Album Profiles

[Chris]

Grace Jones – Portfolio

Released: 1977, Beam Junction, Island Records
Chart Peak: Black Albums #52, Pop Albums #109

Background:
Grace cut her first album release in 1977 under the control of Disco pioneer Tom Moulton. Since Grace was still a model, she named her first album Portfolio. It was a hit – with the classic hit single La Vie en Rose, and her then anthem, I Need a Man; the album raced to the top of the dance charts. The entire first side of the album consisted of a Broadway medley done the Disco way. From: Send in the Clowns (A Little Night Music) to What I Did for Love (A Chorus Line) to the auspicious Tomorrow from Annie. The album won Billboard's title of “Most Promising New Artist” in 1977, and even though Grace’s voice certainly had its limitations, it still became a huge hit, and due to her large following in the gay community, she was crowned as “the Queen of Gay Discos”; a very unusual debut from the enigma that is Grace Jones.

Tracks:

1. Send in the Clowns (7:35)
Considered by many to be Sondheim’s finest piece ever written. Grace took the old classic, and reworked it Disco style. The song is very bouncy, and it has a lot of instrumentals (perhaps for the best, given the limitations of miss. Jones’ voice), many fans simply can not stand this medley, but to be honest, I like it quite a lot; bouncy, and very original. Grace took the song, and did it “her way.”

Isn't it rich?
Are we a pair?
Me here at last on the ground,
You in mid-air.
Send in the clowns.

Isn't it bliss?
Don't you approve?
One who keeps tearing around,
One who can't move.
Where are the clowns?
Send in the clowns.

Just when I'd stopped opening doors,
Finally knowing the one that I wanted was yours,
Making my entrance again with my usual flair,
Sure of my lines,
No one is there.

Don't you love farce?
My fault I fear.
I thought that you'd want what I want.
Sorry, my dear.
But where are the clowns?
Quick, send in the clowns.
Don't bother, they're here.

Isn't it rich?
Isn't it queer,
Losing my timing this late
In my career?
And where are the clowns?
There ought to be clowns.
Well, maybe next year.

2. What I Did for Love (5:15)
Another classic song, this time from the highly successful play: A Chorus Line. This song is one of my personal favorites, and I think Grace improved on perfection. Lyrically, its one of the prettiest songs I have ever heard, and hearing Grace sing it, just makes me choke up. Again, the sound is pure Disco, but that doesn’t distract from song, or Grace’s flat vocal deliverance. Grace wasn’t (and still isn’t) a great singer, but what she does have is dedication and a lot of soul. This is one of my favorites on the album.

Kiss today goodbye,
The sweetness and the sorrow
Wish me luck, the same to you
But I can't forget what I did for love,
What I did for love.

Look, my eyes are dry,
The gift was ours to borrow
It's as if we always knew
And I won't regret what I did for love,
What I did for love.

Gone, love is never gone,
As we travel on,
Love's what we'll remember.

Kiss today goodbye,
And point me toward tomorrow
We did what we had to do
Can't forget,
Won't regret what I did for love.
What I did for love...
What I did for love...
What I did for love.

3. Tomorrow (5:47)
The last and closing song of the 15 minute long medley, this song is perhaps one of the most recognizable Broadway tunes in the world, and it was originally used for the play Annie and the movie edition as well. Out of the three songs, this is without doubt the worst. It sounds as though she’s in pain, and especially when she reaches for the high notes. The instrumentals are very good, and it is clear that she has a lot of fun doing the song – but be warned! Grace delivers a very painful vocal performance, painful enough to make you want to cut off your ears. This song ends the good (but often) problematic 1st side.

The sun'll come out
Tomorrow
Bet your bottom dollar
That tomorrow
There'll be sun!

Just thinking about
Tomorrow
Clears away the cobwebs,
And the sorrow
'Til there's none!

When I'm stuck a day
That's gray,
And lonely,
I just stick out my chin
And Grin,
And Say,
Oh!

The sun'll come out
Tomorrow
So you got to hang on
'Til tomorrow
Come what may

Tomorrow! Tomorrow!
I love you
Tomorrow!
You're always
A day
Away!

4. La Vie en Rose (7:28)
Originally by the legendary songbird from France: Edith Piaf. This song has propelled into the stratosphere, and Grace took it even further. The song gets a thorough work over, instead of sticking to the original arrangement; Grace added a lilting beat that runs along a beautiful piano accompany and acoustic guitars. Grace delivers the vocal performance of her life, utilizing her voice beyond anything that’s on the album. Today, Grace’s version is considered to be one of the best, and even though it will always be synonymous with Edith, Grace’s version is still the most successful edition yet; nothing short of stunning.

Des yeux qui font baiser les miens,
Un rire qui se perd sur sa bouche,
Voila le portrait sans retouche
De l'homme auquel j'appartiens

Quand il me prend dans ses bras
Il me parle tout bas,
Je vois la vie en rose.

