1996 (Shirley Bassey recorded and released an excellent cover of the hip/hop song hit by Grace Jones, 'Slave To the Rhythm' on her 1996 CD titled, 'Shirley Bassey-The Show Must Go On.' With her unsurpassed vocal pipes, Dame Shirley is has been able to cover a wide genre of music in her 60 year long career, and counting. When people approach Shirley with a new song, it usually goes something like this: Shirley, will you record this song, even though it is a different genre that you usually record? I'm not sure if I can, but, sure, I'll give it a go....and so she does....and it is good, very good! Shirley's arrangement is different, however, so she can add some high-fidelity vocals, and as a result she places her own stamp on this great song.
LYRICS:Work all day as men who know
Wheels must turn to keep the flow
Build on up, don't break the chain
Sparks will fly when the whistle blows
Never stop the action - keep it up (keep it up)
Never stop the action - keep it up (keep it up)
Work to the rhythm, live to the rhythm
Love to the rhythm, slave to the rhythm
Axe to wood in ancient times
Man machine, power line
Fires burn, hearts beat strong
Sing out loud the chain gang song
Never stop the action - keep it up (keep it up)
Never stop the action - keep it up (keep it up)
Breathe to the rhythm, dance to the rhythm
Work to the rhythm, live to the rhythm
Love to the rhythm, be slave the rhythm
This is my life, and I am what I am
Slave to the rhythm, and you walk to the rhythm
Love to the rhythm, slave to the rhythm
Love to the rhythm, be a slave to the rhythm
(keep it up, keep it up, keep it up, keep it up)
ABOUT this song:
"Slave to the Rhythm" was the first single from Grace Jones' album of the same name, which was released in 1985. The song and the album were written by Bruce Woolley, Simon Darlow, Stephen Lipson and Trevor Horn and produced by Horn. This was Grace's first album in three years, and it contained eight variations of the same song (the single's B-side is another variation, yet to be released on CD). "Slave to the Rhythm" was originally intended for Frankie Goes to Hollywood as a follow-up to their hit debut single "Relax". The song was assembled and produced by Horn after "Two Tribes", but the project was given to Jones. Paul Morley says Horn worked on the song endlessly and had hoped it would become one of his biggest and most successful creations.
The song's ly
