The Apple Stretching

"The Apple Stretching"
Single by Grace Jones
from the album Living My Life
B-side "Nipple to the Bottle"
Released October 1982
Format 7", 12"
Genre Reggae
Length 3:33
Label Island
Writer(s) Melvin Van Peebles
Producer(s) Alex Sadkin, Chris Blackwell
Grace Jones singles chronology
"Nipple to the Bottle"
(1982)		 "The Apple Stretching"
(1982)		 "My Jamaican Guy"
(1983)

"The Apple Stretching" is a song by American recording artist Grace Jones, released as a single in 1982.

Background

"The Apple Stretching" was written by Melvin Van Peebles for his 1982 play Waltz of the Stork.[1] The song describes New York City in the early morning. It was included on Jones' sixth album Living My Life and later released as a double A-side single with "Nipple to the Bottle", written by Jones and Sly Dunbar, which also got a separate single release. The original 7-minute song's single edit was just the album version, faded out at 3:33. "The Apple Stretching" was simultaneously released in a 12" version, clocking in at 8:40. It included an omitted (on the album) second verse of the song, where Grace sings together with a bass guitar only along with funky percussion. This version remains unreleased on CD. The song has been described as "the best record ever about New York."[2]

Van Peebles rerecorded a hip-hop oriented version of the song for his 1995 album Ghetto Gothic.[1] and recorded an avant-garde funk jazz version for his album Nahh... Nahh Mofo.[3]

Track listing

A. "The Apple Stretching" – 3:33
B. "Nipple to the Bottle" – 4:22
A. "The Apple Stretching" – 8:40
B. "Nipple to the Bottle" – 6:59

Chart performance

Chart (1982) Peak
position
United Kingdom[8][9] 50

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Bessman, Jim (March 4, 1995). "Capitol's Melvin Van Peebles Issues 1st Album in 20 Years". Billboard 107 (9): 86. ISSN 0006-2510.
  2. ↑ Paul Flynn. "Grace Jones The Apple Stretching The best record ever about New York…". www.dummymag.com. Retrieved 2012-05-24.
  3. ↑ http://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/melvin_van_peebles/nahh___nahh_mofo/
  4. ↑ "Grace Jones - The Apple Stretching (Vinyl) at Discogs". www.discogs.com. Retrieved 2012-01-17.
  5. ↑ "The Apple Stretching by Grace Jones : Reviews and Ratings". rateyourmusic.com. Retrieved 2012-01-17.
  6. ↑ "Grace Jones - The Apple Stretching / Nipple To The Bottle (Vinyl) at Discogs". www.discogs.com. Retrieved 2012-01-17.
  7. ↑ "The Apple Stretching by Grace Jones : Reviews and Ratings". rateyourmusic.com. Retrieved 2012-01-17.
  8. ↑ "Grace Jones - The Apple Stretching/Nipple To The Bottle". www.chartstats.com. Archived from the original on 2012-07-24. Retrieved 2012-01-17.
  9. ↑ "GRACE JONES". www.theofficialcharts.com. Retrieved 2011-02-07.