Il me dit des mots d'amour,
Des mots de tous les jours,
Et ca me fait quelque chose.

Il est entre dans mon coeur
Une part de bonheur
Dont je connais la cause.

C'est lui pour moi. Moi pour lui
Dans la vie,
Il me l'a dit, l'a jure pour la vie.

Et des que je l'apercois
Alors je sens en moi
Mon coeur qui bat

5. Sorry (4:02)
Vocally, Grace had some difficulties overcoming the Broadway tunes, but there is no evidence of that here. Grace delivers a beautiful performance, and the song seems overly sentimental for Grace (perhaps she had a vision of what to come? Who knows). The beat is still all Disco but instead of the usual overblown rhythms, its subsided and very subtle. This is one of the best songs on the album! What shame that Grace never performs any (except for La Vie en Rose) of her Disco songs in her concerts.

Sorry, jealousy, sorry, baby so sorry,
I was so full of jealousy, so full of jealousy,

Sorry, jealousy, sorry, baby so sorry,
I was no good at jealousy, no good at jealousy.

He's here, oh honey for just a day,
I'll find away to get away,
No matter what you say, hey hey.

He's here, oh honey for just a day,
He's coming from so far away,
For just a day, hey hey.

I don't want to deceive you,
But tell me how can I be true,
When all the jealousy,
Keeps me from telling it all to you.

Sorry, jealousy, sorry, baby so sorry,
I was so full of jealousy, so full of jealousy,

He's here, oh honey for just once a year,
That aint' so much for you to share,
That aint' so much to share.

He's here, oh honey for just once a year,
You got my loving' right here,
Prepare now there, now there.

Nothing is never the same when you're sorry,
I'm really sorry of my jealousy,
Keeps you from knowing another side of me,
He loves me too and he’s not jealous of you.

Sorry, jealousy, sorry, baby so sorry,
I was so full of jealousy, so full of jealousy.

Baby, sorry, jealousy, sorry, jealousy,
So full of jealousy...

6. That’s the Trouble (3:39)
My second favorite song on the album, this song represents all the best Disco had to offer: shifting rhythm vamps, overblown orchestra and all the dazzle. This is without doubt one of Grace’s best songs, and I never get tired of listening to it. Lyrically, the song is very dangerous and very similar to her groundbreaking stuff on the albums to come with Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare. I simply can not stress enough just how good this song is; this was also the very first song she ever recorded, released in 1976.

Every night, to take a walk on high to see,
The shadows of the moonlight, when this guy,
Began to follow me, and now you see.

That’s the trouble.

Then he turned my head, to my surprise,
He stared so seriously, in my eyes and said,
"Why, I'd like for you to come on home with me."

That’s the trouble,
Every man I see, that’s the trouble.
Taking every little thing so heavily,
That’s the trouble if you want to let you be,
That’s the trouble if you really want to' be free.

When I did not realize, he was the,
Serious type of guy, and I rang him,
And said "Will you marry me?"

That’s the trouble,
Every man I see, that’s the trouble.
Taking every little thing so heavily,
That’s the trouble if you want to let you be,
That’s the trouble if you really want to' be free.

7. I Need a Man (3:24)
This song (alongside Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive) is considered to be one of the best known Gay Anthems of all time. The sound is very bouncy and it makes you want to scream! Famous Rock Critic, Nik Cohn: “Musically, lyrically, it was nothing, but the rhythm drover harder than Mario Andretti and the line was ripped home with such insistence, such merciless repetition, that struggles as one might, one ended up brainwashed, forced to hum along.” Do I really need to continue on? Perhaps one of the most controversial songs ever recorded on vinyl. In conclusion, Portfolio was (and it still is) a highly entertaining debut album.

When I'm feeling lonely,
Someone telephone me,
It's getting hard to pass my time.

Take me out of dieing,
Watch me while I'm flying,
Baby, it's a waste of time.

I need a man, perhaps a man like you,
I need a man, to make my dreams come true.

Say that you will find him,
Creeping up behind him,
Moving round' the town all day.

Well, I'm underestimated,
Highly underrated,
Can there be another way?

I need a man, perhaps a man like you,
I need a man, and I need a man.

And then I won't be feeling lonely,
Knowing I'm the only one.

He'll understand,
Oh, what I'm feeling deep inside me,
Knowing that at last he's gone.

Oh well,
Getting tired of looking,
Wastig' all my cooking,
Ending in a dreadful row.

Can somebody tell me,
Say to me, or sell me,
Why I'm feeling lonely, oh.

I need a man, perhaps a man like you,
I need a man to make my dreams,
And I need a man.

And at night I won't be lonely,
Knowing I'm the only one.

He'll understand,
Oh, what I'm feeling deep inside me,
Knowing that at last he's gone.

It's maybe that I'm dreaming,
Can't say they I've seen him,
Somehow, I just got to find.

I need a man like you, to make my dreams come true,
Perhaps that man is you!