Sade – Diamond Life

Debut album, released in the UK 16 July 1984 (LP/MC), 5 Nov 1984 (CD), in Canada the last week of January 1985, and in the US 27 Feb 1985; reached #2 in the UK album chart, #5 in Canada\s RPM 100 Singles chart, and #5 in the US Billboard 200 chart.M

Singles:
Your Love Is King (13 Feb '84 UK / Jun '85 US) UK #6 / US #54
When Am I Going To Make A Living (14 May '84 UK / no US release) UK #36
Smooth Operator (28 Aug '84 UK / Feb '85 US) UK #19 / US #5
Hang On To Your Love (Nov '84 US / Dec '84 Europe & Canada) US Black #14 / NL #18

Diamond Life Video (1985)

Two different studio recordings exist of "Smooth Operator." The first was released on the 12" of Sade's first single "Your Love Is King" in Feb 1984, as a medley with the instrumental "Snake Bite." This medley appears on Western European and Japanese cassette versions of the album, and also on Australian LP's. Some initial North American copies feature an edit of the first recording of "Operator" (alone). The second recording was released as A-side single ("Smooth Operator") a month after the album. Again, on 12" the track is a medley, but with another instrumental, "Red Eye." The most common album version is an edit of the second recording ("Operator" alone). The two versions can be told apart by saxophone appearing right before the first verse ("Diamond life, lover boy...") on the second version, whereas the first version has no saxophone there.

The cassettes with "Smooth Operator"/"Snake Bite" also add "Love Affair With Life" (all from "Your Love Is King").