Sade in Conert
Sade's Albums
On June 28, 2011 I attended a Sade concert in downtown Toronto. The concert featured John Legend, who did an energetic and lively performance at the start of the show. While I love him and think that he's a dynamic performer, I was excitedly awaiting Sade's performance. I've been her fan since the mid nineteen nineties when she released the album, The Best of Sade, of which The Sweetest Taboo, is my all time favourite track.
Rising out of the stage with images of dancers in the background, stepping to the rhythm of her latest hit track Soldier of Love from her 2010 Album of the same name, Sade portrayed an image of splendour. The excitement in the Air Canada Centre was palpable as Sade began her performance. Chills run down my spine just remembering the moment. I could hardly contain my excitement when she performed some of my my favourite songs, such as Your Love is King, Jezebel, Is It A Crime?, The Sweetest Taboo, No Ordinary Love, and Cherish The Day. I was singing along to the words of most of her songs. I hope that I didn't disturb my neighbours' enjoyment of the show.
Sade was born in 1959 as Helen Folasade Adu in Ibadan, Nigeria of mother, Anne Hayes, a British nurse and Bisi Adu, a Nigerian professor. Her exquisitly stunning look is a combination of both parents' features. At fifty two years old, she looks amazing. There is no hint of her deep, raspy speaking voice in her sensual singing voice that drips of sexiness and maturity combined with worldly wisdom. Adorned in hoop earrings and pony tail, her signature look, for the first part of the show, she radiated glamour and poise. She did not look a day older than her picture on the 1994 "Best of Sade" Album cover. Sade is described as reclusive. It's obvious that she guards her privacy; I couldn't find much know about her private life. Other than reading that she was divorced and the mother of a fifteen year old daughter, the focus of her public persona is on her music.
Sade's Body of Work: In 1984 she released the single, Your Love is King; she followed up in 1985 with the Diamond Life Album, which won the British Phonographic Institute Award for Best Album. Diamond Life include such tracks such as Smooth Operator, Hang on to Your Love and the single, Your Love is King. In 1986 Sade released Promise which included hits as The Sweetest Taboo, Is It A Crime?, Jezebel and Never As Good as The First Time. Stronger Than Pride followed in 1988 with hits such as Paradise, Love is Stronger than Pride and Nothing Can Come Between Us. Sade followed up with Love Deluxe Album in 1992 which had favourites such as No Ordinary Love, Cherish the Day, Kiss of Love, Pearls, Immigrants and Slave Song. In 1994 Sade won a Grammy Award for Best R & B Performance by a Duo or Group and released the album; The Best Of Sade. This album contains most of her hits from her four previous albums. Sade didn't release another album until 2000 when she released Lovers Rock which include songs such as By Your Side and King of Sorrow. In 2001 she released Lovers Live, which is a compilation of live performances of her hit tracks like Sweetest Taboo, Jezebel, No Ordinary Love, Is it a Crime? She took a hiatus for about nine years and in 2010 Sade returns with The Soldier of Love Album, which includes songs such as Babyfather, Skin, Long Hard Road and The Safest Place. In 2011 The Ultimate Collection which includes two Cd's of Sade's most of her songs since 1984.
Message of Sade's Music: Sade's music has a sweet, dreamy, melodic and sensual vibe to it. She sings of love, broken heart, parenthood, politics, inequality, racism, survival, struggles to make a living, stereotypes, the redemptive quality of love and life in general. Sade's music deals with every topic imaginable. Here are the lyrics of a few of her songs; read the words to get an idea of the complexities and richness of her words.
Lyrics of Slave Song from the Lovers’ Rock Album
I see them gathered, see them on the shore
I turned to look once more
And he who knows me not
Takes me to the belly of darkness
The tears run swift and hard
And when they fall
Even, even the comfort of a stone
Would be a gain
There was a time when I thought
I would have to give up
But I'm thankful that I'm
Strong as I am and I'll
Try to do the best I can
1 - Tears will run swift
And tears will come that fall like rain
I pray that it's swift though
Tears will fall as cold as pain
I pray to the almighty
Let me not to him do
As he has unto me
Teach my beloved children
Who have been enslaved
To reach for the light continually
So many times I prayed
So many times I've prayed for you
Prayed for you
The tears run swift and hard and cold as pain
Even, even the comfort of a stone would be a gain
Had I not had the strength and wisdom of a warrior
I would have to give up
But I'm thankful that I'm
Strong as I am and I'll
Try to do the best I can
Repeat 1
I pray to the almighty
Let us not do as he has unto us
Teach my beloved children I've been a slave
But reach for the light continually
Wisdom is the flame
Wisdom is the brave warrior
Who will carry us into the sun
I pray that it's swift though
Tears will come that fall like rain
So many times, so many times
Lyrics to Immigrant on the Lovers Rock Album
Dedicated to her father Adu, a Nigerian immigrant living in London
1 - Coming from where he did
He was turned away from every door like Joseph
To even the toughest among us
That would be too much
He didn't know what it was to be black
'Till they gave him his change
But didn't want to touch his hand
To even the toughest among us
That would be too much
2 - Isn't it just enough
How hard it is to live
Isn't it hard enough
Just to make it through a day
The secret of their fear and their suspicion
Standing there looking like an angel
In his brown shoes, his short suit
His white shirt and his cuffs a little frayed
Coming from where he did
He was such a dignified child
To even the toughest among us
That would be too much
Repeat 2
Repeat 1
Lyrics to Pearls from Love Deluze Album
Words: Sade Adu
Music: Sade Adu and Andrew Hale
There is a woman in Somalia
Scraping for pearls on the roadside
There's a force stronger than nature
Keeps her will alive
This is how she's dying
She's dying to survive
Don't know what she's made of
I would like to be that brave
She cries to the heaven above
There is a stone in my heart
She lives a life she didn't choose
And it hurts like brand-new shoes
Hurts like brand-new shoes
There is a woman in Somalia
The sun gives her no mercy
The same sky we lay under
Burns her to the bone
Long as afternoon shadows
It's gonna take her to get home
Each grain carefully wrapped up
Pearls for her little girl
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
She cries to the heaven above
There is a stone in my heart
She lives in a world she didn't choose
And it hurts like brand-new shoes
Hurts like brand-new shoes
Sade’s Jezebel from the Album Promise
Jezebel wasn't born with a silver spoon in her mouth
She probably had less than every one of us
But when she knew how to walk she knew
how to bring the house down
Can't blame her for her beauty
She wins with her hands down
Jezebel, what a belle
Looks like a princess in her new dress
How did you get that?
Do you really want to know she said
It would seem she's on her way
It's more, more than just a dream
She put on her stockings and shoes
had nothing to lose - she said it was worth it
Reach for the top
and the sun is gonna shine
Every winter was a war she said
I want to get what's mine
Jezebel, Jezebel
won't try to deny where she came from
You can see it in her pride
and the raven in her eyes
Try show her a better way
she'll say you don't know what you've been missing
by the time she blinks you know she won't be listening
Reach for the top she said
the sun is gonna shine
Every winter was a war she said
I want to get what's mine
I want to get what's mine
For details of other Venues of Sade's North American tour, check out
