The Language of Life

The Language of Life
Studio album by Everything but the Girl
Released February 20, 1990
Recorded 1989, Schnee Studio, Sunset Sound, Ocean Way Recording, Los Angeles
Genre Alternative rock, sophisti-pop, blue-eyed soul
Length 41:08
Label Atlantic
Producer Tommy LiPuma
Everything but the Girl chronology

Idlewild
(1988)		 The Language of Life
(1990)		 Worldwide
(1991)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [1]

The Language of Life is the fifth album by Everything but the Girl, released on February 20, 1990.

The cover shot was by Nick Knight.[2]

Tommy LiPuma had previously worked with artists like Miles Davis, Horace Silver, Randy Newman, and George Benson and had contributed production to Aztec Camera's Love album, 1987. He had expressed an interest in producing Everything but the Girl and Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt, feeling that they had lost their place within the UK music scene, contacted him and asked him if he wanted to hear some demos. He invited them to New York, and then to LA.

Song arrangements were written by Larry Williams and Jerry Hey. The band LiPuma put together included Omar Hakim on drums, John Patitucci on bass and Larry Williams on keyboards. Ben Watt played guitar and piano, as well as doing some singing. Tracey Thorn sang only. LiPuma produced, in Thorn's words, "a fully realised, immaculately performed and produced modern American soul-pop record." [3]

Track listing

All tracks composed by Ben Watt; except where indicated

  1. "Driving" - 3:57
  2. "Get Back Together" - 3:55
  3. "Meet Me in the Morning" (Watt, Tracey Thorn) - 3:49
  4. "Me and Bobby D" (Watt, Tracey Thorn) - 4:09
  5. "The Language of Life" (Watt, Tracey Thorn) - 4:01
  6. "Take Me" (Cecil Womack, Linda Womack) - 4:08
  7. "Imagining America" - 4:58
  8. "Letting Love Go" - 4:45
  9. "My Baby Don't Love Me" - 3:40
  10. "The Road" - 3:46


Track listing for 2013 Edsel Remaster

Disc: 1

  1. "Driving"
  2. "Get Back Together"
  3. "Meet Me In The Morning"
  4. "Me And Bobby D"
  5. "The Language Of Life"
  6. "Take Me"
  7. "Imagining America"
  8. "Letting Love Go"
  9. "My Baby Don't Love Me"
  10. "The Road"
  11. "Driving" [Masters At Work Racing Mix]
  12. "Driving" [Underdog Vocal Remix]
  13. "Take Me" [Clifton Mix]
  14. "Take Me" [Clifton Mix Instrumental]
  15. "Take Me" [Lee Hamblin Remix]
  16. "Take Me" [Lee Hamblin Love Mix]

Disc: 2

  1. "Downtown Train"
  2. "Driving" [acoustic]
  3. "Imagining America" [home demo]
  4. "Driving" [home demo]
  5. "The Road" [New York live demo]
  6. "Meet Me In The Morning" [New York live demo]
  7. "Will The Roof Fall In?" [home demo]
  8. "Meet Me In The Morning" [live]
  9. "The Road" [live]
  10. "Driving" [live]
  11. "Me And Bobby D" [live]
  12. "Imagining America" [live]
  13. "The Language of Life" [live]
  14. "Letting Love Go" [Michael Brecker final solo and alternatives]
  15. "Driving" [Michael Brecker final Main solo and alternatives, rough mixes]
  16. "Driving" [Michael Brecker final Outro solo and alternative, rough mixes]
  17. "The Road" [Stan Getz alternate whole take, rough mixes]


Personnel

References

  1. ↑ Ruhlmann, William. The Language of Life at AllMusic
  2. ↑ Sleeve notes CD 229246260-2 blanco y negro
  3. ↑ Tracey Thorn, Bedsit Disco Queen, pp.213-219