The story behind Sade's hit song "Cherish the Day"!

The song "Cherish the Day", whose title translates as "Cherish the Day", is the gem of the album Love Deluxe (1992) by the British band Sade. It was released as a single on both sides of the Atlantic. The composition received a warm reception from both listeners and critics...

Sade's music is true magic... Some people use music to confirm their status as intellectuals (jazz, classical and Radiohead fans are known for this). Some people use music to confirm their status as rebels (early rockers, punks, glam rockers). Others seek support from one band or artist to enhance their status by being "different"... We also use music and other art forms to better understand ourselves and the world around us. We can all name songs that expressed what we felt inside but could never fully express. And when this happens while listening to a particular track, we deeply appreciate the artist who gave us this gift... And the charming Shade Adu is exactly that inner voice, those feelings that sooner or later erupt inside each of us... Today we will talk not only about the composition "Cherish the Day", but also about the album Love Deluxe itself, which became the voice of an entire era....

About the song...

Firstly, let's talk about the song itself. "Cherish the Day" is a very touching and heartfelt composition that can take you on a distant musical voyage on the waves of the soul... Shadeh sings:

"Only you can save me
That's my prayer.
If you were mine
If you were mine.

I wouldn't want to go to heaven!
I cherish this day very much
I will not stray from the path of truth.
I will not be afraid...

You won't catch me running!
You control the way I move.
You're taking my air.
You show me how deep love can be..."

It is not without reason that the overwhelming majority of critics have characterised this composition as "soaring..." And indeed it is: the unrivalled Adu sings about finding a love so great that nothing in this life or beyond can compete... "Cherish the Day" is quite a positive, very sincere song: the melody and Shade's stirring voice envelop you, lifting you above the Earth... And it is the vocals that are the centrepiece of the song (although the musical arrangement is no less beautiful...) Adu's lyrics say all that is required of her. And when the ten-note bass line emphasises the depth of feeling over hazy synths, the song becomes perfect and complete... The music video is in elegant black and white: the work of Derek M. Allen shows Shade singing and playing guitar on the roof of a skyscraper in New York... Very atmospheric!

We can rightly say that this particular track is one of the best moments of the album! It's a minimalistic tale of love in which Shadeh fully reveals her strong vocal range... Let's get to the album proper!

About the album...

Absolutely: Shade Adu is incredibly sensual... She is not afraid to express love with passion and emotional honesty. She has presence, beauty... She has a deep social consciousness and understanding of the world around her. And, undeniably, she's hot as hell! As for the album Love Deluxe, it is predominantly personal in nature: it reflects a deep sense of commitment, true love... To understand this, let's take a closer look at the tracks!

When Shade sings "No Ordinary Love" to open the album, she is expressing a great devotion: a devotion that requires no return. That said, Adu has no doubt that she will be returned:

"I have given you more than I could give you: I have given you love.....
I gave you everything I have inside of me,
And you have taken my love: you have taken my love..."

The next song, "Feel No Pain," is a powerful, moving and insightful song about the personal humiliation and social degradation caused by prolonged unemployment. Shade demands that we take responsibility to help people contribute to society by persuading us:

"Don't let them stay home and listen to the blues ...
Love them! Help them!"

Shade returns to the theme of romantic devotion in "I Couldn't Love You More," honestly and directly expressing the sexual aspect of love:

"I wouldn't want to subvert or ever love another..."

The juxtaposition of such a beautiful love song with a song about a war criminal ("Like a Tattoo") is both stunning and captivating: we cannot deny the existence of evil in our world, but neither can we deny the need to manifest the love and desire we feel inside. The genius of Love Deluxe owes much to this woman who refuses to close her eyes to reality or deny herself the pleasure of a romantic connection...

Sade is not only the name of the singer, it is also the name of the band, and what a great group of professionals they represent! The arrangements combine clarity and sensuality, perfectly matched with the unique timbre of Adu's voice. The song that best demonstrates the sensitivity of the arrangements and the professionalism of the musicians is another romantic masterpiece, Kiss of Life.

Listen to the rich combination of Paul Denman on bass and Andrew Hale on piano, softened by the long leaning note of Stuart Matthewman on saxophone just before Shadeh begins her vocals. Then pay attention to the band (hard to do when Shadeh is at the mic!) as they support her emotional expression with subtle touches such as soft pizzicato guitar to express her trembling joy. Most importantly - they never get in the way or drown out her voice... It's brilliant.

"Kiss of Life" is rightfully paired with the equally sensual "Cherish the Day". The first song is about a moment of rebirth through love: the second is about the power of commitment, expressed in the desire to possess ("If you were mine, I wouldn't want to go to heaven") and the desire to be possessed ("You control the way I move"). Shadeh's voice in "Kiss of Life" has shades of the rapture of a girl in love. Her voice in "Cherish the Day" is that of a woman driven by passion.

"Pearls" expresses a level of empathy that is very difficult to achieve...The string arrangement that opens "Pearls" can bring tears, as can the line "She lives in a world she didn't choose" in the last verse.....

"In Somalia, a woman
Scraping pearls on the side of the road
A force stronger than nature
Supports her will.

That's how she dies.
She's dying to survive.
I don't know what it's made of.
I wish I was that brave..."

"Bullet Proof Soul" deals with the risks of love: the person you fall in love with is self-absorbed and views love as a game.

The value of the frustrated lover's experience lies in the reinforcement of his identity: 'I went in like a lamb, but I'm going to leave like a lion'....

Love Deluxe concludes with the dreamy instrumental song Mermaid, allowing us to reflect on the power of music and the message that came before...