Life In One Day
Encyclopedia
The third single
from Howard Jones
' 1985 album Dream Into Action
, "Life in One Day" was another uptempo number, which lyrically warned against wishing one's life away. It reached number 14 in the UK Singles Chart
, and number 19 on the United States
Billboard Hot 100
.
The 12" version featured a pair of remixes of the lead track which were more obviously different in structure from the original than was the norm on Jones' previous releases. Part One was a vocal mix, and Part Two a largely instrumental dub mix
.
The UK B side, "Boom Bap Respite", a piano instrumental, was not included in the US release. Instead the song was coupled with "Learning How to Love", a song previously available the UK on the single "Look Mama
".
7" Limited Edition
7" (US Single)
Released as a twinpack in a gatefold sleeve
.
12"
who contributed backing vocals on the original, performed "Life in One Day" in an a cappella
style live at the Shaftsbury Theatre in London
as part of a series of music/alternative comedy shows held in April 1986 by the charity Comic Relief. A recording of this performance was issued later on the album Utterly Utterly Live.
Played by Jones on grand piano accompanied only by a percussionist, the song appeared on the 1996 album Live Acoustic America
.
An entirely re-recorded version featuring Jones' touring band at the time was included on the limited edition 2000 studio album Pefawm.
Another live rendition appeared on the 2007 album, Live in Birkenhead, this time performed on piano and guitar.
. It featured Jones in a variety of roles, sometimes so heavily disguised as to be barely recognizable. It parodied
a variety of television adverts and programmes in a series of vignettes, interrupted by visual effects simulating poor television reception and other similar faults.
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
from Howard Jones
Howard Jones (musician)
Howard Jones is a musician, singer and songwriter. According to the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums, "Jones is an accomplished singer-songwriter who was a regular chart visitor in the mid 1980s with his brand of synthpop. Jones, who was equally popular in the U.S., appeared at Live...
' 1985 album Dream Into Action
Dream into Action
Dream into Action is the second album by British pop musician Howard Jones. It was released in March 1985 and reached No.2 in the UK Album Charts...
, "Life in One Day" was another uptempo number, which lyrically warned against wishing one's life away. It reached number 14 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, and number 19 on the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
.
The 12" version featured a pair of remixes of the lead track which were more obviously different in structure from the original than was the norm on Jones' previous releases. Part One was a vocal mix, and Part Two a largely instrumental dub mix
Dub music
Dub is a genre of music which grew out of reggae music in the 1960s, and is commonly considered a subgenre, though it has developed to extend beyond the scope of reggae...
.
The UK B side, "Boom Bap Respite", a piano instrumental, was not included in the US release. Instead the song was coupled with "Learning How to Love", a song previously available the UK on the single "Look Mama
Look Mama
Released as the second single from Howard Jones' 1985 album Dream Into Action, "Look Mama" reached #10 in the UK Singles Chart. It was not released as a single in the US, but a different mix to those issued in the UK was included on the US-only remix album Action Replay.The introduction to the...
".
Track listing
7"- "Life in One Day" - 3:40
- "Boom Bap Respite" - 2:48
7" Limited Edition
- "Life in One Day" - 3:40
- "Boom Bap Respite" - 2:48
- "Always Asking Questions (Live at the Manchester Apollo)"
- "New Song (Live at the Manchester Apollo)"
7" (US Single)
- "Life in One Day"
- "Learning How To Love"
Released as a twinpack in a gatefold sleeve
Gatefold
A gatefold is a type of fold used for advertising around a magazine or section, and for packaging of media such as vinyl records.- LP covers :...
.
12"
- "Life in One Day (Part One)" - 6:48
- "Life in One Day (Part Two)" - 7:10
- "Boom Bap Respite" - 2:48
Other versions
Jones, along with AfrodiziakAfrodiziak
Afrodiziak was the collective name used by the British singers Caron Wheeler and Claudia Fontaine in the mid-to-late 1980s. As a duo, they were best known for performing backup vocals on Elvis Costello's 1983 album Punch the Clock, especially its single, the international hit "Everyday I Write the...
who contributed backing vocals on the original, performed "Life in One Day" in an a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
style live at the Shaftsbury Theatre in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
as part of a series of music/alternative comedy shows held in April 1986 by the charity Comic Relief. A recording of this performance was issued later on the album Utterly Utterly Live.
Played by Jones on grand piano accompanied only by a percussionist, the song appeared on the 1996 album Live Acoustic America
Live Acoustic America
Live Acoustic America is an acoustic live recording of classic Howard Jones songs, released in 1996.-Track listing:#"Intro/Pearl in the Shell" - 3:44#"Don't Always Look At The Rain" - 2:56#"Fallin' Away" - 4:25#"Exodus/Come Together" - 5:29...
.
An entirely re-recorded version featuring Jones' touring band at the time was included on the limited edition 2000 studio album Pefawm.
Another live rendition appeared on the 2007 album, Live in Birkenhead, this time performed on piano and guitar.
Video
A promotional video to accompany the song was produced by Godley & CremeGodley & Creme
Godley & Creme were an English pop music duo composed of Kevin Godley and Lol Creme. The pair began releasing albums as a duo after splitting from the pop band 10cc. In 1979 they directed their first music video for their own single "An Englishman in New York"...
. It featured Jones in a variety of roles, sometimes so heavily disguised as to be barely recognizable. It parodied
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
a variety of television adverts and programmes in a series of vignettes, interrupted by visual effects simulating poor television reception and other similar faults.
External links
- The Official Howard Jones Website Discography
- Utterly Utterly Live Comic Relief album tracklisting, cast and production credits
- [ Allmusic.com - Life In One Day]
- Everyhit.com Top 40 singles artist search