She's the Boss
She's the Boss is the debut solo album debut by The Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger released in 1985. When the Stones signed with CBS Records in 1983, one of the options available to them was for individual projects, and Jagger eagerly began working on She's the Boss.
She's the Boss | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 19 February 1985 | |||
Recorded | May–November 1984 | |||
Studio | Compass Point Studios, Nassau, Bahamas | |||
Genre | Dance-rock[1] | |||
Length | 43:09 | |||
Language | English | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Producer | Mick Jagger, Bill Laswell, Nile Rodgers | |||
Mick Jagger chronology | ||||
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Singles from She's the Boss | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | |
Robert Christgau | C[2] |
Rolling Stone |
Background
Following the release of Undercover, Jagger began composing material for his first solo project, sanctioning the help of various musician friends in the studio when recording began in May 1984. Of those involved were Pete Townshend, Jeff Beck, Carlos Alomar, Herbie Hancock and the Compass Point Allstars, while Jagger would share production duties with Bill Laswell and Nile Rodgers.
Keith Richards, Jagger's longtime musical partner in the Rolling Stones, was not pleased that Jagger was pursuing solo work, feeling that their band should be each other's first priority; in particular Richards was upset that in 1983 Jagger had piggy-backed a three album solo deal with CBS on the multi-million Stones deal without informing any of the Stones.[3] The growing friction between both musicians would erupt publicly in 1986 before they resolved their differences a couple of years later. In his 2010 memoir Life Richards commented "It's like Mein Kampf. Everybody had a copy, but nobody listened to it."[4][3]
She's the Boss was released in February 1985 – preceded by its lead song "Just Another Night". Both the album and its first single became worldwide hits, with "Just Another Night" reaching No. 1 on the US Mainstream Rock chart and No. 12 on the US pop chart, and She's the Boss going to No. 6 in the UK and No. 13 in the US, where it went platinum.
The follow-up single "Lucky in Love" would be a Top 40 US hit. The single version (which was also released on video) has been remixed considerably from the album version. The single version is 4:51 long.
The version of "Hard Woman" released as a single (with an accompanying video) is radically different from the album version. The single is titled "Hard Woman (New Version)". The video for "Hard Woman" extensively utilised a Cray X-MP supercomputer for its animation,[5] making it one of the most expensive music videos made to that point in time.
The success of the album – impacted by Jagger's solo appearance at Live Aid that July and his rush-recorded duet hit cover of "Dancing in the Street" with David Bowie — influenced Jagger to record a successor, Primitive Cool, which would be released in 1987.
Although originally released by CBS, She's the Boss was acquired and reissued by Atlantic Records in 1993 following the release of Jagger's third album, Wandering Spirit.
In 1986, Jamaican reggae singer Patrick Alley attempted to sue Jagger over the song "Just Another Night," which Alley claims he had recorded in 1979 and released on his 1982 album, A Touch of Patrick Alley. Alley claimed that Sly Dunbar (who played drums on She's the Boss) also played on his recording. The case was cleared in 1988, with Jagger stating "My reputation is really cleared. If you're well known, people stand up and take shots at you."[6]
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Lonely at the Top" | Mick Jagger, Keith Richards | 3:47 |
2. | "1/2 a Loaf" | Jagger | 4:59 |
3. | "Running Out of Luck" | Jagger | 4:15 |
4. | "Turn the Girl Loose" | Jagger | 3:53 |
5. | "Hard Woman" | Jagger | 4:24 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
6. | "Just Another Night" | Jagger | 5:15 |
7. | "Lucky in Love" | Jagger, Carlos Alomar | 6:13 |
8. | "Secrets" | Jagger | 5:02 |
9. | "She's the Boss" | Jagger, Alomar | 5:15 |
Total length: | 43:09 |
Personnel
Musicians
- Mick Jagger – vocals, backing vocals, harmonica
- Wally Badarou – synthesizer (7, 9) on "Lucky in Love" and "She's the Boss"
- Jeff Beck – guitar
- Paul Buckmaster – strings arrangement and conductor (5) on "Hard Woman"
- John Bundrick – synthesizer on (6) "Just Another Night"
- Ray Cooper – percussion on (7) "Lucky in Love", congas on (9) "She's the Boss"
- Aïyb Dieng – shaker on (6) "Just Another Night", water drums on (7) "Lucky in Love"
- Sly Dunbar – drums on (3, 6, 7, 9)"Running Out of Luck", "Just Another Night", "Lucky in Love" and "She's the Boss"
- Bernard Edwards – bass guitar on (2, 4, 8) "1/2 a Loaf", "Turn the Girl Loose" and "Secrets"
- Steve Ferrone – drums on (2) "1/2 a Loaf"
- Anton Fier – programming, electronic drums on (6) "Just Another Night", percussion on (9)"She's the Boss"
- Anton Fig – drums on (4, 8) "Turn the Girl Loose" and "Secrets"
- Guy Fletcher – synthesizer on (1, 7, 9) "Lonely at the Top", "Lucky in Love" and "She's the Boss"
- Bernard Fowler – backing vocals on (1, 7, 9) "Lonely at the Top", "Lucky in Love" and "She's the Boss"
- Jan Hammer – piano on (5) "Hard Woman"
