"The Glamorous Life" is a song written by Prince, recorded by singer/percussionist Sheila E. and produced by both. The song has lyrics which reflect a cynicism for the decadence and materialism of the song's protagonist, referred to in the third person, who "wants to lead a glamorous life", although she is aware that "without love, it ain't much".
Song history
"The Glamorous Life" is the title track and closing song on Sheila E.'s debut solo album, and reached number 7 on the U.S. pop charts, as well as number 1 on the U.S. dance charts, and earned two Grammy Award nominations and three MTV Award nominations. Sheila E.'s live performances of the song became memorable events, most notably for her percussion solo towards the end of the song. Depending on the occasion, she would either spin around several times while drumming without missing a beat during the rigorous solo, place one highly elevated foot on a snare while standing on the other leg mid-solo, or perform with glow-in-the-dark drumsticks. While the solo featured in the song helped to bolster Sheila E.'s fame, all subsequent versions of this song have no drum solo. She performed this song as part of Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band during their 2001, 2003 and 2006 tours. In 2019, the original Prince demo of the song was released on his posthumous album "Originals".
"The Glamorous Life" was covered by Australian actress/singer Melissa Tkautz in 2005. The single was seen as a comeback for Tkautz who had enjoyed considerable success in the early 1990s both as an actress and singer. Tkautz had previously scored an Australian number one hit in 1991 with the song "Read My Lips", which spent two weeks at the top spot and won her an ARIA Award for Highest Selling Single in 1992. After a twelve-year hiatus from the music industry, Tkautz returned with her cover of Sheila E.'s 1984 hit "The Glamorous Life" and a new album Lost & Found. "The Glamorous Life" debuted and peaked at number thirty-one on the Australian Singles Chartin September 2005 and spent two weeks in the top fifty.
At almost the same time that Melissa Tkautz released her cover of the song, Australian dance music act T-Funk released their cover, which features vocals from American singer Inaya Day. This version reached number 31 on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart four weeks after Tkautz's rendition did the same. Outside Australia, this cover peaked at number five in Hungary and number six on the US BillboardHot Dance Club Play chart.
In 1995 dance/electronic artist Kairene recorded a cover of the song for Quality Records in Canada, the vinyl version was a sampler from the REMIX dance compilation issued on CD the same year.this version was produced by Canadian DJ/musicians Gene King and Carlos Clark.
The song was covered by Eden's Crush in their 2001 debut album Popstars.
In 2007 a cover version was recorded by Icelandic band Al'Margir.
In 2009, short lived group "Chauffeur", consisting of singer Sam Sparro, rapper Theophilus London, and producer Mark Ronson, released a cover of the song, officially approved by Prince, released exclusively to limited edition vinyl pressings only available with the purchase of Mark Ronson and Gucci's shoe collaboration.
The song was covered by Corin Tucker on her 2010 tour.
The song was covered by entertainer Jennifer Lopez for her Residency show in Las Vegas, All I Have, where she remixes it with her song "If You Had My Love".
