Diamonds for Breakfast

Diamonds for Breakfast is the fourth studio album by French singer Amanda Lear, released in 1980 by the West German label Ariola Records. The album turned out a commercial success and spawned two European hit singles, "Fabulous (Lover, Love Me)" and "Diamonds".

For the 1968 film, see Diamonds for Breakfast (film).
Diamonds for Breakfast
Studio album by
Amanda Lear
Released1980
GenrePop rock, disco
Length39:15
LanguageEnglish, Italian
LabelAriola
ProducerAnthony Monn
Amanda Lear chronology
Never Trust a Pretty Face
(1979)		 Diamonds for Breakfast
(1980)		 Incognito
(1981)

Background

The recording of the album commenced in 1979 in Munich, Germany. Again, Amanda wrote almost all the lyrics and worked with German producer and composer Anthony Monn. However, as a result of changing trends in the industry and Amanda's personal musical preferences, the album shifted from straightforward disco music towards pop rock, and Lear herself renounced her affiliation with disco and the "disco queen" image.[1] The singer explained the title Diamonds for Breakfast in the liner notes, comparing diamonds to "every tear, every frustration, every heartache (...). Good and bad experiences, pleasure and pain". She went on to say she pities "people without feelings, they don't have diamonds for breakfast".[2]

The album cover portrait of Lear, with Tiffany-designed diamond tears running down her cheek, is notable in the history of art and design as it was one of the first major assignments for French photographers Pierre et Gilles.[3][4]

"Fabulous (Lover, Love Me)", released as the lead single in 1979, was a Top 10 hit in Sweden and a minor chart success in Germany. The second single, "Diamonds", was commercially successful as well, performing best in Norway, where it reached the Top 10. Three more singles were selected for different territories: "When" was released in Sweden, "Ho fatto l'amore con me" in Italy and France, and "Japan" was chosen for the Japanese market.

The Italian pressing of Diamonds for Breakfast included Italian language versions of "Insomnia" and "When", the former featuring guest vocals by Amanda's husband Alain-Philippe Malagnac d'Argens de Villèle. The album was met with a commercial success. It was Lear's breakthrough album in the Scandinavia, placing within the Top 10 in Sweden and Norway. However, it reported disappointing sales in Germany, her biggest market up to that point, charting outside the Top 40.

The rights to the Ariola-Eurodisc back catalogue are currently held by Sony BMG. Like most of Amanda's albums from the Ariola Records era, Diamonds for Breakfast has not received the official CD re-issue, excluding Russian bootleg re-releases.

Track listing

Standard edition
Side A
  1. "Rockin' Rollin' (I Hear You Nagging)" (Anthony Monn, Amanda Lear) – 3:05
  2. "I Need a Man" (Anthony Monn, Dieter Kawohl, Amanda Lear) – 3:40
  3. "It's a Better Life" (Anthony Monn, Amanda Lear) – 4:30
  4. "Oh Boy" (Anthony Monn, Amanda Lear) – 4:30
  5. "Insomnia" (Charly Ricanek, Amanda Lear) – 3:15
Side B
  1. "Diamonds" (Anthony Monn, Amanda Lear) – 4:55
  2. "Japan" (Anthony Monn, Amanda Lear) – 3:15
  3. "Fabulous (Lover, Love Me)" (Rainer Pietsch, Amanda Lear) – 5:25
  4. "Ho fatto l'amore con me" (Cristiano Malgioglio) – 3:15
  5. "When" (Rainer Pietsch, Anthony Monn, Amanda Lear) – 3:25

Italian edition
Side A
  1. "Rockin' Rollin' (I Hear You Nagging)" (Anthony Monn, Amanda Lear) – 3:05
  2. "I Need a Man" (Anthony Monn, Dieter Kawohl, Amanda Lear) – 3:40
  3. "It's a Better Life" (Anthony Monn, Amanda Lear) – 4:30
  4. "Oh Boy" (Anthony Monn, Amanda Lear) – 4:30
  5. "Insomnia" (Charly Ricanek, Amanda Lear) – 3:15
Side B
  1. "Ciao" (Rainer Pietsch, Anthony Monn, Amanda Lear) – 3:25
  2. "Ho fatto l'amore con me" (Cristiano Malgioglio, Maria Antonietta Sisini, Giuni Russo) – 3:15
  3. "Diamonds" (Anthony Monn, Amanda Lear) – 4:55
  4. "Japan" (Anthony Monn, Amanda Lear) – 3:15
  5. "Fabulous (Lover, Love Me)" (Rainer Pietsch, Amanda Lear) – 5:25

Personnel
  • Amanda Lear – lead vocals
  • Mats Björklund – bass guitar
  • Frank (Bolzi) von dem Bottlenberg – engineer
  • Lance Dixon – keyboards
  • Dave Dowle – drums
  • Wolly Emperhoff – backing vocals
  • Jürgen Fritz – keyboards
  • Martin Harrison – drums
  • Les Hurdle – bass guitar
  • Herbert Ihle – backing vocals
  • Renate Mauer – backing vocals
  • Anthony Monn – record producer, synthesizer, backing vocals
  • Pierre et Gilles – artwork
  • Rainer Pietsch – arranger, backing vocals
  • Edith Prock – backing vocals
  • Charly Ricanek – arranger, keyboards, synthesizer
  • Claudia Schwarz – backing vocals
  • Gary Unwin – bass guitar
  • Gitta Walther – backing vocals

Chart performance
Chart (1980) Peak
position
Austria[5] 11
Germany[6] 43
Norway[7] 10
Sweden[8] 4

Release history
Year Region Format(s) Label
1980 Italy LP, cassette RCA Victor
Germany Ariola Records
Spain LP
Sweden
United Kingdom
Australia
Canada Quality Records
France Arabella
Portugal PolyGram
Greece Epic Records
Yugoslavia PGP-RTB
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References
  1. "International dateline" (PDF). Cashbox. Vol. XLII no. 4. 1980-06-07. p. 37. Retrieved 2019-07-08.
  2. "Images for Amanda Lear - Diamonds For Breakfast". Discogs. www.discogs.com. Retrieved 2013-12-17.
  3. "Pierre & Gilles, artistes sélectionnés pour la galerie virtuelle sur "La Chair et Dieu"" (in French). www.artistes-en-dialogue.org. Retrieved 2013-12-17.
  4. Joanna Kuc (2010-05-16). "Pierre et Gilles: męskie ciało to dzieło sztuki" (in Polish). stacjakultura.pl. Archived from the original on 2013-12-19. Retrieved 2013-12-17.
  5. "Discographie Amanda Lear" (in German). austriancharts.at. Retrieved 2009-09-23.
  6. "Amanda Lear, Diamonds For Breakfast" (in German). www.offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 2013-04-04.
  7. "Discography Amanda Lear". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 2009-10-08.
  8. "Discography Amanda Lear". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 2009-10-08.
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