- Herbie Hancock – Hammond organ on (1) "Lonely at the Top", synthesizer on (3, 4, 7) "Running Out of Luck", "Turn the Girl Loose" and "Lucky in Love"
- Colin Hodgkinson – bass guitar on (5) "Hard Woman"
- Bill Laswell – bass guitar, synthesizer on (6) "Just Another Night"
- Chuck Leavell – Hammond organ on (7, 9)"Lucky in Love" and "She's the Boss"
- Ron Magness – synthesizer on (6) "Just Another Night"
- Eddie Martinez – lead guitar on (2) "1/2 a Loaf", guitar on (1, 3, 9) "Lonely at the Top", "Running Out of Luck" and "She's the Boss"
- Alfa Anderson – ladies rap on (4) "Turn the Girl Loose"
- Lenny Pickett – baritone saxophone on (4) "Turn the Girl Loose"
- Daniel Ponce – bata drum on (3) "Running Out of Luck"
- Nile Rodgers – guitar on (2, 8) "1/2 a Loaf" and "Secrets"
- Robert Sabino – keyboards, piano, synthesizer on (2, 8) "1/2 a Loaf" and "Secrets"
- Robbie Shakespeare – bass guitar on (3, 6, 7, 9) "Running Out of Luck", "Just Another Night", Lucky in Love" and "She's the Boss"
- Michael Shrieve – drums on (1) "Lonely at the Top"
- G. E. Smith – lead guitar on (8) "Secrets"
- Tony Thompson – drums on (5) "Hard Woman"
- Fonzi Thornton – backing vocals on (2) "1/2 a Loaf"
- Pete Townshend – guitar on (1)"Lonely at the Top", acoustic guitar on (5) "Hard Woman"
Production
- Mick Jagger – producer
- Bill Laswell/Material – producer
- Nile Rodgers – producer on "1/2 a Loaf", "Turn the Girl Loose" and "Secrets"
- James Farber – engineer
- Dave Jerden – engineer
- Bill Scheniman – engineer
- Peter Corriston – art direction, design
- Erica Lennard – photography
Charts
Weekly charts
Year | Chart | Position |
---|---|---|
1985 | UK Top 100 Albums | 6 |
1985 | The Billboard 200 | 13 |
Singles
Year | Single | Chart | Position |
---|---|---|---|
1985 | "Just Another Night" | UK Top 100 Singles | 32[7] |
1985 | "Just Another Night" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 1[8] |
1985 | "Just Another Night" | Billboard Hot 100 | 12[8] |
1985 | "Just Another Night" | Hot Dance Music/Club Play | 11[8] |
1985 | "Just Another Night" | Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales | 20 |
1985 | "Just Another Night" | Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles & Tracks | 83[8] |
1985 | "Lonely at the Top" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 9[8] |
1985 | "Lucky in Love" | UK Top 100 Singles | 91 |
1985 | "Lucky in Love" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 5[8] |
1985 | "Lucky in Love" | The Billboard Hot 100 | 38[9] |
1985 | "Lucky in Love" | Hot Dance Music/Club Play | 11[8] |
1985 | "Lucky in Love" | Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales | 35 |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[10] | Platinum | 70,000^ |
Canada (Music Canada)[11] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
Germany (BVMI)[12] | Gold | 250,000^ |
New Zealand (RMNZ)[13] | Platinum | 15,000^ |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[14] | Gold | 25,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[15] | Silver | 60,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[16] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
*sales figures based on certification alone |
References
- Tucker, Ken (24 February 1985). "Jagger wanted to create strong rock solo record". Boca Raton News. p. 12B.
Working with producers Bill Laswell and Nile Rodgers, Jagger created an album with a bright, up-to-the-minute, dance-rock sound.
- Christgau, Robert (30 April 1985). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. New York: VV Publishing Corporation. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
- Richards, Keith (2011). Life. Phoenix. pp. 513–518. ISBN 978-0-7538-2661-4.
- Corliss, Richard (26 October 2010). "The Rolling Stones Guitarist Keith Richards' 'Life' Autobiography". TIME. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
- "Computer as 'Artist' Captures the Imagination". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. 2 March 1986. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
- "U.S. Jury Says Jagger Did Not Steal Hit Song". New York Times. 27 April 1988. Retrieved 17 March 2012.
- "Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com.
- "Mick Jagger". Billboard.
- "Mick Jagger". billboard.com.
- "International - Mick's Picks" (PDF). Billboard. 5 November 1988. p. 63. Retrieved 30 January 2020 – via American Radio History.
- "Canadian album certifications – Mick Jagger – She's the Boss". Music Canada. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
- "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Mick Jagger; 'She's the Boss')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
- "New Zealand album certifications – Mick Jagger – She's the Boss". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
- "Gold & Platinum Awards 1987" (PDF). Music and Media. American Radio History Archive. 26 December 1987. p. 46. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
- "British album certifications – Mick Jagger – She's the Boss". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 20 August 2019. Select albums in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type She's the Boss in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
- "American album certifications – Mick Jagger – She's the Boss". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 20 August 2019. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.