4:29
   • From 1981 album Nightclubbing
9. "Demolition Man" (Original Long Version) - 4:56
   • Original version appears on 1981 album Nightclubbing
10. "Unlimited Capacity for Love" - 5:44
    • From 1982 album Living My Life
11. "Ring of Fire" (Demo) - 3:56
    • Demo from the 1982 Living My Life sessions
12. "Man Around the House" - 4:12
    • Demo from the 1982 Living My Life sessions
13. "Living My Life" (1986 7" Remix Edit) - 3:31
    • Non-album track from the 1982 Living My Life sessions
14. "Slave to the Rhythm" (1998 "Hot Blooded Version") - 8:18
    • Original version appears on 1985 album Slave to the Rhythm